Category Archives: recipe

by | February 5, 2013

Daniel Irons Oatmeal Stout French Toast

Superbowl Sunday morning. Lazy cups of coffee slowly sipped, pans gently warmed over the stove, a beer cracked open… Wait, what?
AM4French toast soaked in oatmeal stout. It seriously doesn’t get any better than this!

I recently and belatedly came across The Beeroness and after perusing every single recipe on her site and subsequently wiping up the drool, I decided that it was time to start cooking. Since I happen to have anytime access to Enegren Brewing’s beers, I used their sweet rich, chocolatey oatmeal stout.

Daniel Irons Oatmeal Stout French Toast
(Lightly adapted from The Beeroness)
Ingredients:
1 loaf challah bread, left out overnight to slightly stale
1 cup almond milk
1 cup Enegren Brewing Company’s Daniel Irons Oatmeal Stout (or any rich, malty stout)
4 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
1 tsp pure almond extract
2-3 tsbp butter

1. Slice the challah bread into 1-inch thick slices.
2. In a large bowl, combine the almond milk, stout, eggs, brown sugar and almond extract and stir until all sugar is dissolved.
3. Pour the mixture into a large flat pan for easier dipping.
4. Places the slices of challah into the mixture for 1 minute on each side.
AM15. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat and place the soaked bread to cook, 2-4 minutes each side or until cooked through.
AM26.Place on a large plate, top with powdered sugar, maple syrup and pair with a beer coffee. Try to grab a slice before three hungry brewers devour the entire loaf.
AM3Prost and bon appetit!

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by | September 22, 2012

Whole Wheat Sugarless Banana Cake Bread

Exciting news all around: I’m back to baking! I’ve missed having the time and the creativity to whip up some deliciousness in the kitchen, so I’m going overboard with it now.

But first: Friday was my last day at Wolf Creek as assistant brewer. While I had a wonderful few months there hauling grain, scrubbing out mash tuns, brewing delicious beer and having some awesome bragging rights, I truly missed being able to connect with those drinking the beer and being able to explain to them why the beer they were tasting had that citrus or banana aroma, or how adding the hops earlier in the boil makes the beer more bitter, or urging them to visit all the local craft breweries that Southern California boasts to expand their horizons and open their minds and steins to the beauty of the beer. That was a ridiculously long sentence.

A few weeks ago I was at Enegren during the middle of the day when a group happened to swing by. There were beer distributors in this group – something I’ve been wanting to do for the past two years. I asked how they got into distribution, they asked me if I was interested and told me they were looking to hire a craft beer specialist and I had an interview the following week. Beginning October 1st I’ll be working with this distribution company and eventually/hopefully bringing the awesomeness of local craft beer to bars and restaurants in SoCal.

NOW back to baking! I’ve recently begun a new workout regime AND eating healthy. I was perusing the interwebs for banana bread that had no sugar, made a recipe that totally flopped, decided to make modifications and came up with this cake bread.

Whole Wheat Sugarless Banana Cake Bread
(Adapted from Healthy Banana Bread)
Don’t be scared: There’s no artificial sugar here and as long as you’re not expecting traditional buttery, extremely sweet banana bread, you’ll survive.

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup golden raisins
5 bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the golden raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water, and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl add the mashed bananas, vanilla extract and eggs and stir until combined.
4. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
5. Drain the raisins and chop finely.
6. Add the raisins to the dry ingredients.
7. Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
8. Pour the batter into a pre-greased 9×9 inch pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
The riper the bananas, the better. I had a craving for banana bread and just couldn’t wait.
Hydrate ‘em!
Drain ‘em! Chop ‘em!
Mash ‘em!
Add ‘em!
Stir the raisin bits into the dry ingredients.
Pour the banana mixture on top of the dry ingredients.
Stir until just combined. Do not overstir or you’ll get tough, unfluffy bread cake! That would be disastrous.
Spread into a pre-greased pan. You could probably put this in a loaf pan as well, but the baking time will vary.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let sit for 5-10 minutes, or as long as you can hold out before slicing and diving in face first.
Again, my disclaimer: This is NOT your traditional sweet banana bread! It’s mildly sweet with little bursts of sweet sunshine from the rehydrated raisins, dense and chewy. I’ve been having a square of this with the rest of my healthy breakfast every morning.

Enjoy!

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by | January 20, 2012

Beer Pairing: Sweet and Sour Chicken

Welcome to the second edition of pairing food and beer! This recipe is compliments of my mumsie who threw a bunch of random things into a bowl and made delicious magic!

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Quinoa
(Serves 4-6 people)
Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken breast, chopped
2 tbsp gin
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 can of chopped pineapple, drained
1/2 cup pineapple juice
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup quinoa, dry
2 cups water or chicken broth

1. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, gin, soy sauce, olive oil, onion, bell peppers, pineapple and pineapple juice. Stir well, cover and let marinate for 1-4 hours.
2. With a slotted spoon, remove vegetables and chicken and spread one even layer on a cookie sheet covered with foil.
3. Take the marinade and bring to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the balsamic vinegar and simmer until reduced by 1/3.
4. Bake vegetables and chicken in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until chicken is no longer pink inside.
5. Remove the chicken from the trays and place in a bowl, covered to keep warm.
6. Bake the vegetables until soft and golden – about 15 more minutes.
7. Cook quinoa according to directions on package, substituting chicken broth for water.
8. Serve everything together, drizzled with the marinade reduction.

Deliciousness marinating!
Spread in one layer so all the vegetables are cooked evenly.

This is a hearty, filling meal with a lovely tangy sweetness. I’d recommend pairing this dish with a rich nut brown ale or any other sweet malty beer to really emphasize the caramelized sugars that form as a crust on the pineapple after it’s baked in the oven. If possible, drink local!
Enegren Brewing’s Valkyrie California Alt – rich, malty and a smooth finish. The residual sugars in this match perfectly with the marinated chicken and vegetables.
Island Brewing Company’s Nut Brown Ale – this one is a little drier, but still has enough malty sweetness and roasty back-end to enhance the sweet marinade reduction. If you want to be blown away, throw a handful of roasted peanuts on top, combine with a nut brown and let your taste buds go crazy!

Some mainstream beers that would pair well with this dish:
Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale – rich malts and a toasted nutty finish with just a touch of hops.
Chimay Premiere (Red) – sweet dried fruits and a relatively dry end.
Sierra Nevada’s Tumbler – hints of chocolate and toasted nuts with medium high carbonation and light sweetness.

I’m sure there are plenty more! If you make this, share your beer pairing choices!

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by | January 12, 2012

Beer Pairing: Bite Me Chicken Stew

Good afternoon! I’ve decided to start a little series about pairing different styles of beer with food -  partially in preparation for the Cicerone test, and partially because every single type of meal can be brought to another level when combined with the right style of beer. I’ll try to post a new pairing every week and if you have any questions, recommendations or requests, feel free to write them down in the comments!

Yesterday I was feeling a little under the weather and was craving something warm with a spicy “bite”, so I threw a bunch of random foodstuffs from my cupboards into a pot and came up with:

Bite Me Chicken and Brown Rice Stew
(Serves a lot of people)
Ingredients:
6 cups homemade chicken stock (recipe below) or premade chicken stock
1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles
1 can diced tomatoes
1 box Rice-A-Roni Spanish Brown Rice + 1/2 of the spice packet
2/3 cup frozen or fresh corn
1 avocado, cubed
The juice of 1 lime

1. Bring the homemade chicken stock to a boil.
2. Add the green chiles, tomatoes, Rice-A-Roni + 1/2 the spice packet and reduce to a simmer.
3. Let it simmer for twenty minutes, stirring occasionally, and add the corn.
4. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and garnish with diced avocado and sprinkle with lime juice.

Homemade Chicken Stock
Remnants of a baked chicken, bones and all
6 cups cold water
4 carrots, sliced
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1-3 tsp hot pepper flakes, depending on spice preference

1. Place the chicken in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil.
2. In a pan, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent (about 7 minutes).
3. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes to the pot and let simmer for 1 to 3 hours.
4. Remove the chicken bones, keeping as much meat in as possible and bring stock to a boil.
5. Continue with the Bite Me Chicken and Brown Rice Stew recipe above.
I decided to pair this wonderfully spicy stew with Uinta’s Cutthroat Pale Ale (I’d recommend either a pale ale or an IPA for this soup). The pale ale has just a hint of a bitter backend to enhance the spicy bite that rounds out the edges of the stew, but enough of a light graininess so as to not compete with the flavors. The caramel malts that grace your palate at the end of the sip brings out the sweetness of the corn and tender chicken. If you want to really suffer (in a good way), pair this with a seriously hoppy IPA like Dogfish Head 90 Minute or another dry pale ale. The hops will make the spice even more pronounced and clear your head of any congestion, guaranteed.

Other pale ale pairing recommendations:
- Fish ‘n chips – crisp hops help to cut through the grease
- Grilled/broiled halibut – dry pale ale doesn’t overwhelm the delicate flavors of white fish
- Gumbo – hops bring out the spices while chilling the afterburn at the same time
- Sushi – light flavors in pale ale add a sweet complexity that pairs well with the vinegar-graced sushi rice
- Anything fried, spicy, or seafood of any kind
- Pale ales with higher IBUs are good for dishes like roast beef or pork roasts to bring out the sweetness of the meats

Any other food pairings you’ve tried with pale ale that you’d like to recommend?

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by | December 19, 2011

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

That title is an abbreviated version of the true name: Vanilla Porter Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies. Since it’s the holiday season, Christmas cookies are high on my to-do list. Sipping winter warmers (i.e. stouts, porters, strong ales, etc.) is also very important. By my brilliant skills of deduction, I also factored this in: Beer in brownies = good. Therefore, beer in cookies = excellent. It’s mathematical, but don’t worry: I’ve got you covered.

Vanilla Porter Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
(Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies)
Ingredients:
1 + 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup Vanilla Porter + 4 tsp Vanilla Porter
1 jar maraschino cherries
1/2 package (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1-3 tsp cherry juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a bowl, combing the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
3. In a larger bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
4. Add egg and the 1/4 cup of Vanilla Porter to the butter mixture and mix well.
5. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet.
6. Create an indent in the center of the balls with thumb.
7. Drain the cherries and reserve the juice.
8. Place one cherry in the center of each indentation.
9. In a small pot, mix the chocolate chips and condensed milk over low heat until melted.
10. Add the 4 tsp of Vanilla Porter and 1-3 tsp cherry juice to the melted chocolate.
11. Spoon 2 tsp frosting over each cherry.
12. Bake 10 minutes.

I used whole wheat flour in my recipe, but I think my next batch will have plain white flour.
The dough will seem pretty dry, but I promise, it works out.
Roll the dough into 1 inch balls.
Use all of your post-mall-shopping aggression and jab your thumb into the centers of each ball. If you need to pretend it’s the eye of that evil person who elbowed you in the stomach as s/he grabbed the last Tickle-Me-Elmo that your youngest niece has been begging you for since the beginning of the year and won’t love you unless you are somehow able to get it to her by Christmas, I won’t judge you.
Place one cherry in the eye-socket center of the indent.
Melt the chocolate chips into the condensed milk, add the 4 tsp of Vanilla Porter and cherry juice and stir well. It should be thin enough that it falls evenly from the spoon when you lift it, but not so thin that it doesn’t cling to the cherry.
Drizzle enough frosting to completely cover the cherry, and then some.
Bake at 350 for ten minutes, then let them cool on the cookie sheet for a little bit before you transfer them to a wire rack, otherwise they fall apart and you will be forced to consume the ones that don’t make it.
It’s an arduous process, consuming those poor, unpretty cookies.

I’m off to tempt fate and visit a terrifying place full of homicidal people – the mall. Wish me luck, please.

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by | November 18, 2011

Sticky Apple Pudding Cupcakes

With the thick blankets of clouds that rest on the towering mountains outside my kitchen window, the days have been getting progressively colder and colder. Today was a day just like that. It was bitterly chilly outside, so I spent the day sipping hot peppermint tea and baking.

I was sent some coupons from Foodbuzz and Duncan Hines in order to create something that “defies traditional”, so I attempted to do just that. These spicy little cakes are delicate, almost pudding-like in consistency and vegan!

Sticky Apple Pudding Cupcakes
(Makes 25-30 mini cupcakes)
Ingredients:
1 box Duncan Hines carrot cake or spice cake mix
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Comstock apple pie filling

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large bowl combine the cake mix, applesauce, water and vegetable oil and stir until just combined.
3. Take the 1/2 cup of apple pie filling, dice and stir into the batter.
4. Pour the batter into greased mini-cupcake tins, filling 2/3 of the way.
5. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out relatively clean.

I used the carrot cake mix but left out the pack of dehydrated carrots and raisins.
The applesauce is used as an egg substitute. 1/4 cup of applesauce = 1 egg.
Make sure you include the sugary syrup part after you dice the apple pie filling!
This batter appears thick, but it liquefies pretty quickly.
Fill the cupcake tins 2/3 full. These babies blow up!
While you wait for them to bake the 20-25 minutes, you can lick the spatula clean, thanks the the veganosity!
The consistency of these will make you keel over with happiness. I recommend smothering them with frosting and eating them with a spoon.
If you’re looking for something to whip together that’s ridiculously quick and easy, go for these!
Sweater and boots weather + sticky apple pudding cupcakes. HAPPY DANCE!

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by | November 15, 2011

Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Bread Pudding

I’ve been having explosions of genius in the kitchen lately. Well, lots of explosions of which a few end up being genius. Either way, I’ll share with you.
The basis for my latest creation is this Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Bread. Head over to Taste Terminal for the recipe, make it, and then continue on by making:

Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Bread Pudding
(Serves 2-4 people)
Lightly adapted from my Magical Bread Pudding.
Ingredients:
2 slices Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Bread, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 egg
1/2 cup almond milk
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the egg, almond milk, brown sugar and vanilla extract and whisk well.
3. Stir the bread pieces into the liquid, coating evenly and let rest for five minutes to absorb.
4. Pour the mixture into a medium-sized greased ramekin.
5. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-60 minutes, or until knife inserted comes out clean.
Mine took the full 60 minutes. I think the moisture content with the homemade bread did something mystical and wonderful.
I was planning on creating a pumpkin spiced cream cheese icing for this, but got lazy and just used some stuff from a tube from the grocery store. I can only do so much, guys!
I wish I’d had some of this bread pudding pudding while I was shivering in my boots and armwarmers on Sunday in Fountain Hills!

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by | November 2, 2011

Mini-Holiday

I had the most wonderful mini-vacation yesterday and today! I went out to Santa Clarita to visit the only place that I ever go to taste wine: Roman Holiday.
None of our regulars were there. We picked a new table with some ridiculously comfy chairs and settled in for a few hours.
I got a new hat! And made an unfortunate duckface. For that, I blame the wine and sincerely apologize.
Allie looked gorgeous and un-duckface-y as usual.
Small tastes of red wine were consumed by myself. A glass and a half of prosecco was also consumed.

Besides these few pictures, my camera stayed tucked securely in his bag and my computer remained unopened. The only contact I had with the outside world was through my Twitter addiction, where I posted some pointless photos. It was wonderful to get a break and spend some quality time with my cousin, shoving our faces with Indian food, baking quiche, tasting wine and watching ridiculous shows from our middle school years.

In other news, I have a wonderful recipe to share with you!
If you want the recipe for these Maple-Sugared Grilled Sweet Potato Fries, you’ll have to head over to Drink Eat Travel to check it out! I’ll be sharing some recipes through their site as time goes on. Head on over there and leave some comments to boost my ego and make them think that I’m worth keeping! Also, if you have any requests for meals/recipes post them in the comments! I’m starting to compile a list of requests and hope to post at least one a week.

Tomorrey is International Stout Day! How are you celebrating?

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by | October 25, 2011

Cheddar Jalapeño Pub Burgers

It has been FREEZING here in Southern California! Seriously, right now it’s 60 degrees Fahrenheit outside and I’m wrapped up in my robe, prepared to curl up under a blanket with a hot cup of Sleepytime tea and a foreign film. Holy crap. It’s happened. I’m officially a Californian…
I mean, really though, look at the cloudy sky! Can you feel the chill coming at you through your computer screen?
Okey, the truth is, I am chilled, but I think it’s a sympathetic chill because it just started snowing blizzarding (now officially a word) out in Fort Collins where my brother and sister-in-law live. Yeah, definitely a sympathetic chill. I’m still a Coloradoan at heart.

I got this hilarious holiday card in the mail today!
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Great times?? Getting up at 3am to work retail was definitely one of the highlights of my life, and standing around staring at an empty store for hours on end was enjoyable as well, I suppose. Hmmm, should I reapply??

In other exciting news, I braved the cold weather, opened the grill and made:
Cheddar Jalapeño Pub Burgers
2lbs of ground beef
1/2 cup each of diced pepperjack cheese and cheddar cheese
2 jalapeños seeded and diced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1. Mash all ingredients together and make patties.
2. Grill over medium heat for about 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
3. Be careful not to catch your sleeve on fire when the fat from the burger and cheese turn into flame accelerant.
4. Seriously, be careful: I speak from experience. Luckily, they were delicious and worth the pain.
5. Serve with a wide array of toppings – my favorites are always guacamole and more cheese. You just can’t lose.

I’ve been locked inside the library attempting (and failing) to write a research paper. My days consist of the Passenger channel on Pandora, mixed with a little Radical Face and me staring at an empty Word document while contemplating whether or not a packet of peanut M&Ms would be a good idea.

A hint from the wise: Peanut M&Ms are always a good idea.

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by | September 27, 2011

Godiva Caramel Pecan Caffetini

This is technically not a martini. There is no gin or dry vermouth in this drink, but “Caffetini” is a much cuter way of describing a coffee cocktail. Therefore, I have proclaimed it officially a martini. I also put it in a martini glass. Any argument is now invalid.
As a participant in Foodbuzz’s Tastemaker Program, I get some free stuffs from time to time in order to review or create new recipes. Godiva and Foodbuzz sent me two of Godiva’s new limited edition coffee flavors to create a beverage recipe. I received Pumpkin Spice…
and Caramel Pecan Bark. Immediately, I started daydreaming of delicious boozy dessert drinks perfect for a chilly autumn or winter evening.
My first recipe was created using all of these ingredients. It was awful. I attempted to make my own vanilla vodka, but I think the vodka has gone bad or the vanilla extract is too bitter to be mixed in. After dumping it all down the drain, I decided that simpler is better anyway!
Godiva coffee and Godiva chocolate liqueur. Yeah, that’ll do.
(Disclaimer: The liqueur was purchased on my own dime. Although if Godiva wants to send me another bottle free, I won’t complain…*hint hint*)

Caramel Pecan Caffetini
Ingredients
4 oz. freshly brewed coffee (Godiva Caramel Pecan Bark)
4 oz. chocolate liqueur (Godiva Chocolate Liqueur)
A handful of ice
Caramel sauce to rim the glass (Trader Joe’s Fleur de Sel)
Pecans for garnish

1. Brew the coffee and set aside in the fridge to cool.
2. Measure out the chocolate liqueur.
3. Rim the martini glasses with caramel and garnish with a pecan.
4. In a cocktail shaker, combine the coffee, ice and liqueur and shake vigorously.

(This is where I had to get creative. We aren’t big hard liquor drinkers here, so there wasn’t a cocktail shaker in sight. Instead, I combined all the ingredients in a water bottle, shook vigorously and poured into the individual martini glasses through the top. Worked like a charm!)
5. Strain (or pour through the water bottle cap) the shaken mix into individual martini glasses.
6. Sip and enjoy bliss.
Adding coffee to the thick, rich liqueur balances this drink out so it’s not overwhelmingly heavy. The aroma of coffee, chocolate and caramel grace your senses with the the first sip. Sweet chocolate comes to the forefront when paired with the caramel sauce that has a hint of salt to develop the complex, buttery goodness of the caramel as it slowly drips down the glass to encase your fingers. Descriptive words I write feebly attempt to translate delicious images to your brain.

Now if only it would snow outside so I could light the fireplace and curl up in a fuzzy blanket with a foreign film, the world would be perfect.

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