Besides the beer dispenser of joy the garden is starting to kick ass and take names.  There are now eight eight by four beds soon to be filled with way to many tomatoes and peppers that we are going to have to force them down friend’s throats.  Oh hell like they would mind because they love being present for the insanity of our experiments.

Speaking of experiments this was one of those.  We ended up with a couple bottles of smoked porter and after consuming one of them we figured why the hell not make some stroganoff.  We have been doing good at watching what we consume and large quantities of sour cream are definitely in order.

This is a pretty simple and easy dish that was awesome.  If you lack smoked porter fear not because any porter or a milder stout (save the Bell’s Hell Hath No Fury for drinking not cooking).

For this recipe you will need:

1. Couple pound of chuck roast cut into 1 inch wide strips
2. 1 onion sliced
3. 4 cloves of garlic diced
4. 8 ounces of mushrooms sliced
5. 12 ounces of beer (duh)
6. 1 teaspoon paprika
7. pinch of crushed red pepper
8. 1 cup of beef stock
9. Bay leaf
10. 4 sprigs of thyme
11. 1 teaspoon Dijon
12. 1 cup sour cream
13. Flour
14. Tablespoons of butter
15. Salt and pepper
16. Good handful a person of egg noodles

Steps to success:

1. Flour the chuck roast
2. In a dutch oven or large stockpot add in a couple tablespoons of butter.
3. Once the butter has melted start browning the beef in stages.
4. Remove and set aside as it is done and you will probably have to add in more butter which there is no harm in doing.
5. Once the beef is browned add in the onion and cook until softened and starting to brown up (about 5 minutes).  Add in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or fragrant.
6. Add in the beer, beef stock, bay, Dijon, paprika, crushed red pepper, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
7. Add the beef back in, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and let it go for an hour and a half.
8. Taste the dish and if you are happy add in the mushrooms.
9. Cook for another 20-30 minutes covered or until the beef is tender and mushroom tasty.
10. Now is a good time to get those egg noodles cooking
11. Kill the heat and stir in the cup of sour cream
12. Serve and enjoy over egg noodles.

The first day of Spring here in Northern Indiana gave us a beautiful 87° day. It was awesome and while I planned our garden, Jeff was headed to hike the Appalachians and this amazing weather would be perfect for him and I alike.

Instead the temperature dropped and it rained and our garden had to wait. And Jeff? Well he hiked in the pouring rain and slept in the blustery wind and froze in 20° nights and threatened to throw himself off a cliff so they would air lift his frozen carcass home to me.

Heck just last night we had yet another hard freeze warning.

Mother Nature is f*&#ing with us.

However ice cream don’t care if your freezing. It waits for no one. And even if you are hypothermic, ice cream always manages to make you feel better. And let’s face it eventually this weather will break (this week is the rumor, but I will believe it when I see it) and you will want this recipe in your dessert arsenal. Because to be quite honest and to try not to break my arm while I pat myself on the back, it turned out amazing.

The beer used in this is called Wild Blue. It is an odd beer which I liken more to a fruity wine then a beer. Maybe a combination of wine and beer. (Now THERE’S an idea…) There is no hop aroma and very few end hints of malt. It is however VERY blueberry tasting. And if you like blueberry, you will like this. Plus it packs a punch at 8% alcohol by volume.

Wild Blueberry Beer Cheese Cake Ice Cream

One Bottle of Wild Blue blueberry lager
1 8 oz block WHOLE FAT cream cheese cut into chunks and softened.
1 C half and half (WHOLE FAT) (Heavy cream can also be used)
1 egg
3/4 C sugar
1 heaping C frozen blueberries

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat pour 1 bottle of Wild Blue Blueberry beer. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and mix in the cream cheese. Stir till cream cheese is melted and blended. Remove from heat.

Combine the half & half, sugar and egg.

Stir into warm beer mixture and mix till well combined.

Cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, get your ice cream maker ready before you remove the beer cream mixture from the fridge. Stir in 1 heaping cup of frozen blueberries and pour the mixture into the ice cream maker. Follow your makers instructions till ice cream is set. Move ice cream to a container and let set up in freezer overnight.

Enjoy!

It should be noted that this beer is not boiled long or is it reduced. Therefore the alcohol content does remain and this is NOT an ice cream for children.

I would assume that this recipe would also work with other strong fruit beers like lambics. Just change the frozen fruit you add accordingly.

By the way this is ALSO part of Elle’s New England Kitchen and my plan for WORLD DOMINATION thru ICE CREAM also affectionately known as SCOOPAPALOOZA. More details to come but head on over to her blog and check it out.

Oh yeah many of you were asking what I got Heather for Valentine’s Day.  Well it follows the annual theme of creepy garden gnomes.

It is the female one on the left and I got it from http://www.whatonearthcatalog.com/whatonearth/Item_Skel-A-Gnomette-and-Skel-A-Gnome-Garden-Sculptures_CF2993G_ps_dpr.html.  Great company with prompt shipping and awesome customer service.

Past that it is finally starting to break from winter here so the garden plotting and planning is even in full effect.  Heck Heather started a bunch of seeds so I would not be surprised if DEA is not knocking down my front door in a couple weeks because of the heat signature my house is putting out.

The other major change is the garage is slowly being turned into the official Safehouse Brewery and Brewpub.  Invitation only but the beer is cold and guarantee a grill or a smoker is got something cooking on it.

This was one of those recipes that was grilled to delicious perfection.

For the coleslaw you will need:

• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1/4 cup IPA or other beer
• We cheated and bought a coleslaw kit since it is a heck of a lot easier than sitting there using a mandoline to break down cabbage and carrots.  However; if you are inclined I am betting a small head should suffice.
• If you are grating cabbage and not being lazy make sure you add in a grated carrot.
• 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
• 2 chipotle in adobo diced
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• juice of one lime
• salt and pepper

Coleslaw idiot directions:

• Combine
• Put in fridge
• Wait a couple hours
• Taste.  Do you like it?  Great then you are ready.  If you hate it adjust the flavors.  You might need more salt or pepper.

For the fish you will need:

• 1 lb mahi
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• juice of a lime
• 1 tablespoon ancho powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 cup cilantro

Fish is even harder than the coleslaw to make:

• Combine everything
• Wait 20 minutes
• Grill or oven bake until the fish is flaky

To assemble the tacos:

• Soften corn tortillas
• Throw in some spoonfuls of coleslaw
• Add in some flaked fish
• Throw in whatever in the heck else you like
• Serve and enjoy!

Anyways as usual you can always tell when Jeff is writing because I have zero to say.  In fact I am going to pay her to ghost write for me…….

You will need:

• 1 lb ground beef (I used venison that was floating around from my buddy getting a deer last year)
• 1 onion finely diced
• 1 bell pepper finely diced
• 4-5 cloves of garlic
• 3-4 tablespoons whole chili powder (ancho and guajillo were used)
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 bottle of beer (we used Brooklyn Brown Ale)
• 2 cups of beef stock
• 1 jar of green chilis
• 1/2 to 3/4  box of elbow macaroni (how much you like is how much you throw in).
• 2 cups of cheese (one cup habanero cheddar and another cup of straight cheddar)
• 1 can of kidney beans drained
• 2 large can of tomatoes not drained
• bacon grease or canola oil

Steps to success:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Saute the onions and bell pepper until softened (about 5 minutes) in bacon grease in your favorite cast iron dutch oven (large stockpot works too).
• Add in the meat and cook until no longer pink.
• Add in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and orgeno and cook for another minute.
• Add in the rest of the ingredients except for the cheese. Cook uncovered until the macacroni is done and the liquid has evaporated (about 12 minutes)
• Throw in a cup of cheese and mix in
• Throw the rest of the cheese on top and shove in the oven uncovered for 10-15 minutes (until the cheese has melted and hardened up)

Serve and enjoy!

This time last year we were experiencing serious foodie blogger meltdown. I won’t get into it, but we decided to step away for a while. For our sanity and for YOUR safety.

But lately we found our passion again. Ironically it was in a bottle marked BEER. So we decided now would be the perfect time to re-inflict our loquacious banter on you. And cook with beer. Lots and lots of beer. Lucky YOU!

Speaking of February, are you aware that this is American Heart Month? More people die of heart disease then all forms of cancers COMBINED. Heart problems run in my family. I have a heart murmur. My father has (had?) a congenital heart defect. He now has a COW valve attached to his heart which literally changed / saved his life. Have you hugged a cow today to say thank you? Where family medical history plays a part in your own heart health, you can make steps to stave off heart problems. Get active. Stop smoking. Lose weight. Manage stress. EAT BETTER. Now I can’t make you work out or stress less. But I can force you to eat better. Thru the power of tempting photographs like this:

Blackened Salmon with a Light Lemongrass Beer Butter Sauce.

Not a single other fish offers as much omega-3 fatty acids as the over achieving salmon. Omega-3 fatty acids help keep your heart strong and your arteries clear. They also improve your eye sight, strengthen your immune system, may reduce anxiety and has been found helpful in cases of depression. Plus it is damn tasty.

First things first.Gather your ingredients.

For the Salmon:
2 6-8 oz portions wild salmon
blackening seasoning mix (store bought or recipe follows)
2-3 T olive oil

For the Sauce:
1 shallot finely diced
1 T olive oil
1/2 cup American Pale Wheat Beer (drink the rest…)
1 T salt-free butter
2 T fresh parsley – chopped
juice from 1/2 lemon
salt & pepper to taste
optional: splash of cream

Buy yourself some top notch salmon. Wild caught – not farm raised if you can swing it. And coat one side or the fleshy side (not the skin side if your portion came with skin) with your favorite blackening mix.

Heat a heavy bottomed pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add 2-3 T olive oil. When the oil has begun to shimmy & dance in the pan,  add your salmon, seasoned side down. Cook for 2-4 minutes – depending on the thickness of your salmon – or pretty much till 1/2 the salmon (from the bottom up) is opaque. Then with the help of your trusty spatula, gently flip the salmon and continue to cook for an additional 4-6 minutes, or until salmon is completely opaque, and when gently flaked a white milky substance runs from it. Remove from pan and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium/low and add in the shallot with a splash of olive oil. Saute’ till loose and translucent.

Add in the beer. (I used a home brew lemon grass wheat beer, but any American Pale Wheat Ale, such as Gumball Head by 3Floyds will work fine). Cook till reduced by 1/3. Add the butter, parsley and the lemon juice. Whisk till butter is melted and the sauce is creamy. You can add the optional splash of cream at this point if you like. Cook for 3-5 minutes till slightly thickened. (Will thicken more as it cools). Salt & pepper to taste.

Spoon sauce over salmon and serve with your choice of fresh roasted vegetables.

Feel good that you are helping your heart stay healthy.

Bonus Blackening Mix Recipe!

Mix together the following: