3 oz Magellin Gin

1 oz St. Germaine

Juice from ½ lemon

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice including lemon rind.  Shake vigorously.  Strain into chilled Martini glass.  Serve

INGREDIENTS

1 lb sliced bacon

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil, then place an oven-safe wire rack on top of the pan. Spray the rack liberally with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, the cinnamon, and the cayenne pepper (if using). Toss them together until the spices are well-distributed.

3. Take a strip of bacon and press it into the sugar mixture, then turn it over and coat the other side with sugar. Place it on the wire rack, then repeat until all of the slices of bacon are covered with sugar on both sides.

4. If you have any remaining sugar, sprinkle it over the top of the bacon.

5. Bake the bacon in your preheated oven for 20-30 minutes. When it is done, it will be firm and crispy and dark along the edges.

6. Soon after you take it out of the oven, use a spatula to lift the bacon off the rack—sometimes the sugar and fat cause the bacon to stick, and if it's not removed when it is still warm, it's difficult to get off of the rack.  

          Adapted from a recipe by Martha Stewart

INGREDIENTS

7 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 ½ cups +1T all purpose flour

1 ¼ t ground ginger

1 t cinnamon

¼ ground cloves

¼ t nutmeg

1 T cocoa powder

8 Tunsalted butter

1 T freshly grated ginger

½ cup dark brown sugar

½ cup molasses

1 t baking powder

¼ cup sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Sift together the flour, the ground spices and cocoa

2. In a bowl dissolve the baking powder in 1½ tsp of hot water.

3. In a mixer beat the butter, grated ginger until fluffy, maybe 4-5 minutes.  Add brown sugar, molasses and mix thoroughly

4. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter. Beat in the baking powder mixture, then the remaining flour mixture.  Mix in the chocolate pieces turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with wrap and refrigerate until firm - 2 hrs.

5. Preheat oven to 325. Roll dough into 1-½ inch balls; place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes.  Roll in granulated sugar.  Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, 10-12 minutes. Let cool.