Putting dip on bread. Serving it on a silver platter. Acting fancy.
It’s the same amalgamation of ingredients as that dip you serve in that Pyrex bowl surrounded by bread slices, relatively similar process, but the result is the ability to use the Italian word for "little toast" whilst talking about beer cheese dip.
It also allows for your unruly party guests to grab a portable portion of dip and move along, avoiding a traffic jam around the dip section and promoting harmonious party mingling.
Or you could just serve it in a bowl surrounded by bread like a normal person. But you’ll miss out on being able to say Italian words like a boss.
Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Brush both sides with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake for ten minutes. Turn slices over, bake for ten more minutes or until golden brown.
While the bread cooks, make the cheese dip.
Add the cream cheese, sour cream, parmesan, half the mozzarella, spinach, cornstarch, beer, chili sauce and garlic powder, process until well combined.
Add to a saucepan over medium heat along with the artichoke hearts. Cook, stirring frequently, until hot and bubbly.
Spoon cheese dip onto the toasted bread, sprinkle with remaining cheese. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes.
Let’s pretend for a second that you’ve never had biscuits and gravy.
Like you’ve never sat in good company at a crappy diner in a small town eating sub par biscuits and gravy washing it down with shitty coffee like it’s the best breakfast you’ve ever had. Like you’ve never had someones grandma make them for you so early in the morning you could hardly keep your eyes open. Like you’ve never delayed the start of day two of a road trip just so that you could have a plate of southern comfort food from that place your friend once told you about.
But we can’t do that. Because there is something about that combination of simple ingredients, done just right, that stays with us forever. The way the perfect song pouring out your car windows as you drive down a softly worn country road on a summer afternoon makes you feel like everything’s right in the world.
The food that stays with us, that comforts us, reminds us of home, is almost always simple food. It’s these dishes that are worth making, and remaking, over and over, making small adjustments that no one but us really notices, because dishes like this stay with us.
In a processor add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and rosemary.
Pulse to combine. Add the cold butter, process until well combined. Add to a large bowl.
Add the buttermilk and beer. Mix with a fork until just combined.
Add to a well-floured flat surface, pat into a rectangle. Using a cold rolling pin (preferably marble) gently roll into a large rectangle, about 1 inch in thickness, using as few strokes as possible.
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, fold in thirds again. Gently roll into about 1 1/2 inch thickness (this will give you the flakey layers).
Using a biscuit cutter cut out 6 to 8 biscuits. Place in a baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Brush biscuits with melted butter, sprinkle salt.
Bake at 400 for 12 to 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
To make the gravy add the sausage to a pan over medium high heat. Cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned. Add the onions and butter, stirring and cooking until onions are browned, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour. Whisk until flour is well combined. Cook until flour has browned. Add the milk, stout, Worcestershire, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Cook until thickened, about 8 minutes.
Top the biscuits with gravy and fried eggs, if desired.
A HUGE Thank You to my Facebook Fans who suggested I work on a Beer Biscuits and Gravy recipe. You guys are always an inspiration.
The culinary world is full of high brow words that can be used to dazzle and confuse the mainstream masses, that in reality just define simple principles.
Charcuterie? Just a meat plate.
Crutites? Just raw vegetables.
Braise? Sear in hot pan then cook slow and low in liquid.
Canapé? Any type of finger food.
And that brings us to confit. Sounds difficult and intimidating but it just means to cook in oil or fat at a low temperature for a long time. It was originally invented as a way to preserve meat and chefs quickly found that it worked wonders on duck and goose. The greatest gift that the Confit Inventor gave to the modern day busy entertainer is that it can be made a week (some say months) ahead of time. The flavors just keep getting better. It’s an easy and nearly foolproof way of cooking like a Culinary Superhero even if you only have a few successful meals under your cookin' belt.
I made this twice, the second time I just served the duck over a pile IPA mashed potatoes (rather than making the cakes) with the stout pomegranate sauce and a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds, turned out beautifully. It was so good I’m already planning on making it again. It’s my new Go-To fancy dinner party meal.
Don’t let the deluxe title fool you, use it as a way to dazzle and impress others. Just don’t let them know how easy it was.
Sprinkle a thin layer of kosher salt in a baking pan. Arrange the duck legs in an even layer over the salt. Sprinkle with chopped thyme, press the garlic cloves onto the duck legs. Sprinkle with remaining salt. Cover and chill for 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 275.
Remove duck from pan, rinse well, return to a clean, salt free pan.
Cover with duck fat and olive oil.
Cook at 275 until duck is falling off the bone, about 3 hours.
Cover and chill for 24 hours and up to a week (some chefs state that duck confit can last up to two month chilled in fat, and flavor gets better over time. However, there is a slight increased risk of food born illness after 8 days).
When ready to serve, return to 300 degree oven until warmed through. Gently shred, remove from oil to drain.
To make the Sauce:
Add the pomegranate juice, stout and balsamic to a saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally until thickened and reduced, about 15 minutes. (Can be made a week ahead of time. Chill until ready to use, heat slightly under warm running water before drizzling. I store this in a plastic squeeze bottle).
To make the potato cakes:
Cook the potatoes in lightly salted boiling water until fork tender. Drain and add potatoes to a stand mixer along with butter, cream, IPA, salt and pepper, mix on medium speed until well combined.
Form into 4 inch wide by one inch high cakes, place on a baking sheet covered with wax paper. Chill for one hour and up to 24.
In a small bowl Wisk together the egg and milk. In a separate bowl add the flour. In a third bowl add the breadcrumbs.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. One at a time dredge the cakes in flour, then dip in milk mixture, then coat with breadcrumbs.
Fry in hot olive oil until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan, allow to drain on a stack of paper towels.
To plate add the cakes to serving plates, top with duck meat, drizzle with stout pomegranate sauce, sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.
Notes
To make Challah breadcrumbs, add ½ a challah loaf to a food processor and process until just crumbs. Pour crumbs in on a baking sheet in an even layer. Bake at 350 until golden brown, about 6 minutes.
I use the Duck Fat you can also find it at Sur La Table and it also works wonders with potatoes. (Affiliate Link)
And not in that I Almost Died in Morocco story kind of way, this is more the twisted inner workings of Jackie kind of way. It’ll only take a second.
I sleep about as well as homeless prostitute (that’s bad, by the way). If I can fall asleep, it’s never for very long. Sleep is as evasive as a greased pig at the county fair, if I can catch it, it’s slips away from me pretty easily. Most of this is due to my crazy brain waking me up with dreams like this, or for unnecessary demands and insignificant request.
-You have to send that W9!
-Shut up and go to sleep. I’ll do it in the morning.
–The trademark hasn’t gone through yet!
–I want to beat you. Shut your hole. there is nothing I can do about right now.
It happens every night, all night long. Sometimes Crazy Brain has recipe requests, and they are always bizarre.
-You have to make a chocolate bread pudding tart!
-Are you carb deficient? Go the EFF to sleep.
–Beer cheese tater tot nachos!!
-Are you high?
But occasionally it’s really on to something. Like a few nights ago when I was rudely awakened from a sound sleep with the request for a beerified mall walkers treat.
–ORANGE BREWLIUS!
-SHUT– oh, wait. I like that. Remind me of that at a more appropriate hour.
So here I am, to inflict on you the spoils of my horrible and erratic sleep in an attempt to put my crazy mind at rest. Or maybe I’m just reinforcing bad behavior, either way, this was delicious. I used Ommegang Abbey Ale, a great beer that would actually do well to pair with your Thanksgiving dinner. Although I decided to sully it in a copy cat recipe of a large chain smoothie maker.
You think that I put a Pumpkin Ale in that pie. It’s a fair assumption, and not a bad route to take when beerifying (that’s a word) a pumpkin pie. Sure, you can use that. Go ahead, be my beer-cookin' guest, it’s not a bad choice. But for this I wanted to play up those brown sugar flavors with a nice barrel aged brown ale. So that’s exactly what I did.
Brown ales don’t get enough air time. They are often forgotten in the beer-of-the-moment hype. Browns are the George Harrison’s of the beer world. The Willem Dafoe’s of the beer world.
But brown ales have a lot of potential, a lot of great flavors, a lot of depth. Especially when they’ve been aged in a bourbon barrel. Like this Palo Santo Marron from Dogfish Head which has unleashed that underrated brown ale potential in a way that will remind the Beer Snobs that it’s here to play. Or make pies. Or maybe both.
I used this Kitchen torch, because it’s amazing, easily one of my favorite kitchen tools. (affiliate link)
Roll the pie dough out on a lightly floured surface and line a 9-inch pie pan. Place in the fridge to chill until the filling is ready.
In a pot over medium heat, add the cream. Heat until the cream starts to bubble around the edges.
In a large bowl whisk together the white sugar, brown sugar and egg yolks. Whisking continually, slowly pour the hot cream into the eggs. Whisk until well combined.
Add the remaining ingredients (other than the brulee sugar), whisk until well combined.
Pour into the prepared pie pan.
Bake at 375 for 50-60 minutes or until the filling puffs slightly and has set around the edges (the center will still be wobbly). Chill until set, at least 4 hours.
Just prior to serving, sprinkle the remaining white sugar over the top of the pie in an even layer. Using a culinary torch brulee the sugar until melted and turned a dark amber color.
And I hope you won’t hold this against me but I’m about to give you a pie dough lecture. About that store bought crust you use. And how you have to stop.
For the love of Good Beer, stop it.
Here’s why, hold tight, I’m about to change your pre-made-pie-dough buying ways:
It takes 8 minutes to make this. It’s tastes a thousands times better. It freezes really well. And you get to brag to everyone about how "hard" you worked making that dough from scratch.
I’ve made several pie dough recipes in the past and always go back to a version of Cooks Illustrated Foolproof Pie Dough. Mostly because it’s so simple. With an added bonus that it has an amazing tenderness and flakiness that doesn’t always happen with other pie dough recipes.
The original recipe uses vodka, the high alcohol content contributes to the flakeyness. I’ve subbed in some beer (shocking), but make sure to use a high ABV beer to get the right effect (step away from the inBev).
It makes a really soft dough that freezes great, some even say it’s better after being frozen for a while. You can make these far ahead of your other Holiday Meal Prep and just freeze it for later. Make sure and give it a full 24 hours in the fridge to come back to life.
And feel free to keep all of this to yourself, let them all think you worked your ass of for that perfect pie crust.
Add 1 ½ cups of flour, salt and sugar to a food processor, pulse to combine. Add the butter and shortening, process until well combined and dough gathers around the blade.
Add the remaining flour and pulse 6-8 times or until all the flour has been coated.
Transfer to a bowl. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the beer until completely incorporated into the dough (don’t add the beer in the food processor or your dough will turn into a cracker). Dough will be very soft.
Lay two long sheets of plastic wrap on a flat surface.
Divide the dough evenly between the two sheets, Form into flat disks.
Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap. Place the disks into a freezer bag.
Freeze for up to 3 weeks. (If you want to use the dough the day of, place the wrapped disks in the refrigerator for 2 hours and up to 3 days)
24 hours before use, put the dough in the refrigerator to thaw.
Notes
If the dough breaks easily when you try to roll it out, gently knead it with your hands until it comes together. Roll it out, line a pie pan and refrigerator to chill, about 30 minutes.
*This recipe also works with all butter, or all shortening, if you prefer.
Leave it to me to take a perfectly healthy and delicious side dish, like roasted broccoli, and pour a bunch of cheese and beer all over it, effectively negating most of the health benefits.
But really, it’s for your own good. There’s a good chance you’re sitting there planning a menu, a Turkey centric, end it with pie, If I don’t eat too much I’m doing it wrong, type of late November meal. Me too.
We’ve got the main dish down, and potatoes are all set, lots of pies (probably too many), but then those wily vegetable side dishes always come last. Is green bean casserole really enough green stuff? Should I have more?
Yes. You should have some roasted broccoli, serve it with a side of cheese sauce to match the excessive gluttony level of the rest of the table.
Sprinkle with flour and cornstarch, whisk until thickened. Cook, whisking continually for three minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk and the beer, stirring to make sure no lumps remain.
About ¼ cup at a time, add the cheese, whisking between addition until the cheese has completely melted. Make sure to adjust heat to make sure it does not boil.
Preheat oven to 400.
Add the broccoli to a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic and salt. Toss to coat.
Roast at 400 for 10-15 minutes until fork tender and edges have started to crisp.
Serve with cheese sauce on the side or drizzled on top.
As we fly through the fall, hurdling towards the holiday season, our first major stop will be the festival of glutton that I love so much. While many of you will show up to your respective Thanksgiving feasts bearing bottles of wine, craft beer has earned a spot in America’s Favorite Meal. But there is a bit of a dilemma when it comes to pairing beer with such a huge spread, since very (very) few gatherings this large will allow the opportunity to pair a different beer with each dish, you need to pick beers that play well with many others.
Pick three separate beers for the meal progressoin. The first to pair with the appetizers that you’ve set out as your guests arrive, the second beer to pair with the poultry centric main attraction, and the third for the dessert round.
The Appetizer Beer should be like the food, a warm up for whats to come. Nothing overwhelming, you don’t want to wreck you guest palates before the meals have even begun. Look for something refreshing, clean and bright to get people ready for the onslaught of flavors that are about to come their way. My picks:
The Main Event Beer has to pair with everything from turkey to jello salad (don’t pretend like you don’t have an aunt that always brings that) so it has to be versatile. Look for a beer thats earthy, malty, moderately carbonated and low(ish) hops, you want the beer to highlight the food, not fight with it. My picks:
Dessert Beer will give you a bit more flexibility. You will probably have an assortment of pies ranging from fruit to chocolate, so you’ll need a beer that can mesh well with what you have. Since this is the final offering, it’s OK to go off the rails a bit and mix it up. I love to end a big meal with a malty, big, barrel aged beer, or a strong barleywine beer, it’s a dessert all on it’s own. My picks:
But you might need more than just turkey and rolls, although those do happen to be the cornerstones of the leftover sandwiches. Here are a few more beerified offerings for your holiday table:
And don’t forget about this Midwestern treat that I appropriately beerified, the corn soufflé that goes by many names and usually includes a box of Jiffy mix. Today we skip the mixes in favor of some real life cheese, beer and all kinds of deliciousness.
Sprinkle with flour, whisk until thickened and light brown in color, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the milk and beer until well combined.
About ¼ cup a time, stir in the cheese, stirring until completely incorporated between additions. Stir in the corn kernels and cornmeal, remove from heat.
In a small bowl whish together the egg yolks (reserve the whites), sour cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne. Stir the egg yolk mixture into the corn mixture.
In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Stir the egg whites into the corn mixture.
Pour the mixture into a greased 2qt baking dish.
Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until the edges start to turn light golden brown.
We spend weeks crafting a menu, days of prep, countless hours of cooking and then freak out about what to do with it all the next day. I do that same thing, even though leftovers on their own are fantastic. Maybe it’s because, even after hours and days and weeks of prep, we still feel "lazy" just reheating the tupperware containers and setting it out on the table.
Even though I will chow down on cold beer brined turkey and left over dinner rolls in those post dawn hours, it’s still not hyper socially expectable to serve mashed potatoes and leftover turkey for breakfast. But throw some chopped up rolls and a few handfuls of turkey into a skillet with some eggs and you’ve got brunch.
And you should serve it with a mimosa, you’ve earned it
Leftover Turkey Frittata Recipe
Ingredients
3 tbs butter
2 cups bread cut into cubes (leftover dinner rolls work well)
1 cup turkey, cut into cubes
½ red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
6 eggs
¼ cup sour cream
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ cup green onion, chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven 400.
Melt the butter in a 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
Add the bell peppers, cook until softened.
Add the bread cubes, cooking until browned.
Add the turkey, toss to coat.
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sour cream, salt and pepper.
Pour into the skillet, sprinkle with green onions.
Cook undisturbed until the sides have set, about 5 minutes.
Bake at 400 until until center has set, about 12 minutes.
I grew up just feet from an apple orchard on a farm in Easter Washington. Although not as idyllic and charming as one may be led to imagine, I did walk away with an above average ability to name an apples variety just by looking at it. I’ve also learned a thing or two about which apples to use for what, and more importantly, why.
Apples not only run the spectrum of sour to candy like sweetness, but texture is also a huge issue. If a recipe calls for a Granny Smith and you use a Gala don’t be surprised if you end up with an overly sweet pie pan full of mush. Some apples hold up really well to high heat, others don’t. Some need more sugar, while others need very little. If a recipe calls for a specific type of apple, try your best to find that type, the recipes success may depend on it.
Red Delicious: This is the most popular apple in America and I have little idea why, other than it looks so beautiful in a fruit basket. The flesh easily turns to mush when cooked and texture is grainy. Try to avoid this when cooking and use it only raw, like in salads.
Granny Smith: Very popular baking apple because it holds up to high heat, keeping it’s shape during baking. It is also on the sour side, so if you’re substituting a different apple for recipe that calls for a Granny Smith, you might want to pull back on the sugar a bit. Still a great choice for baking, pies especially, but it tends to be best when mixed with another sweeter apple (like a Braeburn or Golden Delicious).
Honeycrisp: with a beautiful red and green skin, this apples has had a rapid rise in popularity among bakers in the past decade. With a snappy crispness, well balanced sweet-tart flavor and a flesh that wont let you down once baked, this is a variety to seek out when making an apple tart, apple pie or apple tart Tatin. If you can’t find the popular Honey Crisp, look for the Rome Beauty or a SweeTango. With similar qualities, these an excellent stand in.
McIntosh: This is another large red and green marbled beauty. It isn’t the best choice for baking because it tends to fall apart, but because of it’s strong apple flavors it’s a great choice for apple sauce makin'.
Cortland: This is one of the few apples that has tannins. Tannins are most often talked about when discussing wine, they give you that pucker feeling in the back of your throat when drinking a glass of vino. Because of that, Cortlands make a great addition to cider making.
Just be aware that "apple" is not one size fits all when it comes to baking. Making sure you have the right man for the job will help make sure you hit the mark when making those holiday pies.
Apple Pie Bread Pudding
Ingredients
4 tbs butter
3 large Honeycrisp apples, peeled and chopped (about 4 ½ cups)
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon, divided
¼ tsp salt
1 loaf Italian bread, cut into cubes (about 8 cups)
4 large eggs
1 ½ cups milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup chopped pecans
Whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
Melt the butter in a pan over medium high heat. Add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ½ tsp salt. Allow to come to a low boil, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has turn thick and syrupy, about 15 minutes.
Spray a 7×11 (or 9×9) baking dish with cooking spray. Pour the apple mixture into the pan, avoiding the outer edges.
Top with bread cubes and pecans.
In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, nutmeg, vanilla and remaining ½ tsp salt. Pour evenly over the bread.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour and up to overnight.
Preheat oven to 375.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. If the bread starts to brown too early, cover with aluminum foil and continue to bake until cooked through.
Invert onto a serving tray, slice and served topped with whipped cream, if desired.
From an outsiders perspective, the question might seems silly. Beer, after all, is made from plants and water. At its most basic, the ingredients to make beer are simple: water, malt, hops, yeast; all of which are clearly non-animal. And while brewmasters have a way of working everything from bacon to whole chickens into their beer, the biggest culprits are more subtle.
Sometimes, the de-veganized beers are easy to spot, a milk stout that uses lactose, or a honey kolsch, but more often than not, our veggie loving beer friends are in the dark as to whether an animal part has made its way into their pints. Since the CDC, the TTB, the FDA and all the other acronym loving agencies that have their grubby paws in what we consume do not require anyone to disclose the use of animal byproducts in the processing of food or beverages, it often gets left off the label (in fact, almost always).
The biggest offenders are what brewers use to clarify beer. While the need for clarifying is often done with non animal ingredients, or replaced with a centrifuge machine, it’s still common for breweries to use ingredients like gelatin or fish bladders as clarifying agents rendering beer not only non-vegan but non-vegetarian. There is also the foam control issue, and I’m not talking about the frothing of the mouth that occurs when your favorite stout is on Nitro, but the desire brewers have to give you that perfect level of foam head on your pints. To gain control on that lovely can’t-you-settle-yet-I-need-a-drink-now head on your beer, brewers have been known to use pepsin (made from pigs) or albium (made from animal blood) to give you the perfect pour.
But if you are one of the growing numbers of craft beer loving veggie devotees, don’t despair. Many, many breweries are hip to your vibe, vegan beer is a concern for many. When it comes to finding out if your beer is sans-beasts, google is your friend. Also, websites like Barnivore give a great and growing list of vegan friendly breweries and beers.
For this recipe I used Sierra Nevada Porter, a vegan beer. In fact, as a company, Sierra Nevada is 100% vegan friendly.
As an addendum to this, it needs to be mentioned that there is nothing wrong with the use of animal products in beer. Milk stout is a favorite of mine, and a good honey kolsch is great to pair with a summer cook out. However, disclosure is key and giving people the information they need to keep the diet they choose is a way to keep us all friends in this craft beer community.
Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium high heat, add the mushroom, sauté until darkened and softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the onions and carrots and cook until softened about 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic then add the broth and ½ cup beer. Stir in the dry quinoa, allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until quinoa is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Add the beans, bell pepper, corn, smoked paprika, pepper, salt, cumin and garlic powder, allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the remaining beer, jalapenos, tomatoes, and sriracha, simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened and reduced.
Ladle into bowls, top with avocado, green onion and cilantro.
Flourless Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are naturally dairy and gluten free, take 5 minutes and one bowl to throw together.
There is really nothing simple about my life these days. Between two blogs, freelance work, a book, a book tour, another super secret project I hope to tell you about soon, and (oh yeah) a family, I’ve officially crossed over into complex living. As a result, my food has become more simple. Beautifully simple. Fewer (but better) ingredients, less waste, more time with that family who gives me so much support. These cookies are a great example. My favorite cookie recipe ever (on the planet) takes 3 days to make, inspiring the name Thursday Night Cookies because if I want them for the weekend, I need to start making them Thursday night.
But right now, in this crazy phase of my life, I want something that can give me near instant comfort and gratification with just a few ingredients I already have. So that someday I can get back to those lazy days and Thursday Night Cookies.
Flourless Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes
Yield: 12 cookies
Ingredients
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup whole oats
½ cup chocolate chips
1 large egg
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350
In a large bowl gently stir together all ingredients.
Using a cookie scoop, add golf ball size mounds to a cookie sheet that has been covered with parchment paper, evenly spaced. Flatten to one-inch circles using your hand.
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Pull the parchment paper off the cookie sheet and onto a flat surface. Allow to cool.
Notes
A lot of oat companies process their oats with machines that also come in contact with gluten, making the contamination rate high for store bought oats. If you need these to be gluten free, make sure to buy oats labeled "gluten free."
I’m on a book tour as I write this, traveling the West Coast somewhere between Mexico and Canada, hoping my way from brewery to brewery. Nothing like a good old fashion beer pilgrimage to inspired patriotism and re-ignite the wanderlust in my gypsy soul. From the backwoods of wine country, to small towns that defy identification from Google Mapping, to orchards in the Pacific Northwest, to the beer lovers whom I’ve shared pints with, this has been an incredible journey that is nowhere near over.
In the process of writing this blog, falling in love with craft beer and her people, I’ve had the incredible fortune to count some of the fine folks at Stone Brewing among my fans. In fact, Stone was the first supporter to share my posts with their fans when I started this blog, an incredible honor. And now, if that wasn’t enough, they even want to host a stop on my book tour. Lucky for me, and for anyone who wants to grab a pint with me, Stone Brewing is an amazing place for some beer tasting with an incredible selection of beer that’s hard to come by. Making those who are able to grab a pint on location all the more fortunate.
For this recipe, I grabbed two great Stone beers that will both work equally well. I’ve made it with both beers (although you only need to choose one) and both gave excellent results. Beer cheese can be made with any type of beer, but for that great big bold beer punch a high hopped beer works best. And no one knows there way around a hopped up beer like Stone Brewing. First I used the get-it-while-its-hot Enjoy By 11.12.13 IPA, a beer with a manic following and Must Drink Now warning label. Grab one if you see it in a beer store, they won’t last. I also grabbed Stone Brewing's black IPA the Sublimely Self Righteous, a great beer for those of us that love when those roasted malt flavors make their way into a higher IBU beers. Either way, it’s a recipe for those of us who love the bitterness that only a well made IPA can bring.
2cups6 wt oz shredded sharp cheddar, plus ¼ cup divided
½cupwhole milk
1tspsalt
½tsppepper
1tspgarlic powder
1tbscornstarch
2tbsbutter
1.5lbsrusset potatoessliced
1cuppanko bread crumbs
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
In a food processor add the beer, 2 cups cheese, milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cornstarch. Process until very smooth, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add the potato slices and cook until browned. Spread the potatoes out until farily evenly distributed around the pan.
Pour cheese sauce over the potatoes and allow to simmer for ten minutes.
Add the remaining 1.4 cup cheese and panko bread crumbs to the top. Transfer to the oven and allow to cook until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are fork tender, about 30 minutes.
This past Sunday, as I stood at a podium in the middle of a convention center talking about the glorious interplay of beer & chocolate and how to pair the two, I was asked which chocolate stout I recommend.
My book tour kicks off in a few days and one of my first stops is at Bear Republic, one of my favorite California breweries. On October 10th, from 6:30 to 8:30 I’ll be at the pub in Healdsburg hanging out, signing books, hoping to meet some of you and gleefully consuming some Bourbon Smokey Bear Stout. Join me, if you’re in the area, sit down and have a beer with me.
It was the beauty of Racer 5 IPA that introduced me to Bear Republic, quickly becoming a go-to favorite of mine, one I always have on hand at parties. It’s a crowd pleaser with just the right amount of hops to give you what you want but not overwhelm, it gives a perfect balance.
Because of that perfectly balanced hop kick, it’s a great beer-cheese-beer. Even more perfect to stuff that beer cheese inside a tender garlic filled roll for an awesomely beer flavored garlic cheese roll that can be a meal all in itself. But really, it’s just about being responsible when drinking, you need to eat something to soak up all that fantastic Racer 5 you be able to put down.
Join me October 10th, 2013 6:30-8:30, at Bear Republic!
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, add the flour, yeast, sugar and garlic 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, add the oil and sprinkle with the salt while the mixer is still running.
Turn speed to 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. Remove from bowl and add to a lightly floured surface. Knead several times, roll out into a rectangle about 10 inches by 18 inches.
Add all of the filling ingredients to a food processor, process until smooth and well combined, about 5 minutes.
Spread the filling evenly across the dough. Starting at the long edge roll the dough into a log. Cut the dough into 8 rolls, each about 2 inches wide. Place cut side down into a baking dish. Cover and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese.
Bake uncovered at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown. Serve warm.
I use this Microplane to turn a clove of garlic into paste in a second. (Affiliate link)
Moroccan food will always feel a bit dangerous to me because I almost died in Morocco. At least that’s how it felt.
A few years ago, after a plane ride, several trains, and a multi-hour bus ride through the back woods of Morocco, I found myself in the middle of the city of Fez with my sister. After a sleepless week filled with a mazed of a walled city, a ride through Middle Atlas with a Moroccan drug dealer, wild monkeys, and dimly lit back rooms in rug factories, it was time to head back to Spain. The night before the long bus ride back to the ferry dock, it made sense to find the bus station, a dry run to see how far of a walk it was, sans backpacks, to give ourselves enough time the next morning.
After a longer than anticipate walk, we found ourselves at the dusty entrance to a dilapidated bus terminal that would be the exit door to a traumatic but eye opening trip. Just before dusk we start to walk back to our hotel, instinctively walking faster as the sun began to dip below the horizon. Trying to remain strong for the other, each of us tried to lighten the mood with jokes and small talk but an old Peugeot hatch back fill with Moroccan men broke all pretense that was possible.
We ran. They followed. Driving onto sidewalks, down alleys, cat calls and Arabic slang floating out the windows. The darkness that had fallen echoed the feeling of panic rising inside me as I tried to remember the route back to the hotel. Just get back to the hotel, inside the doors, just get back. But I was lost. I had no idea where we were, nothing looked familiar.
As we rounded a corner, too small for the little car to make, the four men abandoned their vehicle and began to chase on foot. I turned down the nearest alley, only to see two other men, their backs to us. They had machine guns. We stopped dead, frozen.
As they slowly turned towards us, I could feel our hunters stop as well, a few yards behind us. That moment, which was probably only mere seconds, seemed to last forever. The Peugeot Crew behind us, the Machine Gun Two in front. Either they save us, or they kill is. This either works out fine, or it’s about to get really bad. Frozen, silently begging them to help, willing them to be good.
The Machine Gun Two yelled in Arabic, shooing the men back into their car. The sound of the Peugeot driving away came just seconds later. "We are police. We will help you." A relief, mixed with the reality that we weren’t safe yet, came over me. They knew exactly where our hotel was, just a few blocks away.
As we began the walk back to our temporary sanctuary, the Moroccan cops began a friendly chat that ended with,"You girls are very pretty. Can we show you the town?" Lucky for us, they were gentleman, taking the rejection in stride as they deposited us at the door of our hotel. Kindly waving goodbye as we disappeared inside.
Later that night, after we’d decompressed, we braved the streets for a nearby cafe. A literal hole in the wall that had been carved out a century earlier to include a clay oven that made the most incredible chicken. For just the equivalent of 4 American dollars total, we each had a metal plate with roasted Moroccan chicken and saffron rice. It very well may have been the intensity of the situation, but that was the best damn chicken I’ve ever had. Now Moroccan chicken just tastes incredible, especially when it doesn’t come after seeing machine guns.
In a small bowl combine the salt, pepper and ¼ cup flour, set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet until hot by not smoking.
Dredge the chicken thighs in the flour mixture, sear in the hot pan until browned on all sides. Remove from pan (the chicken will not be cooked through at this time).
Add the shallots, cooking until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic.
Stir in the chicken broth, stout, ginger, cayenne, cumin, brown sugar and lemon juice.
Return the chicken to the pan, reduce heat to maintain a low simmer. Cover loosely and cook until the chicken is cooked through and registers 160F on a cooking thermometer.
Transfer chicken to a serving platter.
Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons flour over the sauce, whisking to combine. Add pitted dates.
Increase heat to a strong simmer and allow to cook, stirring occasionally until reduced and thickened, about 8 minutes.
Serve chicken over rice or couscous with dates and sauce, sprinkled with parsley and almonds.
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.
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:
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
Preheat oven to 375.
Grease a glass 8X8 baking dish.
In a large bowl combine the cornmeal, flour (or masa harina), brown sugar, baking soda, salt cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, and shredded coconut.
Make a well in the center, add the oil, eggs and coconut milk, stir until just combined.
Pour evenly into the prepared baking dish.
Bake at 375 for 30-25 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched.
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.
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.
you can also find it at Sur La Table and it also works wonders with potatoes. 
to turn a clove of garlic into paste in a second. 
