Friday, June 26, 2015

IT'S ALIVE! ALIVE!!

I've always said I'm akin to a mad scientist in the kitchen, that is if Dr. Frankenstein came out covered in flour, batter oozing off a whisk onto the counter, discarded measuring spoons piling up in the sink, and a freakish creation rising from the depths amongst the blazing embers of the oven. After a few hours he would emerge, hair awry, laughing maniacally, and sit to demolish that which he created in a barbaric fashion. Except I doubt he would wear the flower covered and ruffled apron I have. Wouldn't match the laboratory.

Now to make my madness worse, I've been thrown a loop with new and unusual ingredients I'm trying to figure out. Arrowroot flour? Tapioca Starch? Cow's liver? Seems like I'm reading off ingredients for a potion rather than a recipe for meatloaf. What, how and why are these things in my kitchen?! 

Well if you haven't guessed, I've taken upon myself the new diet to help manage an auto immune condition. 2015 is off to a whirlwind of change for me, but the good thing is I've kept my new years resolution to try something new. Since this is my new diet and not yours,  I will be making any recipes on here...I guess you would say with normal food? I don't know but I will keep the tapioca starch and kidneys away from the recipes...mostly...I'll leave them as a suggestion! 

With summer well under way, I have been digging into those summertime favorites. This means the all important summer thirst quenchers, campfire favorites, and backyard bbq bites.

For me, summer drinks are all about light refreshing beers, tropical cocktails, and summer rose. This go around, I have been pretty obsessed with summer inspired beer cocktails and on super hot days, the beer float. It takes no time to whip one up and after a long day on the road, and they just hit the spot and are a delicious summer treat. My favorites thus far have been featuring Harpoon Brewery's UFO Big Squeeze grapefruit shandy. Shandies are all the rage this summer or at least it seems to be that way as everyone and their mother is coming out with one. And why not? Its a perfect summer cooler for those sweltering hot days. A shandy by definition is a beer mixed with a nonalcoholic beverage, typically lemonade. However the UFO Big Squeeze Shandy features organic grapefruit juice and is so "Sunday Brunch" it might as well be apart of your daily breakfast. Theres probably vitamin C in it right? Stay tuned for a number of float recipes coming out this summer!

Whats more summer than campfire smore's? Nothing. Summertime camping and the marshmallow is king! Normally I do what most do and just buy them at the store with a box of graham crackers and a large packet of hershey chocolate bars, but I decided to make them myself this summer. I will never buy marshmallows again. It is so simple to make and they taste awesome! Why would you not try and add beer to the mix? So coming soon some beer marshmallows and infused chocolates for some seriously adult smores!

Finally its summer time which means backyard bbq's with some finger-licking (side note is anyone else freaked out by the new Col. Sanders from KFC? Major creep factor!) good sides, sauces, and the star of the show meat! We all know you have beer in the coolers already but lets bring them to the grill and the picnic table! I'm digging into some homemade beer sauces and marinades, braised meats, and a few summer sides to complete your barbecue party.

First on deck some delicious beer floats!