Cooking with beer hints!

Cooking with Beer Tips and Hints

Belgium is famous for its Carbonnade à la Flamande, a thick stew of beer, bacon, onions, and brown sugar. Many home cooks prefer their shellfish and hot dogs steamed in beer.

Beer also has wonderful tenderizing properties, making it an excellent choice for a marinade for tougher cuts of meat. Baked goods using beer have a more moist texture and a longer shelf life.

Used in a glaze or baste, beer adds wonderful flavor to poultry and ham. In batter coatings for fried foods, the yeast in the beer acts as a mild leavening agent, causing the batter to puff up, as well as adding a distinctive enhancing flavor.

The hops, barley, and/or malt flavor imparted by the addition of beer to foods will naturally depend on the amount and strength of the beer. Dark beer, such as stout and porter, have a much stronger flavor than a light Pilsener. A good recipe using beer will have a distinctively light, not dominating flavor in the finished dish.

Non-alcoholic (alcohol removed) or light/lite (low-calorie, less than .5% alcohol) beers can usually be substituted (except in baking), but keep in mind that the flavor may not be as desirable and the texture may have less body.

Reference: About.com

Posted by Joanne Vanderhoef
Marketing and Media Specialist

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Onions aren't just for cooking!

6 Little-Known Uses for Onions

Remove rust from knives
Forget about using steel wool or harsh chemicals — how’s this for an easy way to get the rust off your kitchen or utility knives? Plunge your rusty knife into a large onion three or four times (if it’s very rusty, it may require a few extra stabs). The only tears you shed will be ones of joy over your rust-free blade.
Eliminate new paint smell
Your bedroom’s new shade of paint looks great, but the smell is keeping you up all night. What to do? Place several freshly cut slices of onion in a dish with a bit of water. It will absorb the smell within a few hours.
Correct pet “mistakes”
If Rover or Kitty is still not respecting your property — whether it be by chewing, tearing, or soiling — you may be able to get the message across by leaving several onion slices where the damage has been done. Neither cats nor dogs are particularly fond of “eau de onion,” and they’ll avoid returning to the scene of their crimes.
Soothe a bee sting
If you have a nasty encounter with a bee at a barbecue, grab one of the onion slices intended for your burger and place it over the area where you got stung. It will ease the soreness. (If you are severely allergic to bee or other insect stings, seek medical attention at once.)
Use as smelling salts
If you happen to be with someone at a party or in a restaurant who feels faint — and you don’t normally carry smelling salts in your pocket — reach for a freshly cut onion. The strong odor is likely to bring him around.
Use as a natural pesticide
Whip up an effective insect and animal repellent for the flowers and vegetables in your garden. In a blender, puree 4 onions, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper, and 1 quart water (1 liter). Set the mixture aside. Now dilute 2 tablespoons soap flakes in 2 gallons (7.5 liters) water. Pour in the contents of your blender, shake or stir well, and you have a potent, environment-friendly solution to spray on your plants.



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5 tips for making delicious stuffing

 

Planning on serving stuffing at your holiday dinner? Follow these tips for a delicious dish your guests won't forget

1. Consider something other than bread. While it is the most common base, lots of other things can be used when making dressing or stuffing (technically, it’s called dressing if baked in a pan, and stuffing if cooked inside poultry or meat). For variety, search out recipes that use brown rice, quinoa or barley.
2. Sauté the veggies first. Cook all the vegetables in a pan before adding them to your base ingredient. Though the stuffing will cook further in the oven, it should be mostly cooked prior to going in—who wants to chew on a hard carrot chunk when eating stuffing?
3. Pair the herbs. I’m a purist when it comes to herbs and always use fresh over dried. But dried herbs are just fine—and using the right ones in a stuffing will bring out the flavour of the particular meat or fish it’s being served with. For example, sage works well with turkey; dill with fish; rosemary with beef, lamb or pork; and thyme with chicken.
4. Add moisture. If you’re making dressing rather than stuffing, be sure to add 
a little liquid to impart flavour and moisture. I use low-sodium chicken stock rather than butter or water; it has flavour but little fat.
5. Crisp it up. If you’re a fan of crispy pieces, finish cooking your stuffing or dressing under the broiler. But be sure to stir it occasionally to ensure that it doesn’t burn.

Reference Best Health




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Warm up with a nice winter soup!

Winter is upon us and what isn't better than a nice hot bowl of soup on a cold and blustery day?

Leeks and potatoes provide the base for this hearty vegetable soup, and butternut squash adds a hint of sweetness. Gruyère toasts add a salty note.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 5 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled russet potato (about 12 ounces) 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 2 cups sliced leek (about 2 medium)
• 4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 12 ounces baguette, cut into 16 slices
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese 
• 3 tablespoons chopped chives
• Freshly ground black pepper (optional) 

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add squash, potato, salt, and pepper to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add leek; sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally. Place half of potato mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining potato mixture. Stir in half-and-half. Cover and keep warm.
3. Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Broil bread slices 2 minutes or until golden. Ladle 1 cup soup into each of 8 bowls; top each serving with about 1 teaspoon chives. Serve 2 bread slices with each serving. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper, if desired.
4. Wine note: This is one vegetable soup that can easily handle a lighter red wine. Stick with the French theme and look for bargains from Burgundy, like Louis Jadot Pinot Noir 2005 ($20). This wine has pretty red berry fruit, great balance, and gentle tannins that make it ideal for lower-fat dishes. The underlying earthy, leathery flavors bring out the rustic nuances of the potatoes and squash. —Jeffery Lindenmuth 

Reference myrecipes.com



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How the Martini was Born

 

The Martini

The most well-known of cocktails, Western culture has created quite the lore and mythology surrounding the drink. The three-martini lunch became a popular phrase coined for expensive, long lunches taken by business executives. In fact, the Martini has become more of a class of drinks than one drink in particular – with variations like Appletinis, Vodka martinis and others becoming popular over the years.

The famous and powerful people who have favored the simple, yet potent, original – Winston Churchill, Truman Capote, Ernest Hemmingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald to name a few – have only added to the lore of this popular classic cocktail. The first Martini – or Martini-like drink – was poured sometime between 1862 and 1871 and was called a Martinez, a name to honor the humble town of Martinez, California, where it was purportedly first dreamed up by bartender Julio Richelieu, proprietor of the eponymous Julio Richelieu Saloon. That similar (but sweeter) version of the cocktail consisted of sweet vermouth, gin, bitters and was garnished with a maraschino cherry. This version (which was essentially a gin Manhattan) eventually gave way to the more contemporary drier version that includes gin, vermouth and bitters and was supposedly first made popular when John D. Rockefeller started downing them at the turn of the 20th century.

Although the origins of the first Martinez date back to the 1860s, the modern Martini first rose in popularity starting in 1900s. During prohibition, the Martini became the drink of choice (or no choice in many cases) in speakeasies across the country due to the quick accessibility and production of gin. In fact, it was often a gin Martini or no drink at all for customers hiding out in their secret watering holes. The modern Vodka Martini, which James Bond stalwarts will surely order shaken not stirred, was not created until much later and many Martini purists still claim the idea of a Martini made with vodka is preposterous. A steadfast and iconic cocktail, however, the classic Martini is here to stay, whether made with vodka or gin, dirty or not, with varying amounts of vermouth, neat, or over ice.

Easy Refrigerator Pickles

Refrigerator pickles are easy to make, and there's no need for kettle steamers, special jars, and vacuum-tight lids. Plus, unlike store-bought pickles, these scrumptious homemade pickles are low in sodium.

Ingredients

• 6 cups thinly sliced pickling cucumbers (about 2 pounds)
• 2 cups thinly sliced onion
• 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Preparation

1. Place 3 cups cucumber in a medium glass bowl; top with 1 cup onion. Repeat procedure with the remaining 3 cups cucumber and remaining 1 cup onion.
2. Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan; stir well. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Pour over cucumber mixture; let cool. Cover and chill at least 4 days.
3. Note: Pickles may be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month.

(Courtesy MyRecipes.com)



Posted by Joanne Vanderhoef
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Cooking with Beer!

Yes you can cook with beer!

• The term beer includes ale, stout, Guinness, lager , bitter and pale ale
• If you can't drink it - don't use it in cooking
• Add a splash of the original alcohol to soups, stews and casseroles just before serving to reinforce the flavour
• Beer goes particularly well with beef and ham or bacon
• Add leftover beer to batter, stocks, soups and gravies
• Buy a couple of tins of beer and keep in your store cupboard for use in the kitchen
• You can use all types of beer or ale to cook with
• Don't throw away beer that's gone flat - use it for cookingBecause alcohol freezes at a lower temperature than other liquids, excessive use in frozen desserts is not advisable

Beer Soup

Serves 4
Ingredients

100g/4oz Rye Bread
1 Small stick Cinnamon
Grated rind of 1 Lemon
340ml/8 fl.oz. Stout
340ml/8 fl.oz. Lager
2 teasp brown Sugar
A pinch of Salt
120ml/4 fl.oz. Double Cream

Instructions
1. Dice the bread and cover with 300ml/10fl.oz. of Water. Leave overnight.

2. Place the bread and water in a pan with the cinnamon stick and grated lemon rind. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Remove the cinnamon stick and pass the bread and water through a sieve or place in a blender. Return the purée to the pan and add the stout, lager and sugar. Bring to the boil and add a pinch of salt.

4. Very lightly whip the cream, it shouldn't be thick, then pour the soup into individual bowls and pour the cream over the top. Serve immediately


Posted by Joanne Vanderhoef
Marketing and Media Specialist

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