Skip to main content

Monatsarchive: September 2013

Jamaican Coconut Cornbread

Jamacian Coconut Cornbread naturally dairy and gluten free

In the midst of the chaotic tilt that my life has taken lately, I keep being overtaken by the feeling that these are the good ol' days. This is the time I’ll look back on, as an old woman, and wish I could revisit. I’ve had to remind myself of that, when I feel overwhelmed, stressed, pressured to preform at a level that feels higher than I can reach. I won’t remember that, it will all look so shiny in the review.

Jamacian Coconut Cornbread naturally dairy and gluten free

Because of the lack of anything that resembles "free time" lately, I’ve turned to making recipes that are quicker than my usual.  I love bread making, but it can be time consuming. So when I wanted something sweet with a bit of coconut, I decided to figure out a one bowl coconut cornbread. I actually made this twice (I like to make each recipe I post at least twice), but the first time I wanted to give a gluten free version a stab. Instead of flour I used masa harina, it’s corn flour I use to make tortillas. Since I started making homemade corn tortillas, I’ve never gone back to store bought so I always have it on hand, and it’s naturally gluten free. While I really liked the flavor, the texture wasn’t as good as with the flour, as these things often go.  I preferred the flour version better, but the gluten free masa version is a great option if your baking for crowd that includes the gluten averse.

The masa harina version:

Jamacian Coconut Cornbread naturally dairy and gluten free

 

Jamaican Coconut Cornbread

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 cup all purpose flour (masa harina for gluten free)
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp allspice
  • pinch cayenne (about 1/8 tsp)
  • ¼ cup shredded dried coconut
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 can (13.5 fl oz) full fat coconut milk

    Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. Grease a glass 8X8 baking dish.
  3. In a large bowl combine the cornmeal, flour (or masa harina), brown sugar, baking soda, salt cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, and shredded coconut.
  4. Make a well in the center, add the oil, eggs and coconut milk, stir until just combined.
  5. Pour evenly into the prepared baking dish.
  6. Bake at 375 for 30-25 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched.

 

Jamacian Coconut Cornbread naturally dairy and gluten free

Beer Caramelized Mushroom Gorgonzola Tart

Beer Caramelized Mushroom Tart

Food is the one common thread we all share. Since the dawn of time, food, and the pleasure we find in it, has been comprehensively universal. The community and connection found over broken bread doesn’t need explanation. Maybe that’s why beer and food find a seamless union, beer is a communal beverage. Beer begs to be shared, enjoyed, talked about, in a very similar that food does. You can feel it in the community that craft beer has created. It isn’t about competition, it’s about collaboration. It favors quality over quantity and people over profit. It’s why I wanted to be a part of this world.

Beer Caramelized Mushrom Tart

As my offering to the world of craft beer and her people, I wrote a cookbook, The Craft Beer Cookbook (affiliate link),. As a fantastic byproduct of said book writing, I’m going on tour. In a few weeks I’ll embark on a West Coast Brewery Hopping Book Tour, to sign books, meet people and, of course, drink some beer. If you’re on the West Coast, come out and see me, we can trade beer cooking war stories.

I’ll be stopping at Ninkasi in Eugene Oregon, a sexy, hip kid when it comes to breweries in the Pacific Northwest. With equal parts Consistent Old Soul and Youthful Daringness, these are beers to seek out. I was able to get my hands on a bottle of Believer Double Red Ale, a beer with a great balance of low malty notes and the higher, bright citrus notes. It’s creamy and smooth, but still kicks you some hops, it’s a great beer. I used it to beerify (that’s a word, I swear) some mushrooms, and added some creamy cheese to balance it out on a flakey crust. It’s a beer flavored tart that can, and should, be shared. Over beer.

ninkasi believer P

 

Beer Caramelized Mushroom Gorgonzola Tart

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 2 lbs assorted wild mushrooms
  • 1 sweet white onion sliced
  • 2/3 cup red ale such as Ninkasi Believer
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
  • 2 tbs butter melted
  • 3 ounces gorgonzola
  • coarse kosher or sea salt
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme chopped

Instructions
 

  • Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and onion, cook until the mushrooms darken and onions start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the beer, reduce heat and allow to simmer until the beer is almost completely evaporated.
  • Preheat oven to 400.
  • Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface, transfer to a baking sheet. Brush the entire pastry with melted butter.
  • Sprinkle the cheese evenly across the tart, avoiding the outer 1-inch edge.
  • Spoon the mushrooms and onions over the cheese.
  • Sprinkle with coarse salt, and thyme.
  • Bake at 400 until a light golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.

Beer Caramelized Mushrom Tart 2

Sweet Potato And SweeTango Apple Soup

Sweet Potato Apple Soup

SweeTango apples seemed to come out of nowhere, at least to me. As someone who grew up mere feet from two different apple orchards in Easter Washington, it seemed like these fantastic little gems of produce brilliance appeared as if by magic as a brand new species of one of my favorite fruits. In the old school fashion of cross pollination (nothing new, plants have been doing this without human intervention since the dawn of time) the SweeTango is a cross between the fantastic Honey Crisp and a Zestar. The flavor is beautiful, but it’s the sharp snap crisp when you bite into one that’s unlike anything else out there. As much as I love the apples in this soup, it’s eating them raw that’s really the way to go.

I was introduced to the SweetTango at a press event at my favorite Los Angeles Resturant, Animal. A table at this sought after joint, and a meal cooked up by the celebrity chef-owner team of Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook may take you months to secure and is on every LA based foodies Must Do list. I was thrilled to spend an afternoon among a small group of other writers, eating the dishes cooked up by Jon and Vinny themselves, all featuring SweeTango apples. Other than the chance to chat it up with on of my favorite local chefs, this soup was the highlight. Jon and Vinny even sent us home with the recipe. And even let me share it.

sweet tango apples2

You could win an all expense paid trip to Los Angeles as well as an unforgettable dinner at Animal, one of LA’s best restaurants. Enter here

Sweet Potato And SweeTango Apple Soup

Ingredients

  • 1/4 lb Butter
  • 1 cup Yellow onion, diced
  • 1 cup SweeTango apple, peeled, cored, diced
  • 1 cup Butternut squash, peeled, seeded, diced
  • 1 cup Sweet potato, peeled, diced
  • 2 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 cup Heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup Maple syrup
  • Salt and espelette pepper to taste

Instructions

In a 1 gallon pot, melt butter. Add vegetables cook until onions are translucent. Add stock, and cook for 20-30 min, or until vegetables are soft. Puree in blender, strain, and add cream and maple syrup. Season to taste, serve, and enjoy!

Sweet Potato Apple Soup2

Beer Brat Carbonara Pasta: An Oktoberfest Recipe

Beer Brat Carbonara Pasta: An Oktoberfest Recipe

Although it seems like most of America sees Oktoberfest as The Festival of Barely Contained Breasts And Bad Beer In October, it really isn’t meant to be any of those things.  Oktoberfest began more than 200 years ago as a wedding celebration, it’s morphed into a celebration of local food and drink.

In Germany, they take that local notion seriously. Only beer brewed within the Munich city limits is allowed to be served at the festivities, and last year nearly 7 million liters were served up. Which may explain why 37  kids were reported missing, as well as a live rabbit, during last years event (all children and furry creatures were found safe and sound).

Beer Brat Carbonara Pasta: An Oktoberfest Recipe

The authentic Oktoberfest festivities take place in Munich Germany, starting around mid-September and ending the first Sunday in October, making this year’s event well underway. To celebrate in my own house, far, far from the Bavarian epicenter of the German Beer Lovers Fest, I made a hearty pasta, full of beer brats and brown ale.

The bratwurst began as a peasants dish, using all the scraps left over once the more expensive cuts were taken, which makes it a perfect addition to carbonara pasta, which has its own humble beginnings on a peasants table in Europe.

To sum it up, my friends, celebrate in an authentic fashion: strap on some lederhosen, drink local beer, cook some sausages in beer, but just don’t forget where you put your kids or woodland creatures.

O’zapft is!

Beer Brat Carbonara Pasta: An Oktoberfest Recipe

Beer Brat Carbonara Pasta

Ingredients
  

  • 5 ounces gaunciale or 6 strips thick sliced bacon
  • 1 sweet white onion sliced into rings
  • 1 tbs olive oil plus 2 tbs, divided
  • 6 bratwurst raw
  • 12 ounces brown ale
  • 1 lb spaghetti
  • 2 Roma tomatoes chopped
  • 1 cup fresh grated Pecornio or Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
  • 4 large eggs

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot over medium high heat, cook the gaunciale (or bacon). Remove from pan, chop. Pour off about half the pork fat, leaving about 2 tbs still in the pan. Add 1 tbs olive oil and onions, cook over medium heat until the onions start to caramelize, about 8-10 minutes. Remove onions from pan, set aside.
  • Increase heat to medium high, add the bratwurst, cooking until browned on both sides. Add the beer and reduce heat to medium low, simmering until the bratwurst are cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Slice into rings.
  • While the bratwurst are cooking, cook the spaghetti in lightly salted boiling water until al dente, drain and return to pot.
  • Add sliced brats, chopped gauncaile (or bacon), caramelized onions, tomatoes, cheese, salt, pepper and remaining 2 tbs olive oil to the spaghetti, toss to combine.
  • One at a time poach the eggs in simmering water until the whites have set but the yolks are still runny.
  • Divide the pasta between 4 bowls, top with poached eggs. Serve immediately.

Stout Braised Pulled Pork Chili

Stout Pulled Pork Chili

If you want to watch a culinary sports crowd get rilled up, ask what the "right way to make chili" really is. Just meat? Beans? No beans? Pork, vegetables, beef? Tomatoes? Because if you do it "wrong" you might was well be at  Morton’s and ask for ketchup with your steak. Or waltz yourself in the kitchen of a southern Grandma and boss her biscuit making ways around: you might get yourself punched.

I happen to be a bit more of a wandering chili Gypsy, the only requirement that I see necessary is a kick of heat. Some days I want beans, some days I want to pack it full of pork, chipotle stout, hold the beans and top it with pork rinds.

Regardless of your "right" way to make chili, I hope your take away from this recipe is that the braising liquid, what is left after a pork shoulder simmers in beer for 4 hours, is the perfect liquid to use in chili. It’s packed with flavor, beer, broth, spices, and meaty goodness. Don’t wash it down the drain, strain it and save it for making soup and chili. Even freezing it if you have to.

It’s like a free secret ingredient, even if you still have to fight with your brother in law about why you want to add beans.

Stout Pulled Pork Chili 2

Stout Braised Pulled Pork Chili

Ingredients
  

For the Pork

  • 1 tbs brown sugar
  • 1 tbs salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2.5-3 lb pork butt pork shoulder
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 24 ounces stout beer or porter
  • 2 cups beef stock

For the Chili

  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 1/2 red onion diced
  • 1 red pepper diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 14.5 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 14.5 ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes
  • 3-4 chipotle peppers in adobo minced
  • 2 tsp adobo sauce from chipotle can

Garnish:

  • 1 cup sharp cheddar shredded
  • ½ cup cilantro chopped
  • ½ cup red onion chopped
  • 1 large tomato chopped

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
  • Sprinkle pork on all sides with spice mixture.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven until hot but not smoking. Sear pork on all sides until browned.
  • Pour the beer and beef stock over the pork.. Reduce heat to a low simmer. Add a lid at a vent and allow to cook until pork is very tender and shreds easily, about 4 hours. Remove from the pot, shred using two forks, return to the pot and allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove meat from the pot with a slotted spoon to drain off excess moisture (reserve braising liquid).
  • In a separate pot heat 2 tbs olive oil, cook the onions and red pepper until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic. Add 1 ½ cups of the pork braising liquid, black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce. Simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Serve topped with cheddar, cilantro, red onion, tomatoes and pulled pork.

Stout Pulled Pork Chili 3

 

Salted Beer Caramel Corn

Salted Beer Caramel Corn

Today is the day.

Today, September 18th,  the book I spent months creating, turning myself into a figurative nightmare, pouring blood, sweat, tears and beer into each recipe, hits mailboxes and store shelves across the land. While I should be feeling excessively accomplished now that I can officially slap a Publish Author tittle after my name, there is also a thin film of vulnerability draped over today. Because more than I want it sell like Funfetti Cronuts, I want it to be well received, I want you to love it. I wish all the recipes to be Home Runs, every step to make sense to ever cook, and every Amazon reviews to be glowing.

What you think matters to me, probably more than it should. So if you buy this little book of mine, The Craft Beer Cookbook (affiliate link), and you have a question about a recipe, email me: [email protected]. If you make a recipe and love it, tweet a picture to me @TheBeeroness. If you make a recipe on your own blog, share it on my Facebook page. I want to know what you think (let’s be honest) especially if it’s good.

While I spent the weekend worried about the release of cookbook, and working out the details of the book tour, I decided it was a great idea to stress eat caramel corn. I even made two batches.  The first batch I used a hoppy brown ale, which gave the caramel a mild beer flavor that was a bit lost once it coated the corn. The next batch I used an imperial stout, a big bold beer with enough monster taste to give the caramel corn notes of beer in every bite.

Caramel corn and a cookbook, not a bad Wednesday.

Salted Beer Caramel Corn

Salted Beer Caramel Corn

Ingredients
  

  • 1/3 cup corn kernels
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbs light corn syrup
  • ½ cup imperial stout plus 2 tbs, divided
  • 4 tbs butter
  • 1 tsp coarse sea salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 250.
  • Place the corn kernels in a brown paper bag. Fold the top over. Place in the microwave (long side down), microwave on high for 4 minutes. When the popping starts to slow to about one pop per one second, remove from microwave. Measure out 7 cups of popcorn (if there is less than 7 cups, pop additional kernels in the same manner, if there are more than 7 cups, reserve the remaining popped corn for another use).
  • Spray a large baking pan with cooking spray.
  • Add the corn kernels to the baking sheet in an even layer, place in the oven until the caramel sauce is ready.
  • Add the brown sugar, light corn syrup, ½ cup stout and butter to a saucepan over high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, stop stirring. Allow to boil for 7 minutes, without stirring. Remove from heat, immediately stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons stout.
  • Spray a silicon spatula with cooking spray (except the handle).
  • Gently pour the caramel sauce over the corn, stirring to coat.
  • Bake for 20 minutes at 250, stir, and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and spread evenly onto a sheet of parchment or wax paper, sprinkle immediately with salt. Allow to cool, until hardened. Store in an air-tight container.

 

Salted Beer Caramel Corn 2

 

White Cheddar, Roasted Garlic and Sriracha Dip

 

Tillamook1

 

The Tillamook cheese factory sits in a small town in the far northern corner of Oregon. A charming setting for a charming cheese factory, one that has managed to remain small in feeling while growing wide in distribution.

While the cheese with the iconic ship on the package is easy to find in stores all over the US, Tillamook has managed to keep a small town feeling to what they’re doing. The cows all graze happily no more than 80 miles from the factory, the cheese makers all must learn how to make the 100 year old recipe the old fashion way (by hand in big metal tubs) before being allow to touch the machinery, the Board of Directors is made up exclusively of the farmers who own those happy local cows, and Tillamook farmers never use artificial growth hormones.

I was able to visit and sample (read: gorge myself) on the award wining cheese that Tillamook produces. From hand made special cheese like the Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar and the Garlic Chili Pepper Cheese (my favorite) to the award winning Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar, and even the (only available at the factory) Cheese Curds.

I even came back with a suitcase full of Baby Loaf sized cheeses, ready for more of that cheese sampling (gorging) in my own home. Turning these brick sized hunks of cheese into several sharable treats, like this dip.

Roasted Garlic, Sriracha Dip

White Cheddar, Roasted Garlic and Sriracha Dip

Ingredients

  • 1 head garlic
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup sour cream ( I used Tillamook Sour Cream)
  • 2 cups extra sharp white cheddar (I used Tillamook Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar)
  • 1 tbs Sriracha red pepper sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425.
  2. Cut the top tip of the head garlic off, just enough to expose all of the cloves. Place garlic on a separate piece of tin foil. Drizzle with olive oil and seal the foil around the garlic.
  3. Place garlic packet on a baking sheet or baking dish. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
  4. In a food processor, add the cream cheese, cornstarch, sour cream, white cheddar and Sriracha. Squeeze the head of garlic until the cloves come out, add the soft cloves to the food processor, discard the rest of the head.
  5. Process until smooth.
  6. Add dip to a saucepan over medium high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until bubbling. Transfer to a serving dish.
Roasted Garlic, Sriracha Dip3

Pumpkin Ale Muffins with Graham Cracker Streusel Topping

Pumpkin Ale Muffin2

Don’t judge me for this.

It’s obligatory. After all, I am a blogger, and it is pumpkin season. And as the beer-food blogging hybrid beast that I am, pumpkin season means two things. First, there is the food blog trend of Pumpkin All The Things that I must participate in. Second, there are the most highly anticipated of all seasonal beers: The Pumpkin Ale.

So naturally, I couldn’t let this season slip away without presenting you with a few pumpkined items, roll your pumpkin weary eyes if you will, but it’s not over yet.

I will now further assault you with a list of Must Try Pumpkin Beers, In no particular order. Are you sick of list? I hope not, I am quite the list maker, so sit tight, it’s about to get real.

1. Souther, Tier Pumpking. This has been on my list for a while, but being a West Coaster, it’s not available to me anywhere near my current longitude. It’s only because of This Girl and her new Husband that I was able to try it a few months ago in Boston. It’s fantastic. An epic example of Pumpkin Done Right. If you’re on the East Coast, it’s fairly mandatory that you pick one up.

2. Shipyard, Smashed Pumpkin. This is what you grab if you want to be punch in the mouth with some pumpkin, it’s not subtle, as Shipyard rarely is. It’s full force pumpkin in your face.

3. Elysian, Night Owl Pumpkin Ale. A nice, low ABV (I like the low alcohol beers, it means I can drink more) pumpkin pie tasting treat. More subtle than others, with a nice maltyness.

4. Avery, Rumpkin. This guy is a beast. If there was a Pumpkin Ale School Yard Bully, it’s this guy. Not only did Avery make a pumpkin ale that demands attention, they went and aged it in rum barrels (!!!!) to give you a monster ale with monster flavor and monster ABV. Be prepared to share, or at least call a cab.

5. Cigar City Brewing, Good Gourd Imperial Pumpkin Ale. This is what happens when your pumpkin beer takes a Caribbean vacation. Unique spices that come from Jamaica give you a new take, completely worth seeking out.

Pumpkin Ale Muffin5

 

Pumpkin Ale Muffins with Graham Cracker Streusel Topping

Ingredients
  

For The Muffins

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • ¾ cup pumpkin puree
  • 2/3 cup pumpkin ale
  • 2 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup melted butter
  • ¼ cup canola oil

For the Topping:

  • 5 standard sized graham cracker sheets
  • 2 tbs all purpose flour
  • 1 tbs brown sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 3 tbs melted butter

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • In a large bowl sort together the flour, brown sugar, white sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger.
  • In a small bowl stir together the pumpkin puree, pumpkin ale, eggs, vanilla extract, melted butter and canola oil.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
  • Spray 12 muffin tins with cooking spray.
  • Scoop the batter into the well of a muffin tin to about 2/3 full.
  • In a food processor, add the graham crackers and process until reduced to just crumbs.
  • Add the flour, brown sugar and salt, pulse to combine.
  • Add the melted butter and process until well combines.
  • Scoop about 1-2 tbs graham cracker mixture on top of the muffin batter.
  • Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes or until top spring back when lightly touched.

Notes

Optional add in's (stir in the batter just before pouring into the muffin tins):
2/3 cup raisins,
2/3 cup chocolate chips,
2/3 cup dried cranberries or cherries,
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Pumpkin Ale Muffin3

Pub Cookies

Pub Cookies made with beer, pretzels, chocolate chips and peanuts

I want to put a beer cooking trick up your sleeve. A secret skill to help maneuver the beer cooking universe with deft dexterity. I like to call this a Beer Extract, made by reducing that bottle of beer to a small but mighty beer syrup that fits nicely into a recipe that wants some beer flavor but is without the capacity to handle large volumes of beer right out of the bottle.

Pub Cookies made with beer, pretzels, chocolate chips and peanuts

It’s easy, really. Just simmer the beer long enough to remove the water, leaving all those other great flavors in a compact bite of beer essence. When a recipe, like these Pub Cookies, can only take a little bit of liquid and you want a bit o' that beer flavor to come through at the end, all you need to do is reduce the beer to remove the water and you’re all set.

While this might not bring you the large amounts of beer taste you might want, there is a subtle malty finish to the end flavor, along with those pretzels that always seem to love to tag along for the beer flavored ride.

Pub Cookies made with beer, pretzels, chocolate chips and peanuts

Pub Cookies

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 ounces imperial stout or porter beer
  • 3/4 cup butter cut into cubes
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg plus 1 yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup bread flour this will make them chewy
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips 60%
  • 2/3 cup mini pretzel twists broken into pieces
  • ¼ cup honey roasted peanuts

Instructions
 

  • In a pot over medium high heat add the beer and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1 tbs, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and both types of sugar, beat until well creamed. Add the egg and the yolk, beat until well combined. Add the 1 tbs of beer, and vanilla extract and beat until well combined, scraping the bottom to make sure all the ingredients are well combined.
  • In a separate bowl, add both types of flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Add dry ingredients to the stand mixer and mix on medium/low speed until just barely combined, don't over mix. Add the chocolate chips, pretzel pieces, and peanuts, and stir until incorporated.
  • Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, scoop golfball sized scoops of dough, roll them into round balls and place on the baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Bake for 18-22 minutes or until light golden brown, don't over bake. (If you don't chill the dough, or if you make smaller sized cookies, the cooking time will be much shorter. Start to keep an eye on your cookies after about 12 minutes.)

 

California Quinoa Bowl

California Quinoa Bowl is healthy, naturally gluten free, dairy free, and complete delicious in just 15 minutes. 

 California Quinoa Bowl

There are a few things we like here in California when it comes to naming dishes after our state. First, it should be healthy, we like to at least pretend that we lean towards the health conscious way of life. Second, the inclusion of avocados is almost a necessity (you can leave off those sprouts, by the way) we are quite proud of those gorgeous avocados around here. Lastly, at least three different types of produce is a must, HALF of all the fruits and vegetables that are grown in the United States are grown in California (don’t look so surprised, we are more than just palm trees and reality shows).

As a girl who was born in California and spent most of her life here, I tend to eat this way quite a bit (when not making an egregiously Non-california type dishes such as the Beer Doughnuts). I love quinoa (I always cook it this way as not to render it mushy) I load my plate with produce, and I always use chicken thighs, so much better than those chicken breasts people seem to be so fond of. But then again, maybe it’s living in LA too long I just might be sick breasts all together.

California Quinoa Bowl

California Quinoa Bowl

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken thigh fillets
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa
  • 1 red pepper, roasted and sliced
  • 1 English cucumber, peeled and diced (or 2 persian cucumbers not peeled but diced)
  • 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1 cup hummus (I used a spicy hummus)
  • 1 avocado, sliced

Instructions

  1. Sprinkle the chicken thighs on all sides with salt, pepper and onion powder.
  2. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet until hot but not smoking.
  3. Cook chicken on both sides until browned and chicken is cooked through, about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove from pan, allow to cool sligthly and slice.
  4. Evenly distribute the quinoa between 4 bowls, top with sliced chicken, red pepper, cucumber, tomatoes and chicken.
  5. Top each bowl with 1/4 cup hummus and a few slices of avocado.

 

California Quinoa Bowl2

Mediterranean Beer Braised Pork Burgers

Beer Braised Pork Burgers2

We could never manage to get ourselves through an entire conversation about cooking with beer without talking about meat. Sure, the magical leavening powers of beer give bread that awesome texture, and after making a chocolate stout cake none of my cakes will ever be sober again, but meat is where it all begins.

There is no hard data on the inception of beer cooking, but my educated guess leans me towards meat. Not just for the incedible meat tenderizing properties of beer, but also due to the fact that it’s a mild preservative, important in those pre-Frigidare days of trying to feed a crowd. These days, meat and beer just seem to have found a seamless connection, a perfect marriage that leads to the birth of outstanding crowd pleasing meals. This union is due in no small part to the fact that beer gives meat an amazingly tender texture while infusing it with a little bit of that beer flavor we all know and love.

So, what beer with what meat, you ask? Great question. Here are my recommendations:

Beef: Imperial Stout

Pork: Smoked Porter

Chicken & Turkey: Brown Ale

Fish: White Ale

 In my history of beer cooking, those are the pairings that have proven the most successful. Also, don’t forget to save some of that beer for drinking.

Beer Braised Pork Burgers

For this recipe I used my Homemade Beer Burger Buns, which was a fantastic idea.

Mediterranean Beer Braised Pork Burgers

Ingredients
  

For the Meat:

  • 1 tbs brown sugar
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 3 lbs country style pork ribs
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 14.5 wt. oz. stewed tomatoes
  • 12 oz smoked porter
  • 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 white onion chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic chopped

For the topping:

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 2 tbs fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbs dill chopped
  • ½ cup red onion very thinly sliced
  • 1 English cucumber dices
  • 1 cup firm tomatoes chopped
  • 8 Homemade Beer Burger Buns

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper and cumin.
  • Sprinkle pork on all sides with spice mixture.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven until hot but not smoking. Sear pork on all sides, working in batches in necessary.
  • Pour the stewed tomatoes and beer over the pork. Add the Worcestershire, onions and garlic. Reduce heat to a low simmer. Add a lid at a vent and allow to cook until pork is very tender and falling off the bone, about 4 hours. Shred using two forks, removing the bones from the pot. Remove meat from the pot with a slotted spoon to drain off excess moisture.
  • To make the sauce, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, dill and red onion. Chill until ready to serve.
  • Split the burger buns and fill with pork, top with cucumber, tomatoes and yogurt sauce.

Beer Braised Pork Burgers3

Homemade Beer Burger Buns

 

Homemade Beer Burger Buns via @TheBeeroness

 The Beast of Yeast

If you are among the yeast-averse, those who are convinced that bread making isn’t in your skill set, you probably haven’t even read far enough to see that I have faith in your yeast taming abilities. Not only is it easier than you think, it’s so completely satisfying to watch that bread rise, yielding perfectly delicious results, and it’s also much cheaper than buying sub par alternatives at the market.

Over the past few years I’ve falling in love with the process of bread making, figuring out not just how to make dough rise, but why it fails. Here are my tips to making sure you have fresh baked success every time you tear open a packet of yeast:

1. Rapid rise yeast and regular dry active yeast are not the same. Rapid rise yeast needs more heat to activate, a heat level that will kill regular yeast. Use the type of yeast that the recipe calls for or the dough won’t rise (or won’t rise properly).

2. Buy a kitchen thermometer. Yeast is very picky when it comes to heat. Make sure the liquid you use is in the right temperature range. If the liquid is too hot, the yeast will be killed. If the liquid is too cold, the yeast won’t be activated. A thermometer will take any guess work out of it.

3. Yeast dies. Check the expiration date, if yeast is past that, it doesn’t have the living organism necessary to make dough rise.

4. Salt kills yeast. Don’t let yeast come in direct contact with salt or it will die. I’m over cautious with this, adding salt towards the end, after the yeast has been activated by the liquid. Salt is important in giving bread a bright flavor and helping you to avoid bland baked goods. Don’t skip salt, just add it last.

5. Dough rise times will depend on the temperature of your room. Dough rises faster in a warm room, and really slowly in a cold room. Although dough will still rise in a room as cold as 40F, it will take days to double in size. If the recipes says, "Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour," pay more attention to "doubled in size" rather than the "1 hour." Especially in winter, if your house is cold. It could take several hours if your house is colder than 70F.

6. Yeast feeds on sugars. You’ll have much higher levels of yeast rising success if you let your yeast feed off a little sugar (granulated sugar, honey or anything else with high sugar content). Add some to any bread recipe you make for greater levels of dough rising success.

Homemade Beer Burger Buns via @TheBeeroness

Now that you’ve had your crash course in yeast baking you are all set to tackle that culinary bucket list and impress your friends.

You can totally do this.

 

Homemade Beer Burger Buns

5 from 1 vote
Servings 8 buns

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½ cups All purpose flour
  • 1 envelope rapid rise yeast 2 ½ tsp
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ¾ cup wheat beer
  • ¼ cup butter softened
  • 1 tbs raw honey
  • ½ tsp salt plus additional for topping
  • egg wash 1 egg plus 1 tbs water, beaten
  • 2 tbs sesame seeds

Instructions
 

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, add the flour, yeast, and onion powder. Mix until combined.
  • In a microwave safe bowl add the beer. Microwave on high for 20 seconds, test temperature with a cooking thermometer and repeat until temperature reaches between 120 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Add the beer to the stand mixer and mix on medium speed. Once most of the dough has been moistened, sprinkle with the salt, honey and add softened butter.
  • Turn speed to medium-high and beat until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
  • Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Allow to sit in a warm room until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 400.
  • Remove from bowl and add to a lightly floured surface, knead a few times. Cut into 8 equal sized pieces.
  • Form each piece into a tight ball. Add evenly spaced over a baking sheet that has been covered with parchment paper.
  • Cover loosely and allow to rise until almost doubled in size, about 20-30 minutes.
  • Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds and salt.
  • Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown.

Homemade Beer Burger Buns via @TheBeeroness

Tater Tot Burger with Sriracha Sour Cream

 

Tater Tot Burgers with Sriracha Sour Cream

If I have a guilty-pleasure-trash-food-first-love-can’t-believe-I’m-admitting-this food, it’s tater tots. I own a deep fryer that has produced more tater tots than all other foods combined. I even created a Tater Tot Cone Holder for use at parties for my Tater Tot Bar with Accompanying Sauces.

We all have Ore-ida, the inventor of tater tots, to thank for the best of all bad foods. And although they make a fabulous version (it is the original after all) I tend to favor the Trader Tots from Trader Joe’s. Either way, turning them into The Best Veggie Patty Of All Times is a great idea. No meat eater on the planet will complain about this meatless burger.

 

Tater Tot Burgers2

Tater Tot Burger with Sriracha Sour Cream

Yield: 4 burgers

Ingredients

  • 2 cups tater tots (thawed if frozen)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ¼ cup Italian style breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • sliced cheddar cheese
  • 4 hamburger buns
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 tsp sriracha

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl add the tater tots, eggs, onion powder, and breadcrumbs. Using a potato masher, mash and stir until well combined.
  2. Form into 4 well compacted patties.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
  4. Gently place the patties in the skillet, allowing to brown before gently flipping.
  5. Add the cheddar cheese and cook until melted.
  6. Transfer to buns.
  7. Mix together the sour cream and sriracha.
  8. Top burgers with sriracha sour cream prior to serving.

Sriracha Sour Cream adapted from The Sriracha Cookbook. Buy it. Right now. For real.

Tater Tot Burgers3