We’ve got you covered for the holiday season. Do you want a new take on a classic recipe? Try a pumpkin pie cooked in a cast iron skillet (see the recipe below!). Do you want some talking points to have in your back pocket for that uncle who only knows and talks about sports? Do you think he knows about Terry Bradshaw pretending to be Tom Brady at a hospital? Well you do if you keep reading and can show him up for once. Are you worries about the election? Whiskey is what you’ll need. Jump down to the simple recipe below right away! And finally, the holidays often bring together big groups, and pasta can be scaled up without much extra effort. A big pot of pasta or a tray of lasagna can feed a crowd without a lot of fuss.
The Home Bartender: Whiskey
The Home Bartender series features the best of the best when it comes to simple cocktails. With classic cocktails you’ll recognize and new drinks you’re sure to love, there’s something for everyone here. Whether you’re looking for some novel and unique drinks or to bust out an old and timeless recipe, The Home Bartender: Whiskey is the perfect book for any home bar!
Cocktail: SUNDAY NIGHTCAP
This drink will help you forget. With its balance of sweet and bitter flavors, this play on a Boulevardier is the perfect beverage to grab your full attention and refocus your thoughts on relaxation and enjoyment.
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. rye whiskey
- 1 oz. Campari
- 1 oz. red wine
- 1 orange twist (garnish)
Recipe
- Add the whiskey, Campari, and wine to a pint glass filled with ice. Stir thoroughly.
- Strain into a rocks glass with large ice cube
- Garnish with an orange twist and look up immigration to Canada.
Cocktail: SPICED PUNCH
Bowl over the crowd at your holiday party with this refreshing and festive chai-spiced punch.
Ingredients:
- 6 lemons
- 1 cup sugar
- 8 chai tea bags
- 1 cup Four Roses bourbon
- 1 12oz. can ginger beer
- Cinnamon sticks (garnish)
- Cloves (garnish)
- Star anise (garnish)
- Allspice (garnish)
Recipe
- Peel six lemons with a potato peeler and set lemons aside. Put lemon peels and sugar in a bowl and crush peels into sugar. Allow to sit for one hour.
- Juice the peeled lemons and strain juice to remove pulp.
- Brew eight chai tea bags in four cups water, discarding bags after use. Dissolve sugar and lemon peel mixture in chai tea while warm. Remove peels and discard. Add bourbon and juice from lemons. Chill in refrigerator.
- Before serving, add one can ginger beer. Garnish with lemon slices and assorted spices floating in punch.
True Facts that Sound Like Bull$#*t: Sports
This book is fi
lled with 500 facts about football, baseball, basketball, hockey, and more. Here are a few crazy football facts to stump your family and friends during the holidays.
Did you know a quarterback has thrown a touchdown pass to himself not once, but twice? Vikings quarterback Brad Johnson first accomplished the feat in 1997, and Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota did it again in 2018.
Additionally, Brett Favre’s first NFL completion was caught by...Brett Favre! The ball was batted at the line of scrimmage and wound up back in Favre’s hands. In 2023, Texans rookie C. J. Stroud replicated the unlikely feat, catching his own first pass against the Baltimore Ravens.
In 1983, Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw checked himself into a hospital under an assumed name. The name? Tom Brady.
Encyclopedia of Cast Iron
Making a pumpkin pie in a cast iron skillet offers unique advantages. The even heat distribution of cast iron helps the pie bake uniformly, which is essential for achieving the smooth, creamy texture of pumpkin custard. The skillet’s high heat retention crisps the bottom crust, enhancing caramelization and creating a pleasant contrast with the soft filling. For added convenience, you can press a graham cracker crust directly into the skillet, bake it, and pour in the filling without transferring to another dish, making cleanup easier. Additionally, cast iron retains heat well, keeping the pie warm if you’re serving it soon after baking. The skillet’s depth even accommodates a generous amount of filling, perfect for a deep-dish pumpkin pie.
PUMPKIN PIE
This recipe makes eight servings, has 30 minutes of active time, with a total time of 5 hours.
Ingredients:
- 1 (14 oz.) can pumpkin puree
- 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
- 2 eggs
- 6 oz. light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 piecrust (see below) blind baked in a 9-inch cast iron skillet
Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. When the mixture is smooth, pour it into the crust.
- Place the pie in the oven and bake until the filling is just set, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the pie cool at room temperature for 30 minutes before transferring it to the refrigerator. Chill the pie for 3 hours.
- Slice the pie, top each piece with a dollop of whipped cream, and serve.
Perfect Piecrust
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- ½ cup ice water
Recipe
- Transfer the butter to a small bowl and place it in the freezer.
- Place the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor and pulse a few times until combined.
- Add the chilled butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly, consisting of pea-sized clumps.
- Add the water and pulse until the mixture comes together as a dough.
- Place the dough on a flour-dusted work surface and fold it over itself until it is a ball. Divide the dough in two and flatten each piece into a 1-inch-thick disk. Cover each piece completely with plastic wrap and place the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before rolling it out to fit your pie plate.
Encyclopedia of Pasta
Since the affection for all things pasta and noodles is undeniable, the purpose of this book is to make it easy for anyone to whip up fresh noodles, comforting soups, indulgent dishes, and silky sauces. That doesn’t mean it’s basic though—even the most zealous pasta and noodle enthusiast will find something to warm their heart.
Penne alla Vodka
This recipe makes six servings, has 40 minutes of active time, with a total time of 1 hour, and can be scaled up for larger groups.
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 oz. pancetta, diced
- 3 shallots, minced
- 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- Salt, to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 ¼ lbs. penne
- ½ cup vodka
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
Recipe
- Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan.
- Place 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet and melt it over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is browned and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the pancetta to a small bowl and set aside.
- Add the shallots to the skillet, season with salt, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and red pepper flakes to the skillet, season with salt, and raise the heat to medium-high. Once the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pan, and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the cream and heat through until the sauce gently bubbles. Remove from heat and cover the pan.
- Add salt to the boiling water, let it return to a full boil, and add the pasta. Cook until it is very al dente, 6 to 8 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.
- Place the saucepan over high heat. Add the vodka, reserved pasta water, and remaining butter and stir to combine. Add the pasta and cook, tossing continually, until it is al dente, about 2 minutes. Add the sauce and Parmesan to the pan and toss to combine. Top the dish with the pancetta, garnish with parsley and additional Parmesan, and serve.
