My Beer Cake

For Tab's 21th Birthday I wanted to make her a beer cake. After a few tears, two melt downs, and a trip to Publix Bakery this is what I was left with. She really enjoyed it, and I thought it was fitting to add to my blog.

These are the pieces I made. This was my first time using fondant and this part was surprisingly easy.

The base of the cake was the cause of all the tears. After assembling the cake, the base broke in half from the wait of the can and bottle and being unable piece the cake back together before we had to leav, I was forced to go to Publix and buy this one. I was sad after all the work I did, I had to use a pre-made sheet cake, but Tabby loved it and that is all that matters.

Me and my Baby Sister!!

Bluebeerry Beer Bread

I used the remaining Blueberry Beer from the pancakes and some of Hucklebuck Brewings Honey Orange Wheat Beer. I have a really simple beer bread recipe I use, so I added the fruity beers and more sugar to make the beer sweet.

Blueberry Beer Bread

3 cups AP Flour
5 Tbsp Sugar
8 oz Fruity Wheat Beer
2 Tbsp Butter
1/2 cup Pecans

1. Mix sugar and flour together and slowly add beer.
2. Add nuts until all combined. Pour mixture into greased loaf pan
3. Cook at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and brush butter onto crust and sprinkle with extra sugar. Cook for 10 additional minutes.

Pizza and Beer

What is better then pizza and beer?? Pizza with beer! Tonight, I made grilled beer crust pizza. I came up with this recipe when I wanted to make pizza but did not have yeast for the dough. I wanted to use a milder beer like a pilsner, but Huck talked me into using an IPA, and I am so glad I did.

I added rosemary to the dough for extra flavor.

Huck's pizza turned out nice and round...

I was going for a bullet shaped pizza :)

Grilled Beer Crust Pizza

3 cups AP Flour
12 oz any flavor beer
Pinch Salt
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Rosemary-Chopped

1. Mix beer in slowly to flour, rosemary, and salt mixture to prevent the beer from foaming up.
2. Rub bowl with oil and place dough in bowl turning to coat entire surface with oil.
3. Let dough rise for 15-30 mins until doubled in size.
4. Turn dough out on to floured surface. Kneed dough and roll to desired shape.
5. Place dough on preheated grill. Cook until golden brown. The pizza will release from the grill when it is fully cooked.
6. Top with favorite toppings and close grill to allow cheese to melt.

Bluebeerry Pancakes

I love blueberry beer. Sweetwater Blue was my first "craft" beer I started drinking and actually liked. While walking around the liquor store yesterday, I found this beer by Sea Dog. Wild Blueberry! That sounds like it would go great in pancakes. Using a basic pancake recipe, I substituted the milk for beer.

  This beer has a more blueberry taste then Sweetwater Blue, but any fruity wheat will do.

All the ingredients ready to go!

A little powdered sugar on top and syrup on the side and breakfast is ready!


Bluebeerry Pancakes

• 1 1/4 cup Flour Shifted
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Egg (I used egg substitute)
• 1 cup Blueberry Flavored Beer (or any fruit flavor. Strawberry would be good too)
• 2 Tablespoons Melted Butter

1. Mix together Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, and Salt. 
2. To dry ingredients, add butter, egg, and beer. Pour beer in slowly to prevent extra foam. 
3. Heat a skillet to medium high heat.
4. Spray pan with cooking spray and add 1/4 cup of batter to pan. 
5. Pancakes are ready to flip bottom is golden brown. 
6. Serve with syrup and powdered sugar. 

                                 Makes 10 servings 

Bluebeerry Syrup

• 1/2 cup Syrup (I use sugar free syrup but any syrup will do)
• 2 tablespoons Beer

1. Combined ingredients and warm in microwave for 30 seconds.

Calories
One Serving: One Pancake and 1/4 cup Syrup mixture.
One Pancake 100 calories
1/4 cup Syrup 37 calories

Huck's Own Honey Orange Wheat Cookies

I used Hucklebuck Brewing Company Beer (Huck's new homemade beer) to make a glaze for these cookies. The recipe for the cookies came from the lid of the Quaker Oats container. (The only cookie recipe I have/use) I added a few extra ingredients to the dough and glazed them with the reduced beer.

Buck's Brew. No labels for the bottles yet :(

Reducing the beer. This was right before it burned, so do not walk away. It only takes a few minutes and if it becomes to dark START OVER! Burnt beer does not taste well. Trust me!

Not the best plate to use when taking a picture of Orange glazed cookies. I promise the pictures will get better!!


Huck's Own Honey Orange Oatmeal Cookies

• 1 stick plus 6 Tbsp Butter 
• 3/4 cup firmly packed Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup AP Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups uncooked Oats
• 1/2 cup Pecans (or any nut)
• 1/2 cup Toffee Bits

1. Heat oven to 350. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars.
2. Add eggs and vanilla. 
3. Combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. 
4. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in a few batches. 
5. Add oats, nuts, and toffee. 
6. Drop dough onto ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 8-10 minutes. (Huck likes his cookies crispier, so I cook his for 13-15 minutes. I like mine gooey, so I cook them for 6-8 minutes.)

Wheat Beer Glaze

Reduce any fruity wheat beer over medium heat until it becomes thick. Drizzle beer over warm cookies and serve.

My Beer Picnic

Maybe I over did it with the beer with this one. Everything has beer in it :) 

Smoked Boston Butt

• Boston Butt
• 1 Bottle Oak Aged Coffee Stout (I used Huck's homemade Beer but any coffee stout will work)
• Favorite Spice Blend (I used my own but did not messure ingredients :( Sorry)  

1. Rub dry spices on meat and pour beer over meat. Marinate for 12-24 hours turning in beer a few times. 
2. Prep Smoker. If you don't have a smoker, you can use a slow cooker.
3. Place meat on smoker. 
4. Using leftover marinate, reduce over medium heat and brush on meat ever 1-2 hours.  
5. Cook meat 1 1/2 hours per pound. 
6. Let meat rest before slicing.

 
Beerbecue Baked Beans

• 5 Slices Uncooked Bacon
• 1 Green Pepper-Diced
• 1/2 Onion-Diced
• 1 Can Pork and Beans 
• 1 1/2 cups Beer (I used Hopsecutisner IPA for the strong flavor.)
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 cup Ketchup

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Slice bacon and cook until crisp. Drain on paper towel. 
3. Remove all but one tablespoon bacon fat from pan, and cook pepper and onions until soft.
4. Stir in Pork and Beans, Ketchup, Beer, and Brown Sugar and cooked on low heat for 20 minutes. 
5. Spray casserole dish with cooking spray and place bean mixture in dish. 
6. Bake 50 minutes.

 We like Terrapin!!

German Potato Salad
This recipe was Oma approved :) And was not an original; I found it in a cook book but omitted and added a few things.

• 6-8 Potatoes- peeled and diced
• 4 Slices Uncooked Bacon
• 1/2 Medium Onion
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 2 Tbsp Flour
• 1 Tbsp Whole Grain Mustard
• 1 cup Beer (I used a lager)
• 3 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1. Cook Potatoes until tender in boiling salted water and drain. 
2. Slice bacon and cook in a pan until crisp. Drain on paper towel. 
3. Add onions and garlic to pan in bacon fat and cook until tender. 
4. Mix beer, vinegar and mustard together.
5. Add 2 Tbsp flour and allow to cook for a minute mixing with onion, garlic, and bacon fat. 
6. Add beer mixture to pan whisking to prevent lumps stirring until thick
7. Mix potatoes and beer mixture right before serving. 

This recipe should be served warm.  

Beer mixture.

Beerbecue Sauce

• 1 cup Ketcup
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 cup Beer (I used the Hopsecutioner again)
• 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/4 Onion- Fine Dice

1. Combined ingredients and cook until sauce starts to thicken. 

Beer Butt Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Brown Rice

Chicken likes beer too...

Chicken ready for the grill. It is Sunday and was limited on beer selection, but it turned out amazing. 

Chicken on the grill. 

The best part of the chicken... crispy skin. Yummy!

Brussels Sprouts and Onions cooked in Bacon fat. 

Serving plate. 

Beer Butt Chicken

• Whole Chicken
• 1/2 Can Beer (I cut the top off the can)
• 1/2 Onion
• 1 Jalapeño
• 2 Tbsp Butter
• Creole Seasoning (optional)
• Salt and Pepper to taste 
• Brussels Sprouts (See Recipe)

1. Place can with wheat (I would not use a fruity wheat for this recipe) or lager beer in center of a beer butt chicken rack. 
2. Stuff chicken with onion and jalapeño. I stuff the inside cavity and between skin and meat for extra flavor. 
3. Mix butter, creole, salt, and pepper together and rub on skin and in between skin and meat of chicken.
4. Place on grill on medium heat. 
5. Depending on size of chicken cook until juice runs clear. (My 4 lb chicken took an hour)
6. Let rest 10 minutes and remove from rack.   
7. Serve with brussels sprouts and brown rice.   

 Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

• 12 oz Brussels Sprouts
• 1/4 large onion
• 2 slice center cut bacon
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Slice bacon and cook in a pan until crisp. 
2. Remove bacon on to paper towels to remove extra oil and remove all but one Tbsp bacon grease from pan. 
3. Add Brussels Sprouts and onions to pan and cook until tender. 
4. Add bacon to  pan and heat through.  

Calories
One Serving: 4 oz Chicken, 6 Brussels Sprouts, and 1/2 cup Brown Rice 340 Calories. 
4 oz Chicken: 180 calories
6 Brussels Sprouts: 50 calories
1/2 cup Rice: 108 calories