Cranberry Cardamom Swirl Muffins

Living on Martha's Vineyard, there's a sort of cranberry cult around. There aren't any cranberry bogs on the Vineyard (that I know of!), but close by Cape Cod and Nantucket are packed with them and I thought it would only suitable to create a breakfast muffin that was swirled, literally, with cranberry flavors.

This muffin is not a light muffin by any means, but it's definitely a filling muffin to start your day with. Fresh, tart cranberries are scattered around and a swirl of your favorite berry jam adds a different texture that will be a nice surprise with your morning coffee.

Ever wondered what the difference between a muffin and a cupcake was? It's all in the method of making them!

• Muffins are made using the blending methods, and typically use a liquid fat such as oil or melted butter. The dry ingredients are added to the wet, and blended just to incorporate. This creates a moist, dense batter.
• Cupcakes are made using the creaming method, and typically use a solid (but softened) fat such as butter or shortening. Like the name of the method, creaming the fat and the sugar is the most important step in this process; you will need to cream until the fat turns a lighter color and is aerated. This will create a fluffier, airier batter. 

Can you say JUMBO Muffin?!

Cranberry Cardamom Swirl Muffins

This recipe can easily be halved or doubled.

Makes 12 large muffins

Berry Cardamom Jam

1 cup fresh cranberries

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 cup sugar

5 green cardamom pods

pinch of vanilla salt 

1. Simmer all ingredients over medium low heat until berries break down and most of the liquid evaporates. 
2. Remove cardamom pods and reserve.

Swirl Muffins

1 cup granulated sugar

2 sticks butter, melted

1 cup milk

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup bread flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup white whole wheat flour

4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon vanilla salt

1 cup fresh cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees and line a muffin pan with paper cups. 
2. Whisk together sugar, butter, milk and eggs. Add dry ingredients and stir only until incorporated.
3. Fold in cranberries and distribute half of batter into muffin cups (fill 1/4 of the way).
4. Drop a teaspoon of Cranberry Cardamom Jam and finish filling the muffin cups 3/4 of the way with muffin batter. 
5. Using a table knife, swirl muffin batter and jam. 
6. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until done. 

Not only does it look moist, it WAS moist!

 What's your favorite flavor combination w/ Cranberries? 

Have you ever visited a Cranberry Bog?

An Elegant Birthday Dinner: Brandy's Virtual Party!

Welcome to Nutmeg Nanny's Virtual Surprise Birthday Party! She's turning the big 3-0 and a few of us decided to surprise her with a fun and virtual dinner party! Our host, Jessie over at Living Mostly Meatless, was the mastermind behind all this and I'm so happy to be part of this joint and delicious effort! Brandy a.k.a. Nutmeg Nanny is such a sweet person, with a great sense of humor! She'll help you find a wedding dress in less than a few hours, as well as creates the most delicious recipes on her blog. Since I've been assigned the pasta course, I poked around her blog and here are some of HER pasta recipes: Pasta with Shrimp & Feta; Pasta & Pancetta in Smoky Tomato Sauce; and Poblano Macaroni and Cheese.

Now, what did I bring to the party? Since I know her love for pasta, I wanted to create a pasta as unique and special as Brandy. One full of flavor but quick to make, and the only rule was that it had to contain bacon (that was my own made up rule!)

Quinoa Linguine with Cherry Tomatoes & Bacon

with Avocado and Lime Dressing

Lately, quinoa pasta has become my love affair. I make it about twice a week, tweaking recipes and trying out new methods. This has been one of the best results: smoky bacon, fresh cherry tomatoes and a silky and raw avocado and lime sauce. You'll dirty one pot and one saute pan, plus a pair of tongs. Quick, flavorful and a healthy lunch idea, or better yet, as a side dish to a protein for dinner.

Last touches are added with the Avocado Lime sauce

Quinoa Linguine with Cherry Tomatoes & Bacon

with Avocado and Lime Dressing

1, 8 ounce package quinoa linguine

2 medium avocados, chopped
1 lime, juiced and zested
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste

6 strips of bacon, diced
1 cup fresh cherry tomatoes, halved

1. Cook quinoa linguine as instructed on box. Strain and reserve.
2. In a medium bowl, mix avocados, lime juice and half of lime zest, mayonnaise and olive oil. Blend with immersion blender (or regular blender) until smooth. Adjust seasonings with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. 
3. Cook bacon in cast iron pan and add cherry tomatoes when bacon is desired crispness. Do NOT remove bacon fat, this adds flavor to dish. 
4. Stir in Avocado Lime sauce and serve. Sprinkle with lime zest and if you have extra avocado lime sauce, serve with a dollop on top.

Now head on over and congratulate Brandy by following her on Twitter: @NutmegNanny. Want to see what everyone else brought to the party?

Soup- Winnie over at http://www.healthygreenkitchen.com/ 

Salad- Jessie over at http://livingmostlymeatless.blogspot.com/ 

Meat- Heather over at http://www.farmgirlgourmet.com/ 

Cheese- Julia over at http://www.fatgirltrappedinaskinnybody.com/ 

Dessert- Barbara over at http://www.creative-culinary.com/

Banana Cloud & Nutella {#chocolatelove}

It's February, so chocolate is a must have in the house. We have it all over: in a kitchen drawer (half a bar of white chocolate and a bar of Pomegranate Chocolate from Texas); in the fridge (local raw, vegan Martha's Vineyard chocolate bars that need refrigerating); on top of the bookshelf (one white solid chocolate oyster and a decade of Dylan's Candy chocolate bars); on the coffee table (a clear jar halfway filled with Hershey's Kisses). I kid you not, those are real places right now in our home that house chocolate.

So when Junia told me about the upcoming #chocolatelove, it was obvious that I was in. And then I made something that had not even 4% of the amount of chocolate in the house. Crazy no? Oh, and I forgot to mention the chocolate in the pantry: powdered cocoa, a jar of Nutella, a jar of Peanut Butter and Chocolate Spread, etc. 

Since it's all about #love, I wanted to combine my most loved ingredients: Bananas and Chocolate! This is probably the simplest and most flavorful banana dessert I've ever made. A quick blend of bananas, maple syrup and eggs makes this a velvety custard that when topped with rich Nutella, is an indulgent dessert that you won't feel guilty about. I call it a Banana Cloud because of the texture: fluffy, soft and custardy. Just like I'd imagine a cloud tasting like!

Banana Cloud & Nutella

Serves 2-4

2 extra ripe bananas

2 tablespoons organic maple syrup

2 medium sized eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 325F degrees.  Set out 2-4 ramekins on a baking sheet. (Amount of ramekin depends on size)
2. In a blender or using an immersion blender, whip all the ingredients together for 1 minute.
3. Pour banana cloud batter into greased ramekins and bake for 15-20 minutes or until it creates a small dome. Carefully test for doneness because this is a very delicate dessert.
4. Serve with a teaspoon of Nutella while warm.

What's your favorite way to garnish with chocolate? Do you grate chocolate on top? Swirl in a batter? Sprinkle on cupcakes? Such a versatile ingredient that can be either the main focus or a small detail in a dessert! One of my favorite chocolate cookbooks is Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner by Peter P. Greweling and The Culinary Institute of America, which I definitely recommend! 

February is #chocolatelove month!

Please join in on the #chocolatelove fun by linking up any chocolate recipe from the month of Februrary 2012.  Don't forget to link back to this post, so that your readers know to come stop by the #chocolatelove event!  The twitter hashtag is #chocolatelove.

Cohosted by: 

A Little Bit of Everything, Astig Vegan, Badger Girl Learns to Cook, Baker Street, Baking and Cooking A Tale of Two Loves, Baking Extravaganza, BigFatBaker, Bon a Croquer, CafeTerraBlog, Cake Duchess, Cakeballs Cookies and More, Cooking with Books, Creative Cooking Corner, Easily Good Eats, Elephant Eats, Georgie Cakes, Hobby and More, Java Cupcake, Kitchen Belleicious, Mike's Baking, Mis Pensamientos, No One Likes Crumbley Cookies, Oh Cake, Preheat the Oven, Rico sin Azucar, Savoring Every Bite, Simply Reem, Smart Food and Fit, Soni's Food for Thought, Sprint 2 the Table, Teaspoon of Spice, That Skinny Chick Can Bake!!!, The Dusty Baker, The More than Occasional Baker, The Spicy RD, The Wimpy Vegetarian, Vegan Yak Attack!, Vegetarian Mamma, You Made That?

Remember to enter to win Guylian Belgian Chocolates, Chocolate Oysters, Not Your Sugar Mamas Raw Chocolate from Martha's Vineyard and a #love treat from Inedible Jewelry over at my Foodie Giveaway Extravaganza!

Foodie Love for Your Foodie Lover!

Let's be honest, Valentine's Day is all about the chocolate. All the chocolate in the world, allowed on one single day. Oh, and sharing all this chocolate love with your favorite person in the world! And hey, if that person is yourself, than that just means more chocolate for you! That's why today is all about edible chocolate treats and one special inedible candy you can wear.

The Chocolate Coast

First up a company based out of Wellfleet, MA, called The Chocolate Coast and makes one of the most uniquely shaped chocolates I've ever seen: chocolate oysters. What describes Massachusetts, Cape Cod and Island better than fresh shucked oysters? Nothing comes to mind, and this is what The Chocolate Coast creates!

They once found the perfect oyster shell and sent it out to be made into their own special mold. After that, the oyster mold is hand-filled and painted for a special treat. These would be perfect as a souvenir for a beach wedding or party! They come solid in assorted chocolates: white, milk and dark; they also come in a variety of fillings: Nutella, Bananas Foster, and Peanut Butter were some of the ones I sampled. One of my favorites? Bananas Foster, a silky caramel flavored with brown sugar, rum and banana flavoring.

Would you like to try their hand painted oysters? 

One (1) winner will receive The Chocolate Coast Giveaway Prize:

One dozen (12) assorted solid Chocolate Oysters in dark, milk and white chocolate.

Not Your Sugar Mamas

Up next is a local chocolate maker on Martha's Vineyard, with one of the most whimsical names in the industry: Not Your Sugar Mamas. And they definitely aren't! Their chocolate bars are unlike any other I've tried, and believe me, I've had my fair share of chocolate. They're RAW, which means this chocolate is untempered, giving you the full health benefits that chocolate provides.

"The health benefits of cacao are numerous, particularly in it’s raw form since none of the nutrients have been lost in the heating process. It is the highest antioxidant food on the planet. It is also very high in magnesium which helps to relax the muscles, support the heart and increase brain power. The bliss chemical, Anandamide, is found in cacao making us feel happy and good!"

Not only are they raw, but they are jam packed with organic ingredients that add even more health benefits! So as I am eating a piece of their original bar, I'm thinking "Oh...so this is actually HEALTHY. Which means I should eat it every day!", so that's what you should do. In my opinion. What other great ingredients do they add to their bars? Maca, Spirulina, Himalayan Sea Salt, Cinnamon, Coconut Palm Sugar, Pomegranate, Nutmeg, Lucuma, Mesquite, Lavender, and even a powerful elixir made by Skye Botanicals called Aphrodite's Love Potion (in their Be Sexy bar)!

Unlike other chocolates, since these bars are untempered, they should be kept in a cool environment such as the fridge, but if you leave them out, their texture is like soft fudge, and both textures are delicious! You can also check out their Be Cozy superfood chocolate mix, perfect for the winter months.

Would you love to try Not Your Sugar Mamas?

One (1) winner will receive The Sampler (four bars):

The Sampler includes one (1) bar of Be Jolly, one (1) bar of Be Sexy, one (1) bar of Be Original and one (1) bar of Be Cool.

Guylian Belgian Chocolates

Guylian's Special Valentine's Day Packaging

From the island of Martha's Vineyard, we take a flight to Belgium! Let me now introduce you to Guylian Belgian Chocolates. Remember those chocolate seashells? These are the originals, crafted in Belgium from smooth Belgian dark, milk, and white chocolates made from 100% pure cocoa butter. The signature truffle recipe is still made in small-batch copper kettles exclusively in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium.

One of my favorite things about the Guylian website is the Chocolate Experience, where they guide you through a full tasting; we sometimes forget to savor the sweets in life! Here are some of the guidelines:

• See: notice the marbling created with white, milk and dark chocolate; the fine tempered shell creates a shine on each truffle shell, encasing the smooth praline interior.
• Smell: not only will you smell rich chocolate, but you'll get a hint of Mediterranean Roasted hazelnuts contained in the filling.
• Taste: you'll bit into the shell, noticing the contrast between shell and truffle interior. The hazelnut flavor is indulgent, and definitely one of my favorite ingredients to showcase in chocolate!
• Feel: Silky Smooth. No other words are needed to describe this experience.
• Share: if you want to. I shared. I did, promise! And plus, I'm sharing even more because thanks to the folks at Guylian, we're giving away a great chocolate extravaganza!

Would you like to taste some Belgian chocolates?

One (1) winner will receive the Guylian Belgian Chocolates Giveaway Prize:

One – 22 piece box of Guylian Artisanal Belgian Original Chocolate Truffles 

Two - 6 piece Original Chocolate Truffle Box

Four - 2 piece Original Chocolate Truffle Box

Inedible Jewelry

Photo Credit: Inedible Jewelry

Last, but not least is an inedible treat. One particular from Inedible Jewelry, an Etsy loving company based out of Charlotesville, Virginia. Once upon a time, I lived in Virginia and made chocolates. Coincidence, right? Well, I made real chocolates, read books and visited the farmer's markets. Thus, I met Inedible Jewelry! Sisters Jessica & Susan Partain have been creating teeny, tiny realistic miniature foods for about 20 years, since they were kids modeling clay.

How they make these tiny inedible treat? I could probably say they have elves with tiny heads that craft these pieces, but apparently they are human hands, real sized. (I have yet to believe it, I think it's still elves!) But seriously, each piece is crafted with so much detail, realistic colors and so much love. You can see that love inside their Etsy shop, as well as their interactions on Twitter and Facebook. The passion they have for their craft is palpatable, and it's definitely unique! Have you ever seen...a box of chocolates necklace? Or bacon and eggs earrings? Even better, how about your favorite drink....say a Margarita or two floating from your ears? Today's fun giveaway is Valentine's Day based, and read below for what you could win!

Inedible Jewelry Giveaway: 

One winner will win one handmade candy heart necklace with their phrase of choice OR a pair of studs in their preferred color and phrase (see options below):

Foodie Valentine's Day Extravaganza Giveaway! We will draw four (4) random winners from the comments below and in the order they are chosen, the specific prize from above will be given. Comments about any of the companies will enter you in the drawing to all four giveaways (meaning if you like Inedible Jewelry on Facebook, the comment counts towards possibly winning Not Your Sugar Mamas chocolate); the more entries you comment about, the more chances you'll have to win! More Details: US mailing addresses only; prizes will be shipped by each company to winner, in a timely fashion. Giveaways ends February the 8th at noon Eastern.

1. Follow Cooking with Books via Google Friend Connect
2. Follow Cooking with Books on Twitter
3. Check out The Chocolate Coast and tell me something you learned
4. Sign up for the Not Your Sugar Mamas newsletter
5. Follow Inedible Jewelry on Twitter
6. Answer this: What's your favorite love phrase combination from the ones Inedible Jewelry created (or make up your own, that fit into candy hearts of course!)
7. Check out Inedible Jewelry's Etsy shop and come back and tell me your favorite item
8. Follow Guylian Belgian Chocolates on Twitter
9. Sign up for the Guylian Belgian Chocolates newsletter (top right corner)
10. Tweet this and come back to tell us you tweeted: Win @Guylian_Chocs, jewelry from @inediblejewelry, Chocolate Oysters, & local-raw-organic MV Chocolate via @nella22: bit.ly/A8htCV
11. Share on your Facebook and come back to tell us you shared

Since Facebook has certain rules, I don't require you to like any of these companies on Facebook as an entry, but I suggest you do for updates, recipes and new products launched! (Not an entry, just some love!)

• Like Cooking with Books on Facebook
• Like The Chocolate Coast on Facebook
• Like Not Your Sugar Mamas on Facebook
• Like Guylian Belgian Chocolates on Facebook
• Like Inedible Jewelry on Facebook

Disclaimer: Samples were provided by the various companies free of charge, but I was under no obligation to review them. As always, my opinions are 100% my own and based on personal tastings and testings. Giveaways were generously provided by The Chocolate Coast, Not Your Sugar Mamas, Guylian Belgian Chocolates and Inedible Jewelry.

How to Kill a Lobster 101 & Poached Lobster recipe

This is the beginning to a lovely friendship. One united by food challenges and lobster killings, romantic no? Well, this is how I feel Lynn from Order in the Kitchen and I will bond. We've decided to take charge of our culinary adventures and challenge each other every month of 2012. We decided that the rite of passage, the best challenge to do, the one that would make us focused: killing a live lobster.

Maybe you've done this before, maybe you've even killed hundreds of lobsters in your lifetime, but neither Carolyn nor I had and with thoughts of Julia Child and trying to do this the kindest way possible, we started on our journey. Carolyn bit the bullet first and you can read all about her adventure over at her blog.

And now, it was my turn. After watching Lynn's video 5.4 times, I mustered up the courage. Check out the photos below, the steps I went through and how we prepared this crustacean!

He did NOT look at all happy. I wouldn't have been happy either!

You might ask why we have a kitchen towel under the lobster? Well, after watching various videos, we saw the amount of liquid that oozes out of the lobster when killed this way and well, we jut didn't want all that lobster juice everywhere. 

Lynn gives a good tip of freezing the lobster to numb it, and with all the energy going on during this time, I forgot to freeze it. As soon as I stabbed him, his tail curled up like crazy and his claws were everywhere. Thus, M. has to swoop in and hold it down.

From top to right: the halves of the lobster. It was a male, so no roe but you still need to wash the insides. Under cold running water, scrape off all the gooey innards. See how clean it is now? We then cut it into more manageable pieces (because we didn't have a big enough pot, but you can certainly leave it as is). For the preparation we were doing, we were going to boil the parts for 30ish seconds to make it easier to remove the meat from the shell.

A quick bath in boiling water (30 seconds) and then a dunk in ice water, we were able to remove the halfway cooked lobster meat. The shells were added to the start of our fennel tomato broth. The meat was refrigerated until needed. Our final dish was: Lobster Poached in Tomato Fennel Broth over Saffron Rice with White Wine Beurre Blanc. Read below for the recipe!

Tomato-Fennel Broth Poached Lobster
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
lobster shells
1 cup tomato sauce (we used frozen homemade pizza sauce we had!)
2 teaspoons fennel salt
salt & pepper to taste
3 cups water

1.  Saute onion and celery in olive oil until translucent. Add lobster shells and cook for 3 minutes. 
2. Add tomato sauce, fennel salt and seasonings. Simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Add water and cook for 30 minutes. Reseason and taste as you go. 
4. Strain twice through a fine mesh strainer and return to pot on medium heat. Drop lobster meat and cook until desired doneness, less than 4 minutes depending on size. 
5. Turn off heat and prepare to serve.

Saffron Rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup white rice (jasmine or long-grain rice work well)
2 cups water
pinch of saffron threads (about 3-4)

1. Heat olive oil and saute rice for 1 minute. 
2. Add water and saffron, stirring to disperse color.
3. Cook on medium heat until 90% of the water evaporates.
4. Fluff rice with a fork and cover. Lower heat to low and cook for about 5-10 more minutes. Reserve.

White Wine Beurre Blanc (Butter Sauce)
1 cup white wine
juice of half an orange
juice of 1/4 lime
juice of 1/4 lemon
1 small shallot, chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 stick unsalted butter

1. Over high heat, reduce white wine, all citrus juices and shallot until it's 1/4 of the original liquid (will turn syrup like). 
2. Add heavy cream, reduce until thickens. Remove from heat and add cubed butter. Place back on heat while whisking. Removing from heat will allow butter sauce to incorporate, but keep warm. Continue whisking until velvety smooth. Strain and reserve warm before serving.

To Serve

• Plate 1/4 cup of rice in a shallow bowl. Surround with tomato fennel broth. 
• Place lobster claw and tail intertwined and drizzle butter sauce over it.
• Garnish with some herbs for color and flavor. Serve with a side of butter sauce!

 Now it's your turn! Have you ever killed a lobster? What's your favorite method to cook lobster? 

Do you have a special lobster recipe (link up!) Let's talk lobster in the comments!

Chorizo Ragu with Cilantro Idaho Spuds

As newlyweds, M. and I love cooking dinners together, spending an hour or so whipping up a 3-course meal. But other nights, we just want simple comfort food with intense flavors that are whipped up in less than 20 minutes. This is where Idaho Spuds come in.

First of all, before having Idaho Spuds, I had never had mashed potatoes from a box. It's not something you see much in the Dominican Republic, and I honestly never even gave them much thought. I can hear you sigh and say "Oh why can't she just peel, cut and boil potatoes? Isn't she a chef? Bla bla bla..." I could, but sometimes (probably once a week), I feel too lazy to do the peel, cut and boil method and the satisfaction of having comforting, buttery mashed potatoes in five minutes is definitely appealing. They come in Classic Flakes and Signature Potato Bits.

One of the main issues when using a pre-made product is the fear of added preservatives, but Idaho Spuds are 100% Idaho^® potatoes. No fillers, all potatoes. And since potatoes are naturally glute-free, so are Idaho Spuds! The fact that they cook quickly is great and here are some quick ideas to add even more flavor to your Idaho Spuds:

• Grate your favorite cheese, such as Parmesan, Taleggio or even a dollop of burrata to make it indulgent!
• Finely chop broccoli florets and steam for 2-3 minutes. Stir into mashed potatoes for added health benefits and color!
• Instead of making mashed potatoes with whole milk, use a mix of both whole milk and coconut milk. Serve alongside your favorite curry!
• Some easy to add flavors are: wasabi, horseradish, or ginger. Remember a little goes a long way!
• Sprinkle with spices and cover with marshmallows for a twist on your classic sweet potato pie. Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Allspice and Cloves are some of my favorites!

Chorizo Ragu over Cilantro Mash

Using a sausage such as chorizo adds intense flavors that need not many more ingredients. Add any other vegetables you have available! This quick meal could work for either lunch or dinner and even as breakfast rolled into a corn tortilla!
Serves 2

4 chorizo sausages

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 tablespoon sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Idaho Spuds
Cilantro Paste
Fresh Cilantro
(measurements depending on amounts needed)

1. In a hot cast iron pan, chop chorizo into slices and sear for 2 minutes. Add chopped pepper and onion and cook until translucent. Add tomatoes and let simmer for 20 minutes. Season with sugar, salt and pepper. 
2. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, prepare mashed potatoes as instructed. Add cilantro paste as well as fresh cilantro leaves and fold in. Serve and enjoy!

Connect with Idaho Spuds! Check out their website for some delicious recipe ideas, follow them on Twitter and give them a like on Facebook!

Disclaimer: Idaho Spuds provided samples of their products, but as always, opinions are 100% based on personal testing and tasting!

Boozy Side Dish: Spicy Beer Rice

Over at Virtual Potluck, we love our drinks and cocktails! Be it a non-alcoholic Pumpkin Spice Latte by Farmgirl Gourmet, a Creamy Hazelnut & Rum cocktail by Donna of Cookistry, or a Red Wine & Cherry Spritzer by Not Rachel Ray, we love any liquid libations. 


So when we were contacted by The Lewis Bear Company to review a few of their beers, we were were pretty excited to drink up! Check out the links at the bottom of this post to visit other blogs and see what they made with the beer. 

The Lewis Bear Company is a beverage distributorship founded in 1876 that holds the regional franchise for Anheuser-Busch. The company is headquartered in Pensacola and maintains offices in DeFuniak Springs and Panama City. The current president is Lewis Bear, Jr.. -Wikipedia Page

With my beer, I decided to make a unique side dish by infusing jasmine rice with beer. It's a perfect side dish for a quick weekday dinner, and you can make it for special occasions by adding some chopped roasted red peppers. 

Victory Brewing Company's Headwaters Pale Ale 
Tasting Notes from the company: This firmly crispy and aromatically arousing pale ale integrates a softly supportive malt base with underlies streams of herbal hop complexity.

Spicy Beer Rice
This is the  perfect side dish to your tailgating dishes! Add it to quesadillas, wrap it up in a breakfast burrito or toss it with cheese and ground beef to make a rice casserole dish!

Serves 2-3

 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup jasmine rice

1 tablespoon Sriracha (or your favorite hot sauce)

1 cup Victory Brewing Company's Headwaters Pale Ale*

season with: salt, pepper and red pepper flakes

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium sized pot and add rice and Sriracha.
2. Saute until rice is coated with oil and hot sauce. 
3. Add beer and lower heat to medium low until 90% of the beer evaporates.
4. Fluff with fork and cover pot for another 10 minutes, until all the beer has been absorbed. 
5. Serve as a side dish to soups, proteins, etc.

*Note: Bottle of beer has enough for one cup plus a shot of beer for the cook!

The Boozy Giveaway! Lewis Bear Company will be shipping out to the winner some beer-inspired t-shirts, hat, and other cool swag. Entry is limited to residents of the US, 18 or older. Contest ends at noon, Eastern time, on Sunday, February 5. To enter:

• Comment on this post and tell me what's your favorite craft beer or favorite way to use beer in your kitchen?
• Head on over to our party host site, 30AEATS and leave a comment there. Come back here and tell me you commented there! 
• Like the Cooking with Books on Facebook Page
• Like the Virtual Potluck Facebook Page

Connect with Lewis Bear Company:
Twitter 
Facebook

Disclaimer: Lewis Bear Company provided the beer to develop this recipe, but as always, my opinions are 100% based on my personal testing.