Hazelnut Rye Flip

This past weekend was the time for decorating at my house, and I decided to make the tree lighting and tinsel hanging a little more fun this year by coming up with a tasty drink to match the festive atmosphere. I think my creation hits all the right holiday flavors perfectly, especially if you're a fan of rye whiskey.

You'll Need:

• 1 oz. Rye Whiskey - I used a classic, Old Overholt
• 1/2 oz. Frangelico hazelnut liqueur
• 1 egg white
• Dash of Angostura bitters
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• Cinnamon stick for garnish

1. Pour everything but the cinnamon stick into a large shaker filled with ice.
2. Shake vigorously for a minute or so - you really want to froth up the egg white for a nice creamy drink.
3. Strain it into rocks glass over a few cubes of ice - I recommend using a very fine strainer to keep out any stray chunks of nutmeg or cinnamon.
4. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
5. Enjoy with Christmas carols and a warm sweater.

Cooking with Whiskey: Mint Julep Pork Chops

Over the weekend I did a fall clean out of my tiny little garden. While most of the plants died or went dormant weeks ago, I was still able to harvest a few peppers, and a whole bunch of mint. The mint was still thriving to the point of growing out of cracks in my planters, so I decided to pull it all up and start over next spring. But what to do with a pile of fresh-from-the-garden mint? Play around in the kitchen what else.

By pure luck I hit on a pretty tasty dish on my first try. You'll need the following ingredients:

1/3 cup of fresh mint leaves, de-stemmed and rinsed.
3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 egg
2 oz. of bourbon (I used the last of my Henry McKenna - I'm sure anything better would be...better)
2 tbsp of dark brown sugar
3-4 thick pork loin chops

1. Put everything except the pork chops in a food processor and blend it together until you have a nice creamy mixture.
2. Soak the pork chops in this marinade for at least 2 hours - a longer marinade can't hurt if you have time.
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
4. Transfer the pork chops to a baking dish and brush a light coating of the marinade on both sides of the chops.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes and serve.