Delicious Apple Bourbon Cocktails – Perfect for Autumn

On November 11, 2020November 11, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes4 Comments

Autumn is a time for special occasions, celebrating, and comfort food. It isn’t all about the food, though, it is also a time for special drinks and cocktails. Obviously we love gluhwein, mulled ciders, and other autumnal drinks, but we decided to do something a little different. We made an Apple Bourbon Cocktail (an “ABC” for short) with apple cider that was infused overnight with spices. The warmth of the spices pairs really well with a quality bourbon and it is definitely a festive cocktail. If you don’t want the alcohol, you can serve it as “mocktail”, but we prefer the version that has a little bit of a kick. We really enjoyed it, so hopefully you will as well.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups Apple Cider (not apple juice, it needs to be a true apple cider)
2 Cinnamon Sticks
2 Whole Cloves
1 Star Anise
8 oz Bourbon
Apple Slices for garnish

Everything You Need for an Apple Bourbon Cocktail

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the apple cider, cinnamon, cloves, and star anise in a mason jar and put in the refrigerator for about 24 hours (at least overnight). To serve, strain the apple cider and add 4 ounces of apple cider to 2 ounces of bourbon in a rocks glass (ice cubes are optional as the drink is meant to warm your insides). Garnish with an apple slice and serve. Makes 4 servings. Cheers!

Butternut Squash with Orecchiette Pasta

On November 4, 2020November 4, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes2 Comments

Autumn is the perfect time of year for having meals made with different types of squash. We often make acorn squash, spaghetti squash, and butternut squash at this time of year. We usually just have them as a side dish to the main meal, but we decided to make a dinner where the squash was the star of the dish. Adding green beans gave it a pop of color, but broccoli or asparagus would be a good alternative. It is a simple and easy meal idea that works for weekdays or can be made for a crowd. It is also a good dish for a pot-luck dinner as well.

Butternut Squash, Green Beans, and Pancetta

INGREDIENTS

2 cups Butternut Squash – cooked and cut into 1 inch cubes
3/4 cup Pancetta – cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 cups Green Beans – cut into 1 inch pieces
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
2 cups Orecchiette
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese – grated
2 to 3 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Granulated Garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

To cook the butternut squash, cut it in half, remove the seeds, drizzle it with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. Then place the butternut squash on a foil lined baking sheet and place in an oven at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, until fork tender. Then remove the butternut squash, let it cool, remove the skin, and cut into 1 inch cubes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil that has been seasoned with plenty of salt. Add the orecchiette and cook for about a minute or two less than the box directions in order to keep it al dente. Be sure to reserve a 3/4 cup of the cooking water from the pasta. Blanch the green beans in boiling water for about 5 minutes and then remove them and add them to cold water to stop the cooking. Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat to medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and red pepper flakes and cook until the pancetta is crispy. Add the butternut squash and the reserved pasta water and cook for about 2 minutes and the water reduces by about half. Add the orecchiette, green beans, and a 1/2 cup of water and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add to a serving bowl, toss with the grated Parmesan cheese, and serve.

A Single Serving of Butternut Squash with Orecchiette

Some of Our Favorite Family Recipes

On October 7, 2020October 7, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn RecipesLeave a comment

For whatever reason, most of our traditional family recipes seem to be ones that we make during the autumn and winter seasons. They tend to be meals that we create in large batches and either enjoy the leftovers the next day or freeze to have at a later date. Most of these were handed down from family member to family member by example and not written down. Cooking is one of those things that definitely can bring a family together, regardless of where you live or where you are from. It is probably one of the reasons why we enjoy eating traditional meals when we travel to places, because the food will also give you a sense of the people. Here are a few of our family’s recipes that we’ve posted over the past few years.

Meat Lasagna – We certainly enjoyed having lasagna in Rome and Florence, but our homemade lasagna is still one of our favorite meals. We also tend to make our own garlic toast to go along with it as we really like that combination. We always make a large batch so that we can have plenty of leftovers.

Red Chili – You will find many different varieties of chili as you travel throughout the southwest. From green chili to red chili, with or without meat, spicy or not spicy, they are all usually interesting and have plenty of flavor. Our version combines kidney beans and chili beans to create a very hearty meal.

Pumpkin Cookies – We bake these cookies every year in October or November and it is a way to welcome the change in the seasons. We typically make a couple dozen and then share them with our friends, who always look forward to them as well. It is a simple recipe, but the cookies are moist and delicious.

Egg and Hash Brown Potato Skillet – That isn’t the actual name of it, but egg slop doesn’t quite describe the dish. What makes this unique is the sauce that we make from chili powder and other seasonings. We have always had it for dinner, but it would make for a good weekend breakfast as well.

French Stew – This is an inexpensive meal that combines fresh ingredients in a simple way to make a “stewp”. Similar dishes can be found in the countryside’s of many different countries and is typically considered to be a hunter’s stew. A hunter stew is usually made from meat, potatoes, and vegetables, whatever happens to be available at the time.