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Beer Styles

Pumpkin Ale Waffles & How To Roast A Pumpkin

25.09.2012 33 Comments

 Although most of you are in the giddy early stages of fall, here in Los Angeles it’s still over 90 degrees. So what the rest of the country is referring to as "Fall," I am calling Pumpkin Season. And to curb my near constant urge to shove as much pumpkin into everything I consume, I have elected to only make pumpkin from scratch, no cans.

It’s only really helped a little. It’s pretty easy to roast a pumpkin and turn it into massive quantities of pumpkin treats.

If you haven’t roasted your own, don’t be intimidated, its pretty simple.

Start with a pie pumpkin. They go by various other names, but they are not Jack-o-Lantern pumpkins used for carving. They are small, about the size of a cantaloupe.

Preheat oven to 375.

Remove the stem by running a butter knife around the edges and then prying it off. The most stubborn one I removed by whacking it on the edge of the counter. Popped right off.

Cut the pumpkin in half, right through the hole left by the stem.

Scoop the seeds out with a spoon.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place pumpkins on baking sheets, cover tightly with aluminum foil. Roast at 375 for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until a fork can easily slide into the skin.

 Allow to cool and sccop the flesh out.

For a smoother texture, process in a food processor for about 3 minutes.

See, that’s not so hard. You can totally do that.

Pumpkin Ale Waffles

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 4 eggs divided
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 stick melted butter
  • 1 cup Pumpkin Ale

(Makes 6 to 8)

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat waffle iron.
    • Get out three bowls.
    • In the largest bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking power, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon, stir until well combined.
    • Divide the eggs between the last two bowls, egg whites in one, yolks in the other.
    • In the yolks bowl, add the milk and pumpkin puree, stir until well combined. Add the melted butter and stir.
    • Using a hand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes.
    • Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry mixture and stir until just combined, don't over mix. Add the beer and stir until combined. Gently fold in the egg whites.
    • Spray waffle iron with butter flavored cooking spray. Cook waffles according to manufactures directions.

     

     

    Beer Pretzel Bread Bowls & Oktoberfest

    20.09.2012 20 Comments

     

    Although Oktoberfest has morphed into a festival of beer, it began as a celebration of a royal wedding more than 200 years ago. It starts in September, last for 16 days and ends on the first Sunday in October.

    I can assume that most of you won’t be making it to Munich to participate in the festivities at the celebrations birth place. But, if you want to throw yourself your own little Oktoberfest, I have some facts for you that can help you celebrate in a more authentic fashion than those American street fairs in late October with macro beer and  sorifity girls in period inaccurate midriff baring wardrobes.

    First, you’ll need some local beer, Oktoberfest only serves beer brewed in the Munich city limits. Follow suit and find the breweries closest to your own home, or talk that home brewer you know into making you a batch, those guys are always up for sharing.

    Second, learn the opening salute. For the past 60 years the celebration has been kicked off by the mayor of Munich yelling, "O' zapft ist!" (it’s tapped!) after the very first keg of Oktoberfest beer has been tapped.

    Make fun of people who can’t hold their liquor. Really, this is always a good idea, but at the festivals in Munich, those who get too drunk and pass out are teased with  the label "Bierleichen" (beer corps). Please, know your limits.

    Traditional foods include:  Roast pork, sausages, pretzels, potato dumplings, cheese noodles, potato pancakes, sauerkraut, and  spiced cheese-butter spread.

    Although not technically a traditional Oktoberfest food, beer cheese soup has made it’s way onto Oktoberfest menus all over the word. Throw in some sausage and sauerkraut and serve it in a pretzel bread bowl to make it a little more credible.

    Beer Pretzel Bread Bowls & Oktoberfest

    Print Recipe

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 cups bread flour
    • 1 packet of dry active yeast
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 1 1/4 cup wheat beer
    • 2 tbs olive oil
    • water
    • 1/3 cup baking soda
    • 3 tbs melted butter
    • 2 tbs coarse salt

    Instructions
     

    (Makes 4 bread bowls or 8 dinner rolls. Bread bowls are fairly small and only hold about a cup of soup each.)

    • Add flour, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachement. Stir to combine.
    • In a microwave safe bowl, add the beer. Microwave for 20 seconds, test temperature and repeat until the beer reaches 110 degrees (if the beer is too hot, it will kill the yeast). Sprinkle the beer with the yeast and wait for it to foam (this is called proofing the yeast, if it doesn't foam the yeast is bad).
    • Pour the beer into the bowl and stir at a low speed until well combined, turn the speed up to medium until the dough gathers around the hook and is smooth.
    • Oil a large bowl with olive oil. Remove the dough from the mixer, form into a ball and place in prepared bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to sit in a warm, dry area until doubled in size, about 40 minutes.
    • Remove the dough from the bowl, knead on a light flowed surface until smooth, about 2 minutes. Break into 4 equal pieces (you can also make 8 dinner roll size portions) form into balls. Cover balls with plastic wrap, allow to sit until doubled in size, about 20 mintes.
    • Preheat oven to 375.
    • Fill a large pot with water, making sure there is room for it bubble up without spilling over, but deep enough for the large dough balls. Bring water to a boil, add the baking soda. Cut an X into the top of each bread ball. Place gently in the baking soda water and cook, turning once, for about 30 seconds. Remove from water and place on a baking sheet covered with a Silpat, or sprayed with cooking spray, cut side up. Repeat for all bread balls.
    • Brush liberally with melted butter, sprinkle with salt.
    • Bake at 375 for 25 minutes, or until a dark golden brown in color.

     

    The Dirty Girl Scout: Chocolate Mint Beer Float

    19.09.2012 18 Comments

     

    This isn’t a recipe. Not really, it’s more like assembly instructions for how to make a float that tastes like a Girl Scout Thin Mint, but with beer.

    Boozy, chocolatey, minty.

    But there really isn’t a recipe involved. Add more ice cream if that’s what you like. Add more beer, if that suits you.

    I used my homemade Chocolate Mint Stout Ice Cream & a lot of Bison Chocolate Stout.

    It tastes like beer. In case you were hoping for one of those overly sweet concoctions they sell at diners.

    But, more or less, this is how you do it:

     

    Step one:

    Add a few scoops of chocolate mint ice cream to the bottom of a mug.

     

    Grab some beer, chocolate stout is preferable.

    Pour beer over ice cream.

     

    Enjoy.

     


    Chocolate Mint Stout Ice Cream

    18.09.2012 25 Comments

    There are two ways to look at this.

    It’s either the summer death rattle manifesting itself in an ice cream during the first week of fall, or it’s the nexus of the best of summer treats and the best of fall beers joining forces at the perfect moment.

    For this, I used Bison Chocolate Stout. Rich, dark and beautiful. Although I did try and hold out for the Stone Chocolate Mint Stout that I’ve been teased with for months now, I may have to give this recipe another try when the red tape is lifted and the world is able to indulge in that.

    I also used Green & Blacks Mint Dark Chocolate, adding a smooth peppermint flavor.

    Resulting in a rich, smooth ice cream that’s like a Girl Scout Thin Mint, but with beer. And, that’s really what those cookies need: beer.

     

     

    Chocolate Mint Stout Ice Cream

    Print Recipe

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups whole milk
    • 3 fresh mint leaves
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 1 cup chocolate stout or chocolate mint stout
    • 7 ounces of 60% dark chocolate with peppermint oil such as Dark Chocolate Mint from Green & Blacks, broken into chunks
    • 4 egg yolks
    • 1 1/4 cup white sugar

    Instructions
     

    • In a pot over medium high heat, add the cream, milk, mint leaves cream and stout. Bring to a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, remove and discard mint leaves, and stir in the chocolate until melted.
    • In a separate bowl, add the egg yolks and the sugar, whisk until well combined. Slowly add the chocolate milk, whisking continually, until about 1/2 the mixture has been added to the egg yolks. Add the egg yolk mixture back into pot, whisk until well combined. Return pot to heat and bring to a mild simmer.
    • Refrigerator until chilled, about 3 hours.
    • Churn in ice cream maker according to manufactures directions. Chill until firm.

     

     

     

    Green & Blacks provided me with a sample of chocolates used in this post. I was not monetarily compensated for this recipe. All thoughts, opinions and ideas are my own. 

    Beer Braised Chicken Tacos with Beer Corn Tortillas

    13.09.2012 24 Comments

     

    When it seems like your entire life revolves around a food blog, small things make you really excited.

    Like making homemade tortillas with beer and realizing how much better they are than any other tortilla you’ve ever had.

    Or getting a shout out from The Cooking Channel as if they knew just how to fuel your obsession with them.

    Or realizing that because Foster Farms is willing to fly you into Napa a few days early for the National Cook-Off Finals, you get to visit the following breweries: Laguanitas, Russian River, and Bear Republic.

    And then your Aunt tells you that your Grandma and Guy Fieri’s Grandma where roommates in college, which sounds like a Mad Lib, but turns out to be true.

    Small wins that make me so excited, you’d think I won a Beer Cooking Oscar. This is what keeps us playing the Man Behind the Curtain on these little blogs we are so dedicated to. Bloggers are easily excitable, which maybe why we spend so much time on the other side of these computer. Sometimes our excitement isn’t fit for public consumption.

    Back to these tortillas. Homemade tortillas are a completely different animal from those cardboard disks they sell in supermarkets. Soft, slightly sweet, and they only take 5 minutes to make. To use a beer analogy fit for an SAT exam:

    Coors Light is to Pliny as Store Bought Tortillas are to Homemade Tortillas

    I’m not kidding, that much different. If you don’t believe me, and really, why should you, I’m just the overly excited girl behind the screen, try it and report back. I really think you’ll be amazed.

    For this recipe, I used Lagunaitas IPA. And like I’ve mentioned before, IPA’s give you a huge punch of beer flavor. If you want a milder beer flavor, grab a traditional Pale Ale, a Blonde or a Wheat Beer.

     

     

    Beer Braised Chicken Tacos with Beer Corn Tortillas

    Print Recipe

    Ingredients
      

    For the Tortillas

    • 2 cup Masa
    • ½ tsp salt
    • 1 1/4 cup room temperature beer
    • 2 Tbs melted butter or olive oil

    For the Chicken

    • 4 boneless skinless chicken thigh fillets
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 tsp black pepper
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp chili powder
    • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
    • 2 tbs olive oil
    • 1 cup beer

    Recommended Garnishes

    • 1/4 cup chopped onion
    • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
    • 1 avocado chopped

    Instructions
     

    • Chop Chicken thighs into small, bite sized pieces. In a bowl, place all spices and mix well. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat.
    • Heat olive oil in a dutch oven. Add the pieces and sear quickly. Reduce heat, add beer, cover and cook until cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes.
    • In a large bowl, add the Masa and the salt, stir to combine.
    • Add the beer and butter, stir to combine. If the dough is too dry to hold together, add additional beer or water. If it is too wet, add more Masa.
    • Form into balls a bit larger than golf balls.
    • Prepare a tortillas press by wrapping in plastic wrap or covering with parchment paper (you can place tortilla ball between two sheets of parchment and use a rolling pin). Place one ball in the center.
    • Press, rotate and press again until thin.
    • Heat a griddle (or cast iron skillet) to a medium high heat (about 350 for electric griddles).
    • Cook until slightly brown on the bottom (about 30 seconds to a minute) flip and cook on the other side. Don’t overcook.
    • Fill tortillas with chicken, garnish and serve.

     

     

    Mac And Beer Cheese Soup

    11.09.2012 35 Comments

     

    I have a confession to make. Before starting this blog, I tried to make beer cheese soup and failed. I was baffled, at first, but figured out that a combination of my lack of patience (manifesting itself in my cheese dumping rather than slow adding) and a furious boil, resulted in a sloppy mess.

    Second confession of the day (just call yourself a priest, and I’ll say a few Hail Mary’s on my way out) is that even though I love this recipe, I think I may love the photos more. Because right after I took them I was reminded via ping of my first post and how on their best day, those photos are hideously below average. I’ve worked really hard to bring my photography up to an acceptable standard and these photos reminded me of how my work is paying off.

    Third confession, I won a state-wide Cook-Off on Friday. Ok, not really a confession, but I’m excited, so I thought I would share.

    Fourth confession, I still have  a crush on Luke Perry. And Val Kilmer’s character in Real Genius. Looks like I went one confession too far.

    Mac And Beer Cheese Soup

    Note: Cheese sauce separates easily if the mixture is brought to a boil, or if pre shredded cheese is used. If the mixture does separates, try to puree the cheese sauce with a hand blender before you add the noodles.
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 tbs olive oil
    • 1 onion chopped
    • 1 fresh jalapeno stemmed, seeded and chopped
    • 3 cloves garlic chopped
    • 4 tbs butter
    • 1/4 cup flour
    • 1 tbs corn starch
    • 12 ounces Hefeweizen
    • 2 cups chicken broth
    • 1/4 cup heavy cream
    • 2 cups cheddar cheese thinly grated, don't use pre shredded
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp pepper
    • 1 tsp smoked paprika
    • 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni noodles

    Instructions
     

    • In a large pot heat the olive oil. Add the onions and jalapenos, cook until softened, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
    • Add the butter stir until melted.
    • Sprinkle the flour and corn starch on top of the melted butter and whisk until combined.
    • Add the beer, broth and cream bring to a low simmer.
    • 1/4 a cup at at time, add the cheese and stir until completely melted before adding more (do not boil or cheese will separate). Repeat until all the cheese is incorporated into the soup.
    • Add the salt, pepper, smoked paprika and stir to combine.
    • Add the macaroni noodles and cook until noodles are al dente.
    • Add additional beer or broth to thin to desired consistency.

    Beer & Bacon Pecan Bars

    06.09.2012 56 Comments

     

     

    Clearly, I’m ready for fall. And in Los Angeles, that just means that Dodgers games are starting to end and I get to wear a light sweater. If I feel like it. Oh, and fall produce. If I haven’t mentioned to you before my favorite part of living in Southern California, its this: Farmers Markets.

    This Golden State that I live in grows half of all the produce grown in the United States (that’s a lot) and we get to have Farmers Markets nearly every day of the year. And although mid-rant I realize that this post doesn’t even contain any produce, it does contain those fabulous flavors of fall. With bacon. And beer. And fall farmers markets are my favorite. No matter what day of the week, somewhere in Los Angeles there is a Farmers Market in which I can unnecessarily bundle up and walk from stall to stall with a cup of coffee buying local vegetables in the "chilly" mid 60 degree weather.

    Pecan pie will always remind me of fall and for nearly a year I’ve wondered what it would be like to add bacon. And of course, beer.

    Turns out, these are the best damn pecan pie bars I’ve ever had.

     

    Beer & Bacon Pecan Bars

    Print Recipe

    Ingredients
      

    For The Crust:

    • 1 stick plus 2 tbs 10 tbs unsalted butter
    • 2 cups flour
    • 1/4 cup brown sugar
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 2 tbs water

    For the Filling

    • 1 cup stout
    • 1 stick butter
    • 2 cups chopped pecan
    • 2 cups brown sugar
    • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
    • 1/4 cup heavy cream
    • 2 eggs
    • 5 strips of bacon cooked and chopped

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350
    • In a food processor add the flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and salt, pulse to combine. Cut the butter into cubes and add to the food processor. Process until butter is incorporated into the flour mixture. Add the water and process to combine. Add additional water, 1 tsp at a time if there is flour that still hasn't been dampened.
    • line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with parchment paper (this will make it easier to remove from the pan) and dump the shortbread into the pan. Press into the bottom of the baking pan in one even layer.
    • Bake at 350 for 12 minutes of until a light golden brown. Allow to cool before adding the filling or the crust and filling will mesh together.
    • In a pot over medium high heat, add the stout, cook until reduced by half. Add the butter and stir until melted, remove from heat. Add the sugar, pecans, cream, corn syrup and stir until melted. Once the mixture has cooled to room temperature, add the eggs and stir until combined.
    • Pour the filling over the crust, sprinkle with cooked bacon and bake at 350 until the filling no longer jiggles when you gently shake the pan, about 25-30 minutes.

     

     

     

     

     

    Chili Beer Chicken Wings

    04.09.2012 39 Comments

     

     

    Last Friday I was able to visit the Los Angeles CBS studios. They even let me do a cooking segment. Originally slotted for 4 to 5 minutes, the loved me so much, they let me run to 6 1/2 minutes. Aren’t they great?

    A few questions threw me off, "Were you in a sorority?" and "What IS craft beer?"

    The first, I’m ok with dismissing, but the second left me to wonder. If you have to define Craft Beer in one sentence to someone who knows nothing about beer beyond the college Greek System drinking games, how would you do that? It seems like everyone has different definitions, some focusing on the size of the brewery, or the quality of the ingredients or the breweries funding source or even if the company is publicly trader. But what about the beer? What makes if truly craft? You could write entire books trying to answer that one question.

    What is "craft beer"?

    If you have a quick, one sentence answer for me, I’d love to hear it.

    But in the meantime, I’m going to introduce you to a beer that was perfect for my sort of sweet, fairly spicy, beer infused chicken wings that are sort of perfect for the beginning of football season.

    Dogfish Head, Festina Peche is brewed with peaches (not an extract) that feeds the yeast so the peach flavors are pervasive. Not a beer for everyone, it tends to be a bit polarizing, but an excellent example of a well done Berliner Weisse fermented with peaches. It is also an excellent beer for this recipe.

    Chili Beer Chicken Wings

    Print Recipe

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 1/2 lbs chicken wings and drumsticks
    • 1/3 cup cornstarch
    • 2/3 cup beer
    • 1/4 cup soy sauce
    • 2 tbs honey
    • 1/2 tsp chili powder
    • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
    • 1/4 tsp red chili flake
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 tbs rice wine vinegar

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 425.
    • Rinse the chicken wings in cold water and dry well.
    • Sprinkle chicken on all sides with cornstarch and rub to coat.
    • In a separate bowl, add the beer, soy, honey, chili powder, garlic powder, red chili flake, salt, and vinegar, stirring well to combine. Add the chicken, toss to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for ten to twenty minutes.
    • Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
    • Remove the chicken from marinade and arrange wings on the baking sheet and bake at 425 for ten minutes.
    • While the chicken is baking, add the remaining marinade to a pot over medium high heat, stiring frequently, reduce until thickened and syrupy, about 8-10 minutes.
    • Once the marinade has reduced, remove the chicken from the oven and brush with the thickened marinade, turn them over, brush with marinade on the other side.
    • Return to the oven and allow to cook for an additional ten minutes, basting again.
    • Allow chicken to bake until cooked through, an additional 10-15 minutes.
    • (Note: the total cooking time for the chicken will be approximately 25-35 minutes, requiring basting every ten minutes)

     

     

    Beer Soaked Apple Pie With Cheddar Beer Crust

    30.08.2012 13 Comments

    When it comes to baking, I’m always intrigued by a new spin on an old favorite. Not to say that I don’t fully appreciate the simplicity and beauty of a perfect and well done classic recipe.  I’ll never tire of a traditional, straight forward apple pie with a huge scoop of homemade vanilla bean ice cream.

    But I was introduced to the pure magic of a cheddar pie crust as an encasement for a traditional apple pie, by Kelly of Evil Shenanigans. I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I want to beer-ify (it’s a word) that perfect pie. Kelly’s cookbook, Not So Humble Pies is all about how to take that sweet little pie you’ve always loved and turn it into something they’ll never forget.

    She even agreed to let me post my modified and beer-ified version of the crust that’s in her book. Maybe because she watched me greedily inhale two pieces of her pie in record time and was afraid of my possible reaction to not having said pie in my life any longer.

    Here is my beer version of an apple pie with a cheddar crust. Which served as dessert, then breakfast the following day, then dinner.

    It’s pretty versatile.

     

     

    Beer Soaked Apple Pie With Cheddar Beer Crust

    Print Recipe

    Ingredients
      

    Crust:

    • 2 1/2 cups flour
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 2 sticks unsalted butter
    • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
    • 6-8 tbs beer pale ale, or wheat beer work best
    • 2 tbs melted butter to brush on prior to baking

    Filling:

    • 7 cups Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and sliced (Granny Smith are the only apples that will not turn mushy during this process)
    • 16 oz pale ale or wheat beer
    • 2 lemons juiced
    • 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
    • 2 tbs flour
    • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/4 cup white sugar
    • 1/2 cup brown sugar
    • 1 tsp corn starch

    Instructions
     

    • Combine 1 1/2 cups of flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor, pulse a few times until its combined. Add the butter and process until well combined, about 2 minutes.Add the remaining flour and process until incorporated, about 1 minute.
    • Move to a bowl and add the cheese and 6 tbs beer, mix until just incorporated. Don't over mix. If the dough is too dry, add more beer until the right consistency is reached.
    • Split into two equal sized portions and form into disks. Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and chill until very firm, about two hours. Because this dough is so soft, it is very important for the pie dough to be very cold and very firm.
    • Place the apples, lemon juice and 16 ounces of beer in a bowl and allow to soak at room temperature for 2 hours. If the apples are not fully submerged, toss every half hour to redistribute. Remove the apples from the beer and allow to drain and dry for about 30 minutes, or until fully dry.
    • Preheat oven to 350.
    • Add the apples and the remaining filling ingredients to a bowl and toss to coat.
    • On a well floured surface, place one of the disks, add flour to the top of the disk as well.
    • Roll out into an even thickness. Marble rolling pins are very cold and don’t disrupt the fat inside the dough, making them an excellent choice for rolling pie dough. When you place your dough in the fridge to chill, add your marble rolling pin as well, allowing it to chill.
    • Add you pie dough to a pie pan and press into shape, removing any excess. Add the filling.
    • Roll out the second disk of pie dough and add to the top of your pie. Press the top crust and the bottom crust together at the edges, cut holes to vent steam.
    • Brush with 2 tbs melted butter.
    • Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cover the edges with foil of the edge starts to brown too quickly.

    Crust adapted from Not So Humble Pies, Kelly Jaggers

    Chocolate Chip, Stout & Beer Nut Cookies

    28.08.2012 18 Comments

     

    If you live in the Los Angeles area, I’m going to need you to do me a favor. I’ve somehow been booked on CBS, Los Angeles mid-day news with a cooking segment this Friday, August 31st. They want me to do a quick Cooking With Beer segment on the news at noon. People will be hungry, naturally, it is lunch time, and my hope is that this will persuade them to ignore any brief moments of nervousness that I have.

    But If you could tune in, and support me, that would be great. I’m not really nervous, I keep waiting for that to set in, but it hasn’t yet. When it does, I would love to know that people who have been visiting me here on this little blog for the past year are out there cheering me on.

    That would be great.

    In the meantime we’re going to make some cookies. These call for the classic Beer Nuts, which I found myself in possession of after a particularly round night of cards at my house. Several bags of Beer Nuts left by an anonymous donor.  And I can’t just leave them in my pantry, I need to find a use for them.

    We are also going to revisit that crazy idea I have of making beer extract. Because vanilla is just too…well, vanilla.

     

    Chocolate Chip, Stout & Beer Nut Cookies

    Print Recipe

    Ingredients
      

    • 3/4 cup stout beer
    • 1 cup cake flour
    • 3/4 cup bread flour
    • 1/2 tsp cornstarch
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 3/4 cup butter
    • 2/3 cup brown sugar
    • 1/2 cup white sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 1 cup dark chocolate chips 60%
    • 3 oz bag Beer Nuts

    (Makes 10-12 cookies)

      Instructions
       

      • In a pot over medium high heat add the beer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1 tbs.
      • In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and both types of sugar, beat until well creamed. Add the egg and beat until well combined. Add the 1 tbs of beer extract and beat until well combined, scraping the bottom to make sure all the ingredients are well combined.
      • In a sperate bowl, add both types of flour (these two types of flour are very important to the end result of your cookies, regular all purpose flour will not give you the same results), cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Mix well. Add dry ingredients to the stand mixer and mix on medium/low speed until just barely combined, don't over mix. Add the chocolate chips and Beer Nuts, and stir until incorporated.
      • Resting the dough is an important step in this recipe. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, scoop golfball sized scoops of dough, roll them into round balls and place on the baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours.
      • Preheat oven to 350.
      • Bake for 20-22 minutes or until light golden brown, don't over bake. (If you don't chill the dough, or if you make smaller sized cookies, the cooking time will be much shorter. Start to keep an eye on your cookies after about 14 minutes).

       

      Brown Butter Grilled Beer Cheese Sandwich

      23.08.2012 27 Comments

      There are some great elements in this world we live in that we beg the universe to some how bring together.

      Like a Yankees vs. Dodgers World Series

      Or an episode of The Office directed by Christopher Guest

      Or Trey Parker have complete creative control over The White House Holiday Card

      Or a reality show hybrid of The Bachelor and Fear Factor

      Even though I have to come to terms with the fact that those things will sadly never exist, I can meld brown butter and beer cheese into the greatest of all grilled cheese sandwiches. It won’t have the cultural repercussions of any of the above unions, but it is the best sandwich I’ve had in a long time. Too bad I didn’t have the forethought, or the consumptive restraint, to create a beer tomato soup to go along for the journey.

      Brown Butter Grilled Beer Cheese Sandwich

      Print Recipe

      Ingredients
        

      • 6 oz cream cheese
      • 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
      • 1 tsp cornstarch
      • 1/4 cup Pale Ale
      • 4 oz cheddar
      • 8 slices bread
      • 4 tbs butter

      Instructions
       

      • In a blender or food processor add the cream cheese, mozzarella, cornstarch and beer. Blend until smooth, about 3 minutes. Spread the beer cheese generously onto 4 slices of bread. Top with about 2 tbs of cheddar and then top with a clean slice of bread.
      • In a skillet with a lid melt the butter over medium heat (don't allow the butter to get too hot or it will burn) until just starting to turn a golden brown. Carefully add the sandwiches, and replace the lid allowing the sandwiches to steam in the pan until the underside is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip the sandwiches, replace the lid and allow to cook until the other side is a light golden brown and the cheese is melted, about 3 additional minutes.

       You can also use the pre-oven beer cheese from my Roasted Garlic & Parmesan Beer Cheese Dip.

       

      IPA Ceviche

      21.08.2012 14 Comments

       

      As summer nears it’s inevitable end, it’s not the weather that I’ll miss the most. In fact the leather boots and chunky sweaters of colder days are starting to beckon. The produce, back yard grills, the smell of life and food floating on a late afternoon breeze will be lost in the dawning of fall.

      This isn’t a recipe about avoiding the oven, or  grumbles of triple digit heat, it’s about enjoying August produce, paired with those Summer release beers and spending as much time as you can in the open air before we’re all forced to head inside, cook with squash, and drink stouts. Which I am already looking forward to.

      IPA Ceviche

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      Ingredients
        

      • 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon
      • 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
      • 1 1/2 lb raw shrimp shell & tail removed, chopped
      • 1/2 cup IPA Beer
      • 1 yellow onion diced
      • 3 cups tomatoes diced
      • 1 large jalapeno diced, stem and seeds removed
      • 1/2 cup cilantro
      • 1/4 tsp salt
      • 1 tsp red pepper sauce such as Sriracha

      Instructions
       

      • Add the lemon/lime juice and raw shrimp to a small bowl. (Shrimp will "cook" in the juice as it marinates.)
      • Mix beer, onion, tomato, and jalapeño in a large bowl, allow to marinate in the fridge for at least one hour.
      • Drain the vegetables and return to large bowl.
      • Once the shrimp have "cooked," drain and add them to the large bowl along with the salt and pepper sauce, toss to combine.
      • Serve cold with corn chips.

       

       

       

       

       

       

      Beer Chicken Piccata

      16.08.2012 14 Comments

      Here it is, just like I promised. Beer Chicken Piccata, to go with those beer noodles I made.

      The first time I ever had Piccata I was a completely broke college student traveling through Italy. And it was cheap. It turned out to be one of the most memorable dishes I had on that trip, moving it to the top of my list of Italian Favorites. If I see it on a menu, especially those family run strip mall joints that I love so much, I can’t resist ordering it.

      If you are familiar with this dish, you can see that this is a pretty standard Piccata with the white wine replaced with beer. You need to choose a low hop beer with notes of citrus, an IPA will overwhelm this sauce.

       

      Beer Chicken Piccata

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      Ingredients
        

      • 2 chicken breasts
      • about 1/4 cup flour for coating
      • 1 tsp salt
      • 1 tsp pepper
      • 3 tbs butter Plus an additional 3 tbs, divided
      • 1 1/2 tbs flour
      • 1/3 cup pale ale
      • 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
      • 1/3 cup chicken broth
      • 1/4 cup capers

      Instructions
       

      • Filet each chicken breast in half horizontally, making each chicken breast thinner, not smaller. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the chicken and pound with a meat mallet or a rolling pin until about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
      • Sprinkle on all sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour until well coated.
      • In a pan over medium high heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the chicken and cook on each side until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan.
      • In a clean pan melt the remaining butter. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 tbs flour and whisk until combined. Add the beer, broth and lemon juice and cook until warmed and thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the capers and stir.
      • Add the chicken to a plate on top of a bed of rice or pasta. Top with sauce, serve immediately.

       

       

       

      Homemade Beer Pasta

      14.08.2012 15 Comments

       

       This is something everyone should do in their lives.

      Like cliff jumping in Greece, restaurant week in New York City, and watching the sun rise over the Mediterranean. Although making pasta from scratch doesn’t require a passport.

      Pasta isn’t as hard to make as you think and I have complete faith in your ability to pull this off. And impress your friends.

      Plus this leaves you open to a wide variety of sauces. Not just my Beer Marianna, but can someone please make me a beer Alfredo sauce?

      I’ll have a Beer Chicken Piccata for you later.  But in the meantime, someone needs to make me this stout bolognese. I’ll bring the noodles.

      Homemade Beer Pasta

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      Ingredients
        

      • 2 cups all purpose flour
      • 1/2 tsp salt
      • 2 large eggs
      • 1/4 cup wheat beer
      • 1 tbs olive oil

      Instructions
       

      • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, add the flour and the salt and mix well. Form a well in the center, add the eggs and the beer. Mix on a low speed until the dough, eggs and beer are incorporated, about 6 minutes. Remove from the mixer and kneed on a well floured surface until smooth and elastic, at least 10 minutes to remove all air pockets. Form a ball and brush with olive oil. Cover and allow to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
      • Cut the dough into two equal halves. Cut each half into equal thirds to give you 6 equal sized pieces. Keep all dough covered that you are not working with.
      • Flatten each dough section into a long oval. Pass through the pasta roller at the widest setting. Close the pasta roller one notch and pass through again. Close the pasta roller again pass the pasta through again. Add flour to the pasta with each each pass through the pasta roller. Continue to do this until the pasta is thin. I used the Kitchen Aid Pasta Roller Attachment with the narrowest setting at 4.
      • Switch to the fettuccinie cutter pasta roller and cut each flattened pasta section into fettuccinie ribbons.
      • Allow to dry on a pasta drying rack or laid flat on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes.
      • Add pasta to a pot of lightly salted boiling water until cooked through, about 5-8 minutes.

       

       

       

       

       

       

      Vanilla Bean Smoked Porter French Toast

      09.08.2012 23 Comments

      It seems so wrong.

      This urge I have to continually make breakfast with beer.

      Probably reinforcement of the personality test I took in college in which I scored "surprisingly high" on the Inherent rebellion scale, as noted by the test administrator.

      Because we, as a society, have decided that we shouldn’t mix alcohol with pre-noon hours. Along with a Sunday brunch mimosa or, well… Vegas in general, this should be your exception.

      And while I’m ordering you around, I have to mention how much I adore this beer and demand that you seek it out:

       Stone smoked porter with vanilla bean. It’s a porter with the perfect infusion of the flavors of smoke and vanilla bean.  And even though it’s summer and I’ve been told by Beer Store Beer Guy that porters and stouts aren’t "in season," I’ve driven all over town to stock up on this very porter, twice. More evidence of my inherent rebellion.

       

      Vanilla Bean Smoked Porter French Toast

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      Ingredients
        

      • 1 cup milk
      • 2/3 cup smoked porter recommended: Stone Smoked Porter w/ Vanilla Bean
      • 1/2 cup sugar
      • 3 eggs
      • 1 tsp vanilla
      • 2 tbs butter plus additional as needed
      • 1 large loaf of crusty italian bread cut into 1 inch thick slices

      Instructions
       

      • In a bowl, add milk, beer, sugar, eggs and vanilla, whisk until well combined. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter.
      • One at a time, dip the bread into the milk mixture until well coated. Add to pan and cook until browned on one side, flip and brown on the opposite side (about 2 to 3 minutes per side). Repeat for all slices. Add butter to the pan as needed.

      Beer Steamed Stuffed Artichokes & How to Stuff an Artichoke

      06.08.2012 11 Comments

       

      Here’s my artichoke. We’re going to gut him and stuff him with bacon.

      And then cook him in beer.

       

       

      The first step is to trim. Start with peeling off a few layers of the outside leaves They’re tough and not very good, don’t feel bad about getting rid of them.

      And if your artichoke has a long stem, trim it so that it can stand upright, with its leaves pointed at the sky. That will come in handy later.

      Then you are going to cut off the pointed tip of the artichoke.

       

      Then use a pair a kitchen sheers, (or, lets be honest regular scissors will be fine) to trim the pointed tips off of all of the leaves.

       

      Starting at the outside and working towards the inside, pull the leaves outward.

       

      Once you get to the inside leaves that are yellow and purple, you are going to want to remove these. There is a lot of waste with stuffed artichokes, just accept it and move on.

      This part isn’t easy. If you are having a hard time, that’s normal. The best way to do it is to dig at it with a melon baller. And swear at it a few times to put it in it’s place.

      Feel the inside to make sure it’s smooth and none of that hairy choke is left behind. If it still feels fuzzy, keep digging. And swearing, if it helps.

      Squeeze half a lemon into the cavity of the artichoke.

       Next you want to make the filling (recipe below).

      Stuff the filling inside the middle of the artichoke. Starting at the outside, spread the leaves out and press the filling inside the leaves, work your way in until all the leaves are full.

      Place in an oven safe pot, standing upright. Pour 1 1/2 cup citrusy wheat beer into the bottom of the pot.

      Cover with a lid or tin foil and bake at 375 for 40-60 minutes or until the outer leaves come away easily.

      Beer Steamed Stuffed Artichokes

      Print Recipe

      Ingredients
        

      • 4 large artichokes prepared as above
      • 1 large lemon
      • 4 strips of bacon
      • 1/3 cup chopped shallots
      • 4 cloves garlic minced
      • 1 cup mushrooms chopped
      • 1 cups bread crumbs
      • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
      • 1/2 cup mozzarella
      • 2 tbs olive oil
      • 1 1/2 cups citrusy wheat beer

      Instructions
       

      • Preheat oven to 375
      • Prepare artichokes as instructed above, squeeze 1/4 lemon into the cavity of each artichoke.
      • In a pan over medium high heat, cook the bacon until browned. Remove from pan, and chop. Drain off most of the bacon grease, leaving about 2 tbs in the pan. Add the shallots and cook until soft. Add the garlic and stir. Add the mushrooms and cook until dark brown. Remove from heat and add the remaining ingredients as well as the chopped bacon (other than the beer), stir until well combined.
      • Stuff the artichokes as instructed above.
      • Place artichokes upright in the pot, fill with 1 cup beer.
      • Cover and cook until outer leaves come away easily, about 40-60 minutes.


      Chocolate Stout S’Mores Bars

      26.07.2012 27 Comments

      I have some s’mores trivia for you. I have a fascination with useless mundane trivia, and tend to  collect and expel said facts without provocation. So, here is the s’mores trivia I promised that you are undoubtably eager to get to:

      • The recipe for s’mores was first published by the Girl Scouts in 1927. Further proof that those smug little culinary crack dealers have a long history with the creation of addicting sweet treats. (* this last sentence is not actual fact, just observation)
      • National S’Mores day is August 10th. More than enough time for you to whip up a batch of beer soaked s’more bars (*Actual fact).
      • The recipe’s original credit is given to Loretta Scott. But let’s be honest, stolen content predates blogs, no one really knows where the recipe came from. At least she didn’t steal their photo and submit it to Foodgawker. (*combination of fact, conjecture and emotional trauma resulting from web thievery)
      If you have any random, little known or otherwise useless s’mores facts, I’d love to hear them.

       

       


      Chocolate Stout S’Mores Bars

      Print Recipe

      Ingredients
        

      • 10 graham crackers
      • 3 tbs butter melted
      • 2 tbs brown sugar
      • 3 eggs
      • 1 cup white sugar
      • 1/2 cup brown sugar
      • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
      • 1 stick butter
      • 1 cup cocoa powder
      • 1/2 tsp salt
      • 1/2 cup flour
      • 2/3 cup chocolate stout
      • 3 cups standard size marshmallows

      Instructions
       

      • Preheat oven to 350.
      • In a food processor, add the graham crackers and the brown sugar. Process until nothing is left but crumbs. Remove the stopper from the food processor lid. While the food processor is on, slowly add the 3 tbs melted butter and process until it resembles wet sand.
      • Add to a 9 x 13 pan. Distribute evenly along the bottom, pressing firmly into place.
      • In a bowl, beat the eggs and both sugars on high until well combined, about 3 minutes.
      • In a microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate chips and the butter. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until melted and well combined. Add the chocolate to the egg/sugar mixture and beat until well combined.
      • In a separate bowl, mix the cocoa powder, salt and the flour until well combined. Add to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Add the beer and stir until just combined.
      • Pour the batter over the crust.
      • Place marshmallows in even rows across the top, leaving a 1/2 inch boarder along the edge.
      • Bake at 350 for 22 minutes or until the marshmallows are golden brown.
      • You still want the bars to be soft, don't over bake, they will continue to set as they cool.

      Brewed Mary: Beer Bloody Mary

      23.07.2012 29 Comments

       

      No offense to vodka, but a Bloody Mary just tastes better with beer. And an IPA is the inarguable choice for a Brewed Mary. I am, for the most part, a live and let live person.

      Happy to let your differing opinions thrive right alongside mine. There are recipe choices that I would love to debate with you. I’ll take your suggestions of a pilsner over a Saison for a beer cheese dip. And I would love to debate with you Brown Ale versus a Hefeweizen for a chicken pot pie.

      But with this, we have no choice, an IPA is just the best way to go. The hops blend so well with the heat and the tomato juice.

      If you disagree with me, I just hope you keep it to yourself. After all, I still want to like you, and we can always spar over porter versus stouts for brownies.

      For this recipe, I used Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA. At the moment, it is one of my favorite beers, and quite possibly my favorite IPA.

      Note: Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies. For vegetarian, use a vegan Worcestershire sauce like Annie’s Organic Worcestershire Sauce. 

      Brewed Mary: Beer Bloody Mary

      Print Recipe
      Servings 2 cocktails

      Ingredients
        

      • 1 cup tomato juice
      • 1/2 tsp celery salt plus additional for glass rims
      • 1/2 tsp Chipotle Tabasco sauce
      • 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
      • 2 tsp brine for a jar of spanish olive
      • 1/4 tsp cream style horseradish
      • 1 tbs lime juice about 1 medium lime
      • 1 tsp lemon juice about 1/2 medium lemon
      • 1/2 tsp black pepper
      • Ice
      • 1 cup IPA beer
      • Optional garnish:
      • celery stalk olives

      Instructions
       

      • Rim glasses with celery salt.
      • Add all ingredients (except the beer) to a shaker half full of ice, shake to combine.
      • Strain into prepared glasses, stir in the beer, garnish if desired.