Aug 31, 2007

Milwaukee’s Original Microbrewery, Sprecher Brewery makes the best Root Beer in the world!


Milwaukee’s Original Microbrewery, Sprecher Brewery makes the best Root Beer in the world!

Now it can be said that I like a good cold Root Beer on special occasions. I may have stumbled upon simply the best one I have EVER tasted!

This truly old fashioned soda has the rich, creamy flavor that only comes from using pure Wisconsin honey direct from the combs. Our extracts are prepared at the brewery in a hand-made, gas-fired brew kettle, by combining honey, pure vanilla and a host of aromatic botanicals. It is no alcohol and no caffeine. Its simply divine when served ice cold.

If you can’t find it near where you live – here is the link to their on-line shop: http://www.sprecherbrewery.com/store/index.php

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The History of Sprecher Brewery

Sprecher Brewing Co. was founded in 1985 by RANDAL SPRECHER, formerly a brewing supervisor at Pabst Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. From 1985 to 1994, the brewery was located at 730 W. Oregon Street in Milwaukee's Walker's Point area. Through the first ten years the company grew steadily as more and more people found out about Sprecher's high quality beers and sodas. Finally, the company had outgrown its original facility and began looking for a new location to continue its growth.

In 1994, Sprecher purchased its current building, located at 701 W. Glendale Ave., a former elevator car factory. The new, larger brewery enabled the company to continue growing, and allowed more people to enjoy all of Sprecher's fine products.

The history of brewing in Wisconsin began thirteen years before it became a state and a year before it even became a territory. By the late 1890's nearly every community in Wisconsin had at least one operating brewery.

In the 1880's Milwaukee was the home of more than 80 breweries. 100 years later, the number of operating breweries in the area can today be counted on one hand, and only one can still be considered a giant.

In 1919 the passage of Prohibition virtually sounded the death toll for all but the most diverse breweries. A few struggled through by producing near beer (.05 alcoholic content or less), soft drinks and even vinegar. Beer making didn't resume until 1933, when the 18th Amendment was repealed. But even then, people were still reeling from the effects of the Great Depression, which of itself had devastated both the coffers and hopes of many of the earlier breweries.
Like the biggest selling wines, many mass market beers are made to appeal to as broad of an audience as possible. This means they have to be produced at a highly competitive price and that they must offend no one. Much of the distinctive qualities of the traditional regional type brews is lost.

Sprecher and other micro-breweries have revived both the distinctive quality of regional beer and old world brewing methods as well. The term "Micro-Brewery" refers to the relative size of the brewery when compared to gigantic beer production facilities of mass marketed national brands. Where these "Mega-Giants" produce from 20 million on up to 90 million barrels a year each, a "Micro-Brewery" is a considerably small operation, brewing less than 15,000 barrels a year. Although some have grown to 50,000 to 100,000 barrels a year.Quite a difference when you consider a barrel is equivalent to 31 gallons. In that respect, the smaller Micro-Breweries such as Sprecher can focus more on its specialty "Craft Beers" with an eye on the highest quality and tradition of European style brewing.

Enjoy.....
Aaron

Aug 25, 2007

A.O.C. BRAISED BRUSSEL SPROUTS WITH PANCETTA AND TOASTED BREAD CRUMBS


BRAISED BRUSSEL SPROUTS WITH PANCETTA AND TOASTED BREAD CRUMBS

Adapted from Suzanne Goin of Lucques and A.O.C, Los Angeles

Time: 30 minutes

1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds baby brussel sprouts, washed and trimmed (cut larger ones in two)
Salt and pepper
6 ounces pancetta in small dice (1 1/2 cups)
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup veal stock or rich chicken broth, more if needed
2 tablespoons chopped parsley.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix bread crumbs and thyme with 1/4 cup olive oil, and spread on a cookie sheet. Toast, tossing frequently, until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

2. Heat butter and remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until foamy. Add brussels sprouts, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sauté, tossing frequently, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add diced pancetta, and sauté, tossing frequently, until sprouts are well browned and softened slightly, and pancetta is crisp, about 10 minutes more. Reduce heat, add shallots and garlic, and sauté until fragrant, 2 minutes.

3. Increase heat to high, add balsamic vinegar and stock, and cook, tossing frequently, until sprouts are glazed and tender, about 10 minutes; add more stock if needed. Taste, adjusting seasoning if necessary, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Transfer to a warm serving bowl and scatter bread crumbs on top.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Thanks Steve

THE PINK PONY

THE PINK PONY

2 ounces (2 pony shots) tequila
1/3 cup chilled cranberry juice (or sweetened pomegranate juice)
1/4 cup chilled apple juice
Chilled club soda or seltzer water
Fresh mint as garnish and lime

In a tall glass filled with crushed ice combine the tequila, the cranberry juice and the apple juice, stir and top off the drink with the club soda
Add garnish

Drink

Sedona Rouge Mac+Cheese


Sedona Rouge Mac and Cheese

Serves 6-8

4 cups milk
1 white onion
1 bay leaf
1 clove
4 oz butter
4 oz flour
12 oz sharp Cheddar Cheese
6 oz white Cheddar Cheese
1 lb cooked Macaroni

Bring milk with onion piquet(pin the bay leaf with a clove on half the onion) to a simmer and then lower heat

Combine butter and flour and cook until mixture becomes blonde in color and has a nutty aroma

Slowly wisk the roux (step 2 above) into the milk and simmer while stirring on low heat for 20 minutes

Strain through a fine mesh strainer

Place sauce back in a pan and add cooked Macaroni

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, add cheese, season with salt and pepper(I love a little nutmeg myself)

Pour mixture in skillet and lightly dust with bread crumbs, then bake until lightly browned in a 375 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes

Add ham or chorizo if desired and adjust creaminess of dish to your liking by adding more milk or cream

I likey

Aug 23, 2007

Wild-rice cornbread chicken Andouille sausage dressing

Wild-rice cornbread chicken Andouille sausage dressing

2 cups dried cornbread – baked, cooled, cut into cubes, dried in oven until brittle
2 cups cooked long grain dark wild rice
1 medium white onion chopped
4 stalks celery minced
2 clove of fresh garlic minced
One apple cored and chopped
1 cup chopped brown mushroom
½ cup dried cranberries
½ stick of butter
2 spicy Andouille Sausages – diced (I use chicken or turkey but the pork is fine)
2 tablespoons fresh sage, rubbed or minced
Chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

In large skillet brown the sausage
When brown, add onion, celery, garlic, mushrooms and cook until translucent
Place in large mixing bowel
Mix in the rice, apple, cranberry, sage
Mix in dried cornbread
Mix in the butter
Add chicken stock only to make sure the mix is all moist but not wet
Taste for salt and pepper

Bake at 400 in a greased shallow dish so the top and the bottom gets crisp

*** I like to add some hot red pepper flakes as well. BUT taste the mixture first because the sausage can be very spicy.

Aug 16, 2007

Arrosto di Maiale al Latte

This dish is largely documented as a Tuscan dish dating to the 1600’s that was served for special occasions by the Church. Now the dish is very popular for Sunday family dinners. My first experience with it was when I had dinner with my Italian friend Barbara and her family on Sundays when I was in Italy. Her great Aunt and Grandmother always did the cooking. I can recall my first taste and Barbara asking if everything was ok. I confessed it was one of the best things I had ever tasted. Needless to say the family was happy and I later was invited into the kitchen to learn how to make it. Considered peasant food, it rarely found in restaurants in Italy today. Its easy to make and I hope you enjoy it was much as I do.

Arrosto di Maiale al Latte
(Pork tenderloin simmered in milk)

Serves 4

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin
2 cups milk
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 large diced white onion
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 cloves of fresh garlic sliced very thin
Several thin strips of lemon zest
1 bay leaf
4 large potatoes cleaned and with skin left on
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


1. In a pot with a tight lid just large enough to hold the pork, melt butter and oil over moderately high heat. Add meat, diced onion and garlic and brown well on all sides.

2. In a separate pot, scald milk and half-and-half. Add to the pot with browned meat along with salt and pepper to taste, rosemary, lemon zest and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer. Braise 1 1/2 hours, or until meat is tender when pierced with a knife. Turning it occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot to keep the curds that form as a result of the interaction between lemon and milk from sticking down. By the time the pork is done almost all the liquid should have evaporated; at this point stir the curds about often or they will burn. If milk is still runny, remove meat and keep warm; put the pot over high heat and reduce milk till brown clumps form, whisking occasionally.

3. While the pork is cooking, cut the potatoes into wedges and toss with olive oil, fresh rosemary and course sea salt. Roast them skin side down until tender.

4. With the pork resting, take a hand blender (also known as an immersion blender) and puree the contents of the pot the pork was pulled from. Remove any unsightly remnants of the herbs and taste for salt and pepper.

5. After meat has rested 10 minutes, slice with a long, sharp knife. Arrange slices on a warmed serving platter surrounded by the cooked potatoes, spoon the sauce over the meat and garnish with minced parsley.

Aug 9, 2007

Chile Cheese Rice

Chile Cheese Rice: originally published in El Paso Texas JR. League Cookbook

Serves 10
Heat Oven 350 degrees

2 cups cooked rice
3 cups sour cream
1 pound little cubes Jack cheese
1 cup grated jack cheese
4-4 oz. Cans chopped green chile (If you have fresh you can use it)
Dash of salt

Cook rice. Combine with sour cream and season with salt. Mix with Jack cheese. Add the chopped chile and combine the entire mixture. Put the mixture in a buttered casserole. Top with more shredded Jack Cheese and sprinkle paprika on top for color. Bake for 30 minutes. This recipe can be prepared ahead and refrigerated or frozen, then thawed for 1 hour and baked. If you decide to freeze it, hold off on the 30 minutes of cooking until just before it is served.

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Thanks Edi

CHEESE AND EGG STRADA

take a loaf of crusty bread and break into chunks. dry it out overnight or on low heat in the oven.

mix together 6 to 8 eggs, a cup and a half of cream or whole milk, a cup of cheese and whatever spices you want to add to it.

place bread in a buttered baking dish 9x13 and place whatever yummy things you want to have in the strada, (onions, sausage, peppers, artichokes, etc). have these things cooked before you put them in.

pour egg mixture over the whole thing and cover with plastic wrap. take something a bit heavy and flat and lay it on the plastic wrap to compress the strada.

Cover, put in fridge overnight.

bring to room temp and bake for a hour and a half at 300

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Thanks Tommy

Aug 8, 2007

Aunt Retha's Carrot Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Aunt Retha’s Carrot Cake

2 cups sugar 2 cups flour sifted
4 eggs 2 tsp. Baking soda
1 ½ cup cooking oil 1 tsp salt
3 cups of grated carrots 2 tsp cinnamon

Cream sugar and eggs together. Gradually add other ingredients and mix well. Makes 4 layers. Grease and flour the cake pans. Cook at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until the toothpick comes out clean.

Icing/ filling
1-8 oz. Pkg. of cream cheese
1 stick of butter
1 box of powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Toasted chopped pecans (optional)

Let the cream cheese and butter soften to room temperature. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth and blended. Ice layers and top with toasted pecans.

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I could live off this cake. It reminds me of big family dinners at Edi+Bobby's
Yummers

Bobby's Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole

3 cups mashed sweet potato’s
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk
½ cup butter

Combine all ingredients in medium mixing bowl and beat until fluffy. Pour into greased Pyrex deep baking dish and sprinkle with topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.


Topping


1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup butter
1cup chopped pecans

For best results:Bake fresh sweet potato’s in foil, in oven, until soft. This can be done ahead of time and then refrigerated until ready to assemble. Use real butter instead of margarine. Cut into small pieces while still cold. This also works for the topping

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YUMMY - Thanks Bobby

Aug 7, 2007

Butternut Squash, Spinach, Rosemary, and Blue Cheese Risotto

Butternut Squash, Rosemary, and Blue Cheese Risotto

7 C (or more) low-salt chicken broth
2 C Arborio rice (~ 13½ oz)
3 Tbsp butter
½ C dry white wine
1¼ C finely chopped onion
4 C (packed) baby spinach leaves
1 2-lb butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded, cut into ½- to ¾-inch dice
½ C whipping cream
½ C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary, divided
⅓ C crumbled blue cheese (~ 1½ oz)

Bring 7 cups broth to boil in large saucepan. Cover and reduce heat to low.
Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add squash and 1½ teaspoons rosemary; sauté 4 minutes to coat with butter. Add rice and stir 2 minutes. Add wine and simmer until evaporated, about 1 minute. Add 7 cups hot broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until rice is just tender and risotto is creamy and slightly soupy, adding more broth by ¼ cupfuls as needed to maintain consistency and stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes. Stir in spinach, cream, and Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer risotto to large bowl. Sprinkle with blue cheese and remaining ½ teaspoon rosemary and serve.

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This one comes from Brenda+Jordan
Hello - D-LISH
Thanks