Witbier Cookies

photo by Heather Hanson Photography LLC

If witbier were a cookie, this would be it. These are sure to add a bit of citrus-y joy to your holiday! 

The thing that surprised em the most when I tackled this recipe was the beer reduction. I've made reductions with stouts, porters and sours before. Bute never a wheat beer. And never reduced down so far. The resulting syrup was malty and sweet with just a hint of the orange and cardamom used in the beer. I'm tempted to reduce another batch to play around with. Ice cream toppings, a salmon glaze, or perhaps a dash in a cocktail or two?

 Recipe adapted from Food Republic 

Yields about 4 dozen cookies 

Ingredients 

for the cookies

• 2 – 12 oz bottles of Witbier
• 5 Tbsp honey
• ¾ cup unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), softened
• 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp orange zest
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking soda

for the glaze

• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp orange zest
• 1 Tbsp orange juice
• 1 Tbsp heavy cream
• 1 cup powdered sugar

  Preparation

• Combine the beer and honey in a medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan. Over medium heat, bring the beer to a gentle boil, skimming foam as needed. Cook until reduced to 1/3 cup (this may take up to an hour). Allow to cool slightly.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.
• Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy and well combine. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Add the coriander, orange zest and beer reduction, mixing until just combined.
• Combine the flour and baking soda. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture.
• Drop batter by heaping Tbsp onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• For the icing, whisk together the vanilla, zest, orange juice, cream and powdered sugar. Spoon a dollop onto each cookie and spread icing to the edges. Allow to set 15-20 minutes before serving.
• ENJOY!

Framboise Lemon Bars

 

Photo by Heather Hanson Weddings

Lemon and raspberries may seem like more of a summer treat, but these bars will add a refreshing palette cleanser among all of those other holiday sweets. Lemon Bars marry well with any number of beers, but for the raspberry kick, Framboise seemed the most appropriate. This sour style of fruit beer is readily available at most liquor stores. Lindemans is by far the best known, but I'm sure you can find any number of local or other export varieties on the shelves! These bars were made with Boom Island's Framboise, which is only available from their taproom. And sadly, very limited quantities remain.

The recipe is my own

Yields 24-28 bars

Ingredients
For the crust

• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• ¼ cup Framboise

For the filling

• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup flour
• juice and zest of 2 lemons
• ¼ cup pureed raspberries
• ½ cup Framboise
• 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
• pinch of salt
• powdered sugar for garnish
• raspberries for garnish

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
• Whisk together the powdered sugar, flour, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Stir in the Framboise until just combined.
• Press crust into an ungreased 9” x 13” baking dish. A pint glass works wonderfully to roll the surface into a smooth, even layer.
• Bake the crust for 25-30 minutes, or until just beginning to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Whisk together the eggs, flour, lemon juice, zest, raspberries, Framboise, sugar and salt. Pour the mixture on top of the cooled crust.
• Bake lemon bars for 20-25 minutes for until the filling is set and just slightly jiggles in the center. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Refrigerate for at least two hours., preferably overnight
• Before serving, cut chilled bars into 24-28 pieces. Dust generously with powdered sugar. Top each bar with a fresh raspberry.
• ENJOY!

Roasted Peach Frozen Yogurt With Granola Crumble

I've been wanted to try my hand at frozen yogurt for a while. My mother has recently been making her own yogurt at home, from a culture she procured at a local Greek restaurant. Ever since I dipped my spoon into the homemade yogurt I've been itching to try so many things with it! I cannot describe how rich and tangy hers is compared to store bought versions. She recently got me a mini slow cooker so I can making the yogurt myself...1 cup at a time.

But back to the frozen yogurt. I toyed with starting by making a classic vanilla yogurt, but the ripe peaches I came across quickly changed my mind. Bringing in one of my other favorite peach desserts I opted to add a touch of cinnamon and bourbon to the mix. The granola crumble on top lets me enjoy the best of both

the recipe is my own

yields about 5 cups frozen yogurt and about 3/4 cup granola

The Ingredients:

for the Frozen Yogurt
3 ripe peaches, sliced in half and pit removed
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp Bourbon
pinch of salt
1 cup plain yogurt, NOT fat free

for the Granola Crumble
The Process:
1/2  cup rolled oats
2 Tbsp pecans, chopped
3 Tbsp flour
1/4 brown sugar
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/4 tsp salt
pinch cinnamon
pinch nutmeg


The Process:
for the frozen yogurt
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange the peach halves on a foil lined baking sheet, cut side up. Drizzle with honey.

Roast peaches for 20-25 minutes, or until peaches are tender. Allow to cool.

Once peaches are cool, transfer the fruit along with any pan juices to a blender or food processor. Process on high until puréed. Add the sugar, salt,cinnamon,  bourbon and yogurt and mix on low until well combined.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Cover and refridgerate over night.

Using an ice cream maker, freeze the chilled base according to the manufacturer's directions. Serve immediately for a soft serve yogurt, or chill in the freezer for 2-3 hours for a firmer frozen yogurt.

for the granola crumble:
preheat oven to 350

Combine the oats, pecans, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg in a medium bowl. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients and using your fingers combine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Spread the mixture into an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes or until the mixture is golden brown. 

Allow to cool slightly. Serve a top the frozen yogurt

Strawberry Daiquiri Sorbet

Hot summer August days are upon us. If you can get your hands on fresh strawberries this late in the season, this is just the treat to help you cool off.

There is only enough booze in this dish to give the sorbet a little splash of flavor. The strawberries are really what shine. Still, always advise your guests of the presence of booze in your dessert, no matter how little the amount.

adapted from Joy of Baking

yields about 4 servings

The Ingredients:
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
juice and zest of 1 lime
1lb fresh strawberries, hulled
1 Tbsp rum
1 tsp triple sec

The Process:
Place the freezer bowl of the ice cream/sorbet maker into the freezer one day beforehand.

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan set over low heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil, and remove from heat. Transfer simple syrup to a heat proof container and refrigerate until cold.

Meanwhile, in a blender of food processor, process the strawberries into a purée. Pulse in the lime juice, rum and triple sec. Transfer to a medium bowl and refrigerate until cold.


Once the purée and simple syrup have chilled thoroughly, whisk both together into the freezer bowl of the ice cream/sorbet maker. Churn until thickened as per the manufacturer’s directions, usually about 15-20 minutes. When the sorbet is almost set, add the reserved lime zest and churn until combined. The sorbet will have a soft-serve consistency. If a firmer sorbet is desired, transfer the mixture to a chilled, air tight container and place in the freezer for an additional 2 hours. Remove from freezer 15 minutes prior to serving.

Bourbon Soaked Bundt Cake

With nearly a cup of bourbon and three sticks of butter, this is a cake to reserve for special occasions. Happy birthday, Love!

adapted from Bake it with Booze and the Brown Eyed Baker

yields 1 cake

The Ingredients

for the cake

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

4 eggs, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups cake flour, sifted

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1/3 cup bourbon

Bourbon Soaking Sauce

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup bourbon

The Process

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously oil a 10 cup bundt pan and set aside. 

In the large bowl, cream together the butter with the granulated and brown sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy (about 5 minutes on medium high using a stand mixer or hand held beaters). Scrap done sides of bowl as needed. 

Beat the eggs into the butter mixture one at a time, incorporating fully after each addition. Add the vanilla extract.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the bourbon and buttermilk. 

Alternately add the flour mixture and bourbon mixture to the butter, beginning and ending with the flour. Add the last addition by hand, folding until flour is just incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake, uncovered for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven to a wire rack and allow to cool in the bundt pan for about 10 minutes.

While the cake cools prepare the bourbon soak by Melting the butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Add the sugar and vanilla and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the bourbon. Whisk until fully combined.

Using a long skewer, poke several holes throughout the cake. Slowly pour about 3/4 of the bourbon soak onto the cake, allowing to soak in. Reserve the remaining bourbon soak.

Allow the cake to cool completely in the bundt pan, about 2 hours. Once completely cool, invert the cake onto a serving platter and remove from pan. Rewarm the remaining bourbon soak and brush onto the surface of the cake to glaze. 

Slice and enjoy!

Saison Ricotta

I know, I know. I am on a saison kick at the moment. I have no regrets.

With an excess of whole milk on hand, as well as a stellar home-brewed saison, the time seemed appropriated to revisit ricotta. I've made this simple cheese several time before, once with goats milk, once with buttermilk in lieu lemon juice or vinegar. Most frequently, I turn the curd into paneer. But not once have I incorporated beer.

The difference is flavor is definitely there. The beer isn't shy, offering up a bready base with a hoppy, herbal bite.

The biggest surprise I had with this version was how much the milk mixture frothed up as I heated it this time around. The curd that resulted was very fine, not at all like the plump tender curds from the buttermilk version. As a result, the ricotta took much, much longer to drain than I would normally like. I also substantially reduced the amount of vinegar the original recipe called for. I've had luck with 1 Tbsp per 4 cups of dairy without any problems. 3 Tbsp per 4 cups dairy seemed a bit excessive. I wanted the flavors of the beer to come through, not the tang of the acid.

As I had plans to turns this batch into gnocchi later in the week, I hung the ricotta to drain for over two hours before storing it. A half an hour should suffice to remove most of the liquid, and yields a creamier, spreadable cheese.

adapted from Jackie Dodd's recipe at TheBeeroness.com

yields about 1 pound

The Ingredients:
6 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup, plus 1/4 cup saison, divided
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

The Process:
Line a sieve with several layers of cheesecloth or muslin and set aside.

Pour the milk, cream, salt and 2/3 cup beer into a large non-reactive saucepan with a heavy bottom.  Heat slowly over medium high heat, stirring the milk constantly to prevent scorching.  Bring to mixture to 190 and remove from heat.

Gently stir in the vinegar and remaining 1/4 cup beer. After a minute or so curds will begin to form and clump on the surface.  Allow the mixture to rest for about 5 minutes. Gently stir to encourage the curds to separate from the whey.  Stir infrequently at this point...over stirring will break up the curds too much and yield a drier ricotta.

Once the curds appear to have fully separated, ladle the cloudy liquid (whey) through the cloth lined sieve, working slowly to avoid breaking up the curd.  Once most of the whey has been ladled out of the pot, carefully pour the rest of the curd/whey mixture through the sieve.  Allow most of the liquid to drain.  Once the moisture is cool enough to handle, gather the edges of the cloth together to form a bag.   Thread a dowel or the handle of a wooden spoon through the knot and suspend the bag over a pot or the sink.  Allow to slowly drip drain for at least 15 minutes, and up to two hours.  Resist the urge to press the ricotta.

Place in an air tight container and store in the refrigerator.

Saison Braised Chicken Thighs with Honey Cumin Carrots

I have had saison and chicken on the brain for a while. I do not know why. But I don't particularly care.

Saisons are an excellent beer to pair with food in general. The rustic beer is perfect with rustic foods. Roasted and braised preparations play off of the malt backbone.  The dry finish and high carbonation cuts through rich, fatty meats. And the peppery spice character from the yeast and hops plays incredibly well with a myriad of kitchen spices....thyme, juniper, pepper, cumin, coriander, ginger oregano, garlic...even floral notes from teas and rose hips are enhanced by this beer.  It plays well with heat and loves earthy, funky flavors found in mushrooms and many cheeses. No wonder it is one of my favorite beer styles.

The recipe is my own

serves 3-4

The Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (3-4 thighs)
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp thyme
2 Tbsp butter
1 small yellow onion, julienned
6-8 juniper berries
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
12 oz Saison, divided
1 lb baby carrots, halved lengthwise
1 tsp cumin
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 350

Combine the flour, salt, pepper and dried thyme. Pat the chicken dry and dredge in flour mixture.

Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet set over medium high heat. Add the onions and sauté until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook for 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 4-5 minutes. Add the juniper berries, thyme and bay leaf to the skillet.

Stir in 10 oz of the saison. Bring to a boil. Cover and place in the preheated oven. Cook 35-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk together the remaining 2 oz of saison with the honey, oil, cumin and salt. Add the carrots and toss to coat. Arrange the carrots in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast alongside the chicken for 25-30 minutes, or until the carrots are tender and beginning to caramelize.

Remove the carrots from the oven. Uncover the chicken. Pre-heat the broiler and broil the chicken 4-5 minutes, browning the skin.

Serve along with pan juices.

Elderflower Sour

This has been an incredibly long week. How about a cocktail to kick off the weekend? Cheers!

Cocktail created by Andrew Buhrer

Makes 1 cocktail

The Ingredients
1.5 oz gin
1.5 oz elderflower liqueur (St. Germaine)
1.5 oz fresh lemon juice
1 egg white

The Process
Shake the ingredients over ice until frothy. 

Stain into a cocktail glass.

Serve with a lemon twist.

Caramelized Bourbon Butternut Squash

Dessert or vegetable? You decide. If glazed carrots or sweet potatoes make frequent appearances at holiday gatherings, this is a great substitute. Mix things up a bit without raising too much suspicion that you may be attempting to usurp a family tradition.

A note on cooking with booze, as you may have noticed I do A LOT:

In most recipes where beer or liquor is exposed to prolonged heat, the alcohol will mostly cook off. That being said, ALWAYS disclose when you use alcohol in a recipe out of respect for your guests. Some religious practices forbid imbibing any alcohol. Recovering alcohols may be more sensitive to the flavors. And kids...well most kids will find the booze on their own soon enough. Best be honest up front.

the recipe is my own

serves 6

The Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash, about 3 lbs
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp bourbon

The Process:
Preheath the oven to 350


Peel the squash and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and cut into 1 1/2" cubes. Layer the squash in a lightly greased 9 x 13 baking dish.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar, chili powder, salt and bourbon. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sugar is just dissolved.

Pour the bourbon mixture over the squash. Gently toss to coat. Bake, covered, about one hour or until the squash is tender. Increase the oven temp to 450. Uncover the squash and roast an additional 15-20 or until the glaze begins to caramelize.

Hawaiian Rum Punch

Inspired by Hawaii.  I should probably be clear on that...this is certainly no authentic island drink.  Though in the tourist traps and tropical resorts anything served in a coconut or pineapple may qualify.

"One part sour, two parts sweet, three parts strong, four parts weak"

I'm not sure who is originally credited with this saying, though I first heard it from Bobby Flay.  I used this as the basis for our tropical punch.  That and a quick perusal of the drink menu at our very own Tiki bar on the banks of the Mississippi, Psycho Suzi's

Rum and pineapple were key.  I wanted to evoke something akin to POG.  Passion fruit, Orange Guava....not the game.  Though the two are related.

 The rest was trail and error until I discovered something tasty. 

POG, the juice, is exceptionally hard to find in Minnesota.  A lot of pineapple/orange/apple, Pineapple/banana/orange, even passion fruit/orange/apple mixes were on hand when I hunted, but guava remained elusive.  Surprisingly a bushel of the fruit was at our local grocery, but the price and time consuming process of juicing gave me pause.  In the end, flavored rums came to the rescue.  Passion fruit rum I found in a heartbeat.  Guava, again, I could not locate, though supposedly Cruzan makes one.

After tinkering around with different ratios...adding more lime, trying less grenidine, swapping in a few different fruit juices...I ended up pretty much right back with the recipe I based it off of.  The only major difference is I used flavored rums instead of Jamacian white and light rums.  I suppose whrn you have a good thing, it needed be tinkered with.

The end result is a sweet cocktail that is dangerously easy to drink.  The lime cuts through the fruit with just enough tartness.  The grenadine adds a berry like sweetness, but it still lacks that strawberry fragrance that the guava would have lent.  But in the end, I'm very content with the result.

And judging by the empty punch bowl and happy guests, I suspect everyone else was as well.

Recipe inspired by Bobby Flay

yields twelve 6 oz servings

The Ingredients:
1 cup lime juice
1 1/2 cups grenadine
1 cup coconut rum
2 cups Passion fruit Rum
2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups orange juice

Pineapple, cherries and orchids for garnish

The Process:
Combine the juices and rum in a 2 qt pitcher or punch bowl.  Chill at least one hour.

To serve, ladle over ice and garnish with pineapple wedge, cherry and orchid blossom.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

Bread pudding may be Ross' kryptonite.  When we go out to eat, we usually forgo dessert, either for economy or due to a full belly.  However, if bread pudding is on the menu, all bets are off.

I like mine a little more custard-y.  Ross prefers his a little more bread-y.  Either way, dot it with a generous helping of fruit--whether it be diced or fresh--and a healthy splash of booze of some sort and we are in heaven.

This version is buttery and rich--not too custard-y, but certainly not dry.  Feel free to change up the breads and fruits.  Sourdough and peach?  Oooo...maybe next time...

adapted from recipes from 1001 Recipes (edited by Martha Day), Paula Dean, Chef Point Cafe

serves 8 to 10

The Ingredients:
for the pudding:
1 lb loaf of cinnamon raisin bread, day old and cubed
2 apples, peeled, cored and diced
3 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp bourbon
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
1/3 cup brown sugar

for the sauce:
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup bourbon

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 350.

Generously butter a 9 x 13 baking dish using 1 Tbsp butter.  Toss the cubed bread with the diced apples.  Add the bread to the prepared dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, bourbon and vanilla.  Pour the egg mixture over the bread.  Gently press the bread down into the mixture to make sure it is soaked. Allow to rest for ten minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining butter and brown sugar until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

Cover the bread mixture with aluminum foil. Place the covered baking dish in a deep pan. Pour water into the deep pan until it comes about halfway up the covered baking dish. Bake for 1 hour.  Uncover, dot with brown sugar mixture and bake an additional 15 minutes. Serve warm with sauce.

for the sauce:
Whisk together the granulated sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.  Add bourbon and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drizzle over warm pudding, reserving the rest on the side.

Wild Rice Risotto

I needed to go a little bit out on a limb for Thanksgiving.  As you can judge from previous posts, nothing I attempted was too terribly out of the ordinary.  I wanted to add a little more wow factor into the meal.  And nothing seems to impress others quite as much as risotto.

To tie the dish into the harvest meal a little more, I opted for a wild rice version.  Wild rice is huge in this region of the Midwest, and no doubt a staple of the native people and early fur traders and colonists.  The risotto itself is made from arborio rice, with the addition of a bit of wild rice for flavor and texture.  The wild rice adds a wonderfully nutty contrast an extra crunch to the creamy rice.

Of this dish, there were no leftovers...

adapted from Heidi's recipe at the Young Grasshopper

serves 4-6

The Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup wild rice
1 cup arborio rice
6 cups chicken broth divided  
1 Tbsp olive oil 
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium sized onion, chopped
2 cups chopped mushrooms
1 cup Chardonnay
1/2 cup grated Parmesano Romano  
Kosher salt

The Process:

In a medium-sized saucepan bring the wild rice and water to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and let simmer for 40-45 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

Warm the chicken broth in a saucepan over low heat.  Keep warm.

 

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and garlic and saute over medium high heat until the onions are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the rice and stir to coat evenly.

Slowly pour in the white wine and add the mushrooms.  Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, stirring continuously.  Once the wine has been absorbed, add the warm chicken stock, one ladle full at a time, allowing each addition to be fully absorbed before adding the next.  Patience is key.  Stir gently and continuously.

Once about half of the stack has been absorbed, add about one third of the wild rice.  Continue to add the stock, alternating with rice, allowing the broth to be completely absorbed between each addition. 

After the last ladle of stock has been absorbed, and the rice is creamy in texture and slightly al dente, stir in the Parmesano Romano.  Remove the risotto from the heat. Season with salt to taste. Cover and let rest for 3-5 minutes before serving. 

Serve warm with a sprinkling of your favorite herbs.

 

Port Cranberry Sauce

As I mentioned in an early post, it's not really Thanksgiving dinner without the cranberry sauce.  The roasted beet cranberry sauce didn't' go over so well with Ross a few weeks back, but this one was a hit.

Perhaps is was the alcohol...

adapted from Food & Wine

yields about 2 cups

The Ingredients:

1/2 cup ruby port
Three 1-by-3-inch strips of orange zest, cut into thin matchsticks
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
3 cups fresh cranberries
3/4 cup sugar 

The Process:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the port, orange zest and orange juice and bring to a boil. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.  Stir in the cranberries and reduce heat to low.    Simmer until the cranberries burst and the sauce is jam-like, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm or at room temperature.  

Ginger Cardamom Chicken Marinated with Pumpkin Ale

This recipe was served alongside yesterday's curried squash as part of a beer paring assignment.  While the curry was stellar on its own, I rarely turn up the opportunity to actually COOK with the beer.  Upping the ante a bit for the homework, I incorporated the beer of choice directly into the recipe.

Brooklyn's Post Road Pumpkin Ale:

The beer has a wonderful spice aroma that I wanted to play up in the chicken.  As the poultry was paired with a curry for dinner, I opted to keep the spice palate fairly tight.  Instead of using  broader more complex flavor of the garam masala blend used in the curry, I choose to focus on the cardamom and ginger.  The beer does not contribute much flavor, but played a key role in tenderizing the meat.  In the end the flavor was fairly simple...only a subtle hint of spice with a warmth from the ginger...but it was by far one of the juiciest and most tender boneless, skinless chicken breast recipes I've tried to date.

I used whole cardamom pods in this recipe, but feel free to substitute the ground spice instead.  Start with 1 1/2 tsp and adjust to your liking.

the recipe is my own

serves 4-6

The Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 - inch knob of fresh ginger, minced
1 black cardamom pod
6-8 green cardamom pods
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
10 oz pumpkin ale

The Process
Dry roast the caradmom pods in a small skillet over high heat, until lightly toasted and very fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Once cool, coasrely crush with the side of a knife or with a mortar and pestle.  Combine all of the marinade ingredients into a gallon-sized zip-top bag.  Add the chicken.  Refridgerate and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour (mine bathed in the beer for almost seven).

Preheat the broiler or grill.  Remove the chicken from the marinade, discard the marinade.  Grill the chicken for 10-15 minutes, or until no longer pink, turning once (internal temperature should read 170F).  Serve.

Boozy Vanilla French Toast

This recipe is so stellar I've tried it twice over all ready.  

You can thank Jackie at the Beeroness.  I adore her so....

As per usual, I attempted to track down her beer recommendation, but only with moderate success.  She based the French toast on Stone's Vanilla bean Smoked Porter. 

 Ross and I hit up our favorite local liquor store and their stellar craft brew selection.  We were mildly let down.  On hand was a bottle of Stone's Smoked Porter, but not the vanilla bean edition.  (after poking around a little more I discovered this same porter was also brewed with chipotle...oh the fiesta we could have!)

I grabbed the bottle, my mind a whirl about how to up the vanilla essence without detracting from the smoky beer notes.  Lost in thought, I almost passed up the vanilla imbided beer sitting next to the porter...Abita's Vanilla Doubledog...a 25th anniversary beer based on their Turbo dog.  I almost squirreled the beer away to enjoy by myself, french toast be damned!

I'm glad I didn't

Each beer offered a unique taste, and I am wary to pick a favorite.  You'll have to decide for yourself. The Stone offered a deeper more rounded flavor...calling to mind campfires and toasted marshmallow.  The Abita was a sweeter variation.

adapted from the Beeroness

serves 6-8

The Ingredients

1 cup milk
2/3 cup porter or dark ale with caramel notes
1/2 cup vanilla sugar*
3 eggs
1 1/2  tsp vanilla extract**
2 tbs butter (plus additional as needed)
1 large loaf of crusty Italian bread, cut into 1 inch thick slices

*vanilla sugar is simply sugar that has shared a container with a vanilla bean or two.  cooking with vanilla pods, instead of tossing the spent pod, I allow it to dry and then stick into an mason jar full of sugar.  Within a few days the sugars takes on a wonderfully rich vanilla flavor

**if you do happen to find a beer with vanilla essence, reduce the extract to 1 tsp.  

The Process

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, and add enough oil or butter to well coat the surface.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, beer, sugar, eggs and vanilla.

One at a time, dip the bread into the batter, thoroughly coating both sides.  Add to the skillet and fry, flipping once,  until golden brown, (2-3 minutes per side).  Keep warm in a pre-heated oven and repeat with remaining bread.  Serve warm.   With Bacon.

Stout S'mores Bars

I have many, many recipes bookmarked or flagged...online, in cookbooks, clipped from magazines or newspapers.  It will take me years to cook my way through all of them. But I carry on.

Very rarely do I come across a recipe that I need to make immediately.  The Beeroness has that effect on me.  You've seen a variation of her bacon jam.  And  beer marinaded pork chops.  A sriracha stout BBQ sauce.  Ale biscuits.  Her recipes inspire and encourage me like few other bloggers do. Perhaps it is my mild obsession with craft beer and home brewing.

This recipe is one I made the very same day that I found it.  I almost couldn't wait for the bars to cool down before I dug in.  Jackie's recipe uses Young's Double Chocolate Stout...a very tasty beer on its own.  Due to my impatience, I made due with the stout i had on hand, as well as the baker's chocolate in lieu of her chocolate chips.   

Still with the substitutions, I'm glad I didn't wait...

yields 12 bars

adapted from the Beeroness

Ingredients:

10 graham crackers
4 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp brown sugar
3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 oz semi sweet chocolate, chopped
1 stick butter
1 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup stout
24 large marshmallows

The Process:

Preheat oven to 350

Add the graham crackers and the brown sugar to a food processor and blend until an even crumb is formed.  With the food processor still running, slowly drizzle in the melted butter.  Process until the mixture resembles wet sand.

Spoon the crumb mixture into a 9 x 13 pan and press into an even layer.

In a medium  bowl, beat the eggs and both sugars on high until well combined, about 3 minutes.

Combine the chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time, stirring and repeating until melted and well combined. Allow to cool slightly.  Add the chocolate to the egg/sugar mixture and beat until well combined.

In a separate bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, salt and the flour. Add flour mixture to the chocolate mixture, mixing until well incorporated. Add the beer and stir until just combined.
Pour the batter over the crust and spread into an even layer.

Place marshmallows in even rows across the top, leaving a 1/2 inch boarder along the edge.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until the marshmallows are golden brown.

The center of the bars should be soft but not soupy.  They will continue to set at the bars cool.  Allow to cool and cut into bars.

The Review:
Can't type...fingers sticky....

A Trio of Beer BBQ Sauces

Ross just turned thirty.   Pretty traumatic.  I crossed that line a little while back myself and found the best source of comfort is to surround yourself with good friends.  We did just that, by throwing a backyard BBQ.  Our tiny Weber grill cannot hold that many burgers or brats at one time, but that wasn't going to stop me from throwing together a  few barbeque sauce options for the poultry offerings.

Those of you who know us or who've read along for a while are away of our beer obsession.  Ross has been home-brewing for well over a year now.  We had three brews on hand for his party...a honey kolsch, a raspberry wheat and a Belgian-style blonde.  It was only fitting that the sauces follow in suit.

So for your next BBQ I present to you three sauces:

Root beer BBQ sauce adapted from Michele's Woman Cave
Stout Sriracha BBQ Sauce courtesy of the Beeroness
Carolina Mustard and Ale sauce inspired by recipes at beerbeque and yummly




ROOT BEER BBQ SAUCE
yields about 1 1/2 cups
 
The Ingredients:
1 cup root beer (Sprecher or other brewed options work really well)
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup molasses
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or more to taste)

The Process:
Whisk together all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat until well combined.  Simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce is reduced by about 1/3.  Chill until ready to use.

Keeps refrigerated in sealed jar for 2-3 weeks.



STOUT SRIRACHA BBQ SAUCE
yields about 1 1/2 cups


The Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup soy sauce

2/3 cup ketchup

2 tbs Worcestershire sauce

1 - 2 tsp sriracha

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 cup Stout (such as Guinness or Bear Republic Big Bear Black Stout)

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp onion powder

The Process:

 Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and saute until tender and fragrant, abut 1 minute.  Whisk in the remaining ingredients.  Simmer until thickened, 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Chill until ready to use.

Keeps refrigerated in a sealed jar for 2-3 weeks.

CAROLINA MUSTARD ALE SAUCE

yields about 2 cups

The Ingredients:

 1 cup mustard

2 Tbsp honey

3 oz beer (of the malty variety)

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

salt and pepper to taste

The Process:

Whisk together all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat until well combined.  Simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce is reduced by about 1/3.  Chill until ready to use.

Keeps refrigerated in sealed jar for 2-3 weeks.

The Review:
 The root beer sauce was the clear winner among our friends, though I was partial to the deeper flavor and heat of the stout sriracha sauce.  The mustard seemed to be a more acquired taste.  We tried all three with wonderful success on grilled chicken. 

After the birthday BBQ, the rest of the root beer sauce found its way into a crockpot full of shredded chicken.  The meat was incredibly juicy, and dripping with sauce.  The root beer does shine through, even withthis much meat.  Though the overall flavor note is sweet, with just a spicy hint of ginger.

The Stout sriracha yielded a much deeper color and a much richer flavor.  Straight out of the jar, the BBQ sauce had a potent amount of heat.  Once slathered on the chicken, though, all of the flavors mellowed out, without one standing out among the others.  You probably wouldn't know there was beer in the sauce if you hadn't bee told.

The mustard sauce is still awaiting its second trial.  A glorious cut of pork butt roast is currently thawing on our counter for dinner.  A mustardy sauce seems only fitting...

But really, can you go wrong with any home made barbeque sauce?

Ale and Cheddar Biscuits

So much beer!  Ross and I currently have 3 batches of beer brewing in our basement right now.  Three 5-gallon carboys.  Almost 150 bottles when all is said and done.  With summer upon us we've switched gears away from the darker and heavier beers for a while.  In process are a honey kolsch, raspberry wheat and Belgian-style blonde ale.   What are we to do with it all?  Well, drink it.  Though the odd bottle may find its way into these wonderful biscuits. 

To date I've tried an IPA (Stone Ruination), an American Rye (home-brewed) and a Hefeweizen (Harriet Brewing's Wodan Weizen).  The American Rye yielded the tastiest biscuits, with the IPA in close second.  The hefeweizen had a bit too much clove and citrus flavor to meld well with the cheddar.

Adapted from Jackie's recipe at Beeroness.com

yields 12 biscuits

the Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 green onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup melted butter, plus extra for brushing
6 to 7 oz beer


The Process:

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray a muffin tin or baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper,  Stir in the onion and 3/4 cup of the cheddar.  Pour in melted butter and the beer, stirring until just moistened.  Do not over mix!

Spoon batter into muffin tins or drop into mounds on the baking sheet. Brush the remaining butter over the tops of the biscuits and sprinkle with remaining cheese. 

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the biscuits have puffed and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Serve hot.

The Review:
Best serve hot.  Truthfully.  These dense little beauties are full of flavor, but begins to loose their appeal as they cool.  Not that I imagine that most batches would ever linger around enough for that to happen...

After indulging in The St Paul Beer Fest and sampling nearly 60 brews, my mind is a whirl about which beers to try this out with next.  

Beer Marinated Pork Chops with Peach Salsa

Summertime and beer...they hand in hand.  I grew up in a state that took pride in its beer.  And brats.  Oh...beer boiled brats at every family BBQ, tailgate party, summer cookout...beer, everywhere.   But sadly the beer used was often the cheapest variety available, drinkability notwithstanding. 

Several weeks back my sister directed my attention to an amazing food blog...The Beeroness.  The blog is devoted to appreciating and cooking with craft beers.  And why not?  The food sphere is all a twitter with proper wine and food pairings, both for dining and cooking.  Beer really should be no different.  In the midst of the craft beer and home brew boom the market is awash with so many styles.  Each with their own unique flavor profiles.

With Ross' growing  passion in home brewing we've broadened our range of beers.  IPAs still are a hard one for me  to appreciate, but when I came across this recipe for marinated pork chops, along with highly recommended IPA I knew I would have to give these hoppy beers another shot. 

Do check out Jackie's blog. 

adapted from Jackie's recipe at TheBeeroness.com

serves 8

The Ingredients:
for the chops and marinade
8 bone-in pork chops, cut 3/4- 1 inch thick
12 oz IPA style beer
juice of two lemons
1 tsp sriracha, or more to taste
2 tsp agave or honey
2 tsp salt
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
additional salt and pepper to taste


for the salsa
2 ripe peaches, diced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 pablano pepper, chopped
1/2 large red onion, diced
2-3 green onions, sliced
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 Tbsp IPA style beer

The Process:
In a large bowl or baking dish, combine the beer, lemon juice, salt, agave, garlic and sriracha, stir to combine. Add the pork chops, turning to coat. Cover and place in the refrigerator.  Marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

To prepare the salsa, combine  all of the  ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to combine.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. 

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat (I prefer a cast iron) until scalding hot but not smoking. Add the pork chops, cooking one or two at a time to not over crowd the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Sear on each side for 3-4 minutes.  The chops will still be slightly pink at the center. Transfer to a baking sheet in a oven preheated to 200 to keep warm.  Cook remaining chops in the same manner.

Transfer the cooked chops to serving plates and top with salsa. Serve immediately.


The Review:
For this batch of chops, I went with Jackie's recommendation for Stone's Ruination.  If you can find it, I highly recommend trying it.  But at about $18.99 for a six pack, it is a bit of a splurge.  However, if you like me, are IPA averse, this may help to at least earn the hop forward style a little more appreciation.

Paired with the chops, the IPA worked incredibly well.  The meat was tender and flavorful.  The beer flavor subtle.  The peach salsa truly stole the show.  Plan on having plenty of chips near at hand to scoop up the leftovers.  Or spoon it on top of a simple green salad for a refreshing lunch.

Here, beer is not the star, but it fulfills its supporting role with gusto.

Irish Cream Sandwich Cookies

Happy St Patrick's Day!  With all of the heavy corned beef and root vegetables dished up today, alongside dark stouts, and generous pours of whiskey, I was in need of something with a touch of sweet to cut through all of the richness. The now ubiquitous Guinness cupcakes would be far, far too heavy...and given their currently popularity these last years, the chance of someone bringing over a dozen or so was very, very high.

When Meghan posted these Bailey's sugar cookie sandwiches, I was pretty sure I had found the perfect dessert option.  Lightly, slightly sweet, gone in a few bites and still kissed with booze.

Adapted from Meghan's  recipe at Buttercream Blondie 

yields three dozen 2-1/2 inch sandwich cookies and three dozen mini shamrock cutouts.


The Ingredients:
for the cookies
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Baileys Irish Cream

for the filling:
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
6 Tbsp Irish Cream
1-2 tsp instant espresso powder

optional:
gel frosting
green sprinkles

The Process:
for the cookies:
In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and egg yolk and mix until smooth. Mix in vanilla extract.


Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a second bowl.  Add the flour to the butter, alternating with the Irish cream.  Mix until just combined. 

Gather the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill for at least one hour, or overnight.

Roll out the dough and cut out 72 two and a half-inch circles.  Gather and re-roll dough as necessary.  Set aside half of the cookies.  In the remaining half, cut a small shamrock out to of the center, using an 1 1/2" shamrock cutter.  Reserve the shamrocks.

Arrange the cookies on several baking sheets, spacing them at least one inch apart.  Chill for at least 30 minutes before baking to help the cookies keep their shape.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Bake the solid circle for 12-13 minutes, rotating the baking sheets 180 degrees about halfway through baking.  Start checking them after 10 minutes.  Bake the cut-outs and shamrocks for 7-10 minutes, turning 180 degrees halfway through baking.  The cookies are done once they have puffed slightly and the edges turn a light gold.

Remove cookies to a cooling rack.

Allow to cool completely before assembling.

for the filling:
Cream together the butter and sugar, adding the a little sugar at a time to avoid a powdered sugar cloud. Dissolve the instant coffee into the Bailey's and whisk into the filling along with the vanilla extract.

Assemble the cookies:
Once the cookies are completely cool, pipe the gel icing around the shamrock cut-out and sprinkle with green sanding sugar.  Match up each circle to a shamrock cut-out as close in size as possible.  Spread about 1 tsp of filling onto the circle and gently press the cut-out on top.  For the shamrocks, spread with a scant amount of filling and sprinkle with sanding sugar.

Chill until ready to serve.

The Review:
This is a cookie that is greater than the sum of it's parts.  The sugar cookie is, well a sugar cookie.  Sort of sweet, but not really that exciting by itself.  Even with the Bailey's.  For one reason or another, this cookie dough was more of a challenge than other's that I've tried.  But I also abhor rolling out sugar cookies and pie crusts.  It's a wonder I keep making them sometimes...

The filling on the other hand...I could have eaten that up with a spoon.  The filling softened the cookies ever so slightly as the evening progressed...these are a cookie that better with age.  And they were quite a hit with everyone who came over.

The perfect end to a salty Irish-American dinner...