Detail image for February 2023 Damaris story.

Illustrated by Branden Barker

Food is a universal Love Language. It can create a truly intimate connection. So, for this Valentine’s Day — or any romantic day — We put together some of our favorite bourbon-inspired recipes from our columnist and Food Network Star Damaris Phillips. Enjoy!

By Damaris Phillips

VEGETARIAN STROGANOFF

Ingredients

  • 1 pound noodles
  • 1 pound ground meat substitute
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup vegetable broth (or bouillon and water)
  • 2 cups oat milk or cream
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons mustard
  • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)
  • 3/4 cup sour cream or vegan sour cream
  • Salt and pepper
  • Green onions for garnish
  • Chopped parsley for garnish

Method

  1. Cook the noodles according to the directions on the package. 
  2. Meanwhile, heat a large cast iron skillet and sear off the meat substitute in dime to quarter-sized chunks. Cook on each side for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. 
  3. Sauté the onions until just beginning to become translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and continue to cook until both are tender and the liquid has cooked off, about 5 minutes. 
  4. Add the remaining oil. Add the flour. Stir to coat all the vegetables and cook 1 to 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste. 
  5. Add the garlic powder and mustard and stir. Slowly whisk in the vegetable broth, then the oat milk. Stir to prevent clumping and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 3 to 5 minutes.
  6. Add the liquid smoke, bourbon and the cooked meat substitute. Cook until heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Temper the sour cream so that it doesn’t curdle in the sauce. Do this by adding 1/2 of the hot sauce to the yogurt/vegan sour cream, 2 tablespoons at a time. Then add the mixture to the sauce. Stir and remove from heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper. 
  7. Toss the sauce with the drained noodles. Serve immediately, garnished with green onions and parsley.
Detail image for February 2023 Damaris story.

Photographed by Kylene White

BOURBON PECAN BROWNIES

Ingredients

For the Brownies:

  • 1 box brownie mix
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 ounce bourbon
  • 1 cup chocolate chips (If your mix doesn’t already contain them)

For the Pecan Pie topping:

  • 1 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
  • 1 cup dark corn syrup
  •  1/2 cup melted butter
  • 4 large eggs
  • 4 tablespoons bourbon
  • 2 cups chopped toasted pecans

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
  2. Make the brownies according to the back of the box. Mine called for 1/2 cup oil, 1 egg and 1/4 cup water. Your mix will call for some variation of this. Add the bourbon and the chocolate chips. Stir until combined and pour into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is crackly but the center is still a little under done, about 25-30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile make the pecan pie topping. In a large bowl, add the brown sugar, corn syrup and melted butter. Stir to combine. Add the egg and bourbon and stir again until the mixture is homogeneous.
  4. Remove the brownies from the oven. Evenly sprinkle the pecan over the top and gently pour on the corn syrup mixture. Bake again until the center of the pecan pie mixture is just set, another 35-40 minutes. Cool completely and then remove from the pan with the help of the parchment paper on the bottom. Peel off the parchment, slice and enjoy. These are very rich, so cut into tiny squares. It makes a lot!

Detail image for February 2023 Damaris story.

BOURBON BLACKBERRY LEMONADE 

Ingredients

  • 2 oz bourbon
  • 1  1/2 tablespoons seedless blackberry jam
  • 2 oz lemon juice 
  • 4-6 ounces sparkling water
  • Lemon wedges for garnish
  • 2 fresh blackberries for garnish
  • 1 cup ice 

Method

  1. Add the bourbon and jam to the bottom of a 16 ounce glass. Stir to combine. 
  2. Add the lemon juice and sparkling water. Stir gently. 
  3. Fill to the top with ice and garnish with a lemon wedge and two blackberries.

 

Want more delicious recipes? Check out Damaris’s “Top Food & Diet Trends for 2023”.