Rice Whiskey Treats

I'm a girl who knows what she wants.  I like my whiskey Irish, but if it's bourbon, I prefer Kentucky, specifically Maker's Mark.  I blame my mom on both accounts, but fact of the matter is she had good taste.  Glad I inherited that gene.  And we know how dessert and booze combined together makes me happy.  It's just an excellent idea.  No need to choose between ordering dessert or getting another cocktail.  Everyone wins. So these drunken krispies treats are a huge win, with a taste that's simultaneously subtle, intriguing and just plain good.  I particularly loved the sprinkling of salt on top, which I think highlighted the smooth sweetness of the whiskey.  Dave didn't love these quite as much, but he's not a whiskey drinker, so his vote doesn't count.

Bourbon Chicken

You know that awesome feeling you get when you replicate a restaurant or take-out meal in your own kitchen?  The part of you that sings when someone tastes it and says, "This tastes exactly like the stuff you get at so-and-so?"  Yeah, get ready because that's exactly how you'll feel when you make this.  Ever get the bourbon chicken at the Chinese/Asian stand at the mall food court?  Or just sample it from the guy standing there with a tray of toothpicks with a chunk of saucy chicken on the end?  This is that chicken.  And it's amazing.  It's got a blend of a little sweet, a very mild spice and and overall sense of yum.  The chicken is juicy and flavorful, and the sauce has a great consistency of not too thin or too thick, so it goes great with the chicken over rice.

Did you notice that it's the second Tuesday of the month so it's Secret Recipe Club time again?  Cause it is!  By now, you probably know what that means.  Each Monday a group of bloggers post a recipe they've made from another blogger's repertoire.  Nobody knows who's featuring their blog until that day and it's a fun chance to visit new blogs and try something different. Visit some of the other bloggers in my group by checking out the blog hop at the bottom of this post.  To learn more about Secret Recipe Club, click here.

Chocolate Chip Bourbon-Spiked Banana Bread

Well, if rum can go into my banana bread, why not just throw open the liquor cabinet and grab whatever?  On the surface this may seem very similar to the Chocolate Chip Coconut Banana Rum Bread I shared earlier this week, but the flavors come together differently and the strength of the bourbon really shines.  Plus the addition of nuts provides a different undertone, almost an earthiness when couples with the bananas and the chocolate chips provide a nice sweet note with the alcohol.  Good stuff, people.  Now you have a banana bread you can share with your rum drinking friends and one for your bourbon drinking friends.  Or just share with everyone.  Or share with no one and devour these mini loaves all by yourself.  Your call.

Cranberry Apple Walnut Pie

While my friends (well, Cindy) are more concerned about my lack of "applying" myself to cupcakes, I am determined to tackle a different baking challenge: pie.  I've never made a pie, let alone a pie crust, but with the season of pie upon us, it seemed the opportune moment.  The pie filling didn't concern me so much as the making of a crust.  So after my appeal to you, dear readers, I received a few comments and emails suggesting a few options for pie crust recipes.  I narrowed it down to three from very respectable bloggers and I appreciate the depth to which each of these bloggers explained the nuances and differences between various crust methods.

The Brown Eyed Baker had a good recipe and description, including specific instructions for using a food processor or mixing by hand.  The recipe uses all butter, but there was no sugar and the rest of the ingredients seemed a little on the light side and since I know I have an issue rolling dough, I wanted something using a little more in the quantity department, just in case.