The featured image is hers; I don’t have a waffle maker yet, but this recipe might be my reason to buy one!

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 5 Tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1 cup of Surly Cynic beer, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• Roasted, salted pumpkin seeds
• Mascarpone
• Sea salt, big flaky style

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
2. In a separate medium-sized mixing bowl mix the olive oil with, water, and beer.  Add in the eggs and whisk together. It will foam up so take care that your bowl is large enough.
3. Make a well in the dry ingredients and fold in the wet ingredients. Whisk until smooth.
4. Heat your Belgian waffle maker and grease lightly with olive oil.  Pour 1/4 cup into the waffle maker, and heat for a couple minutes or until your preferred level of goldeny deliciousness.
5. Finish with a dollop of Mascarpone, a light dusting of high quality sea salt and a sprinkling of roasted pumpkin seeds.

Ingredients

• 6 boneless pork chops
• salt and pepper (or your favorite pork seasoning blend)
• 2 cups Surly Wet
• 1/4 cup stone ground or dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick pan over med high heat.
2. Add a light coating of salt and pepper or seasoning blend to pork chops.
3. Add pork chops to pan, cook until browned on each side (approx. 2 min each side).
4. Remove pork chops from pan and set aside.
5. Add honey, mustard and beer to pan.
6. Bring to a low boil for 2 minutes.
7. Put pork chops back into pan with sauce and reduce heat. Simmer for 6 minutes, turning once.
8. Serve pork chops with sauce drizzled on top

Ingredients

The key to keeping it thick – stir in the beer and milk slowly when you get to that step.

Ingredients

I used Red Hook Wit, my favorite spring beer, but Surly Cynic or Bitter would be delicious too.

Ingredients

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For these cupcakes I wanted to use a pale ale, something that would compliment the lime and mint flavor that mojitos are known for. Dylan recently found the spring release of the Ninkasi four-pack, which included Spring Reign, a delicious pale ale. We decided that would be the best beer to use.  The crisp taste and the light hop character of the Spring Reign was a perfect match for these cupcakes.

Cupcake Ingredients

1 cup pale ale (try Ninkasi Spring Reign)
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Zest juice of 1 lime (we just use a small cheese grater to zest the lime, it’s really easy)
3 teaspoons dark rum
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil (like canola or vegetable oil)
1 1/4 cups sugar
Mint leaves to garnish

Directions

1. Combine beer, milk and mint leaves in a sauce pan over medium heat until hot, but not boiling. Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes. Pour beer/leaf mixture through a strainer to remove the mint leaves, set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line your cupcake pan with paper liners.

3. Combine juice of 1 lime and beer/mint mixture, set aside.

4. In large mixing bowl, combine sugar and zest of 1 lime. Mix with electric mixer for 1 minute or so. Add the beer mixture, oil, rum and mix completely.

5. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix until well combined.

6. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, fill each cupcake liner. Bake in preheated oven about 20 minutes, remove from oven, let it cool completely.

7. After cupcakes are completely cool, frost with the following recipe…

Lime Cream Cheese Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2+ cups powdered sugar
Splash of milk
Lime zest and juice

1. Beat cream cheese and butter with electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, and beat until combined. If frosting becomes too thick, add a splash of milk to loosen it up.

2. After the frosting is the desired consistency, add lime zest and a splash of lime juice, until the desired amount of flavor is reached. It’s better to add a little at a time, so your frosting doesn’t become too overpowering in flavor.

3. Frost cupcakes and garnish with a fresh mint leaf, or lime slice.

Here’s her recipe and description, enjoy!

The San Diego Farmers’ Markets have been filled with citrus lately, which means I’ve been coming home with more grapefruit than I can eat for breakfast. To help clean out my fridge, I created this salad. It combines oranges and grapefruit with tangy goat cheese in a bright vinaigrette made with blonde ale. The recipe is also incredibly quick and easy to make, whether for lunch or as a midweek dinner accompaniment. Serve alongside a witbier with prominent orange flavors, or use as a substitute to the blonde ale if that’s what you have on hand.

Ingredients

• 1 head of butter lettuce
• 1 fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
• 1 grapefruit
• 2 blood oranges
• 1 navel orange
• 4 oz. goat cheese
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/3 cup blonde ale or witbier
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup champagne vinegar
• salt & pepper

Steps

1. Whisk together beer, oil, and vinegar in a bowl. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

1. Supreme the citrus and slice segments in half.
2. Rinse & dry the lettuce; chop or tear into 2 inch x 2 inch pieces.
3. Toss lettuce and fruit with ¼ cup vinaigrette, adding more if needed.
4. Plate and top with almonds, sliced fennel, and crumbled goat cheese.

Makes about 6 tacos

Ingredients

•  3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (about 3 chicken breasts, cook in slow cooker covered in chicken broth, drain and shred with forks)
• 1 15oz can black beans
• 1/4 taco sauce, or to taste
• 3/4 cup Surly Smoke
• 6 corn tortillas
• 5 Tbsp of cooking oil, for frying tortillas
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, sliced
• other toppings of your choice: diced tomatoes, diced avocado, shredded cheese, cilantro, lettuce, etc.

Directions

Simmer chicken, taco sauce, jalapeno, black beans, and Smoke in a skillet on medium-high for 5 minutes.  To prepare the tortillas, heat 5 Tbsp of oil in a small skillet on medium high heat. Using tongs, place a tortilla in the hot oil and let cook until golden brown on both sides, about 30 seconds per side. Using tongs, place the cooked tortilla out of the pan, on paper towels to absorb the oil.

Use a slotted spoon to scoop chicken into the tortillas, and top as desired.

Makes about 9 pies.

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose  flour
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3/4 cup Surly Smoke
• 1/2 cup freshly chopped parsley
• 2 pinches coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 refrigerated Pillsbury pie crusts
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Heat a medium skillet over medium high. Add the beef and cook until browned, breaking up with a wooden spoon, about 6 minutes.
3. Add the diced onion, carrots and garlic. Saute 4 minutes or until the veggies soften. Toss in a pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Add the fresh thyme, the tomato paste and the flour. Toss to combine.
5. Stir in the Smoke beer and Worcestershire sauce. Cook another 2 minutes, until the mixture thickens a little.
6. Toss in the peas, parsley, salt and pepper.
7. Roll out the pie crusts onto a work surface. Using a cookie cutter or martini glass, cut out circles. Using your finger or small brush, brush a little of the egg wash around the edges of each round.
8. Spoon the filling in the center of each round. Roll over the dough and pinch to seal. Using a fork, press the edges to give it a ridged look. Using a small paring knife, cut small slits to let steam out.
9. Finally, brush the tops of the pies with the egg wash. Bake about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Pictured serve with roasted cauliflower and carrots. Enjoy! Let me know what you think and post your own photo in the comments below.

Makes about 4 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 5 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tbsp white-wine vinegar or rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
• 1 tbsp + 1/3 cup Surly Furious
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup red onion, sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions

 Directions

In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of the Furious, and the 1 tablespoon cornstarch.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, remaining 1/3 cup Furious, the remaining 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch.

In a wok or large frying pan, heat cooking oil, add the onions and the red-pepper flakes to the pan and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the chicken with its marinade and cook, stirring, until almost done, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the soy-sauce mixture and the green onion and simmer until the chicken is just done, about 1 minute longer. Stir in the peanuts.

Serve over rice or rice noodles (pictured)