Beer Braised Greens

Don’t like greens? Add beer.

You do like greens? Add beer. You’ll like them even more.

Bacon couldn’t hurt either.

Beer Braised Greens

1 medium-large onion

3 cloves garlic

1 bottle beer

1-2 cups stock or water

2 bunches greens, washed and chopped

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

salt to taste

Heat a pan over medium heat. Chop up the onion and saute for five minutes or until softened. Mince the garlic and add to the pan, cooking for 30 seconds-1 minute.

Add the remaining ingredients to the pan, cover with a lid and allow to come to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer until the greens are cooked through to your liking. This could be as little as a half hour or up to two hours. Enjoy your beer drenched greens!

Garlic and Beer Scalloped Potatoes

I made scalloped potatoes for Easter-it just seems like an Easter dish, doesn’t it?-and then I had all these leftover potatoes sitting around my house on the verge of sprouting. So I decided to make scalloped potatoes again! With beer. Good decision.

Normally, scalloped potatoes are baked in some sort of cream mixture. Some of the cream absorbs into the potatoes and some combines with the cheese to make a sinfully delicious sauce. Why wouldn’t you want to add beer to that happy combination? You totally should.

Beer? Potatoes? Cheese? As I’ve shown before, they’re meant to be together.

Beer and Garlic Scalloped Potatoes

Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

1 cup cream

3/4 cup beer

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 pounds of potatoes (I used organic Russets)

dried thyme

salt

pepper

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and butter a 9 x 13 dish. Slice your potatoes as thinly as possible.

In a small saucepan, bring the cream, beer, and garlic to a simmer, but do not boil. Once it has come to a simmer remove from the heat and set aside.

Cover the bottom of your dish with a layer of overlapping potatoes. Sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper, and 1/2 cup of cheese. Repeat this process with two more layers. Stir up your beer cream mixture and pour evenly over the whole dish. Sprinkle all of the remaining cheese over the top.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes or until the potatoes have cooked through.

Ultimate Irish Macaroni and Cheese

While I have become increasingly obsessed with craft beer and homebrewing, there is still a special place in my heart for Guinness. It’s dark-but light!-and velvety and smooth. It’s comforting. Guinness is good for me. Especially when combined with chocolate. Or cheese!

I decided to make the ULTIMATE macaroni and cheese by starting with Kerrygold butter, spiking my bechamel with Guinness, and using Kerrygold’s Aged Cheddar and Dubliner as the chosen cheeses to melt in. Combined with whole wheat pasta, it made for an extremely earthy macaroni and cheese. I topped with panko, but it probably would have been even better with toasted Irish soda bread crumbs…

Ultimate Irish Macaroni and Cheese

1 box whole wheat pasta (usually about 13.25 oz. Cause that makes sense…)

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 bottle of Guinness (it’s ok if you sneak a few sips)

1 cup of whole milk

1 teaspoon mustard (dijon or spicy brown)

1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

7 oz. Dubliner

7 oz. Aged Cheddar

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Get your water boiling for the pasta. Whenever the water comes to a boil, cook the pasta according to the package directions and drain.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and let it cook together for a few minutes, until the butter has become a thick paste. Whisk in the Guinness and milk and cook over medium heat until the sauce has thickened, about 7 minutes. Turn the heat down low and add in the mustard and worcestershire sauce. Slowly add in the cheese, melting each batch completely before adding more. Adjust seasonings.

Take off the heat and combine with the pasta in a 2 quart baking dish. Top with panko and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Baileys Rice Krispie Treats

My poor, sad, neglected blog. It’s not for lack of cooking. At first, it was pure laziness. Though I made a few different dishes to share for St. Patrick’s Day, I didn’t share them in time. Then it became pure impossibility, due to the misplacement of our camera with all the beautiful pictures of intoxicating foods. Haven’t seen it since the holiday-perhaps that can be seen as a sign of a successful St. Patrick’s Day! But…I’d rather have my camera.

So I share with you the one recipe that happen to have had it’s picture taken with a phone camera: Baileys Rice Krispie Treats. I think this idea is pure genius if I do say so myself (and I did). Something so simple. So easy. So soft and chewy! I’m sure it would brighten up your Easter sunday just as easily as it did my St. Patrick’s Day. (Sans green food coloring).

Baileys Rice Krispie Treats

3 tablespoons butter

1 10 oz. package of marshmallows

1/4 – 1/3 cup of Baileys

6 cups rice krispies

Melt butter and marshmallows over low heat until completely melted. Add Baileys. Add rice krispies, mix well and quickly press mixture into a 13 x 9 pan. Smile at the pure genius.

Beer Cheese Dip

To continue the trend from last week’s Corrupted Soup, I may still be on a beer and cheese kick.  Well, let’s face it–when am I not on a beer and cheese kick?!

But here it is-your quintessential party snack. I’ve been making this for years because it’s delicious, addictive, and ridiculously easy.  I guess that’s what happens when you take cheese, add more cheese, and then pour in some herbs and beer.

In my past life, I used to make it with those dry ranch packets. Ranch anything makes me happy. The only way fries are to be eaten are when doused in hot sauce and dipped in ranch dressing. Fact. But did you know those packets have msg in them? Gross. So I now take the 1-2 extra minutes effort to measure out my own spices. Worth it.

This dip is great with tortilla chips, regular chips, hard pretzels, bread, vegetables, and my personal favorite-soft pretzels fresh out of the oven. Do it.

Beer Cheese Dip

8 oz. cream cheese, softened room temperature

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

2 teaspoons dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon dried dill

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

beer

Throw all ingredients except beer into a food processor and blend until fully combined. Start by adding 1/4 cup of beer and pulse; add more to reach desired dipping consistency. (I usually don’t measure, but I believe I usually end up using about 1/3 cup.) Drink rest of the beer and dip away!

*Note: This can totally be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. Just be sure to let it sit out at room temp for a while before you need it so the dip becomes soft again.

Corrupted Soup

Beer Cheese Soup made with DC Brau’s Corruption IPA. Cause I don’t mess around.

We live within walking distance of a brewery. And driving or biking distance of another (one of my most favorite places!). This is both a glorious, and a very dangerous thing.

They have not yet been open for a year, and we have already spent more than our fair share of time at their growler hours on Saturdays. Perhaps way more. But it’s all good-we’re just supporting local business!

Although I like the Public Pale Ale, the Penn Quarter Porter is delicious, and I’m really enjoying the limited release of Thyme After Thyme, I immediately fell in LOVE with the Corruption IPA. Being a lover of all things hoppy, it was pretty much made for me.

And me being who I am, for months now I have wanted to make a good beer cheese soup using DC Brau’s Corruption. And here it is. Hoppy, cheesy goodness. Not for the faint of hop heart.

If you haven’t yet been down to DC Brau for growler hours, please do so. Free tastings, good eats from friendly food trucks, cool swag, and most importantly-AWESOME LOCAL BEER! We’ll probably see you there…

Corrupted Soup

Adapted from Emeril

4 tablespoons of butter

1 medium-large carrot

2-3 celery stalks

1 medium-large onion

4 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup flour

2 bay leaves

3 cups broth

2 cups beer (or a 12 oz is fine)*

1 cups milk

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon mustard

4 cups cheese (I used sharp cheddar, although blue cheese would be an interesting addition if you are using an IPA)

Chop the carrots, celery, and onion and saute over medium heat until completely cooked and soft. While sauteing, season it up with salt and pepper. Mince the garlic, add to the other vegetables and saute a minute at most. Add the flour and stir to coat all of the vegetables. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the broth, slowly at first, whisking the entire time. Pour in the beer and milk. Let the mixture simmer for about ten minutes, whisking/stirring occasionally as needed. Turn the heat down to low. Fish out the bay leaves. Add the worchestershire sauce and mustard. Add the cheese one cup at a time, stirring and melting the cheese entirely before adding any more. Check for seasoning. Garnish with spicy popcorn like I did, or croutons, bacon, or whatever you’d like!

*I used two full cups because I had a growler full of beer. If you’re making this soup from a bottle or canned beer, that 12 oz. is plenty. Also, this soup can easily be made with almost any style of beer: pale ales, lagers, stouts, seasonals-whatever flavor you want to impart. If you don’t groove on IPA’s, it’s all good. I just love me some hops.

Chocolate Cabernet Cookies

Obligatory wine and chocolate for Valentine’s Day.

But this time, they come in one package. One neat, gooey package.

Chocolate and wine are meant for each other. I think they’re in love.

Chocolate Cabernet Cookies

Only slightly adapted from Simply Scratch

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed down

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup cabernet sauvignon

10 ounces chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder in a bowl and stir with a whisk. Set aside. In a larger separate bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars. Be patient! Add the egg, vanilla, and wine. Slowly add the reserved flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips. Bake on greased cookie sheets for about 10 minutes.

Chocolate Guinness Ice Cream

I have never been a girl to eat vanilla ice cream. Why would I waste my time? There’s chocolate chip cookie dough, blueberry, Phish food, and yes-even Crazy Vanilla back in the day.

When I first got my ice cream maker, vanilla was the obvious first soiree. But instead, I made cookies and cream. Good decision.

The original recipe calls for milk chocolate. I had semi-sweet. The original called for Guinness Stout. I had their black lager. And so we adapt.

My ice cream maker has yet to see a vanilla ice cream, and the outlook for that is doubtful. What it has seen is peanut butter cup, and Bailey’s, and for the second time now, Chocolate Guinness! Life is good.

Chocolate Guinness Ice Cream

Adapted from The Perfect Scoop: Ice Cream, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments

7 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup sugar

little pinch of salt

4 large egg yolks (save those whites for breakfast-it balances out the ice cream!)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3/4 cup Guinness

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Finely chop your chocolate and place in a large bowl. Have a mesh strainer ready. Set aside.

Combine the milk, sugar and salt in a saucepan over low heat. Do not boil. Beat your egg yolks in a medium bowl. While whisking, very slowly pour small amounts of the milk mixture into the eggs to temper them. Pour the combined mixture back into the saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly, making sure not to bring it to a boil. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens, enough to coat a spoon.

Pour the resulting custard through the strainer and into the bowl of chocolate. Stir together until all of the chocolate has melted. Mix in the cream, Guinness, and vanilla and allow to cool.

Place in the refrigerator for several hours before churning in your ice cream maker. Ice cream makers vary, so I’ll let them take it from here!

Kahlua Brownies with Kahlua Icing

You may want to be friends with me because I make things like Kahlua brownies with Kahlua icing for you for your birthday.

Except maybe you don’t want to be friends with me because after making Kahlua brownies with Kahlua icing for your birthday, I’ll forget them and leave them in the car and you’ll end up brownieless. Big tease.

If you do happen to make Kahlua brownies with Kahlua icing yourself, I highly recommend using your own homemade Kahlua. Next level of awesomeness.

But don’t worry, friend. I’ll make some more intoxicating treats another time to celebrate a very merry unbirthday.

Kahlua Brownies with Kahlua Icing

Brownie adapted from my Kitchen Aid Standmixer User Guide; icing adapted from Recipe Girl

1 cup butter

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup Kahlua

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prep a 9×13 dish. I butter, use parchment paper and butter again so the brownies are easily removed from the pan later.

Melt the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat. Once completely melted set aside to cool. Combine the kahlua, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer using a flat beater. (Whisk is also fine. Or you know, I suppose you could do it by hand.) Add eggs one at a time, then add the cooled chocolate mixture. Add the flour, salt, and baking powder. Turn off the mixer and stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into the prepped pan and bake for about 45 minutes.

For the icing:

4 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons Kahlua

1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

2 cups powdered sugar

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Once melted, take off the heat and add the Kahlua and cream. Sift the powdered sugar into mixture and whisk to combine. Pour over the cooled brownies and spread evenly. Wait until the icing has set to slice (you can always stick them in the fridge to move the process along!).

Savory Apple-Whiskey Sauce

FYI: I’m already in St. Patrick’s Day preparation mode (when am I not?). The whiskey is out.

This apple whiskey sauce is super simple, and can be used to dress up any kind of meat. The cookbook I used to adapt the recipe from calls for Irish bacon. And then cooking the sauce in the bacon fat….you meat lovers can try that. I already had some chicken cooked up, so I used that instead.

Peel, core, and dice some apples.

I had to get an additional apple, because SOMEONE who was SUPPOSED to be helping decided to swipe one instead.

For some reason (having to do with uber-cuteness) I couldn’t stay mad at him…

Saute those apples until they are golden brown. Add some stock and cream-and whiskey of course. And it gets all delicious. Mildly sweet, whiskey soaked delicious.

Savory Apple-Whiskey Sauce

Adapted from The Irish Spirit: Recipes Inspired by the Legendary Drinks of Ireland

3 apples (I used granny smith)

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup liquid-taken from whatever meat you are cooking, chicken stock is great, even water works fine

2 tablespoons of Irish whiskey

3 tablespoons of heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon oregano

Peel, core, and slice up your apples. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the apples about 5 minutes, until they become golden. Add the 1/4 cup of liquid, the whiskey, cream, and oregano. Bring to a boil and stir the mixture continuously for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken. Salt and pepper to taste, and pour over the meat of your choice.