Bourbon French Toast

1. • 8 large eggs
   • 1 1/4 cup half and half
   • 1/2 cup bourbon (I used Buffalo Trace)
   • 3 tablespoons sugar
   • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
   • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used bourbon barrel aged vanilla)
   • 1 loaf 3/4-inch-thick French bread slices (I used Trader Joe's Sliced French Brioche)
2. • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter (I used unsalted Kerrygold)
   • Powdered sugar
   • Warm maple syrup
   • Maple Bourbon Cream Cheese 
   • Bourbon Maple Bacon Compound Butter
3. Whisk together eggs, half and half, bourbon, sugar, ground cinnamon, and vanilla in a large bowl. Dip each bread slice into the egg mixture and stack in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish and a an 8-inch square baking dish. Pour remaining egg mixture evenly over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
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5. Place a large baking dish in a 250F oven. Melt approx. 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add four bread slices to skillet and saute until cooked through and browned, about 3 minutes per side. Place in the baking dish in the oven to keep warm. Repeat cooking until the loaf is done. 
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7. Serve with powdered sugar, warm maple syrup, Maple Bourbon Cream Cheese, and Maple Bacon Bourbon Butter.

Shotcakes

1 chocolate cake box mix that calls for water (I used Pamela's Chocolate Cake mix)
1 container of pre-made buttercream frosting
Bourbon, rum or brandy

Vegan Option:
1 vegan chocolate cake box mix that calls for water
1/2 batch of Vegan Bourbon Maple Cream Cheese
Bourbon, rum or brandy

Make the cake mix according to the package instructions, BUT substitute booze for half to all of the water. Bake as cupcakes.

Non-Vegan: Dump the buttercream in a bowl and hand stir in 1/2-3/4 cup of booze. Allow to sit in the refrigerator or overnight (not necessary of you're having a really bad day).

Pipe the buttercream or bourbon maple cream cheese onto the cooled cupcakes (or spread the frosting on a warm cupcake with a butter knife if you're having a really bad day- function over form).

*Optional: Top with seasonal sprinkles and a freshly-toasted pecan.

If making gluten-free, be sure to check the ingredients on the frosting!

Maple Bourbon Cream Cheese

2 8-oz packages of cream cheese (room temperature)
6 tablespoons of brown sugar
4 tablespoons of real maple syrup
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla (I used bourbon barrel aged vanilla)
3 teaspoons bourbon (I used Buffalo Trace)

Vegan Version:
2 8-oz packages of vegan cream cheese (room temperature)
6 tablespoons of brown sugar
4 tablespoons of real maple syrup
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla (I used bourbon barrel aged vanilla)
3 teaspoons bourbon (I used Buffalo Trace)

Place ingredients in a mixing bowl large enough to allow you to dunk your head in and combine using a hand mixer. Lick the beaters.

*Optional: add chopped pecans

Serve as frosting on a spice or carrot cake, as a dip with pretzels, as a spread for bagels, or dunk your face in the bowl. Eat before the expiration date on the cream cheese package (as if you wouldn't?).

Bourbon Maple Bacon Compound Butter

1/2-3/4 cup of crumbled bacon (I used Hormel Real Bacon Crumbles)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon bourbon (I used Buffalo Trace)

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon brown sugar

Pinch of Kosher salt (optional)

Vegan Version:

1/2-3/4 cup of Bacon Bits (I used Bac-O's)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted margarine, room temperature (I used Earth Balance)

1 tablespoon bourbon (I used Buffalo Trace)

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon brown sugar

Pinch of Kosher salt (optional)

Place all the ingredients in a pie plate. Mash with a fork until well combined. Place the mixture on a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a cylinder, twisting the ends (OR plunk it in a seal-able container). Chill until solid. Butter will keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 3 months... if it lasts that long, you should examine your life choices.

Serve with warm bread, on a grilled portobello mushroom cap or on freshly-cooked steak.

*The idea for this recipe came from The Bon Appetit Test Kitchen, but they actually expected us to cook the bacon. In fact, half the recipe was how to cook bacon. And they only used one slice, which is unacceptable.