Bourbon Cocktail Cherries

Bourbon Cocktail Cherries

Yields: About 1 pint | Garnish + snack for the bar

Ingredients

• 12 oz Frozen Dark Sweet Cherries (pitted; thawed slightly so they are workable)
• ¾ cup Bourbon
• ½ cup White Sugar
• ¼ cup Filtered Water
• 1 Vanilla Bean, split or 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• ¼ tsp Almond Extract (optional — echoes amaretto/maraschino character)
• 1 Wide Strip Orange Zest (pith removed)
• Pinch Salt

Instructions

1. Syrup: In a small saucepan, combine sugar, water, bourbon, orange zest, vanilla bean (if using), and salt. Warm over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Do not boil off the bourbon hard — a gentle simmer is enough.
2. Cherries: Add the cherries. Simmer gently 3–5 minutes until they look glossy and the liquid is ruby. Kill the heat. Stir in vanilla extract and almond extract if you are using those instead of (or in addition to) the bean.
3. Jar: Fish out the zest (and bean, or leave the bean in for a stronger vanilla note). Pack cherries into a clean pint jar and cover completely with the hot liquid. Cool, then refrigerate.
4. Rest: Best after 3–7 days. They keep several weeks cold. Always keep cherries submerged.

Homemade Ranch Dip

Homemade Ranch Dip

About 12 servings | Prep ~10 minutes | Chill at least 4 hours (ideally overnight)

Buttermilk, mayo, sour cream, and herbs — thick enough for wings and veggies, thinable for salad. Once you make it, the bottle stays in the store.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Good-quality mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup Sour cream
• 1/2 cup Buttermilk
• 3 tbsp Fresh minced parsley or 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1½ tsp Fresh minced dill or ½ tsp dried dill
• 1/2 tsp Apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp Onion powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Whisk: In a medium bowl, whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk until smooth. Stir in parsley, dill, vinegar, Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Blend well and adjust seasoning to taste.
2. Chill: Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours — ideally 8 hours or overnight. If it is too thick after chilling, thin with a splash of buttermilk (more for dressing, less for dip).

Smoky Lime-Cilantro Wings Marinade

Smoky Lime-Cilantro Marinade

Enough for a batch of wings | Marinate exactly 4 hours before smoking

Perfect for chicken wings using Spanglish Asadero Mexican BBQ seasoning.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup Olive oil
• 1/4 cup Fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tbsp Honey or agave nectar
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup Fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp Cumin

Instructions

1. Mix: Combine all ingredients in a bowl or a large zip-top bag.
2. Marinate: Add chicken wings. Coat well and refrigerate for exactly 4 hours.
3. Prep: Remove wings from the marinade and pat them very dry with paper towels (important for crispy skin).
4. Season: Apply a generous coating of Spanglish Asadero Mexican BBQ seasoning.
5. Smoke: Smoke at 225°F–250°F (107°C–121°C). For extra crispiness, finish on a hot grill about 2 minutes per side.