Day Two on the BC Ale Trail and Garlic Sriracha Beer Steamed Mussels

Garlic Sriracha Beer Steamed Mussels

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of BC Ale Trail and Tourism New West, Discover Surrey and Tourism Delta. All opinions and text are mine.

TO COME

Day two began how all days should begin: with fried chicken. River Market in New West is a destination all on it’s own. Fresh bread, craft coffee, homemade soap, produce, and restaurants. It’s a lovely place to get lost in. I impatiently waited outside the doors of Freebird Chicken Shack to get my hands on some of the fried chicken I’d been hearing so much about, and it didn’t disappoint.

My suggestions: Turmeric Fried Chicken, and Hot & Sour Fried Chicken Skin

Of course, after that I need a beer. I traveled a few miles to Central City Brewery, one of the most well distributed craft breweries in Canada. With award winning beer and spirits, it’s not hard to see why.

My suggestions: Sour No. 2 Sour Kriek

The afternoon was spent in one of the more unexpected locations: Crescent Beach, a charming little beach town that felt equal parts far away destination and small town quaint. I lingered over oysters, fish & chips, and beer at Hooked Fish Bar, then spent a few hours paddling around the inlet on a stand up paddleboard. An afternoon that went by too quickly and left a beautiful sun soaked memory.

The trip ended in the perfect way, a pot of garlic beer mussels and one of my favorite beers from Four Winds Brewing at Hawthorne Beer Market, a place I could have stayed for hours. The beer list was extensive, the food was fantastic, and the service was outstanding. It’s already bookmarked for my next trip up there. And there will definitely be a next trip.

Coming home I had to recreate the recipe, full of garlic, heat and beer, it was impossible to stop thinking about.

Yum

Garlic Sriracha Beer Steamed Mussels

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter
5 cloves garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon sriracha
1 cup pale ale
½ cup chicken broth
1 lbs live mussels, cleaned, beards removed
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Bread for serving

Instructions

In a large pot or deep skillet add the butter and cook until melted.
Stir in the garlic, salt, paprika, sriracha, beer and chicken broth, stir to combine, bring to a low simmer.
Add the mussels, cover and allow to cook until mussels have opened, about 5 minutes.
Discard any that didn't open. Sprinkle the parsley over the pan.
Serve with crusty bread.

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of BC Ale Trail and Tourism New West, Discover Surrey and Tourism Delta. As always, all opinions, photos and text are mine.

Grilled Garlic Beer Butter Lobster

Grilled Garlic Beer Butter Lobster

I needed a code word, a signal that it was too much. It was devised as a way to tell me that I needed to knock it down a few pegs. When I drink, I get a little less reserved and a little (a lot) more inappropriate.

The people in my life needed a code word to let me know that I needed to pull it back. The code is: “Mississippi.” Which spawned the term “Mississippied” as in: “Jackie, you got Mississippied four times last night!”

I tell you this because although I seem a bit reserved on this platform, it’s not because I don’t want to spill my guts to you. I do, but it should only take place in an arena where it’s just between us, where it won’t be immortalized in digital print.

A venue where you can Mississippi me if it gets to be too much.

Last week was a reminder to me that I can do that, if we ever do meet for pints at a pub. After a post that was uncharacteristically vulnerable, I had so many of you reach out, ask if I was OK, tell me that you’d felt the same way from time to time.

So thank you. Thank you for reading what I write, responding to it, and reaching out when you have feelings too.

As a thank you, I made you some grilled lobster, it’s one of my favorite dishes to make for friends.

Yum

Grilled Garlic Beer Butter Lobster

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter
4 large cloves garlic, smashed
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup IPA or pale ale beer
4 lobster tails (thawed, if frozen)

Instructions

Preheat the grill to medium high.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, salt, and beer. Turn off heat and allow to steep for ten minutes.
Cut the lobster tails in half, lengthwise. Clean out any vein that may still be there.
Place the lobster tails in the pot of butter for ten minutes, allowing to soak in the butter.
Remove from butter (reserve butter).
Place lobster tails on the grill, cut side down, close the lid. Cook until the tails turn bright red and the flesh has turned white, about five minutes. Turn the tails over, baste with the butter mixture.
Remove from the grill, serve immediately.

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British Columbia Ale Trail Trip and Cheddar Rosemary Beer Scones

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of BC Ale Trail and Tourism New West, Discover Surrey and Tourism Delta. All opinions and text are mine.

I started to fall in love when I saw they’d named their fermenters after the Golden Girls. Blanche, Rose, Dorothy and Sofia stood in the corner of Steel & Oak Brewing Co., protecting the beer as the yeast began to work it’s magic. The beer, most of which are traditional German lagers, is fantastic. It was my fourth stop on an out-of-the-way tour of a small section British Columbia that I’d otherwise never go to. A small part of the country, just minutes from Vancouver, that I’m glad I was able to spend a few days exploring, glad to find the hidden gems that haven’t crossed my awareness until now. Steel & Oak left an impression and gave me a reason to drive the two hours north again soon.

My suggestion: Black Lager

As an off-the-beaten-path sort of traveler, I was thrilled to discover the places otherwise left off the touristy agendas. The places you remember far after you’ve returned home, the people and experiences that weave themselves into your traveler’s soul.

My two-day journey along BC Ale Trail’s New Westminster/Delta/Surrey Ale Trail began at a brewery that’s rapidly collecting awards and taking names, a force to be reckoned with in the BC beer scene: Four Winds Brewing. As an LA girl and self-proclaimed Taco Snob, I side eyed the offerings before I was completely blown away with how outstanding the tacos actually were, and how well they paired with the well-crafted beer.

My suggestions: Prawn Mousse Tostada and a Nectarous Dry Hopped Sour.

From there I followed the river, past rolling fields, to end up on a delightful little farm in Delta. Westham Farms is a stones throw but a world away from the busy city center of Vancouver.

My suggestions: raw honey, and ask what produce is in season.

I spent the evening in New Westminster, a section of town that’s had an inspiring rebirth that spawned a charming river front park. Just a block away from the adorable Westminster PierRiver Front Park I wandered through Columbia StrEAT Food Truck Festival, the largest one-day food truck festival in Canada, a great place for any food lover to spend a few hours. Craft beer? Homemade ice cream? Wood fire Pizza? Curry and Naan? Yes, yes I will have all of that.

Sitting at a table along the sidelines of the festival, sipping a beer and enjoying the food truck offerings, the city seemed to meander past me. The heat of the day had died a bit, and the warm breeze became a beautiful soundtrack to one of my favorite traveler activities: wandering through a new City.

Want to know what happened on the second day? Come back next week, I have so much more to share with you.

Until then, I decided to make a scone I’d found in a little café on the second day, and make it with Steel & Oak’s Royal City Ale I’d stowed away in my suitcase.

Yum

Cheddar Rosemary Beer Scones

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

Ingredients:
2 cups (240g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon (6g) salt
2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
¼ cup (35g) shredded cheddar (plus additional for topping)
1 teaspoon (3g) chopped fresh rosemary (plus additional for topping)
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
¼ cup (72g) sour cream
½ cup cold blond ale (I used Steel & Oak Royal City Ale)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F.
Add the flour, salt, baking powder, cheddar and rosemary to a food processor, pulse to combine.
While the food processor is running, add the butter cubes one at a time until well combined with the flour. Add the sour cream and beer, pulse until just combined.
Add the dough to a floured surface (it will be soft), gently pat into a circle about 1 inch high. Cut into 8 wedges.
Add the wedges to a baking sheet, top with remaining cheddar and rosemary.
Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown. Serve warm.

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of BC Ale Trail and Tourism New West, Discover Surrey and Tourism Delta. All opinions and text are mine.

Beer and Bacon Biscuits

Beer and Bacon Biscuits, the flakiest, most addictive biscuits ever!

I know what you’re thinking.

It’s almost Cinco de Mayo and I’m posting about Beer and Bacon Biscuits. But bear with me, this makes sense. This isn’t just hangover food. It’s THE hangover food, it’s carbs, and greasy bacon, and hair of the dog, all in one. It’s like a delicious magical hangover elixir, masquerading as brunch food.

I’ll let you in on a little secret, one that always surprises people: I’m a total lightweight. I don’t drink nearly as much as people think (the beer goes into the food!), and I get drunk quicker than most. Which sparked my love affair with session IPA’s, it was out of necessity not trend.

I’m also not a party when I’m hungover, I get a bit surly. I’m like a wet cat. I will, however, make some killer biscuits, using the fold-and-roll technique I learned a decade ago. It makes the most insanely flakey and light biscuits, you’ll want to steal it and pass it off as your own. That’s fine. Just make sure to buy me a beer for showing it to you. And make me biscuits the day when I’m hungover.

Yum

Beer and Bacon Biscuits

Yield: 6 biscuits

Ingredients

3 1/2 cup (420g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon (12g) baking powder
1 ½ teaspoon (9g) baking soda
½ teaspoon (3g) salt
2 teaspoons (12g) sugar
8 tablespoon (88g) cold bacon fat or unsalted cold butter (114g) cut into cubes (or a combination of both)
1/3 cup (80g) sour cream
2/3 cup (5.5oz) wheat beer
2 tablespoon (28g) melted butter
6 strips of bacon, cooked and chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F.
In a processor add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
Pulse to combine. Add the bacon fat (cold) or the cold butter, and sour cream, process until well combined.
Add the beer, process until just combined.
Add to a well-floured flat surface, pat into a rectangle. Using a cold rolling pin gently roll into a large rectangle, about 1 inch in thickness, using as few strokes as possible.
Sprinkle with chopped bacon.
Fold the dough into thirds as you would a letter about to go into an envelope. Roll lightly, once in each direction to about 1 inch thickness, sprinkle with bacon, fold in thirds again. Gently roll into about 1 1/2 inch thickness (this will give you flakey layers).
Using a biscuit cutter, cut out 6 biscuits. Place in a baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Brush biscuits with melted butter, sprinkle chopped bacon.
Bake at 425F for 10 to 12 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

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BBQ Beer Tex Mex Chicken Sliders

BBQ Beer Tex Mex Chicken Sliders in just 20-minutes

Hi, my friends. I made something for you, something that seemed a bit of a necessity this week. A repurposing of things we’ve made in order to make it new. After those Beer Pickled Jalapeños we made, and the beer BBQ sauce, it just felt like I needed something that brought it together.

Two seemingly unconnected elements making sense in a new context. For reasons I have yet to pinpoint, I feel like I need that somehow. Like this is an obscure min-sandwich-metaphor for my life right now. I know, you can eye-roll that, I won’t hold it against you. I just needed to make order out or randomness, to connect dots, to make peace with two opposing forces.

I’m getting too deep for a sliders post, I appreciate that you’ve stayed with me in the midst of that, and for your graciousness, I have a recipe for you. A 20-minute-slider-metaphor to remind you that sometimes things don’t seem to connect, until they do. And then you wonder why you never saw it before.

Make some sliders, drink some beer, and let life fall into place this weekend. And then report back, I could use a little good news right now.

For this recipe, use Beer Pickled Jalapeños, and Beer BBQ Sauce

Yum

BBQ Beer Tex Mex Chicken Sliders

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 12 sliders

Ingredients

6 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ cups barbecue sauce (recipe link above)
1 cup pale ale
1 avocado, sliced
¼ cup cilantro, sliced
½ cup pickled jalapenos (recipe link above)
12 slider buns

Instructions

Sprinkle the chicken thighs on all sides with salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat.
Add the chicken thighs, searing on both sides.
Add the barbeque sauce and beer, lower heat to maintain a simmer. Turn the chicken over periodically. Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Remove chicken from pan, shred using two forks, return to sauce, simmer for 5 minutes.
In each of the slider buns add chicken, avocado slices, cilantro and a few pickled jalapenos. Serve immediately.

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Football Food Match Up: Shrimp and Grits Sliders and an IPA vs Crab Cake Sliders and a Pilsner

Which slider recipes will come out on top: Crab Cake Sliders made with Kettle Brand Sea Salt and Vinegar Chips, paired with a pilsner, or Shrimp and Grits Sliders made with Kettle Brand Maple Bacon Chips paired with an IPA?

I’m going to wager a bet that your weekend may be spent, in part, gathered around a TV, screaming at millionaires fighting over an oval object. Only, of course, if you’ve decided to watch the Super Bowl. Maybe you’re rooting for one of the teams, or just rooting against the other. Maybe you don’t really care either way as long as the food is good.

That’s why I’m here. To make both the food and the wagering more interesting, especially for that last set. For those of us whose teams have long since packed up their away game jerseys and started their vacations. You can still get in on the head-to-head beating action.

I’ve teamed up with Kettle Brand to bring you a bet that no one loses, inspired by the two remaining football teams.

For the New England Patriots I made some sliders inspired by both their hometown and their team colors, and I’ve paired it with a beer that plays perfectly with the flavors.

Crab Cake Sliders made with Kettle Brand Sea Salt and Vinegar Chips, paired with a pilsner

For the Atlanta Falcons I drew some Southern inspiration to bring you a slider like no other I’ve seen before, a re-imagination of one of my favorite dishes from the South. I’ve paired it with a beer that packs a punch, perfect for the sliders.

Shrimp and Grits Sliders made with Kettle Brand Maple Bacon Chips paired with an IPA

So here is your game day challenge: Make the sliders, pair them with the beer, and have your guests pick the best match. Will the winning sliders be the same team that wins on the field? Who knows. But I’m certain that unlike what will happen on the field, there will be no losers on your food table.

Yum

Crab Cake Sliders made with Salt and Vinegar Chips

Yield: 12 sliders

Ingredients

For the crab cakes:

3.5 wt oz (about 4 cups) Salt and Vinegar Kettle Brand Chips
12 oz lump crab meat
½ teaspoon (3g) salt
½ teaspoon (1g) pepper
pinch cayenne
½ teaspoon (2g) Old Bay seasoning
1 egg
1 tablespoon (2g) chives, chopped
½ a large red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoon (28g) unsalted butter

For the Pilsner Remoulade:

1 cup (224g) mayonnaise
2 tablespoons (28g) pilsner
1 tablespoons (15g) Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon (5g) cream style horseradish
1 teaspoon (3g) hot sauce
1 tablespoon (8g) lemon juice
½ teaspoon (4g) garlic powder
1 teaspoon (3g) creole seasoning
1 tablespoon (2g) chopped chives
¼ teaspoon (.5g) paprika

For the sliders:

12 slider buns
green leaf lettuce

Instructions

Add the chips to a food processor, process until just crumbs remain.
Add the chips, crab meat, salt, pepper, cayenne, Old Bay, egg, chives, and bell pepper, mix to combine.
Lay a sheet of aluminum foil on a flat surface. Form the crab cake mixture into a long log down the center of the aluminum foil, roll the foil around the log until tightly covered, twist the ends.
Place the log in the freezer for 15 minutes (to make this in advance, refrigerate for up to 24 hours, then freeze just prior to use).
Remove from the freezer and slice the log into 12, 1-inch slices.
Heat the butter in a large skillet. A few at a time, gently press the circles with a flat hand to make them slightly thinner and more compact.
Place the crab cakes in the skillet, cooking on both sides until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Remove from the skillet, place on a stack of paper towels.
Stir together all the remoulade ingredients until well combined.
To assemble the sliders add a piece of lettuce, and a crab cake to the middle of each bun, drizzle with remoulade, serve immediately, with a pilsner.

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For the easiest way to make a batch of crab cakes, try this simple trick:

Shrimp and Grits Sliders made with Maple Bacon Kettle Brand Chips

Yield: 12 sliders

Ingredients

For the IPA grit cakes:

1 ½ cup (12oz) milk
12 ounces IPA beer
¼ cup (56g) butter
1 teaspoon (6g) salt
1 teaspoon (3g) pepper
3/4 cup corn (117g) grits
1/3 cup (33g) grated Cheddar cheese
¼ (30g) cup flour
oil for frying

For the shrimp:

1 (8.5 oz) Maple Bacon Kettle Brand Chips
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (60g) flour
1 lbs raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
oil for frying

For the sliders:

½ cup (119g) mayonnaise (or sour cream)
1 teaspoon (3g) hot pepper sauce
½ teaspoon (.5g) smoked paprika
1 tablespoon (2g) chopped parsley
12 slider buns

Directions

In a pot over medium high heat bring the milk, beer and butter to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a low simmer. Stir in the salt, pepper, and grits. Simmer, stirring occasionally until the grits have softened, about 20 minutes. Stir in the cheese.
Line a 9x12 pan with parchment paper. Pour the grits into the prepared pan. Allow to cool to room temperate, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour and up to overnight (can be made a day in advance).
Remove the grits from the pan using the parchment paper. Lay the parchment with the grits onto a flat work surface. Using a 2-inch, round, biscuit cutter, cut out 12 circles.
Add the flour to a shallow bowl. Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
One at a time lightly coat the grit circles in flour, add to the hot oil, cooking on both sides until golden brown. Remove from oil and allow to drain on a stack of paper towels.
Add the potato chips to a food processor, process until just crumbs remain, add to a shallow bowl.
In a separate bowl whisk together the milk and egg.
In a third bowl add the flour.
Heat about ¼ inch of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
One at a time dredge the shrimp in flour, then dip in the egg mixture, then place in the bowl of chips. Sprinkle with chip crumbs, pressing to adhere.
Place in the hot oil, cooking on both sides until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from oil, add to a wire rack to cool.
In a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, hot pepper sauce, paprika, and parsley.
To assemble the sliders add one grits circle to the inside of each bun, top with one to two shrimp, drizzle with sauce.
Serve immediately, with an IPA beer.

http://thebeeroness.com/2017/01/30/football-food-match-shrimp-grits-sliders-ipa-vs-crab-cake-sliders-pilsner/

This post was sponsored by Kettle Brand. Partnerships with The Beeroness and outside companies are rare and only occur when the company’s products are ones I use and enjoy myself. All ideas and opinions are my own

Three Cheese Jalapeno Skillet Beer Cheese Dip

Three Cheese Jalapeno Skillet Beer Cheese Dip, made in a skillet, warm and bubbly

I’ve hit a benchmark of sorts. A way of measuring if I’m actually becoming successful at this weird chosen profession that I, essentially, just made up.

Money has never been much of a benchmark for me, other than in a “can I pay my bills and still have at least a little left over” sort of way. To this day, the time in my life when I had the most money, I was the least happy. Measuring quality of life by the quantity of money is like judging how good your meal was by how much was on your plate. Sure, money’s great, but it’s the icing, not the cake.

My benchmarks aren’t normal, but I’ve never really been a “normal” sort of person. The first time I was paid to go on a trip was a giant step upwards that I’ll never forget. The first time I was contacted by someone wanting to hire me, rather than having to chase down a lead, I felt like I was standing in the center of podium hearing a cheering crowd. The day I was able to make the leap from part-time-normal-job/part-time-weird-beer-cooking-writing-photography-job was a gigantic leap that I almost didn’t believe would stick.

Now, I have a new one. I was given a column! A beer column for a magazine. An actually, real life, feel it in your fingers, print magazine. It’s not a lucrative gig, but that was never the point. Maybe for some people there are other things I’ve done that seem better, more impressive, “bigger”. But for me, this is huge, it feels validating.

I won’t be writing about cheese dip or food for that matter, it will be beer-centric. Local Washington beer, to be more specific. But that doesn’t mean food isn’t involved. I did eat this entire pan of cheese dip while I was finishing my last essay. That counts, right?

Yum

Three Cheese Jalapeno Skillet Beer Cheese Dip

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon (8g) olive oil
1 cup (70g) sweet white onion, diced
2 large jalapenos, diced
2 cloves garlic, grated with a microplane
2 tablespoons (12g) cornstarch
1 cup pale ale
¼ cup (23g) heavy cream
7 oz smoked gouda, grated
5 oz fontina cheese, grated
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
dash hot pepper sauce
12 oz white cheddar, grated
¼ cup (7g) chopped green onions
Chips or bread for serving

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, cooking until just starting to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Stir in the jalapenos, cooking until softened, about 5minutes.
Stir in the garlic. Sprinkle with cornstarch, whisk to combine.
Whisk in the beer and cream, reduce heat to a very low simmer.
Add the gouda and fonitna cheese, a hand full at a time, stirring until the cheese is well combined before adding more.
Stir in the salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce. Remove from heat.
Preheat the broiler.
Sprinkle with the white cheddar, place the skillet under the broiler until the cheese is lightly browned.
Remove from oven, sprinkle with green onions, serve immediately (take care when serving, the pan will be very hot).

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Baked Everything Bagel Beer Chicken Legs

Baked Everything Bagel Beer Chicken Legs

They tell me it’s all about the water.

That’s what bagel people will tell you if you listen long enough. That New York bagels are obviously the best because of the magical properties that the water contains. That’s also, coincidentally enough, what beer people will tell you. That different regions of the world have gravitated towards different styles over the centuries because of the water in their area.

It’s also a great pairing. Sure, bagels and coffee have had a long-standing relationship and who am I to get in the way of that, but bagels and beer have something special. Try an Everything Bagel with a hoppy pale ale, or a cinnamon raisin bagel with a Belgian quad, or lox and cream cheese bagel with a Witbier and you’ll get it.

Beer really does go with everything. Even more beer.

Yum

Baked Everything Bagel Beer Chicken Legs

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken leg drumsticks
1 tablespoon salt
2 cup buttermilks, divided
12 ounces pale ale
1 teaspoon red pepper sauce (i.e. Tapatio, Tabasco)
1 cup flour, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
1 egg
4 large everything bagels
3 tablespoon canola oil

Instructions

Add the chicken to a large bowl or baking dish. Sprinkle with salt. Pour 1 cup buttermilk (reserve the other cup for the coating), beer and red pepper sauce over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours and up to 8 (can be done in the morning for dinner in the evening).
Break the bagels into 4 to 6 pieces each. Place on a plate, uncovered, to dry out while the chicken brines.
Remove the chicken from the brine, add to a plate and allow to sit at room temperate for 10 minutes while you prepare the dredge.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Add 1 cup of flour to a small bowl.
Add the remaining cup of buttermilk to another bowl, whisk in the egg until well combined.
Add the bagels to a food processor of blender, process until just crumbs remain.
Add to a baking sheet in an even layer. Bake at 350F until slightly toasted. Add the crumbs to a large bowl, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Increase oven temperature to 425F.
Place a wire rack over the baking sheet, spray the wire rack with cooking spray.
One at a time roll the chicken legs in flour, then dredge in the buttermilk, then roll in the bread crumbs. Add to the prepared pan. Drizzle with canola oil.
Bake at 425 for 40 minutes or until the internal temperate of the chicken reaches 165F.

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Bacon and Beer Bread Stuffing + Craft Beers to Drink on Thanksgiving

Bacon and Beer Bread Stuffing

As biased as I am, I can pretty solidly affirm that beer needs to be your adult beverage of choice for Thanksgiving. The flavors of your fall Holiday table will run around much better with the malt, spices, and carbonation that beer has to offer than any other alcoholic concoction. I have a few tips to get you started as you begin your thanksgiving-beer-offering search.

I know you love hops, but let them rest for today. Choose a malty beer.
Don’t forget the carbonation. It will aid in palate cleansing between courses.
You have enough to do, don’t worry about pairing to each dish. Just pick a beer that plays nice with everything.
Don’t be afraid of a higher ABV, these beers can be the best fit (and please, if you’re driving splurge on an Uber)

A few style suggestions:

Witbier (or white ale): These are the crowd pleaser, the beers that are hard to argue with. They have a low IBU’s (low bitterness), a nice carbonation and flavors of orange peel, coriander and cloves that go well with everything on the Thanksgiving table. Even Grandmas Jell-O salad. A few to seek out: White // Allagash Brewing, White Rascal // Avery, Witte // Ommegang

Belgian Abbey Ales (Belgian Dubbel): These are rich, malty beers with enough hops to keep them from being overly-sweet but not enough to linger. They have rich flavors of dark fruits, caramel, nuts and an active carbonation to help you cleanse the palate between bites. A few to seek out: Abbey Ale // Ommegang, Lost & Found Abbey Ale // The Lost Abbey, Prior 8 // St Bernardus

Seasonal Ales: Most of the time, these are beers that are brewed to feel like the season. With ingredients that are starting to show up in the farmer’s markets and on our tables, making these a great choice to pair with your holiday meal. Just make sure to choose something with low hop bitterness to compliment, rather than compete with, the food you are about the share. A few to seek out: Autumn Maple // The Bruery, Christmas Ale // Schlafly, Sleigh’r // Ninkasi

Yum

Bacon and Beer Bread Stuffing

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

For the beer bread:

3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
¼ cup honey
12 ounces beer (summer ale, wheat beer, saison, pilsner)
¼ cup melted butter

For the Stuffing:

½ lbs bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
½ sweet white onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt (more if you used unsalted broth)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups chicken broth
½ cup dried cherries

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375.
In a large bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
Pour in the beer and the honey, stir until just combined.
Pour into a loaf pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Pour melted butter over the batter.
Bake for 50 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Allow to cool, remove from pan (this can be done a day in advance).
Cut the bread into cubes. Reduce oven to 350F.
Add the chopped bacon to a pan off heat. Add to medium heat and cook until the bacon is crispy and the fat has rendered (this method of starting bacon in a cold pan and cooking on a lower heat is the most effective way to render fat and crisp the bacon).
Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving the pan and the bacon grease.
Turn the heat to medium high and add the bread cubes. Cook until the bread is lightly toasted. (If your pan is too small to accommodate, place bread cubes on a baking sheet, drizzle with bacon fat, and bake at 350F until toasted, about 10 minutes).
Add the bread cubes to a 4-quart (or 9x13) baking dish along with the bacon and the dried cherries.
Melt the butter in the pan, add the onion, celery, and carrots, cooking until softened. Add the sage, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic powder stirring to combined.
Add the chicken broth, simmering for 3 minutes.
Pour the broth, vegetables and herbs over the bread cubes. Toss gently to combine.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Serve warm.

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Chili Brown Sugar Oven Beer Can Chicken

Chili Brown Sugar Oven Beer Can Chicken

A few months ago I sat at a table with a mess of brewers and beer people. The conversation turned to the water shortage, and farming practices. The debate went back and forth, what we can do, what we need to be careful of, and even how to move to a zero waste facility. The inspiring take away from this roundtable conversation was that although the ideas varied, the feelings of wanting to move towards sustainability and environmental responsibility was unanimous.

The heart and soul of good beer has never been ruled by a traditional bottom line. The concerns are quality, taste, community, and responsibility. If it costs more, then that’s just how it has to be.

Craft beer, as we know it today, is still in its infancy. With a constant stream of articles showing a struggling industry, a bubble on the verge of bursting, the beer business is still pushing forward with sustainability and responsible practices. There isn’t another industry that puts those needs in such a priority, even in the midst of a difficult phase.

Long Root Ale —a collaboration between HUB and Patagonia— is exciting evidence of the soul of this movement. It’s made with Kernza, an ancient grain that few have even heard of, but as it turns out, makes great beer. It also requires much less water and land, without the need for pesticides, and it assists in the reduction of land erosion. All that and a flavor that rests somewhere between wheat and rye. If that wasn’t enough, a portion of the proceeds goes towards environmental issues.

Just in case you needed a good reason to drink great beer.

Yum

Chili Brown Sugar Oven Beer Can Chicken

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

Whole roasting chicken (5-6 lbs)
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 can of beer

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450, lowering the rack to the bottom most position (all other racks may need to be removed for space).
Rinse the chicken inside and out. Dry very well with paper towels until all the moisture is gone.
Sprinkle the inside cavity with 1 tablespoon salt.
In a small bowl stir together the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, chili powder, onion powder and baking powder (this will help crisp the skin).
Rub the outside of the chicken with the spice mixture.
Pour about ¼ of a cup of beer out of the can (or drink it). Place the can on a flat surface.
Lower the chicken down onto the can until the can is well inside the chicken cavity. Set the chicken and can upright (use the two legs and the can to create a tripod) in a baking dish or rimmed baking sheet. Gently transfer to the oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165F on a meat thermometer.

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Mac and Beer Cheese Brats with Beer Caramelized Onions

I just use it as an excuse.

The truth is, I only use the cultural intrigue over Oktoberfest as an excuse to do things like this. Because in any reasonable persons mind, this is a bit too far. One too many. Coco Chanel is telling me to take something off before I leave the house with these things. In a way, I did. I wanted to add crumbled bacon to the top. And jalapeños, although I’ll even admit that would be one too many. Just a bit too far, pushed too far over the edge for enjoyment.

In reality, there are two ways to look at these: extreme and ridiculous displays of overt glutton lust, OR as a concerted effort in indulgence moderation. I’ll choose the later. And I’ll choose a beer, and I may choose to have two.

Want more? Join me on Instagram

Yum

Mac and Beer Cheese Brats with Beer Caramelized Onions

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 sweet white onion, sliced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup beer (Belgian ale, pale ale, red ale)
6 raw bratwurst
12 ounces beer (pilsner, pale ale, or wheat beer)
6 buns, split
2 cups Mac n Cheese (recipe link below)

Instructions

In a pot over medium heat melt the butter (not too hot or the onions will burn before they caramelize).
Add the onions, cooking until they soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar.
Pour in the beer and allow to cook until the onions are dark brown and the beer is mostly gone, about 45 minutes to one hour. Remove from heat, set aside.
Add the brats to a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the beer, bringing to a low simmer. Cook over medium heat until the brats are cooked through, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
Add the brats to a pre-heated grill or grill pan until grill marks appear, about 3 minutes per side.
Add the brats to the buns, top with caramelized onions and mac n cheese. Serve immediately.
*if making in advance, store all elements separately. Re-heat and assemble right before serving.

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Stove Top Sriracha Beer Mac N Cheese Recipe

Loaded Beer and Bacon Corn Chowder

Loaded Beer and Bacon Corn Chowder

Don’t give me that look.

I fully aware that in most parts of the world, it’s still summer. There is still frolicking in flip-flops and water activities to be done in the two weeks before fall officially sets in. But where I live, the rain-soaked-90’s-music-mecca, I already have the heater on and the wellies out.

Soup is my consolation prize for rainy days in early September. To be honest, that’s not the entire truth. I like it more that I thought I would, more than I even wanted to. The Los Angeles girl who dreaded moving here is shocked at how much I like the weather. Officially, I miss California. That’s the bi-line when I talk about how much I love Seattle. I do harbor a love for the rainy days that punctuate an otherwise sunny week in August. I’m in awe of the fall, the drizzly days, the morning mist, the leaves changing color by the hour. It’s magical.

If I’m being honest, this soup is less of a consolation for a lack of sun, and more of a celebration of the next season coming and how it’s forced me into a love for the Pacific Northwest weather.

Yum

Loaded Beer and Bacon Corn Chowder

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

½ lbs sliced bacon
½ white onions, chopped
½ cup (55g) peeled and chopped carrots
1 cup (8oz) pilsner beer (or summer ale, wheat beer)
3 ears of corn kernels
1 large (390g) garnet sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 cups (16oz) chicken broth
½ cup (100mL) half & half
1 teaspoon (4g) garlic powder
1 teaspoon (4g) chili powder
1 teaspoon (6g) salt
½ teaspoon (1g) smoked paprika
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
5 green onions, chopped
1 jalapeno, diced

Instructions

Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until crispy.
Remove from pan, pour off all the bacon grease except 2 tablespoons.
Once the bacon has cooled, chop and set aside.
Add the onions and carrots, cook until softened and starting to caramelize, about ten minutes.
Add the beer, scraping to deglaze the bottom of the pot.
Add the corn (reserve one cup of kernels for the end), sweet potatoes, and broth. Bring to a gentle simmer, cooking until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.
Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Stir in the half and half, remaining corn, garlic powder, chili powder, salt and smoked paprika. Stir over medium heat until warmed. Adjust spices to taste.
Ladle into bowls, top with cheddar, green onions, chopped bacon, and jalapenos.

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Lemon Garlic Beer Butter Cod

Lemon Garlic Beer Butter Cod

You have to jump, sometimes.

When I was in high school I was a lifeguard on a lake in Northern California for a summer doing a steady rotation of pool watch, lake watch, and zip-line duty. The last of which was my least favorite. I was there for the water, not to stand on a platform in the top of a Redwood tree, hooking pre-pubescent campers and their just-slightly-older-than-me counselors up to harnesses and watch them careen towards the lake below.
Occasionally there would be a kid, always a boy, always with a group of other kids who talked him into climbing up the rope ladder to get to the platform, who would freeze. He’d stand there in his harness, shivering in the shade with his still-wet swim trunks clinging to his body, his harness double bolted to the cable, unable to jump. I was always able to get him to let go, to trust, and to jump. Except once.

He wasn’t a camper, he was a tall, very attractive, early-20’s counselor with thick wavy black hair and an ego to match. He was showing off as he climbed to the small wooden space at the top of the tree to stand beside me as I clipped him safely to the cable that would bring him to the sun-warmed lake below. As I finished he turned towards to opening of the wooden tree-house like structure we stood in, and froze. He took a step back, his eyes wide, and muttered, “…I can’t….I can’t”

At first, I tried to calm his fears. Tell him how safe it was, how every kid had gone down safely and there has never been an injury in the history of the camp. It didn’t work. I tried to tease him, letting him know that the 70-pound 12-year-old girl in line behind him had been down three times. It didn’t work. I asked why he was hesitant, he wasn’t sure.

After 20 minutes or prodding, I told him he had to get down, one way or another. That he had to jump off the platform or go back down the rope ladder. He moved closer to the edge, slowly putting one foot over the 30-foot drop, then he slipped. In one motion he was free of the platform and then both of this long arms reaching backward grabbed the railing and pulled himself back towards me on the platform. He couldn’t do it. He scrambled back up next to me, begging me to unhook him. Shaking. He slowly, shamefully, made his way down the rope ladder, past the 12-year-old girl with pity in her eyes.

Sometimes, I think of him. When I’m too scared to move forward with something I feel ill-equipped to manage. How do I do this thing? Where do I start with the thing? What if I can’t do the thing?

Just jump, I think to myself. Don’t be that guy, don’t stay on the platform. I remember thinking, as he made his way down the ladder, that he would regret it. He would wish he’d have jumped and wonder what he was so afraid of. So I tell myself to jump because I have nothing to be afraid of and I’ll regret it if I don’t just do it.

I’m jumping into making videos for some of my recipes. It may sound benign, but it’s a learning process. I’ve spent the past year trying to talk myself into jumping into figuring it out, and it’s daunting. It’s a process. Learning a little at a time, something new for each one, something I hate and will change the next time. But, you can’t stay on the platform forever, you just have to jump. Learning a little each time.

Yum

Lemon Garlic Beer Butter Cod

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 cod fillets
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons lemon juice
5 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup beer (wheat beer, summer ale, lower hop pilsner)
2 cups (285g) cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon minced fresh herbs (such as basil, rosemary, or oregano)
Pasta, couscous, rice or other grain for serving (optional)

Instructions

Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet.
Sprinkle the cod fillets with salt and pepper.
Sear cod on each side, cooking until just cooked through (do not over cook, cod should still be slightly translucent in the center).
Remove the cod from the pan. Add the tomatoes, cooking over high heat until blistered and soft.
Add the garlic, stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in the lemon juice and beer. Cook over medium high heat, breaking up and smashing the tomatoes. Cook until reduced and thickened.
Stir in the herbs and additional salt and pepper to taste.
Plate the cod with the tomato sauce.

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Beer Battered Cod Po’ Boy Sliders

Beer Battered Cod Po’ Boy Sliders

Island beer feels different.

The patio is always full of people who don’t just know the beer, they know the story. They know the owners, the jobs they held before the lure of the frustration of brewing on a tiny system in the middle of an ocean pulled them into an uncommon life. The beer is always brewed on a system that looks to be just a tick bigger than a home brew system, and it’s running around the clock.

This weekend, on a small island, I stumbled upon Island beer. True to form, the patio was full of the people who run the line between patron and family. The system was on display behind the counter, in a stage between cleaning and brewing, and the beer was beautiful. Earlier this year I was on a tiny Island in the caribbean and found the same sort of beer-island-family that welcomes you in, serves you beer and wants to know your story.

Island beer is different. It doesn’t want to take over the world. It doesn’t seek a buy-out. It doesn’t concern itself with mass distribution. It’s a bit like life on the island. There is always a story of hard it was the get even that small system onto the island, a bigger one is just a far reaching fantasy. Island beer wants to be there for the locals, a backdrop to the stories they tell and the life they lead. It’s consistent, and memorable. It’s worth seeking out, pulling up a seat in the tap room and asking the owners to tell you about how they got started. You might find yourself being treated like part of the family before the end of the night.

Next time you’re on an island, look for the beer. Then find out the story.

Yum

Beer Battered Cod Po’ Boy Sliders

Yield: 12-14 sliders

Ingredients

1 lbs cod (or similar white fish)
1 ½ teaspoon salt (9g)
½ cup (105g) buttermilk
1 cup (95g) pale ale or pilsner
½ cup (95g) fine corn meal
½ cup (60g) flour
2 teaspoon (6g) Creole seasoning
oil for frying (canola, safflower, or peanut work well)
1 cup (240g) sour cream
1 tablespoon (15g) sriracha red chili sauce
1 long French baguette, cut into 3 inch slices, split to resemble buns
2 cups baby arugula
2 large tomatoes, sliced

Instructions

Cut the fish into 1-inch strips, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt.
In a medium bowl stir together the buttermilk and beer. Add the fish to the bowl, making sure all fish is submerged. Allow to sit for ten minutes while you prep the dredge.
In a separate bowl stir together the cornmeal, flour, creole seasoning, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt.
Add 3 to 4 inches of oil in a pot. Clip a deep fry thermometer onto the side. Heat the oil to 350F, adjusting heat to maintain that temperature.
A few at a time, remove the fish strips from the buttermilk, allowing the excess to drip off. Add fish to the cornmeal dredge, tossing until well coated. Add to the oil, frying until golden, about 4 minutes. Remove from oil and allow to drain on a wire rack.
In a small bowl stir together the sour cream, and sriracha.
Spread the sour cream on the insides of the sliced baguette. Fill with a few pieces of fish, arugula and sliced tomato. Serve immediately.

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Blueberry Muffin Beer Loaf Cake

Blueberry Muffin Beer Loaf Cake

I’ve always been curious.

Probably a bit too curious for my own good, but I’ll take it over safe, and timid. Lately, It’s been gluten-free beer that’s had me wondering (wait, don’t go! Let’s talk about gluten-free beer just for a second!).

It’s not so much the “gluten” part that I’m curious about, as far as me (and my guts) are concerned, gluten is awesome. It’s more of a curiosity about a growing segment of the market that is focused on brewing with different grains. Barley is the only ingredient in beer that has gluten, and brewers are experimental and curious by nature, so what does beer taste like if you brew it with millet instead of barley? What about brown rice? It’s not so much the gluten part that has me interested, it’s the beer being brewed in a different way. It’s one grain being swapped for another. What does that do? The brewing process is the same, what does the end result look like?

To satisfy my curiosity I’ve teamed up with Heather Christo and Allrecipes and we’ve decided to do a LIVE Facebook taste test. This means I have never sampled any gluten-free beer and I will do so live, for the first time, on camera. Also, it bears mentioning that I have a complete inability to hide my feelings. So if a beer isn’t good, you’ll be able to tell right away.

So join me on the Allrecipces Facebook page on Thursday, August 11th at 2PM PDT to watch me sample all the gluten-free beer I can get my hands on. It should be fun. Then, maybe, we can eat this gluten-filled cake to celebrate?

Update:

The video is live here: Gluten Free Beer Taste Test with The Beeroness & Heather Christo

And in case you were wondering, this post has nothing to do with this delicious, gluten-laden blueberry cake.

Yum

Blueberry Muffin Beer Loaf Cake

Yield: 1 loaf cake (8 servings)

Ingredients

¾ cup (195g) granulated sugar
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon (2g) vanilla extract
¼ cup (55g) buttermilk
2/3 cup (166mL) wheat beer
2 cups (256g) cake flour
1 teaspoon (4g) baking powder
1 teaspoon (6g) baking soda
1 teaspoon (6g) salt
1 cup (150g) fresh blueberries (for frozen, see note)
1 cup (125g) powdered sugar
2 tablespoons (16g) lemon juice (or beer for a larger beer flavor)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.
Add the sugar and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high until light, fluffy and well combined.
Add the egg and vanilla, beat until well combined.
Stir in the buttermilk and beer.
Stop the mixer, sprinkle with flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir until combined.
Stir in the blueberries.
Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake until top springs back when lightly touched, about 55 minutes. Allow to cool completely before icing.
Stir together the powdered sugar and lemon juice (or beer). Pour over the cake, slice and serve.

Notes

For frozen blueberries, rinse well until the water runs clear. Add to paper towels to dry, do not stir into batter. Layer loaf pan with 1/4 of the batter, sprinkle with berries, top with more batter, then blueberries, repeat until all the berries and batter have been used. This will avoid smashed berries and a purple cake.

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Chicken in a Creamy Parmesan Bacon Beer Sauce

One pot, thirty minutes: Chicken in a Creamy Parmesan Bacon Beer Sauce

“It’s because you’re entitled!”

I heard the agent at customs yell through the window. She spits her words at an English woman in front of me, waking up the weary crowd in line to enter Stockholm. I was running on the fumes of two hours of sleep (because of this), and the outburst shook the grip exhaustion had on my brain.

“You have an expired visa, an expired passport, and a warrant! I’m not letting you into the country!”

Seemed startlingly angry for such a passive country. The woman fought back, her words getting lost in the commotion of the airport. Two minutes later guards came to escort her to wherever it is that you take an entitled English woman without proper documentation.

There was, I guess, a relief. That she wasn’t American, that her brash self-importance didn’t speak for me. Relief that it was my turn. And I defaulted, as I do, to an overly nice and accommodating tone as a way to apologize for the previous interaction the agent was asked to endure. I’m sorry, I won’t give you any trouble, all my paperwork is in order, I want my smile to speak at her.

I move on, through the airport, past my short layover, trudging through the waist-high mud of exhaustion and jet lag. Three hours down, 15 more to go before I’m home. And even longer before I can cook again. It’s really the only thing I miss when I travel. I miss cooking. I miss my kitchen. I miss making food and losing myself in the process of it all. Before I get back to the kitchen I’ll need to endure another day of travel, and another customs line. Possibly smile-apologizing for an actual American to another Customs agent.

When I get home, I’ll make chicken the way I do when I want it to taste like comfort, in a cast iron pan with a creamy sauce.

Yum

Chicken in a Creamy Parmesan Bacon Beer Sauce

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs
1 teaspoon (6g) salt
1 teaspoon (3g) pepper
3 strips of bacon, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon (28g) flour
½ cup (4oz) pale ale
¾ cup (180mL) heavy cream
½ cup (53g) shaved parmesan
6-8 large basil leaves, ribboned

Instructions

Sprinkle the chicken on all sides with salt and pepper. Place skin side down in a cold cast iron skillet. Place over medium high heat until the skin has browned, turn over and cook until chicken is cooked through. Remove from skillet.
Add the bacon to skillet, cooking until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon.
Pour out most of the fat in the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon still in it.
Stir in the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds, sprinkle with flour stirring until the flour has been cooked, about 1 minute. Pour in the beer, scraping to deglaze the pan. Add the cream and reduce heat to medium.
A hand full at a time stir in the cheese until well combined.
Add the chicken back into the pan, cooking until chicken is warmed.
Sprinkle with crispy bacon and basil. Serve immediately.

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Pure Delicious Free Beer Waffle Sundaes (egg free, dairy free, gluten free, nut free)

Pure Delicious Cookbook: Free Beer Waffle Sundaes (egg free, dairy free, gluten free, nut free)

For more about gluten free beer, watch this

A few years ago I sat in the back of a press dinner failing at my attempts to hold back tears in the midst of the biggest personal life crisis I’ve ever faced. Talking quietly with Heather Christo, explaining to her what I’d been keeping so private, the tears came fast. At that moment, she was exactly what I needed. This woman with endless talent, an old Hollywood glamor that makes her seem unreachably beautiful, is also incredibly kind hearted with a realistic matter-of-fact approach to life, and a mouth like a sailor. She was exactly who I needed to talk to. Although she’d never faced the same storm that was tearing through my life, she somehow had an empathy that made me feel understood.

After the topic shifted off me, she told me what she’d been dealing with. Her daughter was facing a health condition that had been the source of many sleepless nights, ER visits and panicked phone calls to the doctors as she watched her little girl writhe in pain. Once the problem was finally diagnosed, the solution was dropped in Heathers lap like a grenade. Debilitating and potentially hazardous food allergies. It seemed like her little girl was allergic to nearly everything, the list of foods she could eat seemed smaller that what she couldn’t. Looking back, I realize that I never heard her complain about it once, she seemed to immediately go into problem solving mode.

She didn’t just solve the problem, she attacked it right back. First up: recipes. Not just a few recipes, an entire book of incredible dishes that anyone can eat. Next up: she developed a line of allergy friendly food, now being sold at Costco, called Heathermade. After all, she isn’t just a food writer, she’s also a trained chef.

Pure Delicious is a must for anyone facing food allergies. The food is so delicious, none of the recipes feel “without,” exploring so many culinary options it’ll never occur to you that there is anything missing. It’s also a resource for tackling the issues people face when the problem of food allergies enter their lives. I just hope I can tackle my next life crisis the way Heather handles hers. Or at the very least, I find myself at dinner with her in the midst of it.

For the ice cream, I recommend:

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Ice Cream- (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Peach and Cinnamon Caramel Ice Cream (Vegan, Gluten free, Nut Free)

Yum

Free Beer Waffle Sundaes (egg free, dairy free, gluten free, nut free)

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe used by permission from Pure Delicious, by Heather Christo

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
¼ cup beet sugar
½ cup rolled oats*
2 cups gluten free flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
¾ cup beer**
Vegan ice cream (see note above)

Instructions

Preheat the waffle iron.
Add the coconut milk and vinegar the bowl.
In a separate bowl stir together the sugar, oats, flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the coconut milk, coconut oil and beer to the flour mixture, stir to combine.
Spray the waffle iron with cooking spray (I used coconut spray). Cook the waffles according to manufactures specifications (I found these cook best at a higher temp setting).
Serve topped with ice cream.

Notes

*While oats are inherently gluten free, many companies use machines that are contaminated with flour. If you need gluten free waffles, make sure the package states the oats are gluten free. **Use gluten free beer for gluten free waffles. ***Waffels can be frozen easily. Add to a large ziplock freezer bag, freeze for up to two weeks. Bake at 350F on a baking sheet until warmed, about 10 minutes.

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Pure Delicious, Heather Christo

I was given a copy of Pure Delicious without expectation or obligation. I was not financially compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.

Bacon Beer Shrimp with Beer Cheese Grits

Bacon Beer Shrimp with Beer Cheese Grits

Every few months I find myself here.

In a brewery, doing my best to learn how to turn what some see as an ugly industrial space with bad lighting into beautiful photos. Mostly, I’m a self-taught photographer. I took classes, read books, watched a decades worth of YouTube videos, sat in online workshops, and even joined an online photo mentorship group. But I always feel behind, always feel like I’m not quite there.

I’ve often wondered if I’ll ever be where I want, if “arriving” in a creative sense even exists. I’ve worried that I’ll never be able to give people the images I want to shoot. But I’ve never once thought about giving up. Not once.

It’s easy to get pulled into the undertow of comparison. It’s easy to see more clearly how far we have to go rather than the long road we’ve already traveled. In those moments I tell myself, “Keep your head down and keep going.” It works. It moves me forward. I get closer all the time to the place I want to be.

At the end of the day, that’s all we have. We have the ability to move forward, to drive closer to the life we want and the people we want to be. Perfection is a dangerous myth that robs us of contentment. Let’s just be able to sit here, in the gratitude that we are moving forward.

Let’s take a few minutes each week, grab a beer, grab some food, and just be content. Harder than it sounds, but we can do. Even if we need a few beers first.

Yum

Bacon Beer Shrimp with Beer Cheese Grits

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the grits:

12 ounces wheat beer
2 cups water (plus additional)
1 cup yellow grits (not instant)
1 ½ cups grated sharp cheddar
2 tbs unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

For the shrimp:

4 strips thick cut bacon, chopped
2 tbs unsalted butter
1 lbs raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp chili powder
¼ cup wheat beer
2 tbs chopped chives

Instructions

In a large pot over medium heat add the beer and 2 cups of warm water. Bring to a simmer and slowly add the grits. Cook over a low simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and tender. Add water ¼ cup at a time when the grits begin to dry out.
Once the grits are cooked stir in the cheddar, butter, cream, salt and pepper.
Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat (don’t turn the heat too high, medium heat will render more fat than high heat) until the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon, set aside. Pour off all the bacon fat except about 1 tablespoon. Return pan to heat, melt the butter in the skillet.
Add the shrimp and spices, toss to coat. Pour in the beer, cooking until shrimp are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Add the grits to serving bowls, top with shrimp, bacon and chives.

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