This cocktail is the equivalent of an apple picking adventure at a pumpkin patch while riding on a hay ride. It’s all fall. There can’t possibly be flavors that more embody fall than fresh apple cider and bourbon.

This is a version of a Manhattan cocktail, only adding in fresh apple cider. Get it, the Big Apple?!? I know, corny. But so totally no the nose, you can’t help but love it. The bourbon, vermouth and bitters are the so good with the fresh cider.

Fresh cider is critical here. You can find it almost anywhere - even Tree Top juice makes a version of a fresh cider that’s worthy of this cocktail. Just please don’t use apple juice. Gross.

The Big Apple

2 ounces apple cider

1 ounce bourbon (or rye)

1/2 ounce red vermouth

a dash of bitters

STEP 1

Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Fill it with ice and shake!

STEP 2

Strain into a cocktail glass filled with ice and serve with a wedge of apple. Cin cin!

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Fall just feels like oatmeal cookies to me. I used to make them for football games, because my mom made them for football games, so I’m sure that’s a part of the reason. This week I started to wonder how I could make them even more “fall” feeling. So I swapped out the raisins for craisins and added butterscotch chips (which are literally what fall tastes like). I think they are a pretty epic fall cookie. What do you think?

Fall Oatmeal Cookies

makes about two dozen

1 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup quick oats

2 cus butter scotch chips

1 cup craisins

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Whip until light and fluffy.

STEP 2

Combine together the flour, baking powder and oats - then blend into the stand mixer. Blend until just barely combined.

STEP 3

Toss in butterscotch chips and craisins and blend until totally incorporated.

STEP 4

Scoop on to a baking sheet and bake 12 minutes until browned on the edges. Let cool on a wire rack and keep in an airtight container for up to one week.

These go perfectly with a cup of hot apple cider. 😉

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Apple Cider Cocktail

4 ounces fresh apple cider

2 ounces bourbon

1/2 ounce allspice dram

Fill two cocktail glasses with ice. In a pitcher, stir together all ingredients. Pour the cocktail over the ice dividing it equally between both glasses

Cin cin!

When Mr. Hedin and I started dating, we went to Red Robin (the real, original one, not the chain it’s turned into) and I would order the French Onion Soup all the time. It was a really really good one that was topped with way too much cheese, which made it perfect.

This burger captures the flavors of a good french onion soup - you will crave it. I crave it now. It’s a perfect fall dinner because the creamy onions are so perfect right now.

French Onion Burger

makes 4 burgers

1.5 lb ground beef

4 large white onions, sliced

2 tbs butter

1 tbs fresh thyme

2 cloves garlic

¼ cup sherry

4 oz gruyere cheese, sliced

1 loaf crusty bread, cut into thin slices

Dijon mustard

STEP 1

In a large skillet, melt butter with onions.  Cook over medium heat until onions are soft.  Season with salt & pepper.

STEP 2

Mix beef with sherry, thyme, and garlic and form into patties. 

STEP 3

Cook patties on the grill or in a cast iron skillet until cooked through.  Toast bread slices while burger patties cook.

STEP 4

When patties are nearly done, top with slices of cheese and let melt.  Serve on top of toasted crusty bread smeared with Dijon mustard with onions on top.

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