Rachael Ray's Holiday Recipes feat. Staple Gin

Crafted in partnership with culinary icon Rachael Ray and Do Good Spirits Distillery in upstate New York, Staple Gin features traditional botanicals and unique flair. It boasts a balanced palate with juniper at the forefront, complemented by vibrant citrus notes of lemon and orange zest, a hint of spice from coriander, and a delicate sweetness from elderflower. See just how versatile it is by making Rachael's gin-fluenced recipes on this page!

In a mixing bowl, toss 20-24 medium to large shrimp (peeled, deveined, and tails off) with 4 cloves chopped garlic and the juice and zest of 1 small lemon. Chill 30 minutes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta, then generously salt the water. Heat 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add shrimp and season with salt and pepper/red pepper. Toss every now and then for 3-4 minutes until almost cooked through. Meanwhile, drop 1 lb linguine in the boiling salted water and cook 1 minute less than directions. Reserve half a cup of this water before draining. Add 3/4 c chopped Castelvetrano olives to pan with shrimp and stir for a minute. Add 1/2 c Staple Gin, 1/4 c dry vermouth, and 3 tbsp olive brine. Let reduce by two-thirds. Add in 4 tbsp butter, cooked pasta, 1/2 c chopped parsley, and reserved pasta water as needed.

Muddle leaves from 1 sprig of fresh rosemary and a splash of olive brine at the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add 2 1/4 oz Staple Gin, 3/4 oz dry vermouth, and 1-2 dashes of orange bitters. Add ice and stir to chill, then double strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and a lemon twist.

Preheat oven to 400 F with rack at center. Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat with 1 tbsp EVOO. Once hot, turn off the heat, add 1 1/2 lb roughly chopped spinach and let wilt. Remove from pan and drain any excess liquid with a towel. Heat 2 tbsp EVOO in pan over medium heat, then add 2 chopped shallots and 3 minced cloves garlic. Stir for a minute or two, add back the spinach, and season with 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, and salt. Add 1 tbsp lemon juice, then 1/2 c seasoned bread bits or stuffing cubes and combine. Let cool. Pound 4 large turkey breast cutlets very thin between plastic wrap. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange the spinach stuffing on turkey cutlets leaving a 1-inch border. Add 1 1/2 c of a mix of crumbled blue cheese and shredded white sharp cheddar (or other cheese) and 2 tbsp chopped sage. Sprinkle with 1/2 c finely chopped walnuts, pine nuts, or hazelnuts (optional), evenly topping the spinach. Firmly roll the roulades into logs, tucking the short ends in first and then rolling lengthwise. Place seam-side down in a shallow casserole. Add ¼ cup chicken stock. Drizzle the roulades with EVOO and season with salt, pepper, thyme, and poultry seasoning. Cover and roast 15 minutes, uncover and roast 15-18 minutes more, or until golden. Slice roulades and place each over a puddle of cranberry sauce.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly butter and flour a 8"-10" springform pan. In large mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer, combine 8 oz ricotta, 8 oz cream cheese, and 3/4 c sugar. Mix until completely smooth (use a paddle attachment). This may take 3-5 minutes. Continue mixing at low speed and add 2 eggs and the zest and juice of 1 lemon. Mix until well combined. Add in 3 tbsp flour and 2 tbsp of cornstarch, followed by 1 c sour cream. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, place in the oven and bake 45-50 minutes, or until it is firmly set. Let cool completely before removing from pan. Meanwhile, whisk 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk in a medium bowl. Place a small sauce pot over medium heat and add 1/4 c butter to melt. Add the juice and zest of 1 lemon and 3/4 c sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and slowly pour the sugar mixture into the whisked eggs, a little at a time, while vigorously whisking to not scramble the eggs. Stir in 1/4 cup Staple Gin. Let cool. Top the cheesecake with a thin layer of gin sauce and decorate with fresh blueberries. When slicing, garnish each slice with more fresh berries and lemon gin sauce.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly butter and flour a 9"x13" baking dish or 10" cast iron skillet. Melt 1/2 c butter and stir in 2 tbsp honey until dissolved. In a medium bowl, whisk 3 eggs, 1/2 c vegetable oil, 1 c milk, and the honey butter. In a large bowl, add 2 c flour, 1 c cornmeal, 1/2 c sugar, 1 1/2 tbsp baking powder, and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and slowly pour in the wet ingredients, gently whisking until smooth. Pour the batter into the baking dish or skillet and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely. Meanwhile, peel 4 large Honeycrisp apples and cut into 1/2" pieces. Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp butter and melt, then add apple pieces. Cook 2-3 minutes or until they start to soften. Add 1/3 c Staple Gin, 1/4 c apple cider, 1/4 c light brown sugar, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 c raisins, and 1/8 c dried cranberries. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover the pan and stir occasionally. Cook until the apples are soft, 30-40 minutes. Mash the mixture to a chunky applesauce consistency. Let cool and serve with the cornbread.

Clean, peel, and devein 1 lb large, head-on shrimp, saving the heads and shells. Drizzle 1 tbsp EVOO in a saucepot and toast the shells and heads. Add 1 leek (trimmed and quartered), 2 bay leaves, a few peppercorns and 1/2 a lemon (sliced). Cover with 2 c chicken stock and a pinch of saffron. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Reduce the liquid by half. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat with 2 tbsp EVOO. Add cleaned shrimp and sear 1 minute on each side, then remove from pan. Dress shrimp with juice from the remaining half lemon. Return pan to heat, add 2 tbsp more EVOO, 3 finely chopped shallots, and 4 cloves finely chopped garlic. Swirl or stir for 2 minutes. Add 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste, 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tsp chili flakes (or 1 tbsp Calabrian chili paste). Stir a minute more and add 3 tbsp dry vermouth and 1/2 c Staple Gin. Strain the saffron-shrimp stock through a fine-mesh sieve. Add the liquid to the pan. Swirl in 2 tbsp butter to melt. Stir a 28 oz can of crushed Italian tomatoes into the sauce and bring to a simmer. Add 1 lb fresh lobster meat (skip if using cooked lobster). While the seafood cooks, cook 1 lb of linguine in pot of water until al dente (reserve 1 c cooking water before draining). Add the pasta to the sauce, splashing in the reserved pasta water as needed to toss. Add the shrimp right at the end (and 1 lb cooked lobster meat if using). Transfer to a serving platter and serve with chopped parsley and torn basil.

Combine 1 c water and 1 c sugar in a medium size sauce pot and bring to a boil. Add 12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries. Stir and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then, until slightly thickened and sauce-like. Stir in 1 tbsp Staple Gin, 1 tbsp Campari, and 1 tbsp sweet vermouth. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Garnish with orange zest before serving.

In a sealable pitcher, combine a 46-ounce bottle of vegetable juice, zest and juice of 1 lime and 1 lemon, 2-3 tbsp horseradish, 12 dashes Tabasco, 12 dashes Frank's Red Hot, 2 tbsp Worcestershire, 1 tsp celery salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Stir or shake well and refrigerate. Place 1/4 to 1/2 c seasoned stuffing cubes in a resealable bag and smash into a breadcrumb-like texture (or use a blender or food processor). Place in a shallow dish. To make one cocktail, rim the glass with a piece of the lemon or lime, turn the glass upside down and dip it into the crumbs, twisting slightly. Shake off any excess. Fill with ice and pour in 3 tbsp Staple Gin and add the Bloody Mary mix. Stir and garnish with olives, celery, and apple if you wish.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450 F. In a bowl, toss 1 1/2 lb carrots with 1/4 c olive oil, 3 large shallots sliced into thin wedges, 3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. On a rimmed baking sheet, arrange the carrots and 1 halved lemon, cut sides down. Roast until carrots are caramelized at edges, 20-25 minutes. Douse the carrots with the juice from the roasted lemon, toss, and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with 1/2 c finely chopped carrot tops (optional).