Beer Girl Cooks

Cooking & Craft Beer

thanksgiving

Mandarin IPA Cranberry Sauce

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Mandarin IPA Cranberry Sauce is a great twist to a classic recipe with the surprise of some mandarin orange craft beer for a fun and delicious flavor.

 

It just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving around here without cranberry sauce and beer.

Mandarin IPA Cranberry Sauce is a great twist to a classic recipe with the surprise of some mandarin orange craft beer for a fun and delicious flavor

I just wanted to share one last Thanksgiving recipe with you in case you have a desire to make something different or need a last minute side to take somewhere.  This Mandarin IPA Cranberry Sauce is totally easy and uses only a few ingredients, yet it’s homemade, pretty, and tasty!

Mandarin IPA Cranberry Sauce is a great twist to a classic recipe with the surprise of some mandarin orange craft beer for a fun and delicious flavor

I’m going to keep this short because we all have about a million things to do to get ready for the big day. I know I do.  Help me, Rhonda.  Thank goodness I had the foresight to brew up 10 gallons of beer a few weeks ago to get me through.

I’ll leave you with good wishes for a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving, and some links below in case you need any last minute help with your menu planning.  Cheers, Friends!

Beer Cheddar Broccoli Soup

Beer-Brined Stuffed Turkey Loin

Vanilla Stout Pecan Pie

And a couple of roundups from my friends on the interwebs:

No Spoon Necessary and Friends Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup – something for every course

Easy Classic Thanksgiving Side Dishes from Ciao Chow Bambina

25 of the Tastiest Thanksgiving Sides from Everyday Made Fresh

Mandarin IPA Cranberry Sauce
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Mandarin IPA Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 12 ounce bag fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup mandarin or tangerine beer
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • pinch or 2 of salt
  • zest of one mandarin or small orange

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a heavy bottom pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook until thick and syrupy, stirring regularly
  2. Cool and serve
  3. Garnish with orange or mandarin zest

NOTES:

  1. I used fresh cranberries for this recipe, but feel free to use frozen.  You’ll want to thaw them first.
  2. This Mandarin IPA is from Highland Brewing Company in Ashville, NC.  It has vibrant orange and citrus flavors that are the perfect complement to the cranberries.  It’s not a super hoppy beer and it doesn’t reduce for a significant amount of time, so there is very little bitterness in the final result, which is a nice balance to the tartness of the cranberries.
Mandarin IPA Cranberry Sauce

Mandarin IPA Cranberry Sauce is a great twist to a classic recipe with the surprise of some mandarin orange craft beer for an additional fun and delicious flavor | Beer Girl Cooks

Vanilla Stout Pecan Pie

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Vanilla Stout Pecan Pie is an updated classic brought to the future with an infusion of some awesome craft beer in the form of a vanilla stout.

 

I can’t make a pretty pie crust to save my life.

Vanilla Stout Pecan Pie is an updated classic brought to the future with an infusion of some awesome craft beer in the form of a vanilla stout.

I’m going to go with rustic on this one.

Please do not judge this Vanilla Stout Pecan Pie based on my inability to make those pretty crimps and shapes around the edge.  After all, I did put beer in the pie AND the crust for you.  Maybe if you have enough you won’t notice?

Although this pie makes no apologies for its ugliness, it does make up for it with flavor.  I promise.   Put this on your Thanksgiving table and Great Aunt Petunia won’t know what hit her.

Vanilla Stout Pecan Pie is an updated classic brought to the future with an infusion of some awesome craft beer in the form of a vanilla stout.

However, I do not recommend slamming this pie down on the dining room table because it may make some of the crust fall off, which may or may not have happened here during a lively political discussion. I’m just sayin’….

Vanilla Stout Pecan Pie
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Vanilla Stout Pecan Pie

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • 14 tablespoons butter very cold and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup shortening very cold
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/4 cups very cold beer - vanilla porter or stout is perfect

For the Pie

  • 1 stick butter 1/2 cup
  • 2/3 cups sugar
  • 2/3 cups brown sugar
  • 1 cup dark brown corn syrup
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup beer - vanilla stout
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
  • 3 cups halved and chopped pecans
  • 3 eggs

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400

For the Crust

  1. Transfer flour, salt, and sugar in food processor and pulse until combined
  2. Add butter and shortening and pulse until resembles the shape of peas
  3. Slowly pour beer into dough mix and pulse until comes together
  4. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, knead until it comes together again, divide in half, wrap in plastic, store in freezer bag and freeze until needed - freeze one and use the other
  5. Cover crust with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake for about 25 minutes

For the Pie

  1. In a Dutch oven combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, and maple syrup, bring to a simmer over medium low heat until combined, set aside to cool slightly
  2. Add beer, nuts, and vanilla
  3. Slowly whisk in eggs one at a time
  4. Pour into crust
  5. Cover edges of crust and bake 40 minutes
  6. Remove foil and bake another 10 - 15 minutes or until crust is golden and pie is set
  7. cool on wire rack

NOTES:

  1. I used both chopped and halved pecans, but feel free to use whatever kind you like
  2. I also used a stout that is heavily flavored with vanilla, which comes through in both the pie and the crust.  If you are using something with a more subtle flavor, you’ll probably want to compensate with a little more vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.

Vanilla Stout Pecan Pie

Beer-Brined Stuffed Turkey Loin

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Beer-Brined Stuffed Turkey Loin is an easy and delicious alternative to stuffing an entire turkey. It’s perfect for two or a small family celebration.

 

It’s November and our temperatures are in the 80’s.

Beer-Brined Stuffed Turkey Loin is an easy and delicious alternative to stuffing an entire turkey. It's perfect for two or a small family celebration.

Yet the Christmas decorations are popping up while the Halloween pumpkins are still hanging out. When did we get to the point where we have to move on to the next holiday before we finish celebrating the one that’s happening today?  Sigh….

Anyway, I know it’s early and Halloween was about 5.487 minutes ago, but now it’s officially November. Thanksgiving is three weeks from tomorrow, so is anyone in the mood to talk turkey?

Beer-Brined Stuffed Turkey Loin is an easy and delicious alternative to stuffing an entire turkey. It's perfect for two or a small family celebration.

I held out and waited until the trick or treating is over, the costumes put away for next year, and the pumpkins are a distant memory before moving on and bringing you a beer-brined stuffed turkey loin. It’s easy, delicious, and fairly fast for people who aren’t in the mood to deal with a whole bird – maybe you’re a party of two or just want to have a stress-free Thanksgiving experience.  If so, I’ve got you covered.

Beer-Brined Stuffed Turkey Loin is an easy and delicious alternative to stuffing an entire turkey. It's perfect for two or a small family celebration.

I’ve also got you covered for everything else you could possibly need for the perfect Thanksgiving celebration.  Scroll down below the recipe for a whole list of amazing Thanksgiving dishes from appetizers to desserts that my friends Meghan from Cake ‘n Knife and Susannah from Feast & West put together for you!

Beer-Brined Stuffed Turkey Loin
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Beer-Brined Stuffed Turkey Loin

Ingredients

  • 2 lb turkey loin s
  • 1 12 ounce can of beer
  • 1 - 1 1/2 cups prepared stuffing or recipe below
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

For this Stuffing

  • 2 sticks butter
  • 1 cup celery diced
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 - 4 cups chicken or turkey stock
  • 1 bag of seasoned stuffing style bread crumbs
  • 6 - 8 sage leaves cut into ribbons

Instructions

  1. Combine turkey loin(s) and beer in a zip top bag and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight, rotating periodically
  2. Preheat oven to 400
  3. Butterfly turkey loin and pound out flat to about 1/4 inch thick between two sheets of plastic wrap
  4. Generously salt and pepper turkey - what will be the inside
  5. Spread stuffing evenly on the turkey leaving a 1/2 inch boarder on all sides
  6. Tightly roll up the turkey using fingers to keep the stuffing inside while rolling
  7. Tie up with kitchen twine
  8. Generously salt and pepper all sides
  9. Sprinkle with poultry seasoning
  10. Transfer to a baking dish coated with cooking spray
  11. Bake about 40 - 45 minutes or until 160 degrees through the center of the roll - into the middle including the stuffing
  12. Remove from oven and let rest 15 - 20 minutes
  13. Slice and serve

For the Stuffing

  1. Melt butter on medium high heat
  2. Add onions and celery and cook until soft and fragrant - about 10 - 15 minutes
  3. Transfer the bread crumbs to a large bowl
  4. Pour butter mixture over the bread crumbs and toss to incorporate
  5. Slowly add chicken stock about 1/2 cup at a time and toss until desired texture is reached
  6. Mix in sage
  7. Bake at 350 for 20 - 25 minutes

NOTES:

  1. I recommend using a gose style ale, like Otra Vez from Sierra Nevada to brine the turkey loin because they tend to be salty, but a pale ale or a belgian will do just fine.  I wouldn’t use anything to hoppy like an IPA.
  2. My turkey loin came in a package of 2, so I just stuffed them both
  3. If using the included stuffing recipe, keep in mind that you are going to bake it in the oven then bake it in the turkey loin, so you’ll want it a bit more wet than if you were going to serve it without baking.  Baking the stuffing first isn’t necessary, but I personally prefer it that way.

 

Ginger Pumpkin Beer Shandy by Feast + West
glühwein/mulled wine by Tag&Tibby
White Chocolate Pumpkin Martini by The Culinary Compass
Apple Ginger Punch by The Little Epicurean
Cheesy brussels sprouts dip by Living Well Kitchen
Sun Dried Tomato & Goat Cheese Spread by Life’s Ambrosia
Cranberry Goat Cheese Tarts by Cake ‘n Knife
Roasted Butternut Squash Apple Ginger Soup by The Secret Ingredient Is
Brussels Sprout Salad with Farro and Walnuts by Sugar Dish Me
Sheet Pan Carrot Soup by Macheesmo
Kale + butternut squash mac and cheese by Family Food on the Table
Twice Baked Parmesan Butternut Squash by A Mind Full Mom
Twice The Onion Green Bean Casserole by Melanie Makes
Lightened Up Green Bean Casserole by Dash of Herbs
Easy Corn Casserole by Love Bakes Good Cakes
Cranberry Honey Butter by Little Dairy on the Prairie
Butternut Squash Lasagna by Hello Little Home
Beer-Brined Stuffed Turkey Loin by Beer Girl Cooks
Roasted Mushroom Pot Pie by The Cookie Writer
Chocolate Pumpkin Fudge by Around My Family Table
Carrot Cake by bell’alimento
Praline Pumpkin Upside Down Cake by The Speckled Palate
Roasted Banana Pecan Cheesecake by Lady Behind The Curtain
Chai-Spiced Apple Crumble Blondies by The Crumby Cupcake
Pecan Pie Crumble Bars by A Joyfully Mad Kitchen
Pecan Pie Milkshake by Brunch-n-Bites

 

 

Beer-Brined Stuffed Turkey Loin

Bourbon, Maple, and Brown Sugar Roasted Baby Rainbow Carrots

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Bourbon, Maple, and Brown Sugar Roasted Baby Rainbow Carrots

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Happy Thanksgiving week, y’all!  I can’t believe we’re already here and just days away from the biggest food holiday of the year!  Woot!

 

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I’m not completely organized yet.  We we have most (but not all) of our supplies.

 

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I happened across some baby rainbow carrots at the grocery and nearly had a heart attack!  I can never find sexy versions of vegetables.  I’m not hating on the orange carrot or the purple beet, but it’s so much fun when you can find a variety of colors to jazz things up a bit!  I mean, purple carrots and yellow beets? That’s switching things up!

 

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I bought every last little colorful carrot I could find.

 

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And covered them in bourbon, brown sugar, and maple syrup then roasted them.

 

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I’m glad I saved some to bourbon-ize and roast for our Thanksgiving holiday!  I highly recommend that you do it too!

 

P. S. There’s still time to enter the giveaway! (CLOSED)

 

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Bourbon, Maple, and Brown Sugar Roasted Baby Rainbow Carrots

Ingredients

  • 32 ounces baby rainbow carrots
  • 1/4 cup bourbon
  • 2 heaping tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 - 4 tablespoons maple syrup
  • Salt and Pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400
  2. Combine bourbon, brown sugar, and maple syrup.
  3. Toss with carrots in a large bowl until well coated
  4. Transfer carrots to a parchment paper lined baking sheet
  5. Season with a few sprinkles of salt and pepper
  6. Roast in oven for 10 minutes, remove and stir, making sure all carrots are still coated, if not, add another tablespoon of maple syrup if they look dry.
  7. Return to oven and roast another 5 minutes
  8. Transfer to serving platter and garnish with parsley if desired

bourbon-maple-brown-sugar-roasted-baby-rainbow-carrots

Bacon and Gorgonzola Brussels Sprouts

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I know that we’ve been talking about some unsexy veggies, but dudes, we are into the second week of November and we need to be riding the side dish train.  Thanksgiving’s a coming!  I don’t know about y’all, but Thanksgiving for me is not so much about the turkey – although it’s good on the smoker!  I’m all about the sides.  OMG! #Stuffing!

 

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I have to confess.  I could make the whole meal out of stuffing and Brussels sprouts.  Oh.  And I can’t forget my one true love – potatoes.  Mashed.  With butter, roasted garlic, and gravy.  I would’t turn down some goat cheese either.  I digress.  And confess.  I have not been a lover of the Brussels for very long. I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating.  Don’t be a Brussels hater.  If they’re done right you’ll love them.

 

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Now that I love the sprout, we have this little veggie a lot.  We don’t hide it in the closet until the holidays.  It’s always a hit at dinner parties, so we usually bust out the bacon, gorgonzola, and Brussels for both regular dinners and special occasions.  It’s that good and that flexible.  It fits in anywhere with those events that are appropriate for either old blue jeans or the LBD.

 

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I first fell in love with the Brussels at a restaurant in Hickory, NC about a year ago.  We went to Hickory for a beer judging event and had dinner at The Station.  These Bacon Gorgonzola Brussels were on the sides menu.  I did my best to recreate them.  We love them.  So when I was thinking about what I want on my TG table and what sides I can share with you, these BS were at the top of the list.

 

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I shared them about a year ago right after I discovered that I actually like the Brussels when made right, but the pics were lost when I relaunched my website.  So we are doing this thing again.  I also saw the error of my ways and changed the recipe to one skillet and cooking them up in some of the bacon grease.

Give BS a chance with bacon and gorgonzola or try some others:

Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Chestnuts and Cider Vinaigrette by Beer Girl Cooks

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Browned Butter Drizzle by Ciao Chow Bambina

Brussels Sprouts and Pearl Onion Gratin by No Spoon Necessary

Roasted Brussels Sprout, Apple, and Quinoa Salad by Veganosity

Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries, Pecans, and Balsamic Drizzle by The Local Vegan

Creamy Roasted Brussels Sprout and Quinoa Gratin by Cookie and Kate

Miso Glazed Brussels Sprouts and Cranberries by Life Made Sweeter

Here’s a roundup by Cooking LSL

Shaved Broccoli Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad with Truffle Parmesan Dressing by Blogging Over Thyme

Roasted Brussels Sprouts  with Horseradish Honey-Mustard Glaze by The Beach House Kitchen

 

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Bacon and Gorgonzola Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

  • 3 pieces of thick cut applewood smoked bacon cut into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 16 ounces Brussels sprouts cleaned, trimmed, tough outer leaves removed, and cut in half lengthwise
  • 1 - 2 tablespoons gorgonzola crumbles

Instructions

  1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat, add bacon, and cook until crispy, 3-5 minutes
  2. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain
  3. Discard all the bacon grease except 2 tablespoons - leave in pan
  4. Heat the bacon grease up to medium high and add Brussels sprouts, cook for 5 minutes, stirring often
  5. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until softened, but still with texture, not soggy, stirring every few minutes
  6. Add gorgonzola and bacon pieces, cover and cook another couple of minutes until cheese is melted
  7. Stir and serve

Pumpkin Creme Brulee

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Happy Fall Y’all!

 

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Seriously?  OMG!  My sincerest apologies.  I know how corny that was and I’m pretty sure I saw that phrase painted on a wooden block in a cluttered up dust collector (A.K.A. knick knack) store or maybe on a magnet somewhere.  I just couldn’t help myself because my crazy enthusiasm for the pumpkin makes me kinda bonkers.

Let’s rephrase…..

Happy October!   I just get so totally excited every year in October because it becomes socially acceptable (FINALLY) to cook, bake, and do all things fun with pumpkin!

 

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Now, please don’t misunderstand me here.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE every single thing about pumpkin! I’m completely guilty of baking with it all year long.  In fact, I also sometimes confess publicly to this lawless misconduct and published Pumpkin Whoopie Pies on this here website back in August of 2014.  I also shared a Pumpkin Soup in February of this year.

 

I’m such a rebel.

 

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I have never been a rule follower and I’m socially unacceptable on a disturbingly regular basis.  It was difficult to restrain myself from going rogue and posting pumpkin recipes on the 4th of July, and I had a lot of built up pumpkin neglect frustration, so I needed something ridiculous and epic.

 

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Pumpkin Creme Brulee was how I rolled.

 

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Happy Fall, Y’all! Hehehe

 

 

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Pumpkin Creme Brulee

Ingredients

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste
  • 1 can pumpkin
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 3/4 cups sugar plus a couple of tablespoons more for finishing
  • 8 egg yolks

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300
  2. Heat cream over low heat, add vanilla, pumpkin and spices, bring to simmer, remove from heat and set aside and let cool slightly
  3. Whisk together egg yolks and sugar - it will become a light yellow color
  4. Add 1/2 cup of the cream to eggs, whisking constantly
  5. Continue to add cream 1/2 cup at a time, while whisking constantly
  6. Microwave water in measuring cup to boiling or boil on stove top
  7. Set ramekins in a baking dish, transfer custard to ramekins (I used a large measuring cup for easy pouring), set dish on oven rack, pour water in baking dish halfway up sides of ramekins
  8. Bake at 300 30 - 40 minutes, depending on size of your ramekins
  9. Carefully remove the ramekins (I used a large spatula) and cool completely on a wire rack
  10. Refrigerate overnight
  11. Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to serving
  12. Just before serving sprinkle evenly with a thin coating of sugar - I used about 1 1/2 tablespoons for each one, but you can make it thicker or thinner if you want
  13. Using a kitchen torch, melt the sugar until it forms a thick crust
  14. Serve immediately

Notes:  The custard mixture made 4 cups of liquid prior to baking.  I only had 4 large shallow ramekins, so I had some leftover and just pour it into pudding cups.  It would have made 6 if I had more ramekins – note to self – buy more ramekins!