Author: Nicole

• 1-1/2 lb. of potatoes peeled and boiled
• 1 bulb or garlic (approx. 6 pods)
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 3 green onions sliced
• ½ margarine or butter
• ¼ lb. of uncooked bacon
• ½ cup cheddar cheese grated
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Roast garlic (Here are directions if needed)
2. Peel and cut your potatoes into medium size pieces and boil potatoes until they are cooked through. 
3. While potatoes are cooking pan fry the bacon until it’s crispy in a skillet. When the bacon is completely cooked remove from the skillet and allow to drain on a paper towel. 
4. Drain bacon grease from the skillet. (No need to wipe it clean)
5. In the same skillet where you cooked your bacon add margarine, and roasted garlic. With a fork smash garlic so that it starts to  blend into the margarine, then add your green onions. Cook until the green onions become soft. 
6. Once your potatoes are cooked drain water off your potatoes then add potatoes back to their pot.
7. Add garlic, margarine, and green onion mixture to the potatoes then add sour cream, salt and pepper and begin to mash your potatoes. I always put my potatoes into my Kitchen aid mixer along with the other ingredients and let the mixer do the work. The great thing is … no lumps! 
8. Once the potatoes are well mashed and mixed together place mashed potato mixture in a baking dish. Spread potatoes out and top cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon. 
9. Bake on 350 until the cheese is melted. 

I was given a challenge by New Belgium Brewing Company and Foodbuzz to come up with the ultimate recipe using one of the many types of beer produced by New Belgium Brewing Company. I was thrilled to take the challenge and I consider the challenge a great success! Not only did I come up with a main dish, but I also added a twisted side dish to accompany my Beer Cheese Soup. Instead of adding a boring loaf of bread I added Beer Battered Onion rings to round out this amazing meal! 

Beer cheese soup is really popular in the Midwest according to my husband. He loves it and asked me to make it one night for dinner. I did, but in my opinion the recipe I used was subpar. I wanted a beer cheese soup that was not only bold, but I wanted to kick it up with a little spice. I suppose you could say that’s the southern girl in me. If the recipe doesn’t have a lot of flair it typically doesn’t interest me. What can I say I am a Cajun girl and require everything to be kicked up? Enjoy!

*Ranger India Pale Ale Cheesy Popcorn Soup* 

Ingredients

• 3 stalks of celery chopped
• 1 medium white onion chopped
• 3 tablespoons salted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning  (In a pinch you could use season salt )
• 2 cans condensed cheddar cheese soup
• 2 cans condensed nacho cheese soup
• 2 cups of Jalapeno Pepper Jack Cheese
• 1 1/2 can chicken stock
• 2 cans  of evaporated milk
• 1 bottle of Ranger India Pale Ale
• 6 cups of popped popcorn to garnish

Directions

1.      In a large pot add chopped celery, chopped onion and salted butter sauté’ for about 5 minutes until your vegetables are tender.

2.     To your vegetables add cayenne and old bays and cook for another minute.

3.     Add all four cans of cheese soup, Jalapeno Pepper Jack Cheese, chicken stock, evaporated milk, and 1 bottle of Ranger India Pale Ale. Stir all together until the condensed soups are well stirred in.

4.     Simmer on a medium heat until the soup is heated through. Try not to bring the soup to a boil to prevent burning. A slow cooked soup only makes this recipe better.  

5.     Garnish the Beer Cheese Soup with popped popcorn once it’s ladled in each serving bowl. Enjoy!

*1554 Enlightened Black Ale Battered Onion Rings*

1. Combine all of your ingredients above (except for the oil) in a bowl and mix all together.
2. I recommend refrigerating for at least one hour which helps allow the batter to thicken, and the flavors to mingle, but it’s not necessary to still make the recipe amazing!
3. Preheat your vegetable oil in a frying pan to 375 degrees. 3 inches of oil
4. Peel onions and cut the onion into rings.
5. In small batches, dip the onions in the onion ring batter then place them in the oil. Fry the onion rings until the are a nice golden brown.
6. Once your onion rings are cooked place them on a paper towel to drain. Add salt and pepper if desired.
7. While you are cooking the other ring you can place the cooked onion rings in a pan in a warm oven heated at 2oo degrees just warm enough to keep your rings warm while the others are being cooked.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2-1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• Pastel sprinkles

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter; gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, cracker crumbs, peanut butter and vanilla. Shape into 16 eggs; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.
• In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip eggs in chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Decorate with sprinkles; return eggs to waxed paper. Chill until set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Yield: 16 eggs.

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