A Very Whiskey Thanksgiving

And of course I will NOT be using the whiskey. I'll be substituting sparkling apple juice with a touch of vanilla instead :) For 2 tablespoons bourbon, substitute the following: 1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, sparkling apple cider, sparkling cranberry juice, or sparkling grape juice.

Whiskey Glazed Carrots

INGREDIENTS:

* 2 pounds (to 3 Pounds) Carrots, Peeled And Cut Into Thick Circles
* 1 stick Butter
* ½ cup Jack Daniels Or Other Whiskey
* ¾ to 1 Cup Brown Sugar
* ½ to 1 teaspoon Salt
* Freshly Ground Pepper (to Taste)

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over very high heat. Add carrots in two batches, cooking for 60-90 seconds each batch. Remove from skillet and set aside on a plate.

Turn off heat. Pour whiskey into skillet, then turn heat to medium. Allow whiskey to evaporate 30 seconds. Add remaining butter. When butter melts, sprinkle brown sugar over the top. Stir together, then add carrots to skillet. Cover, and continue cooking for 5 minutes.

Remove lid and add salt and pepper. Continue cooking until carrots are done and glaze is nice and thick, about 5 to 8 more minutes.

Pour onto a platter and serve immediately. Sprinkle with chopped chives.



Pear Crisp with Whiskey Cream Sauce

FILLING INGREDIENTS:

* 4 whole (to 5) Large Pears (Bosc pears work well)
* ⅔ cups Sugar
* ¼ teaspoons Salt
* 1 to 2 tablespoons whiskey

TOPPING INGREDIENTS

* 1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
* ⅓ cups Sugar
* ⅓ cups Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
* ½ teaspoons Cinnamon
* ½ cups Pecans, Very Finely Chopped
* 1 stick Butter, Melted

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Peel, core, and dice pears. Place into a bowl and stir together with 2/3 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 to 2 tablespoons whiskey. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans. Stir together. Drizzle melted butter gradually, stirring with a fork as you go until all combined. Mixture should be very clumpy.
Pour pears into a baking dish; top with crumb topping.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Place pan on top rack of oven for an additional 10 minutes, or until topping is golden brown.
Serve warm with whiskey cream sauce.

Whiskey Cream Sauce:

* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 stick butter
* 1/2 cup cream
* 1/4 cup Jack Daniels

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat until mixture reaches a low boil. Turn off heat. Pour, warm, over the individual servings of bread pudding.

Also going to be doing a dinner roast wrapped in chive and onion cream cheese and phyllo dough. Should be a nice presentation -- wish me luck! :)