Jahresarchive: 2013

Orange Brewlius

21.11.2013 9 Comments

Can I be dramatic for a second?

And not in that I Almost Died in Morocco story kind of way, this is more the twisted inner workings of Jackie kind of way. It’ll only take a second.

I sleep about as well as homeless prostitute (that’s bad, by the way). If I can fall asleep, it’s never for very long. Sleep is as evasive as a greased pig at the county fair, if I can catch it, it’s slips away from me pretty easily. Most of this is due to my crazy brain waking me up with dreams like this, or for unnecessary demands and insignificant request.

-You have to send that W9!

-Shut up and go to sleep. I’ll do it in the morning.

–The trademark hasn’t gone through yet!

–I want to beat you. Shut your hole. there is nothing I can do about right now.

It happens every night, all night long. Sometimes Crazy Brain has recipe requests, and they are always bizarre.

-You have to make a chocolate bread pudding tart!

-Are you carb deficient? Go the EFF to sleep.

–Beer cheese tater tot nachos!!

-Are you high?

But occasionally it’s really on to something. Like a few nights ago when I was rudely awakened from a sound sleep with the request for a beerified mall walkers treat.

–ORANGE BREWLIUS!

-SHUT– oh, wait. I like that. Remind me of that at a more appropriate hour.

So here I am, to inflict on you the spoils of my horrible and erratic sleep in an attempt to put my crazy mind at rest. Or maybe I’m just reinforcing bad behavior, either way, this was delicious. I used Ommegang Abbey Ale, a great beer that would actually do well to pair with your Thanksgiving dinner. Although I decided to sully it in a copy cat recipe of a large chain smoothie maker.

I hope the head brewer forgives me.

Orange Brewlius

Print Recipe

Ingredients

7 fl oz orange juice
½ cup Belgian ale
2 tbs heavy cream
2 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Pour the orange juice into ice cube trays. Place in the freezer until frozen, about 2 hours.
Put the orange juice ice cubes and the remaining ingredients in a blender.
Blend until frothy.
Enjoy.

French Mushroom Stout Cheddar Soup

18.11.2013 10 Comments

Let’s pretend this didn’t happen.

Like I didn’t put beer in your soup again. Like I didn’t just take this soup that I love so much, change up a few ingredients and pretend like it’s an entirely new guy. Let’s pretend like I’m more creative than that. Shall we?

Even though this is a closely related cousin of Stout French Onion, the flavors are completely different. Plus I gave you some melty cheddar, and some fresh thyme. Does that help you forget my momentary lack of creativity?

Or do I need to buy you a beer?

French Mushroom Stout Cheddar Soup

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

2 tbs butter
1 cup sweet white onions chopped
1 tbs olive oil
16 wt oz mushrooms crimini or white button
2 cups beef broth
1 cup stout
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
4 slices italian bread toasted
4 slices cheddar cheese

Instructions

In a pot over medium heat melt the butter.
Add the onions and sauté until starting to caramelize, about 10 minutes (make sure the heat isn’t too high or the onions will burn).
Add the olive oil and mushrooms and cook until dark and soft, about 10 additional minutes.
Add the broth, stout, black pepper, and thyme, simmer for ten minutes.
Preheat the broiler.
Ladle the soup into 4 oven safe bowls.
Top with bread, then cheese.
Place under the broiler until cheese has melted.

Notes

young cheddar melts better than aged cheddar, don't be afraid to save the expensive stuff for something else and use the younger, cheaper cheese for this soup.

Bruleed Pumpkin Beer Pie

15.11.2013 5 Comments

I know what you’re thinking.

You think that I put a Pumpkin Ale in that pie. It’s a fair assumption, and not a bad route to take when beerifying (that’s a word) a pumpkin pie. Sure, you can use that. Go ahead, be my beer-cookin' guest, it’s not a bad choice. But for this I wanted to play up those brown sugar flavors with a nice barrel aged brown ale. So that’s exactly what I did.

Brown ales don’t get enough air time. They are often forgotten in the beer-of-the-moment hype. Browns are the George Harrison’s of the beer world. The Willem Dafoe’s of the beer world.

But brown ales have a lot of potential, a lot of great flavors, a lot of depth. Especially when they’ve been aged in a bourbon barrel. Like this Palo Santo Marron from Dogfish Head which has unleashed that underrated brown ale potential in a way that will remind the Beer Snobs that it’s here to play. Or make pies. Or maybe both.

I used this Kitchen torch, because it’s amazing, easily one of my favorite kitchen tools. (affiliate link)

Bruleed Pumpkin Beer Pie

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 Pale ale pie crust
¾ cup heavy cream
2/3 cup packed golden brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
5 large egg yolks
¾ cup brown ale preferably a barrel aged brown ale
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups of pumpkin purée
1 tbs cornstarch
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
White sugar for brulee topping about 3 tbs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375.
Roll the pie dough out on a lightly floured surface and line a 9-inch pie pan. Place in the fridge to chill until the filling is ready.
In a pot over medium heat, add the cream. Heat until the cream starts to bubble around the edges.
In a large bowl whisk together the white sugar, brown sugar and egg yolks. Whisking continually, slowly pour the hot cream into the eggs. Whisk until well combined.
Add the remaining ingredients (other than the brulee sugar), whisk until well combined.
Pour into the prepared pie pan.
Bake at 375 for 50-60 minutes or until the filling puffs slightly and has set around the edges (the center will still be wobbly). Chill until set, at least 4 hours.
Just prior to serving, sprinkle the remaining white sugar over the top of the pie in an even layer. Using a culinary torch brulee the sugar until melted and turned a dark amber color.

For this recipe I use The Pale Ale Pie Dough

Pale Ale Pie Dough & And How to Make and Freeze it For Later

14.11.2013 20 Comments

It’s pie time.

And I hope you won’t hold this against me but I’m about to give you a pie dough lecture. About that store bought crust you use. And how you have to stop.

For the love of Good Beer, stop it.

Here’s why, hold tight, I’m about to change your pre-made-pie-dough buying ways:

It takes 8 minutes to make this. It’s tastes a thousands times better. It freezes really well. And you get to brag to everyone about how "hard" you worked making that dough from scratch.

I’ve made several pie dough recipes in the past and always go back to a version of Cooks Illustrated Foolproof Pie Dough. Mostly because it’s so simple. With an added bonus that it has an amazing tenderness and flakiness that doesn’t always happen with other pie dough recipes.

The original recipe uses vodka, the high alcohol content contributes to the flakeyness. I’ve subbed in some beer (shocking), but make sure to use a high ABV beer to get the right effect (step away from the inBev).

It makes a really soft dough that freezes great, some even say it’s better after being frozen for a while. You can make these far ahead of your other Holiday Meal Prep and just freeze it for later. Make sure and give it a full 24 hours in the fridge to come back to life.

And feel free to keep all of this to yourself, let them all think you worked your ass of for that perfect pie crust.

Pale Ale Pie Dough {Freezer Friendly}

Print Recipe

Prep Time 8

Total Time 8

Servings 2 pie crusts

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups 12 ½ wt oz all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
12 tbs cold unsalted butter cut into cubes
8 tbs vegetable shortening
1/3 cup ice cold high ABV pale ale

Instructions

Add 1 ½ cups of flour, salt and sugar to a food processor, pulse to combine. Add the butter and shortening, process until well combined and dough gathers around the blade.
Add the remaining flour and pulse 6-8 times or until all the flour has been coated.
Transfer to a bowl. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the beer until completely incorporated into the dough (don’t add the beer in the food processor or your dough will turn into a cracker). Dough will be very soft.
Lay two long sheets of plastic wrap on a flat surface.
Divide the dough evenly between the two sheets, Form into flat disks.
Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap. Place the disks into a freezer bag.
Freeze for up to 3 weeks. (If you want to use the dough the day of, place the wrapped disks in the refrigerator for 2 hours and up to 3 days)
24 hours before use, put the dough in the refrigerator to thaw.

Notes

If the dough breaks easily when you try to roll it out, gently knead it with your hands until it comes together. Roll it out, line a pie pan and refrigerator to chill, about 30 minutes.
*This recipe also works with all butter, or all shortening, if you prefer.

Adapted from Cooks Illustrated Foolproof Pie Dough

Spaghetti Squash Alfredo: 125 Calories

12.11.2013 15 Comments

I eat a lot of food.

A lot of high calorie food and beer that can leave me feeling like I want to take a nap in some kale. I tend to pendulum swing between wanting really bad for me food and really good for me food but I want it all to taste good.

So I’ve developed a fixation with produce. And how to manipulate it into tasting like that other side of the coin that leads me down a path far away from my skinny jeans.

So here you have my version of a pasta dish, made up mostly of vegetables, and a hefty serving weighs in at only 125 calories.

In fact, if you ate the entire batch it would only be 500 calories.

And you would be very full.

Spaghetti Squash Alfredo: 125 Calories

Ingredients

1 large spaghetti squash
1 head cauliflower (1.5 lbs), chopped
½ cup skim milk (2% and whole milk work too)
½ cup chicken broth
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion power
pinch cayenne
1 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs Greek yogurt
¼ cup parmesan
1 large tomato, chopped
¼ cup parsley, chopped
Instructions

Cut the spaghetti squash in half, scoop out and discard the seeds and strings in the middle of the squash.
Place, cut side down, on a baking sheet that has been lined with aluminum foil.
Roast at 375 for 30-40 minutes or until a fork easily slides into the skin.
Remove from oven, allow to cool enough to handle. Using a fork, gently scrape and lift the spaghetti like strands of the squash, transfer to four serving plates.
While the squash is cooking, make the sauce.
Cook the cauliflower in lightly salted boiling water until fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a blender. Add the milk, broth, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, lemon juice and Greek yogurt. blend until smooth. Return the mixture to the pot over medium heat. Stir in the cheese, cook until warmed. Thin with additional broth if desired. Salt and pepper to taste.
Pour sauce over squash, top with chopped tomatoes and parsley.

Roasted Broccoli with Beer Cheese Sauce

11.11.2013 12 Comments

Leave it to me to take a perfectly healthy and delicious side dish, like roasted broccoli, and pour a bunch of cheese and beer all over it, effectively negating most of the health benefits.

But really, it’s for your own good. There’s a good chance you’re sitting there planning a menu, a Turkey centric, end it with pie, If I don’t eat too much I’m doing it wrong, type of late November meal. Me too.

We’ve got the main dish down, and potatoes are all set, lots of pies (probably too many), but then those wily vegetable side dishes always come last. Is green bean casserole really enough green stuff? Should I have more?

Yes. You should have some roasted broccoli, serve it with a side of cheese sauce to match the excessive gluttony level of the rest of the table.

You wouldn’t want it to feel left out.

Roasted Broccoli with Beer Cheese Sauce

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Beer Cheese Sauce

2 tbs butter
3 tbs flour
2 tbs corn starch
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup pale ale
8 wt oz cheddar cheese not pre shredded

For the Broccoli:

3 lbs broccoli florets cut into bite sized pieces
3-4 tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
½ tsp kosher salt

Instructions

In a pot over medium heat melt the butter.
Sprinkle with flour and cornstarch, whisk until thickened. Cook, whisking continually for three minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk and the beer, stirring to make sure no lumps remain.
About ¼ cup at a time, add the cheese, whisking between addition until the cheese has completely melted. Make sure to adjust heat to make sure it does not boil.
Preheat oven to 400.
Add the broccoli to a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic and salt. Toss to coat.
Roast at 400 for 10-15 minutes until fork tender and edges have started to crisp.
Serve with cheese sauce on the side or drizzled on top.

Beer Cheese Corn Spoon Bread & How To Throw a Craft Beer Thanksgiving

07.11.2013 11 Comments

As we fly through the fall, hurdling towards the holiday season, our first major stop will be the festival of glutton that I love so much. While many of you will show up to your respective Thanksgiving feasts bearing bottles of wine, craft beer has earned a spot in America’s Favorite Meal. But there is a bit of a dilemma when it comes to pairing beer with such a huge spread, since very (very) few gatherings this large will allow the opportunity to pair a different beer with each dish, you need to pick beers that play well with many others.

Pick three separate beers for the meal progressoin. The first to pair with the appetizers that you’ve set out as your guests arrive, the second beer to pair with the poultry centric main attraction, and the third for the dessert round.

The Appetizer Beer should be like the food, a warm up for whats to come. Nothing overwhelming, you don’t want to wreck you guest palates before the meals have even begun. Look for something refreshing, clean and bright to get people ready for the onslaught of flavors that are about to come their way. My picks:

Ommegang Witte

Rogue Good Chit Pilsner

Drakes Blonde Ale

The Main Event Beer has to pair with everything from turkey to jello salad (don’t pretend like you don’t have an aunt that always brings that) so it has to be versatile. Look for a beer thats earthy, malty, moderately carbonated and low(ish) hops, you want the beer to highlight the food, not fight with it. My picks:

Smuttynose Farmhouse Ale

The Bruery Saison Rue

Schlafly Bière De Garde

Dessert Beer will give you a bit more flexibility. You will probably have an assortment of pies ranging from fruit to chocolate, so you’ll need a beer that can mesh well with what you have. Since this is the final offering, it’s OK to go off the rails a bit and mix it up. I love to end a big meal with a malty, big, barrel aged beer, or a strong barleywine beer, it’s a dessert all on it’s own. My picks:

Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron

Southern Tier Backburner

North Coast Barrel-Aged Old Rasputin

So now that you’ve got the beer down, it’s time to think about the menu.

Until the end of time there are two beerified offerings that will always grace my late November Holiday Table:

Beer Brined Turkey

Hefeweizen Honey Dinner Rolls

But you might need more than just turkey and rolls, although those do happen to be the cornerstones of the leftover sandwiches. Here are a few more beerified offerings for your holiday table:

Beer Cheese Skillet Potatoes

Stove Top Beer & Bacon Mac n Cheese

Pumpkin Ale Farro Roasted Asparagus Pomegranate and Goat Cheese Salad

IPA Sweet Potato Mash

Chipotle White Ale Cranberry Sauce

Porter Pecan Pie

Bruleed Pumpkin Beer Pie

Apple Pie with Pale Ale Mascarpone Cream and Beer Pie Dough

Mile High Chocolate Stout Pie

And for that Black Friday Pick me Up: Sriracha Bloody Beer with Chili Sugar Bacon

And don’t forget about this Midwestern treat that I appropriately beerified, the corn soufflé that goes by many names and usually includes a box of Jiffy mix. Today we skip the mixes in favor of some real life cheese, beer and all kinds of deliciousness.

Beer Cheese Corn Spoon Bread

Print Recipe

Ingredients

6 tbs butter
1/2 cup flour
1 cup whole milk
1 cup pale ale beer
8 wt oz cheddar grated
3 cups corn kernels fresh or frozen, not canned
2/3 cup cornmeal
¼ cup sour cream
3 large eggs separated
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
pinch cayenne

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375.
In a pot over medium heat melt the butter.
Sprinkle with flour, whisk until thickened and light brown in color, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the milk and beer until well combined.
About ¼ cup a time, stir in the cheese, stirring until completely incorporated between additions. Stir in the corn kernels and cornmeal, remove from heat.
In a small bowl whish together the egg yolks (reserve the whites), sour cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne. Stir the egg yolk mixture into the corn mixture.
In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Stir the egg whites into the corn mixture.
Pour the mixture into a greased 2qt baking dish.
Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until the edges start to turn light golden brown.

Leftover Turkey Frittata Recipe

06.11.2013 12 Comments

Thanksgiving leftovers are a funny beast.

We spend weeks crafting a menu, days of prep, countless hours of cooking and then freak out about what to do with it all the next day. I do that same thing, even though leftovers on their own are fantastic. Maybe it’s because, even after hours and days and weeks of prep, we still feel "lazy" just reheating the tupperware containers and setting it out on the table.

Even though I will chow down on cold beer brined turkey and left over dinner rolls in those post dawn hours, it’s still not hyper socially expectable to serve mashed potatoes and leftover turkey for breakfast. But throw some chopped up rolls and a few handfuls of turkey into a skillet with some eggs and you’ve got brunch.

And you should serve it with a mimosa, you’ve earned it

Leftover Turkey Frittata Recipe

Ingredients

3 tbs butter
2 cups bread cut into cubes (leftover dinner rolls work well)
1 cup turkey, cut into cubes
½ red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
6 eggs
¼ cup sour cream
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ cup green onion, chopped
Instructions

Preheat oven 400.
Melt the butter in a 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
Add the bell peppers, cook until softened.
Add the bread cubes, cooking until browned.
Add the turkey, toss to coat.
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sour cream, salt and pepper.
Pour into the skillet, sprinkle with green onions.
Cook undisturbed until the sides have set, about 5 minutes.
Bake at 400 until until center has set, about 12 minutes.

Stout French Onion Soup

05.11.2013 30 Comments

French Onion Soup was Julia Child’s last meal. Seems fitting for a woman known for French classics. And who wants to mess with a classic dish that America’s Culinary Grandma chose as her last meal?

Me. That’s who.

Although I do like to stick to classic methods when it comes to cooking this warm bowl of cheese-topped-comfort, the addition of a malty stout gives a new dimension and depth of flavor. While most French Onion Soup recipes all have nearly the same ingredients, the results vary widely depending on how you treat the onions, the star ingredient.

Stick with sweet onions when making this dish, the higher sugar content gives you a better caramelization. Cook them for a long time. Then cook them longer.

Caramelized onions will actually give off a "beefy" flavor when cooked slow and low for an extended period of time. This is one of the major key factors in bringing a soup from "good" to "great".

Although I’m sure Julia would have wanted to throw a copy of The Way To Cook at my head for putting beer in her soup, I’ll just have to make peace with that. I love a beerified soup.

Stout French Onion Soup

Print Recipe

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

6 tbs butter
2 lb sweet white onion sliced into ¼ inch rings
1 tbs brown sugar
½ tsp salt
1 1/2 cups stout divided
2 cups beef stock
½ tsp fresh cracker black pepper
4 slices French bread toasted
8 ounces shredded or sliced Gruyère cheese about 2 1/2 cups

Instructions

In a large pot over medium high heat melt the butter. Add the onions, brown sugar and salt, allow to simmer over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are a dark golden brown, at least 30 minutes and up to one hour (the longer onions cook the more flavor develops).
Add ½ cup stout beer, simmer until the beer is reduced and the pan is almost dry.
Add the remaining beer, beef stock and black pepper. Simmer for ten minutes.
Pre heat the broiler on your oven.
Ladle soup into bowls, top with slices of French bread toast and then cheese.
Broil until the cheese has melted.

Slow Cooker Beer and Brown Sugar Pulled Chicken Sliders

01.11.2013 67 Comments

Slow Cooker Beer and Brown Sugar Pulled Chicken Sliders. Perfect for a football game!

For all of the FanBoy love that seems to be sent to the Slow Cooker, it’s my least favorite way to produce a meal. Flavors tend to muddy, its hard to develop layers of flavor, and this culinary contraption seems to render a thinking cook obsolete: dump it in and turn it on.

Meat seems to be the best use, especially when you introduce beer into the mix. Both a low and slow cooking method and the alcohol in beer are meat tenderizers giving you a great final product.

I can concede that it’s convenient for those of you who don’t prefer to spend all day in the kitchen babying a sauce or teasing a sourdough starter back to life, I tend to favor the high maintenance meals.

Given my skepticism of a Slow Cooker meal, I was thrilled with how this came out. I made it twice, once with a stout with about 4% ABV (Alcohol By Volume, it should be listed on the label of your beer) and the second time with a porter with 9% ABV.

Because it’s the alcohol in the beer that gives it it’s tenderizing power, the higher ABV did the best job. Look for a beer that packs a punch, and you’ll have a fantastic crowd-pleasing meal that takes only about five minutes of active time.

I’ll just have to satisfy my need for involved cooking tasks with homemade beer slider buns.

Slow Cooker Beer and Brown Sugar Pulled Chicken Sliders

Print Recipe

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

¼ cup tomato paste
3 tbs soy sauce
3 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/3 cup brown sugar packed
12 ounces porter beer high ABV dark beer works best
6 boneless skinless chicken thigh fillets
18-20 slider buns

Instructions

In a small bowl whisk together the tomato paste, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder and brown sugar.
Add the sauce, chicken and beer to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours or until chicken pulls apart easy with a fork.
Using two forks, shred chicken.
Scoop chicken into slider buns.

Apple Pie Bread Pudding

31.10.2013 10 Comments

I grew up just feet from an apple orchard on a farm in Easter Washington. Although not as idyllic and charming as one may be led to imagine, I did walk away with an above average ability to name an apples variety just by looking at it. I’ve also learned a thing or two about which apples to use for what, and more importantly, why.

Apples not only run the spectrum of sour to candy like sweetness, but texture is also a huge issue. If a recipe calls for a Granny Smith and you use a Gala don’t be surprised if you end up with an overly sweet pie pan full of mush. Some apples hold up really well to high heat, others don’t. Some need more sugar, while others need very little. If a recipe calls for a specific type of apple, try your best to find that type, the recipes success may depend on it.

Red Delicious: This is the most popular apple in America and I have little idea why, other than it looks so beautiful in a fruit basket. The flesh easily turns to mush when cooked and texture is grainy. Try to avoid this when cooking and use it only raw, like in salads.

Granny Smith: Very popular baking apple because it holds up to high heat, keeping it’s shape during baking. It is also on the sour side, so if you’re substituting a different apple for recipe that calls for a Granny Smith, you might want to pull back on the sugar a bit. Still a great choice for baking, pies especially, but it tends to be best when mixed with another sweeter apple (like a Braeburn or Golden Delicious).

Honeycrisp: with a beautiful red and green skin, this apples has had a rapid rise in popularity among bakers in the past decade. With a snappy crispness, well balanced sweet-tart flavor and a flesh that wont let you down once baked, this is a variety to seek out when making an apple tart, apple pie or apple tart Tatin. If you can’t find the popular Honey Crisp, look for the Rome Beauty or a SweeTango. With similar qualities, these an excellent stand in.

McIntosh: This is another large red and green marbled beauty. It isn’t the best choice for baking because it tends to fall apart, but because of it’s strong apple flavors it’s a great choice for apple sauce makin'.

Cortland: This is one of the few apples that has tannins. Tannins are most often talked about when discussing wine, they give you that pucker feeling in the back of your throat when drinking a glass of vino. Because of that, Cortlands make a great addition to cider making.

Just be aware that "apple" is not one size fits all when it comes to baking. Making sure you have the right man for the job will help make sure you hit the mark when making those holiday pies.

Apple Pie Bread Pudding

Ingredients

4 tbs butter
3 large Honeycrisp apples, peeled and chopped (about 4 ½ cups)
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon, divided
¼ tsp salt
1 loaf Italian bread, cut into cubes (about 8 cups)
4 large eggs
1 ½ cups milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup chopped pecans
Whipped cream (optional)

Instructions

Melt the butter in a pan over medium high heat. Add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ½ tsp salt. Allow to come to a low boil, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has turn thick and syrupy, about 15 minutes.
Spray a 7×11 (or 9×9) baking dish with cooking spray. Pour the apple mixture into the pan, avoiding the outer edges.
Top with bread cubes and pecans.
In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, nutmeg, vanilla and remaining ½ tsp salt. Pour evenly over the bread.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour and up to overnight.
Preheat oven to 375.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. If the bread starts to brown too early, cover with aluminum foil and continue to bake until cooked through.
Invert onto a serving tray, slice and served topped with whipped cream, if desired.

Mushroom Quinoa Porter Chili & Is Beer Vegan?

29.10.2013 18 Comments

Is Beer Vegan?

From an outsiders perspective, the question might seems silly. Beer, after all, is made from plants and water. At its most basic, the ingredients to make beer are simple: water, malt, hops, yeast; all of which are clearly non-animal. And while brewmasters have a way of working everything from bacon to whole chickens into their beer, the biggest culprits are more subtle.

Sometimes, the de-veganized beers are easy to spot, a milk stout that uses lactose, or a honey kolsch, but more often than not, our veggie loving beer friends are in the dark as to whether an animal part has made its way into their pints. Since the CDC, the TTB, the FDA and all the other acronym loving agencies that have their grubby paws in what we consume do not require anyone to disclose the use of animal byproducts in the processing of food or beverages, it often gets left off the label (in fact, almost always).

The biggest offenders are what brewers use to clarify beer. While the need for clarifying is often done with non animal ingredients, or replaced with a centrifuge machine, it’s still common for breweries to use ingredients like gelatin or fish bladders as clarifying agents rendering beer not only non-vegan but non-vegetarian. There is also the foam control issue, and I’m not talking about the frothing of the mouth that occurs when your favorite stout is on Nitro, but the desire brewers have to give you that perfect level of foam head on your pints. To gain control on that lovely can’t-you-settle-yet-I-need-a-drink-now head on your beer, brewers have been known to use pepsin (made from pigs) or albium (made from animal blood) to give you the perfect pour.

But if you are one of the growing numbers of craft beer loving veggie devotees, don’t despair. Many, many breweries are hip to your vibe, vegan beer is a concern for many. When it comes to finding out if your beer is sans-beasts, google is your friend. Also, websites like Barnivore give a great and growing list of vegan friendly breweries and beers.

For this recipe I used Sierra Nevada Porter, a vegan beer. In fact, as a company, Sierra Nevada is 100% vegan friendly.

As an addendum to this, it needs to be mentioned that there is nothing wrong with the use of animal products in beer. Milk stout is a favorite of mine, and a good honey kolsch is great to pair with a summer cook out. However, disclosure is key and giving people the information they need to keep the diet they choose is a way to keep us all friends in this craft beer community.

Mushroom Quinoa Porter Chili

Print Recipe

Ingredients

3 tbs olive oil
8 ounces crimini mushrooms minced
½ cup onions chopped
½ cup diced carrots
2 cloves garlic minced
1 1/4 cups broth
1 cup porter or stout beer divided
½ cup red quinoa dry
1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 red bell pepper chopped
½ cup corn kernels
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp garlic powder
1 jalapeno diced
2 cups tomatoes chopped
1/2 tsp Sriracha or other red chili sauce
1 avocado diced
½ cup green onion chopped
½ cup cilantro chopped

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium high heat, add the mushroom, sauté until darkened and softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the onions and carrots and cook until softened about 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic then add the broth and ½ cup beer. Stir in the dry quinoa, allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until quinoa is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Add the beans, bell pepper, corn, smoked paprika, pepper, salt, cumin and garlic powder, allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the remaining beer, jalapenos, tomatoes, and sriracha, simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened and reduced.
Ladle into bowls, top with avocado, green onion and cilantro.

Flourless Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

28.10.2013 39 Comments

Flourless Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are naturally dairy and gluten free, take 5 minutes and one bowl to throw together.

There is really nothing simple about my life these days. Between two blogs, freelance work, a book, a book tour, another super secret project I hope to tell you about soon, and (oh yeah) a family, I’ve officially crossed over into complex living. As a result, my food has become more simple. Beautifully simple. Fewer (but better) ingredients, less waste, more time with that family who gives me so much support. These cookies are a great example. My favorite cookie recipe ever (on the planet) takes 3 days to make, inspiring the name Thursday Night Cookies because if I want them for the weekend, I need to start making them Thursday night.

But right now, in this crazy phase of my life, I want something that can give me near instant comfort and gratification with just a few ingredients I already have. So that someday I can get back to those lazy days and Thursday Night Cookies.

Flourless Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 17 minutes

Yield: 12 cookies

Ingredients

3/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup whole oats
½ cup chocolate chips
1 large egg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350
In a large bowl gently stir together all ingredients.
Using a cookie scoop, add golf ball size mounds to a cookie sheet that has been covered with parchment paper, evenly spaced. Flatten to one-inch circles using your hand.
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Pull the parchment paper off the cookie sheet and onto a flat surface. Allow to cool.

Notes

A lot of oat companies process their oats with machines that also come in contact with gluten, making the contamination rate high for store bought oats. If you need these to be gluten free, make sure to buy oats labeled "gluten free."

Potato, Porter Caramelized Onions & Beer Goat Cheese Tart

25.10.2013 10 Comments

Why beer?

I’ve been asked a lot of questions about why I’ve tried so feverishly to squeeze myself into this world. After all, there are a lot of ingredients that make great culinary obsessions. So, why beer?

To explain that, we’ll have to talk about collaboration. Craft beer is the only major market that does this regularly, with breweries constantly teaming up to co-create a beer. Nike and Adidas will never team up for a collaboration shoe. Nor has Ford and Chevy ever co-produced a truck. Wineries don’t do it, or bike makers, or creameries. Brewers do. All the time.

Beer people, big and small, are wide-eyed, unabashed, gushy, groupie style fans of one another. Unafraid to share that mutual adoration. This leads not just to collaborations but deep and meaningful relationships that can be felt widely across the entire industry. It’s common to see the one brewery owner helping another, lending a hand. It isn’t rare for a one head brewery to call another and say, "I’m short a few bags of malt, can I borrow some from you?" and a truck of grains to be immediately sent over. It’s common for a breweries pubs to pour beer besides their own, unheard of any other liquor industry. It’s a community that favors connections over competition. Beer people have a rising tide lifts all ships mentality, the rivalries friendly, pats on the back and cheering each other’s successes. It’s unlike any other industry. And sure the beer is great, but the people are even better.

That’s why beer.

Potato, Porter Caramelized Onions & Beer Goat Cheese Tart

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Ingredients

1 white onion
1 tbs butter
2 tbs olive oil
1/3 cup porter beer
4 wt oz goat cheese
1 tbs cornstarch
¼ cup IPA
1 russet potato thinly sliced
2 tbs butter
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 pastry crust
½ cup baby arugula

Instructions

Slice the onion into 1/8 inch rings. In a pot over medium heat add the butter and olive oil. Add the onions and cook until the onions start to soften, about 5 minutes (do not cook the onions at too high heat or they will burn). Add the porter and cook until the beer has evaporated and the onions are a dark golden color, about 15 minutes.
In a small food processor add the goat cheese, cornstarch and IPA, blend until smooth.
In a cast iron skillet melt the butter, add the potatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, cook until the potatoes have browned.
Preheat oven to 350.
Roll the pastry crust out to a 10 inch circle, transfer to a baking sheet that has been covered with a Silpat or parchment paper.
Spread the beer goat cheese evenly across the tart, avoiding the outer 1 inch edge.
Top the cheese with caramelized onions then with the potatoes.
Fold the outer edge up over the filling of the tart.
Bake at 350 until the crust has turned golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Top with arugula before serving.

Mushroom Steak Pasta with Garlic Beer Cream Sauce

23.10.2013 22 Comments

I’ve spent the past few weeks making my way up the West Coast, traveling from brewery to brewery, enjoying the company of Craft Beer’s finest. A journey much less about scribbling my name inside a few hundred books with a black Sharpie marker than it’s been about connecting to this community I’ve fallen in love with. This world I feel so grateful to be a part of is glad to count me as one of it’s own, and I’m incredibly honored that’s the case.

This gypsy soul that I own doesn’t want the travel to end, but being able to get back in the kitchen is consoling. I didn’t miss my bed, but I missed my knives. I didn’t care about living out of a suitcase, but living without my pans was hard. I didn’t want the shoes I left behind, but I did want my spice cabinet. Other than the open road headed North, there isn’t many placed I’d rather spend a day than in a familiar kitchen.

This is a meal that doesn’t require the full day that I’d like to spend in the kitchen, it can even be accomplished after work. But with warm flavors of beer, garlic and mushrooms it has a Sunday Supper feeling.

Mushroom Steak Pasta with Garlic Beer Cream Sauce

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Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

1 lb flat iron steak
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
6 tbs butter divided in half
3 cloves garlic minced
10 wt oz crimini mushrooms baby bellas, quartered
1 cup white ale
¼ cup heavy cream
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
Pasta cooked al dente and drained

Instructions

Cut the steak into 1/8 inch strips. Sprinkle on all sides with salt and pepper.
Melt 3 tbs butter in a cast iron skillet until hot. Add steak and cook until browned, removed from pan.
Add the remaining 3 tbs butter, mushrooms and garlic, cook until the mushrooms have darkened, about 5 minutes.
Add the white ale and cook until the beer and butter has reduced by about half, about ten minutes.
Turn off heat, stir in the cream.
Add back in the steak and simmer until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes.
Season with rosemary, salt and pepper.
Serve over pasta.

Beer Cheese Skillet Potatoes

15.10.2013 17 Comments

I’m on a book tour as I write this, traveling the West Coast somewhere between Mexico and Canada, hoping my way from brewery to brewery. Nothing like a good old fashion beer pilgrimage to inspired patriotism and re-ignite the wanderlust in my gypsy soul. From the backwoods of wine country, to small towns that defy identification from Google Mapping, to orchards in the Pacific Northwest, to the beer lovers whom I’ve shared pints with, this has been an incredible journey that is nowhere near over.

In the process of writing this blog, falling in love with craft beer and her people, I’ve had the incredible fortune to count some of the fine folks at Stone Brewing among my fans. In fact, Stone was the first supporter to share my posts with their fans when I started this blog, an incredible honor. And now, if that wasn’t enough, they even want to host a stop on my book tour. Lucky for me, and for anyone who wants to grab a pint with me, Stone Brewing is an amazing place for some beer tasting with an incredible selection of beer that’s hard to come by. Making those who are able to grab a pint on location all the more fortunate.

For this recipe, I grabbed two great Stone beers that will both work equally well. I’ve made it with both beers (although you only need to choose one) and both gave excellent results. Beer cheese can be made with any type of beer, but for that great big bold beer punch a high hopped beer works best. And no one knows there way around a hopped up beer like Stone Brewing. First I used the get-it-while-its-hot Enjoy By 11.12.13 IPA, a beer with a manic following and Must Drink Now warning label. Grab one if you see it in a beer store, they won’t last. I also grabbed Stone Brewing's black IPA the Sublimely Self Righteous, a great beer for those of us that love when those roasted malt flavors make their way into a higher IBU beers. Either way, it’s a recipe for those of us who love the bitterness that only a well made IPA can bring.

Beer Cheese Skillet Potatoes

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Ingredients

2/3 cup beer IPA, hoppy pale ale, or black IPA
2 cups 6 wt oz shredded sharp cheddar, plus ¼ cup divided
½ cup whole milk
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbs cornstarch
2 tbs butter
1.5 lbs russet potatoes sliced
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.
In a food processor add the beer, 2 cups cheese, milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cornstarch. Process until very smooth, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add the potato slices and cook until browned. Spread the potatoes out until farily evenly distributed around the pan.
Pour cheese sauce over the potatoes and allow to simmer for ten minutes.
Add the remaining 1.4 cup cheese and panko bread crumbs to the top. Transfer to the oven and allow to cook until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are fork tender, about 30 minutes.

Mile High Chocolate Stout Pie

This past Sunday, as I stood at a podium in the middle of a convention center talking about the glorious interplay of beer & chocolate and how to pair the two, I was asked which chocolate stout I recommend.

Garlic Beer Cheese Rolls

02.10.2013 17 Comments

My book tour kicks off in a few days and one of my first stops is at Bear Republic, one of my favorite California breweries. On October 10th, from 6:30 to 8:30 I’ll be at the pub in Healdsburg hanging out, signing books, hoping to meet some of you and gleefully consuming some Bourbon Smokey Bear Stout. Join me, if you’re in the area, sit down and have a beer with me.

It was the beauty of Racer 5 IPA that introduced me to Bear Republic, quickly becoming a go-to favorite of mine, one I always have on hand at parties. It’s a crowd pleaser with just the right amount of hops to give you what you want but not overwhelm, it gives a perfect balance.

Because of that perfectly balanced hop kick, it’s a great beer-cheese-beer. Even more perfect to stuff that beer cheese inside a tender garlic filled roll for an awesomely beer flavored garlic cheese roll that can be a meal all in itself. But really, it’s just about being responsible when drinking, you need to eat something to soak up all that fantastic Racer 5 you be able to put down.

Join me October 10th, 2013 6:30-8:30, at Bear Republic!

Garlic Beer Cheese Rolls

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Ingredients

For the Dough

3 cups all purpose flour
1 envelope rapid rise yeast 2 ¼ tsp
1 tbs white sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup IPA beer
1 tsp salt
¼ cup olive oil

For the Filling:

4 ounces cream cheese
6 wt oz cheddar cheese shredded (about 2 cups)
½ cup IPA
3 cloves garlic grated with a microplane
½ tsp salt

For the Topping:

3 wt oz cheddar shredded (about 1 cup)

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, add the flour, yeast, sugar and garlic powder. Mix until combined.
In a microwave safe bowl add the beer. Microwave on high for 20 seconds, test temperature with a cooking thermometer and repeat until temperature reaches between 120 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add the beer to the stand mixer and mix on medium speed. Once most of the dough has been moistened, add the oil and sprinkle with the salt while the mixer is still running.
Turn speed to high and beat until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Allow to sit in a warm room until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from bowl and add to a lightly floured surface. Knead several times, roll out into a rectangle about 10 inches by 18 inches.
Add all of the filling ingredients to a food processor, process until smooth and well combined, about 5 minutes.
Spread the filling evenly across the dough. Starting at the long edge roll the dough into a log. Cut the dough into 8 rolls, each about 2 inches wide. Place cut side down into a baking dish. Cover and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese.
Bake uncovered at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown. Serve warm.

I use this Microplane to turn a clove of garlic into paste in a second. (Affiliate link)