I had so much turkey left over after Thanksgiving that I froze a great deal of it for use in future recipes.

Of all my leftover turkey cooking adventures, this simple recipe is my favorite one so far.

If you managed to escape Thanksgiving and Christmas without mountains of leftover turkey, you can use chicken or vegetables instead.

This is one of those sauces that actually tastes much better after sitting in the fridge overnight.… Read more

Liquor and wine are a big part of many holiday dishes. Here are some of the most delicious recipes I could find that get a boost from the bottle and could be a part of your special holiday meal. Enjoy!

Starters

Sweet Potato Bourbon Soup
Drunken Crab Bisque
Roasted Beet and Smoked Sturgeon Salad with Vodka Vinaigrette

Meats

Grilled Molasses and Rum-Glazed Fresh Ham
Red Wine Braised Beef Brisket
Roasted Goose With Apple Rum Stuffing… Read more

Recently arrived from the folks at Campari, a perfect end to any holiday party. Created by chef Nancy Verde Barr.

Ingredients

2 cups cranberry-raspberry juice drink
1 ¼ cups sugar
1/2 cup Campari
3 3xl-inch strips orange peel (orange part only)
6 Bosc pears (each about 7 ounces)
1 lemon, cut in half
1 10-ounce package frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed
4 tablespoons orange liqueur
2 tablespoons red currant jelly
1 cup mascarpone cheese (about … Read more

Looking around for Thanksgiving dessert inspiration, I found some mouth-watering pumpkin desserts that incorporate a wee bit of booze.

Pumpkin pie with brandy
Bourbon pumpkin cheesecake
Pumpkin cake with whiskey whipped cream
Pumpkin rum cake with brown sugar icing
Pumpkin mousse parfaits (pictured)

Photo by azcentral.com.

Making gravy is surprisingly easy. If you’re already making a Thanksgiving turkey, with about 15 minutes extra work you can also have homemade gravy. And like most foods, gravy is even better when you add booze.

Ingredients

4 cups turkey or chicken stock
3 tbs butter (unsalted)
1/3 cup flour
Pan drippings from turkey (pour fat off first)
½ cup bourbon
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook butter in a large saucepan on medium … Read more

Alcohol and food are a great combination.

But it can be surprisingly tricky to cook with beer, wine, and liquor. (And no one wants to waste a drop of the good stuff)

Whether you’re looking for a gift or preparing to entertain for the holidays, these cookbooks are good for anyone looking to learn how to cook with booze:

Here’s to Good Food: Cooking With Beer, Wine, Liquor and Liqueurs
Cooking with Booze
Cooking with … Read more

Who doesn’t like Tequila? From Rock n’ Roll legend Sammy Hagar and his Cabo Wabo Tequila comes this cocktail with attitude.

Ingredients

1 oz Cabo Wabo reposado tequila
1 oz triple sec
1 oz cointreau
1 oz Southern Comfort
1 oz pineapple juice

Instructions

Combine all in a shaker half-filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a tall glass nearly filled with ice.

As a bonus this week, a Cooking with Booze special from … Read more

A little restaurant called Tailor in NYC created this very adult candy. Not to be mistaken for a normal, mostly sugar Gummi Bears of your childhood, these bruins are 85% absinthe with a touch of gelatin and sugar to hold it all together.

Served along side an espresso, the absinthe gummi bear is a true cocktail treat. And no need to order it and seem like a lush. Simply order an espresso and your new … Read more

Gena at Big City, Little Kitchen, made this variation of a Nigella Lawson recipe. The addition of a cup of Guinness not just makes these cakes perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, it makes them tasty too!

Big City, Little Kitchen – Beer Cupcakes! [via Craftzine]

We found this on Boing Boing, a diagram for the cooking chicken or duck in beer. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go into cooking times or temperatures (it suggests a “small flame”). As long as you cook your poultry to 170 F, it should be just fine.

Chinese Diagram: Cooking chicken with beer [BoingBoing]