Tag Archives: beer

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Shrimp & Chicken Sausage with Cheesy Grits

This, my friends is professional level comfort food! At the same time it’s really easy and you can make it on a weeknight.

Cheesy Grits
4 cups Milk
2 cups water
3 tablespoons Butter
2 teaspoons Salt
LOTS of pepper
2 cups Corn Grits (I like Bob’s Red Mill)
1/2 cup Cream
1 cup grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

In a high sided large pot combine the milk, water, butter, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and then add the corn grits.
Reduce the heat to low and stir constantly with a whisk or long-handled spoon. (to avoid getting splattered) Continue stirring until the grits have taken in all the liquid and are smooth and thick.
Taste for seasoning and add any more salt or pepper. Add the cream.
Sprinkle over the cheese and cover with the pot lid, allow to sit off the heat for about 10 minutes.


Shrimp and Sausage
2 lbs. peeled and de-veined Shrimp
2 packages Adel’s Chicken and Apple Sausage (Sliced into coins)
1 tablespoon Butter
2 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
2 teaspoons Chopped Parsley
2 teaspoons Fresh Thyme
2 tablespoons Flour
2/3 cup Chicken Stock or Beer

In a high sided pot over medium high, add the olive oil and melt the butter. Add the sausage and saute until they are warmed through. Add the shrimp and smoked paprika, cook until the shrimp are pink and no longer translucent.
Add the flour and toss with the sausage and shrimp until the flour absorbs the liquid in the pot.
Add the chicken stock to form a nice gravy. Add more stock if the gravy needs thinning out.
Add the thyme and parsley at the last for color and freshness.

Serve over Cheesy Grits

Now go get into your stretchy pants, you’re going to need them! Meh, we’ll go back to our diet tomorrow…

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St. Patrick’s Day Feast


Subway art courtesy of eighteen25

Kiss me I’m Irish! On St. Pat’s Day everyone gets to be Irish. Do you celebrate?

Also, I’m sorry there are no pictures right now. I’ve been making this meal for years and believe it or not, I’ve never taken pictures. Well, it’s usually all gone before I can! I plan on taking pictures on Saturday then updating. Okay?

Corned Beef
3-4 lb. Boneless Corned Beef Brisket (with the spice packet)
16oz Guinness beer
About 6 cups water
In a large Dutch oven add the beer and the spice packet that comes with your brisket, bring to a boil.
Add the brisket and any juice that has accumulated in the package to the pot. Cover with water until the brisket is just covered. Clamp the lid on and reduce the heat to a simmer.
Cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the meat is tender. Slice the meat crosswise to serve.
(Save 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid for the sautéed cabbage!)

Sautéed Cabbage
1/2 cup leftover Brisket Cooking Liquid or Chicken Stock
1 head Savoy or Green Cabbage
1/2 cup finely shredded Carrot
4 tablespoons Butter
Salt and Pepper
Core and shred the cabbage into about 1/4 inch strips, shred the carrot.
Heat a very large saute pan or large pot over medium high heat and melt the butter.
Add the cabbage and carrot and toss to coat in the butter. Add salt and pepper and brisket cooking liquid.
Cover with a lid for about 3-4 minutes. Saute until the cabbage is tender-crisp and just wilted.

Smashed Potatoes
4 lbs Yukon Gold or Red Potatoes
8 tablespoons butter
Salt and Pepper
about 1 cup 1/2 and 1/2
Wash and quarter the potatoes and place into a large pot.(Leave the peels on)
Cover completely with water and boil for 15-20 minutes or until tender and soft.
Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. With a potato masher or wooden spoon smash the potatoes until some are creamy and some are chunky, you want some texture.
Add the butter, salt and pepper and stir gently. Add the cream in small increments until the potatoes are moist but not runny, you might not need all the liquid. Serve warm.
(These can sit over a warm water bath to keep hot for about 30-40 minutes. Check to see if you need to add more butter or cream before serving.)

Chocolate Guinness Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 tablespoon butter or cooking spray (for lining the pan)
1 box Chocolate Cake Mix
1/2 cup Oil
3 Eggs
3/4 cup Water
1/2 cup Guinness Beer
1/2 cup Sour Cream
Butter, then line the bottom of a 9 inch spring form or high sided cake pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
Mix all the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.
Pour into the waiting pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let cool for about 10 minutes and then de-pan and remove the parchment paper. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting it.

For the Frosting:
1/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 package Cream Cheese (room temperature)
1/2 cup Powered Sugar
Whip the cream until soft peaks form and set aside.
Add the cream cheese to the bowl of an electric mixer (or use a hand mixer).
Whip the cheese until it is fluffy then add the powdered sugar. Whip the sugar into the cheese on low-speed.
Fold the whipped cream into the soft cheese mixture until well combined.
Place the cake on a serving stand and frost just the top of the cake. (It should look like the foamy head on a glass of beer!)

What to do with those lovely leftovers? Do I really need to ask?
Corned Beef Hash
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup Leftover Corned Beef (shredded)
2 cups Leftover Smashed Potatoes
1/2 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
1/3 cup Frozen Peas (thawed)

In a large non-stick saute pan melt the butter over medium high heat.
Add the potatoes in an even layer along the bottom of the pan.
Add the shredded corned beef and thawed peas as the next layer.
Cook until the potatoes are crispy along the bottom and the meat is warmed through.
Give the layers a gentle fold to slightly combine the ingredients and sprinkle with the grated cheese before serving.

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Truly Texan Chili

The debate has raged for decades at potlucks and cookouts; beans or no beans. Tomatoes? Turkey chili!?! This is the “3 B’s” school of chili: beef, beans, and beer. None of that citified ground beef and green peppers nonsense, also, not one speck of tomatoes.

Truly Texan Chili

For the Seasoning Mix:
3 tablespoons Chili powder
1 tablespoon ground Cumin
1/4 cup all-purpose Flour
1 tablespoon dried Oregano
½ teaspoon Cocoa Powder
Combine all ingredients and set aside.

For the Chili:
2 tablespoons Canola or Olive oil
3 pounds Stew Beef
2-3 Garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Pepper
3 cups Beef Stock combined with 1 cup Beer
1 15 oz. can Pinto Beans (drained)

Combine beef broth and beer; set aside. Heat the oil in a large stew pot. Brown beef until no longer pink, and drain most of the extra liquid off. Reduce heat and stir in garlic.

Sprinkle the seasoning mix over meat, stirring until evenly coated. Add broth/beer mixture and stir then bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer on low for 2 ½ to 3 hours, stirring occasionally until thick and meat is tender. Stir in pinto beans.
Serve with corn bread muffins with lots of honey and butter.