Beer Styles

Slow Cooker Beer Chicken Tacos with Jalapeno Slaw

24.01.2014 23 Comments

I’ve often been accused of going overboard.

Of being one of those people who just does too much. But it’s all smoke and mirrors in a way. I’m not as organized or even as interesting as I’d like you to think. I leave dishes in the sink far too long, my pantry is a mess and I am incredibly behind on what should be common business practices.

But I always make tortillas from scratch, so that’s impressive, right? I still have to figure out how to organize my life, and I can often be a little too relaxed with the domestic chores, but I will dazzle you with soft tortillas that took way less time than you think. And the five minutes it takes to get this in your slow cooker will make you think I have this all under control.

Because taco nights and beer fix most minor life crises.

Slow Cooker Beer Chicken Tacos with Jalapeno Slaw

Print Recipe

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

For Jalapeno Slaw

1 cup shredded green cabbage
½ cup red onions thinly sliced
2 jalapenos chopped (seeds and membrane removed)
2 tbs IPA beer
¼ cup sour cream
½ tsp salt

For the Chicken

1 tbs cornstarch
½ tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp brown sugar
pinch cayenne
¾ cup pale ale
3 tbs tomato paste
1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs* cut into bite sized pieces
tortillas for serving

Instructions

In a small bowl gently stir together the slaw ingredients, refrigerate until chilled.
In a small bowl whisk together cornstarch, cumin, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, cayenne, beer and tomato paste.
Add the chicken to a slow cooker, pour the beer mixture over the chicken.
Cook on low for 6 hours or until chicken is cooked through. Stir at least once during cooking.
Spoon chicken into tortillas, top with slaw.

Chocolate Stout Pudding with Beer Whipped Cream

21.01.2014 22 Comments

So I have this problem with comfort food.

Or more, the problem is with me. I find comfort in odd foods. For most people it’s warm food, or crispy carby foods, or cheesy foods. For me, it’s cold food. Sushi is my comfort food. And cereal (don’t judge). And to make this even more strange, ice cream is not on my list of cold comfort foods (you can now judge me). Maybe it’s because I live in a land that is 80 degrees on Christmas, or maybe because I’ve just never been all that normal.

Pudding is a comfort food for me. It has that Summer Visit to Grandmas House feeling, and this version is full of beer and chocolate. It’s cold, but oddly comforting, for those of us that take our comfort that way.

But then again, it’s chocolate and beer, maybe I’m more normal than I thought.

Chocolate Stout Pudding with Beer Whipped Cream

Print Recipe

Servings 4 -6 servings

Ingredients

For the Pudding

2/3 cup sugar
3 tbs cornstarch
4 wt oz dark chocolate 60%, chopped
¾ cup heavy cream
¾ cup chocolate stout
1 large egg yolk
1 tbs unsalted butter
½ tsp vanilla extract

For the whipped cream

1 cup heavy cream
½ cup powdered sugar
3 tbs stout
½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

In a large saucepan off heat whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the cream, beer, and egg yolk, whisk until well combined. Add the chocolate.
Bring to a boil, stirring continually over medium heat. Whisk continually for 1 minute, remove from heat.
Add the butter and vanilla, stir until well combined.
Pour into serving containers, chill until set, about 2 hours.
To make the whipped cream, add the cream and powdered sugar to a stand mixer. Beat on high until soft peaks form. While mixer is running add the stout and vanilla, beat until soft peaks return.
Top pudding with whipped cream prior to serving.

Bloody Hell: Blood Oranges, Jalapeno, Whiskey and Beer Cocktail

17.01.2014 15 Comments

If there is anything that can lure me away from ordering a good beer, it’s a spicy cocktail.

The heat in a fresh pepper and some whiskey will get me every time. Once blood orange season rolls around, I’m powerless. Blood oranges have a great flavor, part naval orange, part raspberry and the color is incredible. The season has just started and ends far too soon. During the few peak weeks that I’m able to find these beauties that make my cutting board look like an episode of Dexter, I juice and freeze as much as I can for later.

Because before too long the only orange I’ll be able to find will be the boring orange ones.

Bloody Hell: Blood Oranges, Jalapeno, Whiskey and Beer Cocktail

Print Recipe

Ingredients

2 oz blood orange juice
1 ½ oz bourbon
1 tbs agave
1 jalapeno sliced
2 oz IPA beer

Instructions

In a shaker filled with ice add the blood orange juice, bourbon, agave, and jalapeno sliced. Shake well, pour through a strainer into a highball glass with ice.
Add beer, stir.

Chili Lime Beer Chicken

15.01.2014 12 Comments

Girls are beasts.

I played Powder Puff Football in college in the free safety position, all 115 lbs of me, and saw up close and personal the kind of rule breaking brutality one girl can throw at another. Maybe it’s years of being told to sit up straight and act like a good girl, but once you strap on that waist belt of tear away flags and throw a football in the mix girls unleash a lifetime of pent up frustrations. I saw elbows to the face, cleats to the shins and pony tail pulls to the ground. None of that was me, other than one full contact body shove in the end zone, I played pretty fair. Sure that girl cried, but if you can’t handle the heat, get off the field.

The greatest part about my season of savage girl on girl football was that I now completely understand the game, which makes watching it so much more enjoyable. I’m also able to explain it in "girl language" to those ladies who missed out on being body checked by the pissed off Freshman ("downs are like chances"). Which other than the chicken wings I’ve made, is what I can bring to the Football Watching Parties I’m invited to.

And as much as I love to watch my team rattle the stadium so loudly the crowd registers on the Richter scale (raise your hand if you know who I’m talking about), I love the food that football watching requires.

This weekend, and the very exciting game that will be happening on Sunday, will necessitate this Beer and Buttermilk Fried Chicken, probably this dip, and I’m using it as an excuse to make these Beer Doughnuts again. Because even if wrong team wins, at least I’ll have fried chicken and doughnuts. I’ll just have to find someone to body check to make myself feel better.

Chili Lime Beer Chicken

Print Recipe

Ingredients

12 ounces pale ale
3 tbs tomato paste
3 tbs fresh lime juice
1 tbs chili powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
2 tbs honey
1 tbs soy sauce
2 tsp red chili sauce such as Sriracha
2 lbs chicken wings

Instructions

In a large bowl whisk together the beer, tomato paste, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, honey, soy sauce and red chili sauce.
Add the chicken, stir to coat, cover and refrigerate for 3 hours and up to over night.
Place the oven rack at the top 1/3 of the oven. Preheat oven to 400.
Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with cooking spray. Remove chicken from marinade, add to prepared baking sheet.
Add the marinade to a pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently until thickened and reduced, about 8 minutes.
Brush chicken on all sides with thickened marinade.
Bake for ten minutes, brush with marinade, repeat until chicken is cooked through, brushing with marinade and turning every ten minutes. Chicken will take 30-40 minutes to cook.

Beer Soaked Oven Fries

13.01.2014 24 Comments

People have irrational culinary fears, I get it. Some people avoid recipes using yeast like they are circus clowns in a dark alley. Some people can’t wrap their brains around the idea of plunging food into hot oil without a spotter. I have an irrational fear of mall Santas so I get it, there are just some things we tend to avoid.

Although I assure you, you’d be just fine if you wanted to fry these suckers in hot oil. I also assure you that if you bought a deep fryer your football parties will never be the same. But if you aren’t there yet, I get it.

I spent most of the summer cooking everything I ate on my backyard grill, taunting the grill-less into Sad Face reactions. One of my go-to sides was grilled french fries. I cut them large enough as not to slip through the grates and I learned that soaking them in a salt brine gave you that creamy middle and crispy outside that you really want in your french fries.

Now that most the grills in America are covered in the unsavory film of winter, I’ve switched to the oven method. The salt water soak is still the way to go when you want that creamy/crispy combo, and letting the baking sheet heat up in the oven will give you more of that golden brown outside that you’d get from that scary vat of hot oil.

Although I do promise that if you do decide to deep fry your potatoes, you’ll be fine. It’s not that scary, not like, say a grown man in a red suit that lurks near a Hollister.

Beer Soaked Oven Fries

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1.5 lbs russet potatoes
12 ounces pale ale
1 tbs kosher salt
water
¼ cup canola oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp sugar

Instructions

Cut the potatoes into ½ inch strips.
In a large bowl add the beer and 1 tbs kosher salt. Add the potatoes to the beer, add just enough water that the potatoes are fully submerged, about 1 to 2 cups.
Cover and chill for at least 3 hours and up to 12.
Move the oven rack to the top 1/3 of the oven, place a rimed metal baking sheet on the rack. Preheat oven to 425.
Drain the potatoes and rinse well. Place on a stack of paper towels and pat dry. Add to a large bowl, drizzle with canola oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, sea salt, black pepper and sugar. Toss until well coated.
Pour the potatoes onto the baking sheet in an even layer.
Bake for 20 minutes. Turn with a spatula and bake until golden brown, an additional 15-20 minutes.

Mushroom Orzo and Stout Soup

10.01.2014 17 Comments

Have I told you about the time I made a complete spectacle of myself on an international flight?

It all started after I missed my perviously scheduled flight out of Spain, which is another story that involves churros and a bull fighting poster, and found myself in the middle of a sold out Madrid without a bed for the evening. Every room was booked, even those large mixed dorms that make you want to sleep fully clothed with your valuables tethered to your leg.

I was able to find a room about three blocks from Plaza Mayor in the home of an elderly couple that spoke no English. After a few weeks in Spain my Spanish language skills had risen to the level of a demented toddler and I was able to communicate Tarzan style enough to pay for the windowless converted closet and obtain a set of keys.

After spending the next few hours fighting with the airline I was safely booked on a flight the next day and happily wandering the afternoon streets near the Prado. I wandered into a bookstore looking for something that would keep me occupied on a 17 hour flight. The only English language book I could find was Tuesdays with Morrie. Fine, I’ll take it.

That night I hardly slept. I was so nervous about missing my mid-day flight that I woke up every hour to check the clock. Finally at 5am I gave up. I packed my bags, left my keys on the overly polished dining table and headed for the two trains that would take me to the airport.

Many hours and cups of strong coffee later I was settled into my aisle seat on a jam-packed jumbo jet headed for LAX. Exhausted but unable to sleep (remember I told you I sleep as well as a homeless prostitute?) I pulled out the book. Only minutes in I started to cry, half hour later I was sobbing. Not just pretty girls tears,but hysterical, ugly, snot and weird noises sobbing. People started staring.

I put the book down, pulled myself together, but couldn’t stop reading. This continued for most of the flight. Read, become so hysterical I can’t see over my own tears, feel like a crazy person, put the book down, repeat. A few rows ahead of me a girl flagged down a flight attendant and said, "Ummm…I think there is something wrong with that girl."

A few minutes later the flight attendant comes by, says nothing, sets down a plate of food: a small baguette, some cheese and a small bowl of soup. She pulls a package of Kleenex out of her pocket and sets it down. She leaves very quickly without a word. I felt ridiculous, but comforted. Soup and carbs seems to do the trick.

January, a historically hideous month in my personal life, calls for some comfort food. Bring it on January, I have soup and carbs.

Mushroom Orzo and Stout Soup

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 sweet white onion sliced
1 tbs olive oil
2 tbs unsalted butter
8 wt oz sliced crimini mushrooms about 2 ½ cups
3 wt ounces shitake mushrooms about 2 cups
2 tsp chopped fresh sage
3 cups beef stock
12 ounces oatmeal stout
1 cup dry orzo
½ tsp black pepper
salt to taste

Instructions

In a pot over medium heat add the onions, olive oil and butter, cook stirring occasionally until onions have caramelized, about 20 minutes (do not let the heat get too high or the onions will burn before they caramelize).
Add both kinds of mushrooms and sage, cooking until the mushrooms have softened and darkened, about 5 minutes.
Add the stout and stock, simmer for fifteen minutes.
Add the orzo and black pepper, cooking until orzo is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Salt to taste.

I use my Dutch oven all the time, it’s essential in my kitchen.

Tomato Herb and Beer Poached Cod with Caramelized Fennel

08.01.2014 13 Comments

I started this adventure masked as a blog just over two years ago. I decided when I first hit publish that this wasn’t a "let’s see how this goes" endeavor. This is was a full force, every piece of my life, both feet, all chips on the table undertaking. I was all in.

My stack of "I Need To Figure This Stuff Out" was much larger than my "I’ve Got This" pile and the more I fought towards the goals I set, the larger that first stack got. Lucky for me, my reaction to "You can’t do that" has always been, "You watch me." And somewhere along the road I stop hearing people say "no" to me and started to hear them say "Someday I’ll wish I’d said yes to you."

I guess it’s working, and I have a few gold stars to show for it. The first printing of my book, The Craft Beer Cookbook (affiliate link), sold out in less than three months, I’m a regular beer expert on a radio show, I have people from all over the world share photos of the dishes they have made from my site with me over Facebook and Twitter (I LOVE this, keep doing it, highlight of my day), and in the past year I’ve been interviewed by dozens of magazines all over the world. I’m humbled by this in an enormous way, that what I’ve worked nights, weekends, poured so much time and money into is being realized. That I’m able to do this, share this love with you, and find a place in craft beer.

A few days ago an interview I did with the print magazine Imbibe hit newsstands. I stood in Barnes & Noble, trying really hard not grab the guy perusing motorcycle magazine standing next to me and yell, "THAT’S ME!" and shove page 21 in his face. I refrained.

So I’m doing it to you instead, I’m shoving page 21 in your face and yelling. But to you, I’m yelling "Thank you."

Tomato Herb and Beer Poached Cod with Caramelized Fennel

Print Recipe

Ingredients

2 tbs olive oil
1 fennel bulb sliced into ¼ inch slices
3 cloves garlic mined
1 cup white ale or wheat beer
28 wt oz crushed tomatoes
1 tsp crushed red peppers
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tbs chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
½ tsp salt
4 cod fillets 4-5 ounces each
Rice potatoes or pasta for serving

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the fennel slices and cook until caramelized on each side, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, stir for about 30 seconds. Add the white ale, scraping to deglaze the pot.
Add the crushed tomatoes, red peppers, paprika, basil. tarragon and salt, bring to a low simmer.
Add the cod fillets, pushing gently to submerge.
Simmer until cod is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 8 minutes (Note: do not boil or fish will become tough, keep tomato sauce at a low simmer).
Using a slotted spoon, remove cod from the pot, add to a serving platter.
Bring the tomato mixture to a strong simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced about 10 minutes.
Plate the cod, top with tomato mixture.

Beer Carnitas Pizza

06.01.2014 12 Comments

When I was kid Mexican Pizza involved ice burg lettuce and cheap ground beef. Possibly the perfect example of how neither Mexican food or pizza were given proper credit for the potential they had to compete in the Fine Food arena. They were both disregarded as low brow for far too long, but then again, so was beer. It took America awhile to see what Mozza did for pizza, what Rick Bayless did for Mexican food and what the craft beer industry as a whole did for beer.

It’s good thing we all woke up to the fact that we need to up our pizza night game. It’s a win for all of us.

Plus, it goes better with the good beer we’re now drinking.

I use this Beer Pizza Dough recipe, unless I fail to plan ahead, then I use this One Hour Beer Pizza Dough recipe.

Beer Carnitas Pizza

Print Recipe

Ingredients

4 lb pork shoulder trimmed and cut into 5 inches pieces
1 tbs kosher salt
3 tbs olive oil
1 cup IPA
½ tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
pinch cayenne
½ tsp smoked paprika
2/3 cup water
1 lb pizza dough
1 cup black beans
2 tbs olive oil
1 chipotle pepper in adobo
½ cup shredded cheddar
½ cup shredded mozzarella
¼ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup chopped tomatoes
¼ cup Mexican Crema

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325.
Sprinkle the meat all over with the salt. Add to a shallow dish, cover and refrigerate for 12 hours and up to 3 days (if you skip this step make sure to salt the meat well before proceeding).
In a large Dutch oven, or roasting pan over two burners, heat the olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add the meat and cook on all sides until very well browned, working in batches if necessary. Remove the meat and allow to drain on a stack of paper towels.
Pour the beer into the pan, scraping to deglaze the bottom, turn off heat. Add the water, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, and smoked paprika. Add the meat back in the pot.
Bake uncovered at 325 until falling apart, about 3-4 hours. Pull into bite sized pieces using a fork.
Add a pizza stone to the oven, increase heat to 425.
In a food processor add the black beans, olive oil and chipotle pepper, process until well combined.
On a lightly floured surface roll out the pizza dough, transfer to a pizza peel that has been well covered with corn meal.
Spread the black bean puree over the pizza in an even layer.
Top with cheese, then carnitas (you will have more than enough, save the remaining meat). Transfer to the pizza stone, bake at 425 until the crust is golden brown, about 12-15 minutes.
Remove from oven, top with tomatoes, cilantro and crema.

Adapted from David Leovitz Carnitas, and Spike Mendelsohn Mexican Pizza

Beer and Bacon Dip

03.01.2014 34 Comments

Beer and Bacon Dip

This is a cheap ploy.

Using both beer and bacon in a dip to get your attention. It’s like a video of Christopher Walken volunteering as Tribute, or a list of The Things You HAVE to Know By The Time You’re 30, or those UpWorthy videos that Facebook always tells you are a Must Watch. You can’t look away.

But it’s the food version of those things and you won’t be able to stop eating it until you run out of chips, and briefly contemplate using your fingers. But you shouldn’t, apparently, that’s tacky.

Beer and Bacon Dip

Print Recipe

Servings 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

16 wt oz cream cheese full fat
1/2 cup sour cream full fat
5 wt oz shredded mozzarella about 1 2/3 cups
2 wt oz shredded cheddar
½ tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbs cornstarch
¾ cup IPA or Pale Ale Beer
8 slices bacon cooked and chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.
Add the cream cheese, sour cream, mozzarella, cheddar, smoked paprika, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, cornstarch and beer to a food processor. Process on high until smooth and well combined, about 5 minutes.
Stir in most of the copped bacon, reserving about 2 tablespoons.
Pour the dip into an oven safe bowl top with reserved bacon.
Bake at 350 until warmed through, about 15-20 minutes.
Serve warm.

Notes

If the dip is "fluffy" out of the oven, just stir before serving.

Orange Cherry Beer Muffins

31.12.2013 4 Comments

These aren’t just muffins. They are two forms of quiet rebellion.

First, it’s beer for breakfast. And unless you’re having a brunch mimosa or in the general vicinity of Las Vegas, breakfast booze is generally frowned upon.

Second, lets be honest, muffins are basically just cupcakes.

But you and me, we’re different. We aren’t like those others. We don’t do the frowning, we do the drinking; and in the "If your friend jumped off a bridge, would you?" analogy, we are the bridge jumping friend; and we eat whatever the hell we want for breakfast, sometimes that’s baked goods made with booze; and sometimes we swear in front of old people and toddlers.

In my opinion, it’s really only that last one we need to work on.

Orange Cranberry Beer Muffins

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Muffins

1 large naval orange
2/3 cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup buttermilk
1 tbs vegetable oil
2/3 cup wheat beer
2 cups cake flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup dried cherries

Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tbs wheat beer
1 tbs reserved juice from orange
1 tbs reserved orange zest

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.
Zest the orange, then juice it. A large orange should yield about ¼ cup juice and 3 tablespoons zest.
Add both kinds of sugar, and 2 tablespoons orange zest to a stand mixer mix on high for two minutes to release the orange oils from the zest. Add the butter and beat on high until the butter and sugar are well creamed.
Add 2 tablespoons orange juice, egg, and vanilla extract, beat on high until well combined.
Add the buttermilk, oil and beer, stir until combined (some curdling is expected).
In a sperate bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add flour mixture to the stand mixer and stir until just combined.
Stir in the dried cherries.
Pour in the muffin tins that have either been greased or lined with muffin papers until the wells are about 2/3’s full (about ¼ cup per well).
Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes or until the tops spring back when gently touched.

Honey Chili Beer Chicken

27.12.2013 33 Comments

I see how you get here. The keyword searches that bring you to this little blog of mine. Most of these keyword searches make sense, like "Beer recipes," "Cooking with beer," and even "The Beeroness." This past year nearly 8,000 people came to my blog with the keyword "The Beeroness," or it could have been just one guy searching for me eight thousand times. If that was you, thank you and you’re creepy.

Sometimes those keywords don’t make sense, like the person that found my blog while searching, "fun recipes for toddlers" or all those people looking for "healthy quick meals." I am not the top pick for either of those catagories. But it’s post holidays, and we are in that ill fitting week between Christmas and New Years that feels like the calendar equivalent of the end of a loaf of bread and you all seem to want something at least semi healthy.

Me too, I did eat three cinnamon rolls yesterday in about 5 minutes. I could use a little not-as-bad-for-me one pot meal.

So here it is. One pot. Not completely unhealthy. Quick and easy. But for the "fun for toddlers" part you’re on your own.

Honey Chili Beer Chicken

Print Recipe

Ingredients

3 tbs olive oil
6 boneless skinless chicken thigh filets
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1-2 tbs flour
½ cup sliced sweet white onions
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup brown ale divided in half
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 tbs honey
½ tsp red chili sauce such as Sriracha plus additional if desired

Instructions

In a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat add the olive oil.
Sprinkle the chicken thighs on all sides with salt, pepper and flour.
Cook the chicken thighs until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove, and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium-low, add the onions and caramelize over medium heat until golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Stir in the garlic then add ½ cup brown ale, balsamic vinegar, honey and chili sauce. Simmer until reduced and thickened. Add the chicken back to the pan along with the remaining ½ cup brown ale.
Cover loosely with a lid, lower heat to maintain a simmer and allow to cook until chicken is cooked through, about an additional 10 minutes. Turning once during cooking.

I highly recommend this cast iron skillet. I use my almost every day (affiliate link).

Chocolate Stout Shortbread Cookies

23.12.2013 22 Comments

I need to start a petition.

To change the usually paring of Milk and Cookies to Beer and Cookies. First of all, it’s just a better idea. If you want to lure friends over, "Hey I’ve got beer and cookies" will go over much better than the alternative. Second, milk is gross. Sure, you turn it into butter, cream or cheese and I’m in. But a tall glass of liquid that was recently inside of a cow just makes me gag. I’m not sure if I have ever in my life drank a glass of milk that wasn’t in the form of blended ice cream. Not even as a kid, I was the juice and cookies type. Now, it’s beer. A nice milk stout is as close as you can get me.

So next time you find yourself at my house and I offer you cookies, don’t expect a glass of milk. But I will give you some good beer, and some cookies made with beer. So I hope that’s a good substitution.

Of course it is, it’s beer and cookies.

Chocolate Stout Shortbread Cookies

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Shortbread

1 ½ cups butter softened
1 ¼ cup sugar
½ tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
3 cups flour
2 tbs cornstarch

For the chocolate layer:

3 cups 18 wt. oz dark chocolate chips (60%)
2 tbs heavy cream
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons chocolate stout or imperial stout
1 tsp Fleur de sel or other flaky sea salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325.
In the bowl of a stand mixer add the butter, sugar, almond extract and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined, light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with the salt, flour and cornstarch, mix until just combined.
Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper. Press the shortbread dough into the bottom of the baking sheet in an even layer.
Prick all over with a fork.
Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes or until the edges have just started to turn golden.
In the top of a double boiler (or a metal bowl set over a pot of water, but not touching the water) over gently simmering water, add the chocolate, cream and stout. Stir until the chocolate is smooth and melted. Pour over the shortbread in an even layer.
Sprinkle with salt. Chill until set, about 3 hours and up to overnight.
Cut into squares. Chill until ready to serve.

Buttermilk Beer Pancakes & How to Make Super Fluffy Pancakes

Pancakes are my first food memory. I’m one of 8 kids (all girls, wrap your head around that) and one of about 27 cousins (I don’t even know the actual number) which made alone time with my grandparents really special.

Chocolate Stout Ice Cream Sandwiches

16.12.2013 7 Comments

This is more of that inherent rebellion I told you about.

I’ll take a stout any day, but am more drawn to them in the middle of August when everyone else is reaching for those session IPAs. Ice cream is fine, but when it’s freezing outside, it’s the most appealing. When the summer heat hits triple digits, I like to make soup. Spicy soup that makes me sweat. I want to drink coffee at midnight and put beer in pancakes at 8am. As you can see, this can be a bit of an issue.

In my book Stout Ice Cream sandwiches in December is a middle ground. You get those seasonally appropriate stouts, cookies that seem to make their rounds this time of year and some ice cream to remind you that one day summer will come to us again.

Speaking of this ice cream, it really isn’t ice cream. It’s an ice box version that takes 5 minutes to make, no ice cream maker needed, and stays fairly stable at room temperature. So it’s like rebellious ice cream, that won’t melt at room temperature but tastes like it took you all day. I can get behind that.

Chocolate Stout Ice Cream Sandwiches

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

1 egg plus 1 additional yolk
½ tsp vanilla
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp espresso powder
1/8 tsp salt
4 oz 62% Dark chocolate broken into chunks
¼ cup stout

For the Ice Cream:

1 cup heavy cream
3 tbs cocoa powder
¼ cup powdered sugar
3 tbs imperial stout

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg, yolk, vanilla and both kinds of sugar. Whip on high for ten minutes to create a frothy meringue like texture.
In a separate bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder and salt. Stir until combined.
In a microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate and the stout. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until melted.
Mix the chocolate into the eggs until combined.
Sprinkle the flour, cocoa powder and espresso powder over the chocolate/egg mixture, stir until just combined. Place in the fridge and allow to chill until set up enough to scoop, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375
Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop, drop equal amounts of dough evenly space on the cookie sheet.
Bake for 9-11 minutes, don't over bake. Allow to cool.
In the bowl of a stand mixer add the whipped cream, powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Beat on high until stiff peaks form, slowly pour the 3 tablespoons stout into the mixer, beat until beer is incorporated into the whipped cream.
Spoon the whipped cream into the cookies. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Caramel Apple Beer Bread

13.12.2013 32 Comments

I love this bread in spite of how easy it is.

Yes, in spite. In fact, I almost resent it for being so easy, I like a challenge. I like to work for it. I like beer pizza dough that takes 24 hours and I love that it takes all day for me to make raviolis from scratch and even my chocolate chip cookies take 72 hours from start to finish. And then this bread takes about ten minutes, and really it only takes that long because I force you to make caramel sauce to go on top. Which, incidentally, turns all toffee like and beautiful in the oven, making that extra 6 minutes more than worth it.

So damn this bread for being so easy and far more than worth the "effort" it takes. I’ll just have to find another way to slave away in the kitchen.

Caramel Apple Beer Bread

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the caramel sauce

¾ cup granulated sugar
2 tbs water
2 tbs unsalted butter cut into cubes

For the Bread

3 cups flour
3 tbs sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
½ tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
½ tsp cinnamon
1 large granny smith apple peeled and chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
12 ounces wheat beer
4 tbs melted butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.
In a pot over high heat add the sugar, water and butter. Stir until the butter has melted. Allow to boil without stirring for 5 to 6 minutes or until the sugar has turned an amber color.
In a large bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, walnuts, cinnamon, and apple pieces. Pour the beer and butter into the dry ingredients, stir until just combined. Pour into a greased 1.5 qt loaf pan. Pour the caramel over the top of the loaf.
Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes back clean.

Beer Cheese Ball

12.12.2013 8 Comments

I was a lifeguard for three years in college. Mostly at summer camps, poorly run water slide parks and a bad summer on floating dock in the middle of a dirty lake.

Late one night at a summer camp in Western Canada the guys who ran the camp decided to let the pre-teen campers, hopped up on Sysco ice cream and fudge sauce, jump into the pool. For about two hours I watched as they seemed to instinctively go from one side of the pool to the other, cheering, waving their hands, jumping up and down. When that got boring, they just did it all on the other side of the pool.

The following week, after Ice Cream Social Night, the pool was opened again, and the same thing happened again with a completely different group of adolescents doped up on saccharine. Every week after was the same routine. "WE LOVE THIS SIDE OF THE POOL!" they all seemed to be cheering, and a few minutes later, "NO THIS SIDE OF THE POOL IS THE BEST!"

We don’t grow out of that by the way, we just find more adult ways of shifting from one side of the pool to the other, "WE LIKE MINI SKIRTS!" no, wait, "WE LOVE MAXI SKIRTS!" And as cool as we think we are in the beer community, we do it too. "WE LOVE HOPS A LOT!" but, wait, "MALTY BELGIANS ARE THE BEST EVER!" While hops and malt, opposing forces that could never live without each other, will always be held in equal regard when it comes to importance in the beer making process, the "in beer" seems to favor one or the other. We have made a bit of a shift in the past year, from the Hop The Crap Out Of This Quadruple IPA to the Malty Sweetness Deep And Roasty Belgian ales. To celebrate this shift, I used a red ale that has tons of malt but didn’t forget the hops. A common ground in the middle of that Hops vs Malt pool.

I’m up for either, as long as you don’t trash talk the other side of the pool, you know you’re going to be back there in a few minutes.

Beer Cheese Ball

Print Recipe

Ingredients

5 wt oz cream cheese
2 wt oz goat cheese about ¼ cup
4 wt oz shredded Asiago cheese about 1 cup
4 wt oz shredded parmesan cheese about 1 cup
1/3 cup red ale
½ tsp garlic powder
½ cup chopped chives
1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

Add the cream cheese, goat cheese, Asiago cheese, parmesan cheese, beer, and garlic powder to the food processor, process until well combined. Add the chives and pulse until just combined.
Place on a sheet of plastic wrap, form into a ball, wrapping with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours and up to 24 (flavors develop overnight, don’t be afraid to make this a day ahead of time).
Remove from the plastic wrap, gently roll in chopped walnuts until coated.
Serve with pretzels or crackers.

Mini Chocolate Stout Cheesecake with Salted Beer Caramel Sauce

10.12.2013 37 Comments

I’m the kind of girl that brings beer to a baby shower.

Which works out well, when it’s a digital baby shower for the kind of girl who likes those sorts of things. Like my friend Bev who, in her multi tasking ways, is in the process of growing not one but two tiny humans in her guts. Which, in my book, means that she earned herself a few beers once her womb has been vacated.

The blogging community, much like the beer community, is about collaboration. It’s a rising tide lifts all ships, lets compare notes, share resource and support each other environment. We cheer each others successes, grieve with each other, Digital Bake Sale for each other, and throw these online parties to commemorate milestones. It’s a great community to be a part of. And I’ll never stop being grateful that I’ve found my way here.

In honor of Bev who is so crafty she makes two people at once, I’ve made some miniature beer infused cheesecakes. But don’t worry, the alcohol has cook off enough to make it safe for Pregnant Lady consumption*.

Mini Chocolate Stout Cheesecake with Salted Beer Caramel Sauce

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Crust:

3 cups mini pretzel twists
1 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs flour
4 tbs melted butter

For the Cheesecake:

3 oz about ½ cup dark chocolate (60%)
1/3 cup Chocolate Stout
8 wt oz cream cheese softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tbs flour
3 tbs cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp espresso powder

For the Sauce:

1 cup sugar
2 tbs light corn syrup
½ cup stout
3 tbs butter cut into cubes
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.
In a food processor add the pretzels, flour and brown sugar. Process until just crumbs. While the food processor is running, slowly add the melted butter until well combined.
Add about 1 tablespoon of crust to each wells of a mini cheesecake pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray (if you don’t have a mini cheesecake pan, use muffin tins or mini muffin tins lined with cupcake papers). Press the crust firmly until compacted.
In the top of a double boiler over gently simmering water add the chocolate and the beer, stir until well combined and melted. Remove from heat, set aside.
In a stand mixer add the cream cheese, beat until light and creamy. Add the sugar and beat until well combined.
Add the egg, beating until well combined.
Add the flour, coco powder, salt and espresso powder, stir until just combined.
Stir in the chocolate mixture until well combined.
Add the cheesecake batter on top of the crust until wells are about 2/3 full.
Bake at 350 until the cheesecakes are set and top has puffed slightly, about 20-25 minutes (time will vary depending on the size of your mini cheesecakes).
Allow to cool to room temperature, while the cheesecakes cool a dip will form in the top.
While the cheesecakes bake, make the sauce.
In a saucepan over high heat add the sugar, beer and corn syrup. Whisk until sugar has melted, then stop stirring.
Allow to boil until dark golden brown and has reached 230 on a candy thermometer, about 6-8 minutes. Turn off heat and immediately stir in the butter and the vanilla ( mixture will bubbly up furiously). Allow to cool for about ten minutes.
Once cool, remove cheesecakes from pan (if using the mini pans, it may be necessary to run a sharp knife around the edges).
Gently spoon the caramel into the well that formed in the top of the cheesecakes.
Sprinkle with sea salt.
Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

*Disclaimer: consuming alcohol while pregnant is ill-advised. If you have concerns about the consumption of cooked alcohol while pregnant, consult your doctor. I’m not a physician, taking medical advice from me is also ill-advised. If you want more information about the rate at which alcohol cooks off, read this.

Check out the other Baby Shower recipes:

Appetizers
Bacon Cotija Guacamole from Gaby Dalkin
Gruyère Gougères from Shaina Olmanson
Lemon Risotto Tarts from Kelly Salemi
Goat Cheese Crostini with Pesto and Roasted Red Peppers from Liz Della Croce
Spinach and Feta Quinoa Bites from Aggie Goodman
Roasted Red Grape, Brie and Rosemary Flatbread from Laurie McNamara
The Fastest Appetizer Ever from Brooke McLay
Apple Pear Tart – Two Ways from Sarah Glyer

Drinks
Chocolate Chai Frappe from Brandy O’Neill
Cherry Chocolate Kiss Smoothie from Amy Flanigan
Cranberry Sorbet Bellini – Non-Alcoholic and Alcoholic from Megan Keno
Peppermint Mocha Affogato from Christina Lane
toasted marshmallow cream hot chocolate from Jessica Merchant
Pomegranate Lemonade Punch from Heather Christo

Salads
Kale Salad with Pomegranate, Orange and Pine Nuts from Rachel Gurk
Pear Cranberry Arugula Salad from Tracy Benjamin
Brussels Sprout Salad + maple roasted cranberry dressing from Katie Unger
Gluten-Free Pasta Salad from Lisa Thiele
Hearty Roasted Winter Vegetable Salad with Honey Ginger Dressing from Heather Disarro
Winter Citrus Salad from Catherine McCord

Entrees
Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Chicken Sausage Pasta from Heidi Larsen
Eggplant Parmesan Lasagna from Joanne Ozug
cheesy chicken enchilada 'double' stacks from Lauren Grier
Jalapeno Popper Chicken Soup from Kevin Lynch
Thai Spiced Chicken with Coconut Cream Swiss Chard from Brandi Evans
Sausage and Red Pepper Quiche from Tasty Kitchen
Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Goat Cheese from Julie Deily

Desserts
Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies from Averie Sunshine
Glazed Dulce de Leche Pound Cake from Meagan Micozzi
Mississippi Mud Pie Brownie Ice Cream from Megan DeKok
Buttermint Frosted Sugar Cookie Cups from Shelly Jaronsky
4-Ingredient Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies from Ali Ebright
Sweet Potato Creme Brulee from Brian Samuels
Whole Wheat Double Chocolate Mint Cookies from Aimée Wimbush-Bourque
Mini Chocolate Stout Cheesecake with Salted Beer Caramel Sauce from Jackie Dodd
Red Velvet Hi Hat Cookies from Kristan Roland
Double Chocolate Panini from Kathy Strahs

Chocolate Stout Candy Cane Cake & Christmas Beers

05.12.2013 12 Comments

Chocolate Stout Candy Cane Cake

"Christmas Beer" is a bit of a broad term. It’s isn’t really a style since brewers are free to bring anything from an IPA to a barrel aged stout to the holiday beer table. It’s more of an opportunity. An opportunity for beer people to do get creative, draw inspiration from the season, and make a beer that’s infused with Holiday Cheer (specific, right?).

Often the beers that earn that cheerful Holiday label are malty, slightly higher ABV (alcohol by volume), low hop and include some of those spices we tend to see in Christmas food. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves are frequently power players in Christmas Ales. Chocolate and chestnuts often make an appearance as well.

I have a few for you to seek out, but this list is in no way a "best of" compilation, a Mix Tape of Christmas beers, or a final say in all things boozy Christmas. It’s just a jumping off point, some beers to get you started on your Christmas Beer Quest. If you have a favorite, please chime in. That’s what the comment section is for.

12 Beers of Christmas

Schlafly Christmas Ale Categorized as a Winter Warmer ale, this is a malty, low hop, 8% ABV flavor treat. It has notes of juniper, cardamom, cinnamon, and oranges. Count yourself among the fortunate if you happen to be in the limited distribution zone of the Schlafly brewery.
Great Lakes Christmas ale This award-winning Christmas Ale seems to have a bit of a cult following. Another malty Winter Warmer with spiced notes along with some gingerbread, caramel and a 7.5% abv. This will keep you warm on a snow day.
Port Brewing Santa’s Little Helper Not to be confused with those other beers by the same name, this Helper is a 10% ABV Russian Imperial Stout with notes of cocoa, coffee and dark cherries. There is also a barrel aged version if you’re lucky enough to get your grubby paws on it.
New Belgium Accumulation White IPA This is a style you don’t often see show up to the Christmas Ale party. A hopped up white IPA with bright notes of citrus, tropical fruit and sweet malt to remind you that winter won’t last forever.
Deschutes Jubelale A yuletide celebration in a bottle. This dark and malty ale has notes of chicory, spice and dried fruit. It’s the perfect beer to wash down that fruitcake. And make you look forward to eating fruitcake.
Bison Gingerbread Ale This organic brewery out of the Bay Area is just the type of people you want to root for. Especially when they make a beer like this. It’s a dark beer with notes of molasses, dark malts, spices and of course gingerbread cookies.
The Bruery 12 Days of Christmas Series Those mad brewing geniuses over at The Bruery have embarked on a 12-year Christmas ale event that results in one new 12 Days of Christmas themed beer every year. They are halfway through the quest, releasing their Six Geese A Laying Belgian Strong Dark ale just last month. It’s malty as well as bright with notes of cranberries, cherries, citrus, and plums.
Rogue Santa’s Private Reserve A variation of their Saint Rogue Red, this hopped up red ale with a beautiful malt finish and some nice spice notes is a great beer to pair with your Christmas dinner.
Avery Old Jubilation An Old English Ale with notes of toffee, mocha, hazelnuts and lots of malt. This drinkable treat is worth the wait each year.
Boulevard Nutcracker Ale With lots of malt, molasses, brown sugar and winter spices, this is a beer that will keep you warm by that winter fire.
Alaskan Winter Ale An Old English ale brewed up where they know a thing or two about cold winters. This winter beer has both a malty richness and crisp brightness with notes of spruce, cherries, and honey.
Souther Tier 2XMAS It’s a Swedish Christmas in a bottle. Brewed with figs, orange peels and spices this is a beer that brings a European style Christmas to a beer bottle. This is a great one to pair with sausages or strong cheese.

Chocolate Stout Candy Cane Cake

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Cake:

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
optional: ¼ tsp peppermint extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
¾ cup stout or porter beer
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
1 2/3 cups cake flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp espresso powder
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt

For the frosting:

10 wt oz dark chocolate
1/3 cup stout
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup crushed candy canes

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325.
In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter and both kinds of sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the eggs and vanilla extract (peppermint if using) and beat until well combined.
In a microwave safe bowl add the chocolate chips and the stout. Microwave on high for thirty seconds, stir and repeat until the chocolate and beer are well combined.
Add the chocolate to the butter and mix until well combined, stopping to scrape the bottom of the mixer to insure the butter and chocolate are well combined. Stir in the buttermilk.
In a small bowl mix together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder and salt.
Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
Pour the batter into a large loaf pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake at 325 for 65-75 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes back with just a few crumbs attached.
Allow to cool before removing from pan.
To make the frosting add the chocolate, cream and beer to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until melted and smooth.
Allow the frosting to cool for about 5 minutes and then pour gently over the cake.
Sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Chill until the frosting has set, about 30 minutes.

I made this once with the peppermint extract and once without. I have a well documented aversion to mint, so I preferred it without. But if you want to reiterate the Candy Cane flavor and like mint, adding it is a good option.