Recipes

Beer Brats

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
1 12-ounce bottle or can dark German beer
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
5 uncooked bratwurst links (1-1/4 pounds)
5 hoagie buns, bratwursts buns, or other crusty rolls, split and toasted
1 recipe Easy Cranberry-Pickle Relish

Directions
In a 4-quart Dutch oven, heat butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until tender. Add beer, brown sugar, vinegar, caraway seeds, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Place bratwursts in beer mixture. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Using tongs, remove bratwursts from cooking liquid. If desired, reserve cooking liquid. In a grill pan or a 10-inch skillet cook bratwursts over medium heat about 10 minutes or until brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into bratwursts registers 160F, turning occasionally. If desired, return bratwursts to cooking liquid to keep warm until serving time.

To serve, place grilled bratwursts in buns. Using a slotted spoon, top with onion slices and Easy Cranberry-Pickle Relish. Makes 5 sandwiches.

Easy Cranberry-Pickle Relish: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup canned whole cranberry sauce and 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish. Makes about 3/4 cup. Serves 5.

Beer Bread

Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons baking powder
12 ounces beer (NOT light beer)
2 teaspoons salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten

Preparation:
Mix flour, baking powder, and salt with sugar. Add beer and egg both at once and stir. You may have to knead last of flour in with hands.

Place in greased 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan and bake at 375 degrees until done - about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and cool.

Yield: 1 loaf beer bread

Weight Watchers Irish Stew

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1-1/2 pounds lean boneless lamb, cut into 1-1/2-inch squares 1/2-inch thick (or boneless chuck)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1 bay leaf
6 whole new red potatoes (5 ounces each)
15 ounces small onions, peeled
1 cup Irish ale or beer
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoon cornstarch
Chopped parsley
6 slices Italian bread (1 ounce each), optional

Preparation:
In a large heavy saucepan, heat 1/2 of the oil. Add 1/2 of the lamb or beef and cook until well browned on one side, 5-7 minutes. Stir and cook 1 minute longer; remove meat and set aside.

Add the remaining oil, the lamb (or beef), and the chopped onion to the pan and cook until browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Return the first batch of meat to the pan.

Add broth and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add thyme and bay leaf; lower heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour.

Add potatoes, onions, ale, and salt. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.

To thicken stew, add cornstarch to 1/4 cup cold water in a small bowl; stir until smooth. Add to simmering stew; stir gently until thickened. Garnish with parsley. Serve Irish stew with bread, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

Serving (with 1 slice of bread) provides: 1/2 fat, 1 vegetable, 3 proteins, 2 breads (if served without bread, subtract 1 bread).

Per serving:
With bread: 409 calories, 29 g protein, 9 g fat, 644 mg sodium.
Without bread: 332 calories, 27 g protein, 8 g fat, 478 mg sodium.

Pork Chops with Beer and Bacon Gravy

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

Ingredients
4 bone-in pork chops, just over 1-inch thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus a drizzle
2 thick slices smoky bacon from deli counter, diced 1/4-inch
1 medium onion, diced 1/4-inch
1 rounded tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 bottle amber to dark German beer
1/2 cup stock
Chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions
Season the chops liberally with salt and pepper. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil smokes, add the chops and cook, turning once, until caramelized and the meat is just turning firm, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove to a platter and cover with foil, reserve.

Add a drizzle more oil to the pan, add bacon and brown for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the onions and sauté over medium heat with the bacon until soft, 6 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle in flour, stir for 1 minute, then add the beer. Cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes more, then whisk in the stock. Remove from the heat and season with pepper. Pour the gravy over the chops, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Beer Cheese Soup

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups diced carrots
1 1/2 cups diced onion
1 1/2 cups diced celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups Miller Lite Beer
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
4 cups milk or half and half
6 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
popped popcorn, for garnish

Directions
In a large saucepan over medium heat, stir together carrots, onion, celery, and garlic. Stir in hot pepper sauce, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Pour in chicken broth and beer; simmer until vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, heat butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Stir in flour with a wire whisk; cook, stirring until the flour is light brown, about 3 or 4 minutes. Gradually stir in milk, whisking to prevent scorching, until thickened. Remove from heat, and gradually stir in cheese. Keep warm.

Stir beer mixture into cheese mixture. Stir in Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and dry mustard. Adjust for hot pepper sauce. Bring to a simmer, and cook 10 minutes. Serve topped with popcorn.