Drunken Monkey Cupcakes

This recipe is sort of a fusion of traditional banana bread and cupcakes. Some ginger and spices add a welcome complexity to these, while still maintaining a great banana flavor. The beer in the recipe provides a subtle sweet roasty flavor with a unique fluffiness from its' carbonation. The frosting is based on a canoli filling recipe I stumbled across when I was looking to do the frosting a little bit differently. These cupcakes make a great snack for any time of the year.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour

2 cups ripe bananas (3-4 bananas), mashed

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp molasses

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

2 eggs(preferably free range), beaten

6 oz 70% cocoa bitter sweet chocolate, chopped(I used a food processor)

6 oz unsalted organic butter(1 1/2 sticks)

1 cup stout beer (I used an Espresso Stout from Twisted Pine)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp vanilla

1 tsp nutmeg

Ricotta Frosting (recipe follows)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, chocolate chips, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to combine.

In a large bowl cream together butter, brown sugar and molasses until there are no more lumps. Add mashed banana, eggs, ginger, stout, vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Add dry mixture to wet mixture, stirring just until everything is combined.

Spoon into a cupcake pan with wrappers lining the pan filling each about 3/4 full.

Bake for 17-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 40 minutes then add ricotta frosting.

Make the Ricotta Frosting:

Ingredients

1/4 cup coffee

1 tbsp kahlua

2 tbsp 70% cocoa bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small chips

1 tsp lemon zest

2 tbsp Ricotta Salata(or regular ricotta drained in a fine sieve)

1 tsp cinnamon

2 cups powdered sugar(add less or more depending on desired sweetness)

3 tbsp butter, melted

Directions

Combine all ingredients and whisk until proper consistency, adding more sugar or coffee as needed. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before spreading on cupcakes.

Caraway Beer Bread

Ingredients

2 and 3/4 cups(345 g) all purpose flour, sifted
3 Tbsp honey
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 - 12 oz dark beer(I used Deschutes Jubelale)
1 tsp whole caraway seeds
Egg wash (whisk 1 egg and 2 tbsp water)


Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix together sifted flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and caraway. In a separate bowl mix together honey and beer. Stir into dry mixture until just combined, do not over mix. Brush with egg wash.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Note: This recipe is very versatile. Try using maple syrup instead of the sugar. Just mix it into the beer before you add it to the dry ingredients.

Try Rosemary and Feta
Garlic and thyme
Sage and brown sugar

Chili Beer Collard Greens

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 bunch collard greens
1 smoked turkey leg or ham hock
2 whole cloves garlic, peeled
½ onion, sliced
3-4 Tbsp hot sauce
1 - 12 oz bottle Billy’s Chilies, chili beer
3 cups stock(chicken, vegetable, beef or water)

Directions

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Sear turkey leg or ham hock on all sides. Add onions and garlic and cook until fragrant about 2 minutes. Add collard greens, beer, stock and hot sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 1 hour. Taste liquid to check salt. If it is not salty enough remove the lid and reduce. If it is too salty add more liquid. Serve with fried chicken.

Ode to the Chipwich

A childhood memory revisited, the Chipwich, the creation of a New Jersey man, is still just as good as I remembered.


Ingredients

8 of your favorite chocolate chip cookies(I find thin ones work best)
3 cups(24 oz) of vanilla ice cream
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate mini's

Directions

Put cookies in freezer to harden them up for at least 15 minutes. While doing this, allow ice cream to melt a little bit to make it easier to work with(just be sure not to turn it into soup). Put chocolate chips in a bowl to roll the Chipwiches in.

(note: try to minimize melting here, be speedy with these next few steps) Assemble cookie sandwiches by dividing the ice cream evenly among 4 cookies. Smash remaining 4 cookies on the top of these and spread ice cream around the edges. Roll each cookie sandwich in the chocolate chips, pushing down to make sure the chips stick to the ice cream.

Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 20 minutes to let harden.

Amber Ale Arroz con Pollo

Here is a recipe I wrote about a year ago after traveling to South America posted on Brewers Associations new website: Amber Ale Arroz con Pollo - Recipe

http://www.craftbeer.com/pages/beer-and-food/recipes/recipes-list/show?title=amber-ale-arroz-con-pollo

Dubbin's Sandwich Window

On 14th street in Boulder, there is a little red window that is putting out one of the best sandwiches I've ever tasted. Just around the corner from the Lazy Dog Pub and a few doors down from Conor O'Neill's you'll find a place called Dubbin's Sandwiches. In a space about the size of a large closet they concoct a mean Cuban Sandwich.

Between two pieces of crusty bread lies delicious slow-cooked pork, sweet pickles and cheese. Each sandwich even comes with a brownie to hit the sweet spot after you've scarfed this thing down. They've also got Mexican Coke, grab one.

Buffalo Philly Chicken Cheesesteaks

Being from the Philadelphia area, the cheesesteak is something that is very dear to me. This is my take on a type of cheesesteak known as a buffalo chicken cheesesteak that can be found at countless deli's in Philly. The chicken is first boiled, then shredded, then finished in buffalo sauce to soak up its signature flavor.

I know what you are thinking, boiled...how can the chicken retain any flavor? You'll just have to trust me, there is no lack of flavor in this dish.

Now when we talk sandwiches, there's nothing more important than the bread itself. Make sure to treat yourself to a nice baguette or hoagie/sub roll for these sandwiches.

Beyond the bread, this is a very easy and delicious recipe that can be prepared in about a half hour. You can add more/less hot sauce to your desired heat level.



Buffalo Chicken Cheesesteaks

Serves 3-4

Ingredients
3 large chicken breasts
1 and 1/4 cup buffalo sauce
1/2 lb american cheese or provolone, sliced
3-4 hoagie/sub rolls



Instructions

Begin by bringing a pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt to make it taste like the ocean. Add chicken breasts to the boiling water and cook for 16-19 minutes. Remove chicken and let it rest for a few minutes. Shred chicken with 2 forks by pulling in opposite directions. Meanwhile bring buffalo sauce to a simmer in a large pan. Add shredded chicken and cook 2 minutes, just enough so it can absorb the sauce. Divide chicken into equal rows.

Top with cheese and cover with bun, remove when cheese begins to melt.

Slide a spatula underneath the bun and flip carefully. Serve with blue cheese.