Bay Lager Beer Bread Muffins + Cheesy Beer Dip

Lately, I've been hanging out at Great South Bay Brewery. Last week, I made banana muffins with Snozberry Stout + they went over really well with the staff + patrons. While I was hanging out in the tasting room on Saturday, I was contemplating a project for this week. I wanted to make beer bread, but didn't know what brew to use. Jon, the lead brewer at GSB suggested I use Dirty Deeds, their Russian Imperial Stout. So, I took a growler home to test out my concoction. First batch was a major fail + it was right before I was having people over for dinner. I accidentally used baking soda, not baking powder, which my friends Gary + JR are never going to let me live down. Ugh, kitchen fails are rare for me, so when it happens I get a little cranky. I also wasn't too keen on the taste of the muffins with the stout - I wanted something lighter. My friend Melissa suggested I make a cheesy beer dip to pair with the muffins [she was handling the bacon jalapeño mac + cheese - which was amaaaaaaaazing], so I looked at what I had in the fridge + decided to use Bay Lager for both dishes. It turned out really well + I'm stoked for my next exbeeriment in the kitchen. Experiment + beer = exbeeriment. Get it? It sounded a lot cooler when I said it. Whatever.

Bay Lager Beer Bread Muffins
makes 12 muffins

3 cups whole wheat flour, sifted
1 bottle GSB Bay Lager
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
optional: an additional 1/4 cup melted butter to drizzle on top

Preheat oven to 350. Coat muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large glass bowl, combine dry ingredients + mix well. Slowly add beer + melted butter.

Scoop mixture into muffin tin + bake for 20 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. If desired, drizzle melted butter on top of the warm muffins before serving.

Cheesy Bay Lager Beer Dip
makes a boatload of cheesy goodness, mmmmmm!

1 pound Sharp Cheddar, cut into cubes
1 pound cream cheese
1 bottle GSB Bay Lager

Add all of the ingredients into a medium saucepan. Heat on medium heat, stirring well. Once all ingredients are incorporated, pour into a serving bowl.

You can substitute any cheese of your choice, or change the beers up. I suggest using the same beers in both if you're serving them together, but thats only because I like to play it safe.

I'm Not Really Religious, But I Gave Up Bread For Lent.

Let me start out by saying that I am not a model Catholic, nor do I claim to be. I haven't gone to church in quite some time. In fact, I don't really follow any specific religious guidelines. Yes, I believe there is something greater than us, but I'm not sure what, exactly. I respect people's decision to practice whichever religion they choose to. Sometimes, I will even ask questions regarding a religion I am unfamiliar with, because I love to learn. Everyone has varying beliefs on this topic, and I respect that. I am a kind person who tries to help people out whenever I can, and I always try to do the right thing.


With that said, the one part of my Roman Catholic upbringing that has actually stuck with me, has been giving up something I enjoy from Ash Wednesday, until Easter Sunday, during Lent. Forty days and forty nights of abstaining from something I thoroughly enjoy. For those who are unaware of what Lent is - here is an explanation, via Wikipedia.


When I was a child, my brother and I often gave up candy for Lent. One year, my aunt, uncle and cousins had come to visit us in Florida, during Lent. They are Jewish, so when we had gone out to the store, my cousins had picked out candy. My younger brother and I looked on, with sad faces, longing to have Airheads and Reese's Pieces. When my nine-year-old cousin, Brett, had asked why I wasn't eating candy, my mother explained to him what my brother and I were doing. He was amazed we were going to be candy-less children for over a month. While I watched my cousins eat their sweet treats, I envisioned eating the head off of my chocolate bunny on Easter Sunday. My mom makes homemade chocolate bunnies, and they are still to this day, the best part of our Easter baskets. Yes, my mom still makes me an Easter basket. I am definitely not complaining!


So, here I am, almost thirty, and still giving something up for Lent. Why do I do it? Because its hard, and to be honest, it totally sucks. To me, its about sticking to your guns, not giving in, and following through with something. By the second week, I am usually cranky, craving what I can't have, but once Easter hits, I feel a sense of accomplishment.


I totally forgot today was Ash Wednesday, but when I passed the church by my house, and saw it was swamped at 845a on a Wednesday, I knew what was going on. My friend, Michele, had said she was giving up chips, and Joann said "See you in 40 days, Facebook!" I had to give up something I really loved. While grocery shopping after our morning run, I told my friend Liz that I was giving up bread for Lent.

Photo Credit: Bagel Boss

Now, how did I wind up choosing to give up bread? Well, two foods I enjoy are cheese and bread. I have given up cheese in the past, but bread was far too hard for me to part with. No bread  = no pitas/pita chips, flatbread, sandwiches, pizza, bagels, biscuits, muffins, tortillas/tortilla chips, burritos, plus a bunch of other things I can't think of off the top of my head. Fridays are also meat free, with the exception of fish. I try to remember this, but I often forget this. Maybe I'll write "no meat" on my calendar, so I remember.


As I was trying to find pictures for this entry, I found myself staring at loaves of sourdough and baguettes, longing for some artisan cheese to pair with it. Oh, how I wish I had gone to Whole Foods last week, to get some bread and cheese! I feel bad for Erich -  he is going to have to listen to my cries over the lack of bread in my life. Maybe I should buy him some ear plugs..

Photo Credit: The Village VOICE

This is going to be a loooooong forty days.




Michele