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Pilsner/Pale Ale

Beermosa Cupcakes with Lemon Meringue Frosting


We need a break, don’t we? We have been in a worldwide state of semi-to-full-blow chaos for the better part of two years so I think we’ve earned a break. A real one. A "shut everything out and do something just because you want to and ignore everything else" break. This is when I bake. I bake something sort of ridiculous while being pretty sure I will be the only eater of the thing, and I shut it all out. All. Of. It. 

Maybe this weekend we can get a break. A recentering. A little relief from it all and then we will have more energy to slay the dragons. But first, cupcakes and of course beer. I’m a big fan of Georgetown Brewing's Johnny Utah, which I always refer to as "The Yoot" because it’s more fun and reminds me to watch My Cousin Vinny again, which will also qualify as a break. So, in summation, your marching orders are to eat cupcakes and drink Georgetown beer while watching a young Marisa Tomei make a bunch of old men look like idiots. It will restore your faith in humanity. 

Beermosa Cupcakes with Lemon Meringue Frosting

Ingredients
  

For the cupcakes:

  • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2/3 cup (150g) sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (114g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into cubes
  • 2 large egg whites
  • ¼ cup (2oz) beer
  • ¼ cup (2oz) orange juice
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

For the frosting:

  • 3/4 cup (175g) sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 3 large egg whites
  • ¼ teaspoon lemon extract
  • Raspberries and lemon wedges for garnish

Instructions
 

Make the Cupcakes:

  • Preheat the oven to 350F°.
  • Add the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer.
  • With the mixer on low, add the butter (must be softened, cold/hard butter will not work) a few cubes at a time until it’s mostly mixed and crumbly (this method of reverse creaming will feel strange if you’re a long time cake baker, but it is a great way to get tender cupcakes).
  • Add the egg whites one at a time, beating well between addition, this will build the structure of the cupcakes.
  • Stir in the beer, orange juice and vanilla extract, scraping the bottom of the bowl to ensure the batter is mixed well.
  • Pour into 12 cupcakes papers. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched.

Make the frosting:

  • in a metal or glass bowl of a stand mixer, add the sugar, cream of tartar, egg whites.
  • Add to a double boiler or a small pot with gently simmering water. Whisk with a hand whisk continually until the mixture is warm and the sugar has dissolved leaving no graininess when you rub it between your fingers.
  • Place the bowl in the stand mixer and beat on high with a whisk attachment until thick and glossy. Add to a piping bag.
  • Once the cupcakes are cooled, pipe the frosting on, and garnish with raspberries. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

Have A Beer With Me + A Recipe For Creamy Chard Beer Polenta with Eggs

Creamy Chard Beer Polenta with Eggs

You guys. Let’s hang out, like in real REAL life. I was invited to this incredible women in beer festival, one that other women I have been secretly internet stalking for years will be at as well in real REAL life. There will be beer, doughnuts, me being too loud and awkward and probably telling inappropriate jokes, and I think you should be there. 

I’ll even cook for you, and scribble in one of my cookbooks if you want me to. Because we’ve always talked about getting together and having a beer and I think it’s time we actually do it. Because life is short and beer is delicious and it’s something we’ll always be glad we did. 

Join me at Brave Brew Fest March 4-6

 

Creamy Chard Beer Polenta with Eggs

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½ cups (600g) vegetable broth
  • 1 cup (8oz) pale ale
  • 1 cup (125g) dry polenta
  • ½ cup (120g) heavy cream
  • ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese plus additional for garnish
  • 1 ½ teaspoon salt divided
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • 3 cups (100g) chopped red chard
  • 4 eggs poached

Instructions
 

  • In a pot over medium-high heat, add the broth, beer and polenta. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and polenta has softened, about 20 minutes.
  • Stir in the cream, cheese, and 1 teaspoon salt, allow to cook until absorbed, about 5 minutes.
  • While the polenta cooks, sauté the chard.
  • Melt the butter in a pan over medium high heat. Add the chard, cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and the salt, remove from heat.
  • Add the polenta to a serving bowl, top with chard, poached eggs and sprinkle with cheese.
  • Serve warm.

Beery Berry Skillet Cake

Beery Berry Skillet Cake, super quick and easy! One bowl and ten minutes and it’s ready to bake. 

You guys, I’m moving again. I know. I KNOW. In case you’re scoring at home, that will be 6 houses I’ve lived in since I started this weird "let’s see if I can cook all the things with beer" journey.  I’m only moving a few miles away, which is much easier than the time I moved from LA to Seattle and tore my entire life apart. This is just moving stuff from one place to another so it’s fine. IT’S FINE EVERYTHING IS FINE. 

I am living out of a box-filled house which looks slightly like an organized hoarding situation. I also have packed most of my kitchen stuff so I am limited in my ability to cook the things. Which means I made a cake in a skillet like a weirdo. This is also fine because it tasted amazing and it only looks like 7.5 minutes to get it in the oven. So if you have a limited kitchen situation or just a limited desire for long cooking projects situation, but still want a yummy cake you can eat out of the pan with a fork in one hand and a beer in the other, do I have a recipe for you my friend!



Beery Berry Skillet Cake

Ingredients
  

  • 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter plus 2 tablespoons (29g), divided
  • 1/3 cup (80g) beer Pilsner, wheat beer, pale lager
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup (200g) sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cup (160g) AP flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (335g) frozen berries
  • Whipped cream for serving

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F
  • Melt 6 tablespoons of butter and allow to cool slightly. Add to a mixing bowl, stir in the beer.
  • Whisk in the egg, sugar, and vanilla.
  • Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, stir until just combined.
  • Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to a 9-inch cast iron skillet. Add to the oven until the butter is melted.
  • Remove the skillet and swirl to distribute the butter.
  • Pour the batter into the pan in an even layer. Top with the frozen berries.
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the center has set and the edges are a dark golden brown.
  • Remove from oven allow to cool.
  • Top with whipped cream for serving.

Super Soft Beer Sugar Cookies

I’m the weird one, I know this, let me count the ways. First, there is this thing about how I hate drinking milk (gag) and believe that beer makes a much better pairing for cookies.

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Everything Bagel Beer Butter and Potato Dinner Rolls

You HAVE to make these: Everything Bagel Beer Butter and Potato Dinner Rolls

If you were forced (yes FORCED) to rank all Thansgiving foods by how much you want to binge eat them, where would rolls rank? And why would turkey not even make the top 5?

Rolls easily rank #1 for me (beer doesn’t count, it’s the free space in the middle of this bingo board). Then mashed potatoes, followed by pie. Turkey still doesn’t crack the top 3, even when I beer brine it and confit it, which is my absolute favorite way to make it. 



These potato and beer infused rolls are my go-to when it comes to holiday carb fueled food celebrations. Soft, pillowy, and perfect for the next day leftover-sliders-food-fest. Call me crazy, but I vastly prefer leftovers to the actual meal, especially since it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll eat them in your pajamas and that just makes everything taste better. 

Everything Bagel Beer Butter and Potato Dinner Rolls

5 from 1 vote

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup (114g) butter
  • ½ cup (114g) whole milk
  • ½ cup (114g) wheat beer
  • 1 tablespoon (21g) honey
  • 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 packet 2 ¼ teaspoons Rapid Rise yeast
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • cup (40g) potato flakes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • Egg wash 1 egg, 1 tablespoon water, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons everything bagel seasoning mix

Instructions
 

  • Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl. Add the milk, beer and honey. Heat until 120°-130°F (if your yeast packet mentions a different temperature, use that temperature instead).
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the flour, yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, and potato flakes.
  • Add the beer mixture, stirring on medium speed until most of the flour has been moistened. Add the salt and egg, stir until well combined and the dough gathers around the blade.
  • Oil a large bowl. Using wet hands, move the dough to the bowl. The dough will be very soft and sticky.
  • Cover and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • On a well-floured surface add the dough. Cut into 12 equal sized pieces.
  • Roll into tight balls, add to a 9x13 baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.
  • Cover and allow to rest until doubled in size.
  • Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with seasoning mix.
  • Bake uncovered until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
  • Serve warm.

Elote Beer and Bacon Corn Chowder

Elote Beer and Bacon Corn Chowder

It’s pretty obvious from the soup I’ve been making that I miss summer already. My "lizard on a rock" vibes do not mesh well with below-freezing temps and lack of sunlight. So I soupify things meant to be consumed in warmer months. Ta-da! Street corn soup! 

Which doesn’t really help, no matter how delicious it is. I also want to put my Christmas decorations up, so clearly I have no grasp on the concept of seasons. Blame it on my Southern California roots, since I was born and bred in year-round sunshine, street corn, and Holiday decor in 80-degree weather. It really is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how much of a mess I am. But I do have delicious soup and beer, so it could be worse. 

Elote Beer and Bacon Corn Chowder

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 6 ears sweet corn
  • 6 strips thick cut bacon chopped
  • 1 sweet white onion chopped
  • 1 bunch green onions chopped, white and green parts separated
  • 2 large Anaheim chilis chopped and seeded
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup pilsner
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced cilantro
  • 1 large russet potato peeled and chopped
  • ½ cup Mexican crema
  • ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons chopped green onions

Instructions
 

  • Using a grill pan or an outdoor grill, grill the corn until grill marks appear.
  • Cut the kernels off the cob, save the cobs and kernels separately.
  • In a Dutch oven or stockpot off heat add the bacon, turn heat to medium. Cook until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon, set aside for garnish.
  • Add the chilies and onions to the bacon grease, cook until softened.
  • Stir in the garlic.
  • Add the beer, scraping to deglaze the bottom of the pot.
  • Stir in the broth, milk, cream.
  • Add the spices, stir to combine.
  • Add the cobs, corn kernels, and potatoes.
  • Simmer (do not boil) for 30 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • Remove the cobs.
  • Add 2/3 of the soup to a blender, blend until smooth.
  • Return the blended soup to the pot, bring to a low simmer to warm.
  • Spoon into bowls, top with crema, cotija, bacon, green onions, and cilantro.

Oven Baked Goat Cheese and Cherry Tomato Beer Pasta

 

This week is a crossover, it’s a convergence of seasons and it’s my favorite part of the seasonal Venn diagram that makes up the year. We have cozy-fall-fireplace weather but we also still have summer produce in abundance. Including but not limited to the absurd amount of tomatoes in my garden that didn’t get around to ripening until this very moment after being tortuously green for about 137 months. 

The idea of having several pounds of beautiful homegrown tomatoes in my kitchen with a ticking life expectancy countdown clock kept me up at night. I wish that was a metaphor but it’s not, because I’m that strange. You also need to factor in that it’s getting colder and the summer produce needs to fit into fall dishes in order to make sense in my current world. There are a lot of things to consider when you’re slightly crazy in food-related ways. 

Then when you factor in a beer like Odells Kindling, that tastes like summer but has a name that reminds me of a late autumn night fireplace it all just falls together. Now I can sleep in my carb-induced stupor and all is right in the world again. 

 

Fresh  Homemade Beer Pasta Recipe

 

Oven Baked Goat Cheese and Cherry Tomato Beer Pasta

Ingredients
  

  • 9 oz fresh linguine pasta* not dried
  • 3 lbs. cherry tomatoes
  • 4 large cloves garlic smashed
  • 4 oz goat cheese
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • ¼ cup (2oz) good quality olive oil
  • ¼ cup (2oz) beer golden ale, pale lager, pilsner
  • 6 leaves fresh basil minced

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Add the cherry tomatoes, garlic, goat cheese, salt and pepper to a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the tomatoes are bursting.
  • Remove from oven, stir in the beer.
  • Add the pasta, stir until well coated, sprinkle with basil.
  • Plate, serve warm.

Notes

*You can either make the pasta yourself or you can easily buy it in the refrigerator section of almost any grocery store, it’s usually near the cheese.
If you only have dried, make sure to cook to al dente first, drain, then add to the dish. 

Mini Lime Olive Oil Beer Cakes with Hibiscus Icing

Mini Lime Olive Oil Beer Cakes with Hibiscus Icing

Are you growing something? And by that I mean produce not resentment and anxiety, although that too. I’m growing tomatoes because I decided it would make more sense to spend $80 and eleventy billion hours growing a small basket full on my own than going to the farmers market. It makes sense. 

If you are growing the things (the ones not related to early childhood trauma), do you check them every day as if by some garden fairy miracle they will have multiplied and ripened overnight? And then you’re both not surprised and also super disappointed that they look basically the same as they did the day before? Just me? 

I had to go to the farmers market for giant gorgeous raspberries in order to sublimate my self-pitty while also reminding myself that other people are better at growing the things and I should leave such tasks up to them. I should just cook the things. And eat the things. I really shouldn’t venture too far out of my cooking-eating-drinking skill set. 

I used this Mini Cheesecake Pan 

Mini Lime Olive Oil Beer Cakes with Hibiscus Icing

Servings 24 mini cakes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup lime juice 3 large limes, juiced
  • ¼ cup beer
  • 2 cups cake flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 hibiscus tea bags
  • ¼ cup boiling water
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Raspberries for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Add the eggs and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer, beat on high until well combined, light, and more than doubled in size, about 6 minutes.
  • Stir in the oil, lime juice, and beer.
  • Sprinkle with flour, baking powder, and salt. Gently stir to combine.
  • Grease mini cake pans, or a mini muffin tin, pour in the batter until about 2/3 full.
  • Bake until the tops spring back when lightly touched, about 12- 16 minutes.
  • Allow to cool complete before removing from pan.
  • Add the tea bags to a small bowl or mug. Pour the boiling water over the tea, allow to steep for 15 minutes, discard the bags.
  • Add the powdered sugar and vanilla to a mixing bowl, add half of the hibiscus infused water, stir to combine. Add the remaining water a bit at a time until desired consistency is reached.
  • Pour a bit of icing over each mini cake, top with a raspberry

Notes

I used this Mini Cheesecake Pan but a mini muffin tin will work as well, just start checking for doneness at 12 minutes. 

Cuban Sandwich Sliders with Beer Pickled Peppers and Onions

Cuban Sandwich Sliders with Beer Pickled Peppers and Onions

Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve made sandwiches for a crowd? Yes, yes you do. Of course you do! Because you’re a human, with eyes, who has also been a party to the past 18 months of existence in this crazy world.  We are now entering the "it’s possible that we will have the need for food to feed a crowd" phase of this post-apocalyptic world. Which is certainly something to celebrate.

You can make pulled pork just for this sandwich, but you can also intentionally make too much next time you pull pork as an excuse to make these, which is how they came into my life. I was making tacos, as you do, and decided that I would just make as much as I could possibly manage to fit into one pot. It happens. 

I did decide that pulled pork must absolutely be made in giant batches and is unequivocally the best leftover food on the planet. Sorry Thanksgiving, but you are now second in my leftovers book, but you have pie so you’re still the overall winner. 

Recipe for Beer-Braised Pulled Pork 

Cuban Sandwiches with Beer Pickled Peppers and Onions

Ingredients
  

For the peppers:

  • 12 oz of IPA beer
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbs sugar
  • 2 Tbs salt
  • 1 Tbs black peppercorns
  • 4-6 sprigs fresh dill
  • 1 lbs small sweet peppers, sliced
  • 1 red onion sliced

For the sandwiches

  • 12 dinner rolls sliced into buns
  • ¼ cup brown mustard
  • 1 lbs. sliced ham
  • 1 lbs. pulled pork
  • 4-6 slices swiss cheese
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter

Instructions
 

  • In a pot over medium-high heat add the beer, vinegar, sugar, salt and peppercorns. Bring to a simmer, stirring just until the sugar and salt dissolve, remove from heat.
  • Add the peppers to an airtight container, add a few sprigs of dill.
  • Add the onions to a separate container, add a few sprigs of dill.
  • Pour the cooled brine over the onions and the peppers, making sure all vegetables are submerged.
  • Chill for at least 24 hours prior to using.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Add the bottom portion of the buns into a baking dish. Spread with mustard.
  • Top in an even layer with ham, pulled pork, peppers, onions, then cheese.
  • Place the top on the buns, brush with melted butter.
  • Place another baking dish on top of the buns, press down firmly. Keeping the second pan on top of the buns, place the entire thing in the oven.
  • Bake until the cheese has melted, about 12-15 minutes.

Notes

 

Almond Cake with Beer Caramelized Pineapples and Hibiscus Whipped Cream

Almond Cake with Beer Caramelized Pineapples and Hibiscus Whipped Cream

it’s officially Cake For No Reason Season. We did the thing a few months ago where we gave up things in January (after we ate all the things during the holidays) then we worked out a little so we feel better, and now we don’t have anything to celebrate so we make Cake for No Reason Season, which would be a reason and the paradox may implode the universe.  

But I’ll have cake and beer, so I don’t think I’ll notice. And if the world ends because of cake and beer, then the world had it coming and I can live with that. I didn’t make this cake with a hazy IPA, but I did eat it with a hazy IPA, (Mother Earth’s Flawless Imperfection) because the pairing of an IPA and pineapple is fantastic and worth a celebration all on its own. 

Almond Cake with Beer Caramelized Pineapples and Hibiscus Whipped Cream

Ingredients
  

For the pineapple

  • ½ cup (120g) pale ale beer
  • ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
  • 2 cups (300g) fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch pieces

For the cake

  • 1 ⅔ cups (200g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (90g) almond flour (not almond meal)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (180g) full-fat sour cream
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup (120g) good quality olive oil
  • ½ cup (120g) pale ale beer
  • 1 cup (90g) sliced almonds

For the whipped cream:

  • 2 hibiscus tea bags
  • ¼ cup (60g) boiling water
  • 1 cup (140g) Heavy cream
  • ½ cup (60g) Powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Add the brown sugar and beer to a saucepan, stir to combine. Add the pineapple, simmer over medium-high heat until pineapple is soft and the sauce has thickened about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray, line the bottom with a round of parchment paper, set aside.
  • Add the flour, almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt to a large bowl, stir to combine.
  • Add the almond extract, vanilla extract, sour cream, eggs, olive oil, and beer, stir with a fork or whisk until just combined.
  • Add to the prepared pan.
  • Place the pineapple on top in an even layer (it will sink, that’s OK).
  • Drizzle with the caramel sauce left in the pan.
  • Top with an even layer of almonds.
  • Bake until the top has turned golden brown and the center springs back when lightly touched, 32-38 minutes.
  • While the cake cooks, start the whipped cream. Place the hibiscus tea bags in a small bowl or mug, pour over the boiling water. Set aside to steep for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
  • Stir the hibiscus-infused water into the heavy cream, chill until cold.
  • Once cold, add to the bowl of a stand mixer along with the powdered sugar, beat on high until stiff peaks form.
  • Once the cake has cooled, remove from pan, add to a serving plate, top with whipped cream just before serving.

 

Triple cheese, Chicken and Elote Stuffed Charred Poblano with Lager Avocado Sauce

Triple cheese, Chicken and Elote Stuffed Charred Poblano with Lager Avocado Sauce

Have you replaced doom-scrolling with imagination vacations? As in, pretending as if you’re actually going to take a trip so you plan one by looking up hotels in the Caribbean as though you’re just about to click book? No? Just me? It is preferable to rage-reading the news and is an excellent replacement behavior to panic-skimming medical articles about deadly viruses. 

Also, stuffing foods in other foods is an excellent way to focus on something positive. And by positive I mean you are cooking an entire meal and even if it’s just for you, you’ll have plenty of delicious leftovers. Except we aren’t calling them leftover, it’s called MEAL PREPPING! See, look at you, you’re such a grown-up. Ignore the news and plan your next fake vacation, drink a beer and eat food stuffed into other food. It’s like a vacation for your face. 

Triple cheese, Chicken and Elote Stuffed Charred Poblano with Lager Avocado Sauce

Ingredients
  

Peppers:

  • 4 poblano peppers
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 chicken breasts chopped
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • 3 tablespoons Mexican lager beer or pilsner
  • ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese plus additional for top
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes drained

Elote:

  • 1 cup corn kernels frozen or fresh
  • 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Avocado Sauce:

  • 1 large avocado diced
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup cilantro
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons Mexican lager beer or pilsner

Instructions
 

  • Char the peppers on all sides by places over the flame of a gas stove burner (this will not work on the coils of an electric stove, or an induction burner). If you don’t have a gas burner, add the peppers to a baking sheet and place them just under the broiler in your oven. Turn the peppers until charred on all sides, remove from heat, allow to cool.
  • Heat the oven to 375°F.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, then add the chicken cooking until seared on all sides.
  • Add the beer, scraping to deglaze the pan. Add the cream cheese, ½ cup mozzarella, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, and salt. Stir until cheese is melted and well combined.
  • Stir in the tomatoes.
  • Add to a baking sheet, cut the peppers down the center from the stem to the tip, removing the seeds and membrane.
  • Fill the peppers with the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
  • Bake until the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes, remove from oven.
  • Stir together all the elote ingredients, set aside.
  • Add all the avocado sauce ingredients to a food processor, process until well combined but the avocado is still slightly chunky.
  • Plate the peppers, top with elote and avocado sauce.

Beer Pickled Deviled Eggs with Goat Cheese and Coppa

Beer Pickled Deviled Eggs with Goat Cheese and Coppa

Do you like pickled things? And deviled eggs? Please say yes. I know, the idea of pickled eggs might be a little cringy at first, but just trust me, I’d never lead you astray. Pickled eggs with a rich filling and some gorgeously fatty meat are exactly what you want to eat as an appetizer. Or for dinner. Whatever. 

Deviled eggs are this rare beast in the food world. They are things from Grandmas, and church potlucks, and our less than culinarily advantageous childhood, but they hold up. They’ve aged well, and everyone will eat them.

However, they don’t math well. Let me explain this. Let’s do some egg math, shall we? It’ll be fun. If someone asks you how many scrambled eggs you can eat, it would probably be 3, maybe 4. Reason and logic will tell you that if this is the case, you could only eat 3 or 4 Deviled eggs, but as we all know you can eat about one thousand, maybe more. The limit does not exist. This is a math black hole that even NASA can’t explain. 

Basically what I’m saying is make a double batch. Or a triple if you plan to share.

Beer Pickled Deviled Eggs with Goat Cheese and Coppa

Ingredients
  

  • 8-10 hardboiled eggs
  • 1 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1 cup pale ale or IPA
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoons salt
  • 2 oz goat cheese plus additional for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions or chives plus additional for garnish
  • 1 oz Coppa thinly sliced and cut into quarters

Instructions
 

  • Peel the hardboiled eggs, add to a large bowl.
  • Combine the vinegar, beer, sugar, and salt, heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved (this can be done in the microwave or on the stovetop).
  • Add the beer mixture to the egg bowl, place a heavy plate on top of the eggs to submerge them. Chill for 2 to 12 hours.
  • Remove from pickle brine, cut in half vertically.
  • Add the yolk to a bowl, add the whites to a serving plate.
  • In the yolks, bowl add 2 oz goat cheese, mustard, lemon juice, mayo, salt, and green onions. Stir or beat with a hand mixer, until very well combined. Add to a piping bag if desired.
  • Fill the holes in the egg whites with the yolks mixture.
  • Top with a slice of Coppa, then sprinkle with remaining crumbled goat cheese and green onions.
  • Serve cold or room temperature.

Szechuan Beer Shrimp

Szechuan Beer Shrimp


I have to warn you about something. It’s Szechuan peppercorns. Maybe you’re well versed in these little buggers, but maybe you aren’t, and it saves me from worrying about you if you don’t already know that they numb your mouth. Did you know this? Is this common knowledge and I just assume it isn’t, like how I assume everyone just realized that caribou and reindeer are the same thing and I only imagined this to be more privileged knowledge? This is my long-winded way to tell you that Szechuan peppercorn gives you a little tingly numbness when you eat them, as revenge for being eaten. That last part I made up, but I think it’s accurate. 

They aren’t hot, per se, but they do abuse your mouth the way capsaicin and hoppy beers do. And if you’re a person who likes food that fights back (I’m looking at you, triple IPA drinkers), I think you’ll like this as well. 

Are you afraid of this? It’s ok, I will only judge you a little for being scared of mouth-numbing foods. You can substitute it with 1 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander, but you’ll be missing out on all the fun. 

Szechuan Beer Shrimp

Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns*
  • 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus ½ teaspoon divided
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch, divided
  • 2 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil divided
  • 4 green onions
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 6 garlic cloves roughly chopped
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ginger grated with a Microplane
  • 6 long dried red chilies chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup beer pale lager, pilsner, wheat beer
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • Sriracha to taste this will depend on how spicy your red chilies are
  • ¼ cup chopped peanuts

Instructions
 

  • Add the peppercorns to a dry pan, toss over high heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
  • Using a mortar and pestle, crush to powder (you can also add to a Ziploc bag and crush with a heavy pan or rolling pin), add to a mixing bowl.
  • Place the shrimp on a stack of paper towels to dry well.
  • Add to a bowl with 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons cornstarch, toss until well coated.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon oil to a pan until hot, add the shrimp, toss until the shrimp is curled, pink, and cooked through, remove from pan, add to a large bowl.
  • Chop the green onions, separating the green from the white and light green sections.
  • Heat the remaining oil to the pan, add the chopped white and very light green parts of the green onions (reserve the dark green for later), and the chopped red pepper, sauté until starting to soften.
  • In the peppercorn bowl, add the garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, chopped garlic, grated ginger, dried chilies, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, beer, and honey, stir to combine.
  • Add the mixture to the pan over the bell peppers, simmer until thickened.
  • Pour the mixture over the shrimp, toss to coat. Add sriracha to taste.
  • Add to a serving bowl, sprinkle with chopped green onions, peanuts. Serve warm.

Notes

You can substitute the Szechuan peppercorns with 1 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander, skip steps 1 and 2. 

Beer Brined Balsamic Glazed Scallops over Avocado Caprese Salad

Beer Brined Balsamic Glazed Scallops over Avocado Caprese Salad

 

Send this to your date night person, we need to talk. I have something to tell them. Oh hey, Date Night Person! Glad you’re here, I have a recipe for you. It’s going to sound super fancy, but it’s really easy. SO easy that it will make you look like a rockstar and as if you can just throw together an impressive meal in no time. Your person will love it, even be really grateful that you so thoughtfully set up a date night for them that they will do the dishes (it’s only fair). 

So circle a date on the calendar, add some stuff to your shopping list or delivery cart or whatever, and don’t forget to stop by a local brewery for some beer. You’ll want beer, not just for the recipe but also for the drinking. The drinking with the eating is important. And you now have something social distance approved to look forward to. Need a dessert? Yes, the answer is yes. Make these. Or this. Or both. Probably both, it’s safest. 

Beer Brined Balsamic Glazed Scallops over Avocado Caprese Salad

5 from 1 vote

Ingredients
  

Scallops:

  • 1 lb jumbo scallops
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 cup wheat beer pale lager, pilsner
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar

Salad:

  • 1 large avocado diced
  • 6 ounces pearl mozzarella balls
  • 2 large tomatoes diced
  • 5 leaves fresh basil Chiffonade (finely sliced)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper

Instructions
 

  • Add the scallops to a bowl, sprinkle with salt, cover with beer and cold water. Refrigerate for one hour and up to 12. This will help flush out phosphates that will make scallops taste like soap and prevent a good sear.
  • Remove from brine, rinse well. Add to the top of a stack of paper towels, top with more paper towels. Allow to dry until very well dried.
  • Heat the butter in a skillet until very hot. Add the scallops, cooking on one flat side until seared, 1-3 minutes. Turnover and sear on the other side before removing.
  • Once the scallops are all cooked and set aside, lower heat to medium-low, stir in the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Stir and simmer until reduced and thickened. Add to a small container.
  • Add all the salad ingredients to a mixing bowl, toss to combine.
  • Divide evenly between 4 bowls. Top with scallops, drizzle with balsamic reduction.

Dulce de Leche Beer Cinnamon Roll Knots

Dulce de Leche Beer Cinnamon Roll Knots (step-by-step) with photos

I know, I KNOW! I am the actual worst. Here you are, trying to be healthy in the New Year and I do THIS to you. This is because I am a world-class enabler and I like people to be happy. And these make people happy. It’s flawed logic, I know this as well, but I will continue along this path as if I don’t know this. Please look away, nothing to see here.

You can also use these for inspiration, for "pin it and make it later", for "this is what I will make when I’m not as concerned with health and fitness". Which, let’s be honest, will probably be in like 2.5 weeks.

I will tell you this, they are fantastic. Perfect for you to save for that day when you can have all your people over for brunch, and let’s all hope that day is SOON.

Dulce de Leche Beer Cinnamon Roll Knots

Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Dessert
Servings 12 knots

Ingredients
  

Dough:

  • 2 ¾ cups (330g) flour, plus more as needed
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 packet 2 ¼ teaspoons rapid rise yeast
  • 1 cup beer pilsner, pale ale, wheat beer
  • 6 tablespoons (85.5g) melted butter
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Filling:

  • 1 cup (138g) dulce de leche for homemade, see note below
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • Pinch ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup (100g) brown sugar divided

Icing:

  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons dulce de leche
  • 2 tablespoons water

Instructions
 

  • Add the flour, sugar, and yeast to a stand mixer. Mix until just combined.
  • Heat the beer and melted butter to 120°-130°F (always defer to the liquid temperature listed on the package of yeast, regardless of what the recipe says. Your yeast package says 105°F? Heat the liquid to that temperature) add the beer to the stand mixer, mixing until all the flour has been moistened.
  • Add the salt, beat until the dough comes together and gathers around the blade. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise until doubled in size.
  • Add the dough to a lightly floured surface, roll into a rectangle about 8 inches wide and 20-24 inches in length.
  • Cut in half.
  • Spread dulce de leche on half (warm if necessary to make it more spreadable) sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ¼ cup brown sugar.
  • Place the other dough half on top of the dulce de leche half to sandwich the filling between the two pieces of dough.
  • Cut into 10-12 strips.
  • Twist the strips.
  • Form into a loose loop.
  • Place one end over the top with the end in the center of the loop.
  • Place the other end underneath the loop to meet up with the first end.
  • Place knots on a baking sheet covered with parchment.
  • Sprinkle with brown sugar.
  • Allow knots to rest while you heat the oven to 350°F, about 20 minutes. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown. 
  • Stir together all the icing ingredients. Drizzle knots with icing, allow to cool until the icing has set. 

Notes

*I made dulce de leche in a pressure cooker, it just takes one ingredient (or three if you want to add salt and vanilla but that's optional) and about 3 minutes of active time. You can also make it on the stovetop. For full instructions see this post:
Chocolate Stout Cookies with Salted Dulce De Leche Filling
Keyword dulce de leche, knots, dough

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Upside Down Beer Cake

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Upside Down Beer Cake, one bowl, super easy, crazy moist. 

This is NOT the week to pretend like you’re on a diet.  It’s a week to stress bake and eat your weight in cake, it’s the patriotic thing to do. Baking does help, it gives you something to do that results in good news in your day and tasty treats in your mouth. Win-win-win. Because it’s hard to be in a bad mood when you can open a beer and eat some cake, it’s just science. 

It’s also time to start baking with cranberries and remember how much we actually like them even though we pretty much forget about them the rest of the year. And I don’t care what you believe in the rest of your life, we all like cake. It’s the reason we use it to celebrate all the things. Cake is a unifying force and I think we all need that right now. 

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Upside Down Beer Cake

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½ cups fresh cranberries
  • 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar, plus ¼ cup (50g) divided
  • ½ cups (114g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup (4oz) beer pilsner, pale ale
  • 2 ¾ (340g) cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup crushed hazelnuts
  • ¾ cup chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  • Line the bottom of a 10-inch spring form pan with a round of parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray.
  • Toss the cranberries in ¼ cup sugar, add in an even layer to the prepared pan.
  • Add the butter and remaining 2 cups sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer, beat on high until well combined.
  • One at a time, add the eggs and vanilla, scraping the bottom of the bowl between additions, beat until well combined. Add the sour cream and oil, mix until well combined.
  • Stir in the beer.
  • Stop the mixer, sprinkle with flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Stir until just combined.
  • Stir in the hazelnuts and chocolate chips.
  • Add to the pan over the cranberries.
  • Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched. If the cake starts to brown too much before the baking is completed, cover with foil. 
  • Remove from oven, allow to cool completely before removing from pan. 
  • Invert on a serving plate before removing spring form pan so that bottom of the cake is on the top. 

Notes

*If you only have a 9-inch spring for pan, you will likely have too much batter. Fill the pan to about ¾ full and use the remaining batter to make muffins.

Salted Espresso Beer Chocolate Chip Muffins

Salted Espresso Beer Chocolate Chip Muffins

These days, when time seems to run together, and every day is blursday the 37th of Septober, it just makes sense to have something that tastes like coffee and beer. It’s morning and night and each day seems indistinguishable from the last, beer and coffee should coexist. So also can a breakfast meal, a snack, and a dessert be the same muffin. 

Anything you can do these days to make your life happier and simpler, do that thing. Eating muffins all day is that thing. It’s small wins right now, celebrate the small stuff and let the rest go. Write that on a river stone and sell it at Target. Or make some muffins and drink a beer, whatever gets you thought the day.

Salted Espresso Beer Chocolate Chip Muffins

Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup (114g) unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 cup (200g) sugar plus additional for top
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup (80g) beer pilsner, wheat beer, brown ale, nothing too hoppy
  • ¼ cup (57g) olive oil
  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • Flakey sea salt such as maldon

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Add the butter to a stand mixer, mix until creamy. Add 1 cup sugar and mix until well combined.
  • Add the vanilla and eggs, mix on high until very creamy.
  • Lower the mixer speed to low, add the beer and oil, mix until combined.
  • Stop the mixer and sprinkle with flour, baking powder, espresso, and ½ teaspoon salt, mix until just combined, scraping the bottom of the bowl to make sure it’s all combined.
  • Stir in the chocolate chips.
  • Line a muffin tin with cupcake papers.
  • Fill the cupcake papers with batter until ¾ full (an ice cream scoop will give you the perfect amount).
  • Sprinkle each with about ¼ teaspoon sugar and then sprinkle with sea salt.
  • Bake for 22-26 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly touched.

Thai Butternut Squash and Beer Soup

Thai Butternut Squash and Beer Soup, only thirty mintues to a delicious soup! 

There is a very strong likelihood that I will just eat soup until the end of time, or until the end of 2020, whichever comes first. And it seems like at this point, it’s a toss up. For this delightlyful pot of happiness, I just combined two of my favorite food categories: "Thai food" and "things that taste like fall". Yes, that last one is absolutely a culinary designation, just trust me. 

Although I’m fairly certain butternut squash isn’t a common food that you’ll come across in Thailand, you’ll just have to view this as a mashup. A fusion. My "Pacific Northwest stuck on this side of the world" life fusing with my desire to "get on an airplane and travel to exotic destinations once the threat of a deadly virus has been lifted". Someday this will happen, probably before the world ends. Until then, it’s time to make soup and ignore everything else. 

Thai Butternut Squash and Beer Soup

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium (1 ½ lbs.) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, diced
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
  • 1 shallot bulb diced
  • 2 cups (16oz)broth vegetable or chicken
  • 3 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 can (13.5oz) full fat coconut milk
  • 4 oz rice noodles
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • ¼ cup chopped peanuts
  • Sriracha for serving
  • 1 cup (8oz)beer pilsner, pale ale, lager (nothing too hoppy)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Add the diced squash to a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
  • Roast until fork tender, about 20 minutes.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat, add the shallots, cook until softened.
  • Stir in the beer, broth, curry paste, garlic, cumin, chili flakes, salt, pepper, and coconut milk, bring to a low simmer.
  • Add the softened squash, remove from heat.
  • Using an immersion blender or stand blender, blend the soup until smooth (if using a stand blender, allow to cool slightly before blending). Return to heat, heat until warmed.
  • Add the rice noodles to a large bowl, cover with boiling water, allow to sit until softened, about 10 minutes.
  • Drain the noodles, add desired amount to a bowl, ladle in the warm soup.
  • Top with desired amount of cilantro, peanuts, drizzle with sriracha.