Okay. I'll confess. I don't have a liquor cabinet. I don't spend my evenings reclining in a red smoking jacket with a glass of bourbon. I'm not that cool. I've never aspired to be cool, so this doesn't really hurt my self-image much. *Grin.*
What I do have around here...hnh. An unopened champagne bottle left over from my wedding several years ago. And a lone can of Guinness rolling around the back of the fridge for the next time I make beef stew.
My interest in alcohol is roughly equivalent to my interest in crocheting. Which is to say...I do it once in awhile. Not sure how much I enjoy it, and it feels a little lopsided.
I will confess that I have, at one time, attempted to wash my hair with beer because I heard that hops yields volume. My hair was slightly bouncier, but I smelled like a drunk.
Yeah. I know. I'm no fun. That's all right. But my beef stew kicks ass. This is quite similar to the recipe I use, only I throw all the stuff in the crock pot: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/beef-and-guinness-stew-recipe2/index.html
Anybody else care to share their alcohol-based recipes? Marsala sauce, anyone? Beef bourguignon? Irish soda bread?
I add a little alcohol to my cheesecake recipe (brandy for plain, Kahlua for chocolate, raspberry if I'm feeling frisky), but other than that, I'm boring, too. Oh, and I sometimes use beer when I'm cooking bratwursts - just 'cuz.
ReplyDeleteBeer stew sounds awesome. I might have to try that the next time I get a taste for beer (and have 5 left out of a six-pack).
I'm very Julia Childs when it comes to cooking & booze -- Don't cook with something your wouldn't drink...while you're cooking!
ReplyDeleteBourbon and Brown Sugar Brisket: http://www.food.com/recipe/bourbon-mustard-brisket-crock-pot-279991
I add a cup of dry white wine to my Mac & Cheese to enhance the tang of the sharp cheddar.
And any dessert involving cake usually includes a drizzle of some cordial.
That bottle of champagne wouldn't have lasted a week in my house! My fave is beef bourguignon - made with good burgundy. Totally worth it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips, gals! I will be attempting the cheesecake and mac 'n cheese tricks soon.
ReplyDeleteAnd the brisket and beef bourguignon are tempting me. May need to take a trip to the store tomorrow...
Since my interest in cooking is about equivalent to your interest in alcohol, I have no recipe to share with you. ;)
ReplyDeleteOoh, wonderful recipes. I have a tendency to pour a little wine in a sauce now and then, and that's about it. I grew up in a family where there was no alcohol at all, so cooking with it isn't something I learned.
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