Wauk Wednesday: Bernie's Tap Room Beer Dinner #4

Last month, I attended another beer dinner at Bernie's that features 3 Floyd's Brewery. I had tried a few of these prior to dinner, but never paired with food. I usually sipped them at The Nice Ash while enjoying a Hookah and a band with friends.

But Brooke worked her magic again and produced a fabulous five-course dinner for everyone. I contacted Brooke and picked her brain about these wonderful meals because if you haven't been able to tell by this , this and this and the post you are about to read, she is a culinary wizard and I'm so happy she made her home in the Waukesha area and found Bernie's. More on her tomorrow on the blog :)


Course 1 - French Onion Crostini paired with Robert the Bruce Scottish Ale (7.0% ABV). The gruyere cheese was perfectly creamy and melty and the onions were carmelized to bring out their sweetness. The beer is a malt-lovers delight!

Course 2 - Soba Noodle Salad paired with Gumballhead American Wheat Ale (5.6% ABV). I don't know why, but I was expecting this to be warm and having it be chilled was a new taste to me. It tasted like a cold peanut satay dish - not bad, just different. I love asian peanut dishes and cold noodles was new to me :)  Not to mention the Gumballhead is one of my friends' and my favorite beers and it paired nicely with this salad. 

Course 3 - Pepper Crusted Flank Steak paired with Pride & Joy (5.0% ABV). My friends and I have an inside joke about flank steak and how heavenly my former boss' wife cooked it for a get-together so I knew I would love this entree. The steak was perfectly cooked and melted in my mouth. The vinaigrette was like a ceasar dressing with truffle oil, thus inducing a mouth-wateringly amazing flavor for my buds :) The Pride and Joy was one of 3 Floyd's I had never had before and it was refreshing with the steak. 

Course 4 - Thai Chili Fire Braised Ribs paired with Alpha King American Pale Ale (6.66% ABV). I was a little worried with the words Thai Chili as my buds aren't fans of spicy things, but these were perfectly seasoned and came almost right off the bone. Ribs over rice was new to me, but brought the meal into the Asian cuisine to me. 

Course 5 - Strawberry marscapone tart paired with Behemoth Sweet Barley Wine (10.5% ABV!). The tart was crunchy with a light layer of creamy marscapone and beautiful strawberries. Nice and refreshing at the end of the meal. The dessert pulled out the sweet notes of  caramel in the barley wine and again a great pairing.

These beer dinners have really taken off for Bernie's Tap Room and if you want to stay in the loop on all things happening at Bernie's - like specialty beer tastings, dinners and new menu items, send an email to berniestaproom @ att (dot) net to get on the list. 

I'll have my brain-pick with Brooke from Bernie's on the blog tomorrow and Waukesha has a huge weekend coming up for downtown - Cancer Walk, Farmer's Market, Art Crawl and more. Come to downtown, take a stroll, enjoy a bite or a drink and check out all that downtown has to offer. 

From the Books: Chicken Enchilada Dip

My aunt and her family had my parents and I over for our own little Christmas with my grandparents from that side of the family just before New Year's. My dad is from a family of 11 and it's really hard to get everyone together in one house on one day anymore. So we were invited over to her house because my dad is their daughter's godfather.

We whipped together an olive dip from a mix I bought from a Tastefully Simple and added extra olives and veggie cheese spread to it to make more of it. My aunt too had cheese, sausage, spreadable cheese so we are definitely from Wisconsin :) and then this amazing chicken Enchilada Dip. One bite and I was hooked.

I asked her for the recipe right away and knew I had to make it for my friends soon. The rest of the party food consisted of salad, amazing lasagna, rolls, buttered carrots and cocktails. It was a merry time had by all. After dinner we munched on Oreo cake, cookies and dodged remote control helicopters that my cousins received from my grandparents. Many laughs were had that night and everyone really enjoyed themselves.

I was invited to a Super Bowl party this past weekend and instantly knew what I was going to bring, but I couldn't find the recipe. Luckily my dad met his brother (my uncle) for breakfast this week and I was able to get another copy of the recipe. Aunt Marianne to save the day!!!! (I didn't realize it until the second copy that it was from TasteofHome, so I could have found it online, but I wanted to make sure that I made the right one as it was soooooo good!

I boiled up a few chicken breasts and then spent a long time shredding up the chicken to the consistency that I liked.

I decided instead of using a package of pre-mixed taco seasoning to make one of my own that is a go-to from AllRecipes.com. Being that my mom and I just organized her spice cabinets, I knew that we had everything in the house. I paid my weekly ode to Penzey's and made the mix myself.

 

As for the dip, mix everything together minus the chips, nuke it for a few minutes and you are ready to serve with chips on the side.

 

 

I took a taste test bite and Kablammy!!!!! My tastebuds were on fire!!! The chili powder that I used was Hot, not mild and I couldn't handle it. I didn't even add the entire can of green chilies either! But I do have more sensitive buds than most. Some people at the party might have liked it like that, but I knew there were other buffalo chicken dishes and wanted to lower the amount of spice at the party a bit.

I opened the fridge and saw cream cheese, more cheddar cheese and then brought along sour cream. It was the perfect spice then.

The dip was a huge hit at the party as well as the BBQ pulled chicken, chili, bacon wrapped lil' smokies and taco dip. There was also buffalo pulled chicken but everyone said that one was too spicy. Chris (co-host) was a joker and chopped extra jalapenos and ghost peppers for toppings if anyone wanted it.

While we munched, we also played commercial Bingo for the Super Bowl. It was a fun game to liven up the game seeing as the Packers weren't playing. However the lights going out definitely added to the excitement and the surge of the 49ers in the second half.

PS - Once Upon a Vine wines are pretty spectacular for an easy drinking red wine. The Big Bad Red and Charming Pinot are both very delicious. I didn't try the Chardonnay (The Fairest) or Sauvignon Blanc (Glass Slipper) and I'm having a hard time finding them in the area besides one store in Big Bend. These just increase my obsession with the show Once Upon A Time on Sunday nights on ABC. See our Halloween party themed after the show -- I was the Evil Queen all in black in the back.

Playoff Party Recipes

This post ends Playoff week and hopefully I supplied you some ideas of what to make while you are watching the Packers cream the 49ers on Saturday (6:30 CST). I looked back thru some old posts and found out a few things.

1) I barely ever posted photos
2) I never linked anything
3) I didn't use any tags or labels

Man have I learned a lot in such a short time.

Anyways, what I did find in these old posts were some really great recipes that can be used for your party on Saturday! (Have I made it clear enough that I hope you are having a Packer party Saturday?)

Here is what I found:

Conky Wonks recipe - beef, velveeta and rye bread - soooo good!

Sliders from Superbowl XLV

Hungry Girl Hummus appetizer

Hummus

Veggie wreath - sub out the veggies for those of your team colors - for me - broccoli, green pepper and yellow pepper

My ooopsie Cheesy Garlic Bread - the best oopsie I ever made!

Southwest Egg Rolls - with salsa and sour cream!

Fiber One Chicken breasts  - served with BBQ sauce and potatoes

Ham Rollups or Pickle Rolls - a favorite at my company parties

Black Bean Dip - so good for you!

Spinach & Artichoke Dip - probably my most shared recipe

Mandarin Chicken Almond Bites - basically fancy chicken salad to serve on crackers

Creamy Bruschetta from Hungry Girl - perfect two bite treat

Creamy Bruschetta

Adult Caramel Apple Cider - warms you through and through for the game

Meatballs  - the spicy sauce will keep them coming back for more. Plus they looked good enough to be featured on Sweet Bella Roos blog!

One Bite Meatballs

Stuffed Mushrooms - fill with your favorite cheese and nuts and you have an easy, yummy treat

Guinness Beer Cheese Dip - beer, cheese, crackers - what else is there?

And if you are adventurous - try to make Miller Park's Poutine or Avocado Potato Skins from Cafe Manna


So which of these will I make - probably the beer dip and bruschetta, but I'll be watching my nephew so some kid-friendly treats will have to get made as well. Here is to hoping these appetizers can leave you plenty of time to watch the game and GO PACKERS GO!

Pin-It Tuesday: Cheddar & Guinness Dip

This week, I'm sharing some great recipes that you can serve for the necessary Packer Playoff parties that will happen this weekend. Game is Saturday at 6:30 PM.

I found this recipe on WisconsinCheeseTalk.com and posted it on my Pinterest board for Snacks. I thought it would be a good variation from my ranch beer dip that I typically make.

I knew this would be a good recipe to try for New Year's Eve and get my friends' thoughts on it. It was warmly welcomed with the multi-grain mini Club crackers that I brought.

Of course I had to use Wisconsin cheese, so I headed over to the Piggly Wiggly in Muskego to see the different choices. I ended up getting Stone Ridge Sharp Cheddar Cheese from Wautoma, WI. I chose this because I had never heard of it and figured putting it in a dip was a great way to start. 

I sampled some cheese while shredding and it has a nice creamy texture to it. I might have to add this to my list of creameries and wineries to visit in Wisconsin this year. Man is my list getting longer and longer!

I followed the recipe pretty closely, but I didn't have half and half so I used Vitamin D milk. And I don't like Sriracha, so I don't have it in the house. I had some Frank's Red Hot, so I used a few shakes of that.

And I used more beer (probably a 1/2 - 3/4 cup) than it called for to make the dip creamier instead of hard (like my ranch beer cheese dip does). And I didn't have scallions, so I used a bit of a yellow onion left over from another recipe.

I used my mom's kitchen mixer to blend it all together evenly and then put it in the a nice bowl and let it chill for an hour before the party.

My 12 Highlights of 2012

Happy New Year!!  2013 is here and the Mayans were obviously wrong, and I am so happy about that. There are so many more things that I want to do with my time on this earth.

Reflecting back on 2012, I accomplished much more than I thought I did and I can't wait to continue and add onto those things this year.

I already gave you the Top 12 most viewed posts of 2012 earlier this week, but now I want to share some highlights that may not be the most viewed or not read at all (as I didn't blog about all of them!). They are what made 2012 so awesome for me.

12. Camping & Dave Matthews Band

Dave on the jumbo screen at Alpine Valley

This summer was unlike any in recent years-- DRY & EXTREMELY HOT. We had drought warnings for well over a month which meant you couldn't grill out with charcoal or gas grills. My cousin and I planned our annual trip to Dave Matthews at Alpine Valley right in the middle of the drought. Camping was HOT and you were awake by 7 am if you wanted to be or not. Swimming wasn't refreshing because the lake was like a hot tub. We had to use extreme caution grilling out at the campsite and NO fires could be made. We even brought cold sandwiches to Dave to be on the safe side.

But as usual, Dave put on an amazing show and I wish I could have gone to both days. I am so in love with his music and him as an artist and I hope he comes back in 2013.

11. Volunteering

I love volunteering and sharing my skills with those that need them. This year, I continued my service to the United Way Marketing Board and #MKEFoodies Cookies for Kids' Cancer Bake Sale. In addition to volunteering for Good Friend Inc., I was also asking to join their board of directors this year! I attended my first board meeting in October and cannot express enough how awesome these ladies are with the message they are out sharing.

I also helped out with the Drug Collection of Waukesha County on a very wet day.

Robin and I freezing for a good cause!

10. Patio Parties

Although I have no pictures of this, there isn't much more to be said than grilling out on a summer night with some cocktails, great friends, good conversations and laughs. I hope that by the end of next summer, I will have a patio of my own to share with my friends and continue this (cross your fingers for me!!!)

9. CityTins

I am glad that I followed through on the use of my CityTin this year. I tried some great new restaurants in the area that I most likely wouldn't have without. I found new food faves that I can make at home this year, including hush puppies from Maxie's Southern Comfort, the potato skins at Cafe Manna, fried goat cheese from La Merenda, and olive tapenade from Cafe Lulu.

Potato Skins at Cafe Manna

I also was able to use the CityTin at Cafe Benelux and Swig. I didn't buy one in 2013 as I am really trying my hardest to save for a new home. 

Beautiful summer night at Swig.

   8. #MKEFoodies

Staying on the Foodie ride, I was able to attend quite a few events with the #mkefoodies group. I am so thankful to Lori and Paul and all of their hard work to make the events absolutely wonderful. Bartolotta's Rumpus Room provided us great food samples,explanations of why they do what they do and swag bags. I found out about the potato skins at Cafe Manna because of the group. I was able to check out Joey Gerard's in Greendale and found out that they make all of their own cocktail mixes from scratch. Ginger was another Milwaukee restaurant I was able to try with friends and baking for the #MKEFoodies Cookies for Kids' Cancer Bake Sale is always a blast.

7. Beerclub & Beer

Mondays nights at 8 pm on Twitter, a group of Milwaukee-area beer lovers get together and share a drink and their thoughts on it using #beerclub. I was able to participate quite a few times this year, even once while tailgating at Miller Park, and enjoyed most of the selections. I hope to be able to participate more in 2013, but I have a boot camp the first 12 weeks of the year that is held from 6-8 pm. I might just have to join late. This club and friends that really enjoy beer, have really opened my eyes to the world beyond Blue Moon and Spotted Cow!

My friend Jacob even had an Oktoberfest Birthday party and had a perfect beer & cheese tasting. I learned so much and have many new faves!

Bourbon County Stout - The super rare one!

6. Storm the Bastille

Again, with the summer being extremely HOT, running at night was about the only time I could get in a run without feeling I would pass out. So when my friend suggested that we Storm the Bastille, I was in. Some bars and stores even turned their hoses on us to cool us down. This will definitely be in the mix for 2013.

 5. The Color Run - Chicago

I hadn't been to Chicago in years prior to this run and man was it a blast. The weather was picturesque, we ran on the beach and I have never participated in such a fun event that involves fitness since I was on the Poms Team at Mukwonago (Go Indians!!). I was instantly hooked and signed up for Milwaukee one with my friends (and Mom) right after.

Color Run - Chicago

4. New Waukesha Restaurants

New stores and restaurants opened in Waukesha in 2012 and I was able to visit quite a few of them and enjoy a decent meal. I still haven't eaten food at Montecito, but they know how to mix good cocktails. I highly recommend the Huckleberry Lemonade.

O' What A Day Cafe has some scrumptious cupcakes in very unique flavors and now serves lunch--Best Butternut Squash soup I have had yet!

Bernie's Tap Room is really doing all it can to become a staple in Waukesha, and I think they have figured it out - gourmet bar food. The Duck pizza and beer cheese soup are sooooooo good.

Beer Cheese Soup at Bernie's Tap Room

Maid-Rite is really getting out there in the social media world to advertise the daily specials and suggest different options for lunch and dinner! I have to get back there for some soup.

I can't wait to try some more new places in 2013!

3. Green Bay Packers Game

I went to my first Packers Game in nine years this year and the icing on the cake....I won the tickets in an office drawing! My friend Tory had never been, so we met up in Appleton, drove in together and took it all in. I am ADDICTED to seeing in live and can't wait to go back. We are hopefully going to make it an annual trip!

2. Nephew Time

Little Alexander has completely stolen my heart and every time I see him, our buddy bond gets stronger and stronger. He turned one this year with a cookies and milk party and I think next year he will be out on the boat with his dad and grandpa fishing up a storm. He already wants to drive the boat as you can see.

Let's go people - I'll steer!

Family is so important to me and being able to spend time with my little buddy is something that I cherish sooooo much. I can't wait to see him so much more in 2013.

1.  Brewers Games

This year, my friend Tiffany and I bought a 10 pack of tickets that included Opening Day tickets for free in the pack. So my dad and I bonded while making the Jumbo Jenga for such an occasion as Tailgating on Opening Day. The game was a huge hit with all our neighboring Brewer Fans and for some cookouts I brought it too throughout the summer. I haven't found the right sized tote to carry it in yet as my trunk is small and the blocks are big, but I still love it.

And after Opening Day, Tiffany and I were able to enjoy some great food at Miller Park and some food  that was just ok.

Miller Park Poutine - AH-MAZING!

I even ran the Brewers 5k and Color Run, both held at Miller Park. I love my brew crew and the stadium appeal.

Brewers 5k - pre-race

Note To Self: Chalk drifts in the wind, watch where you park :)

Tiffany and I didn't purchase another 10 pack this year as we are both choosing to travel more in 2013, starting with a trip to LA for her for her 30th bday, and then we are both going to Salt Lake City in mid-February. After that....who knows!? Suggestions welcome!

Well that is all of them - whew what a year to review!! Of course there were other great things that happened this year (Grant Park, Foodie Penpal, Runner groups and cooking), but no one wants to read that much about me! Coming up later this week, I will give you my 2013 goals as I'm still tweaking them, but I want to thank all of you for the blog support in 2012 and hope you continue to read in 2013. If you have suggestion, lay them on me. I'm always up to making the reading more enjoyable!!! :)

Happy New Year!

From the Books Thursday: Meatballs

A few years ago, my boss of the liquor store I used to work at (RIP Fox Run Sentry Liquor) and his wife hosted a wonderful appetizer party and had the liquor store employees over.

Karlyn is an amazing cook/chef and comes up with the most unique appetizers. She made a flank steak with a horseradish sauce, caprese salad bites, cheese & crackers platter, and homemade blue cheese crackers, but what blew me away were her meatballs (*recipe link broke and this was the closest I can now find) with cherry jalapeno sauce. I just had to have the recipe. I have made it so many times, it's almost memorized, but I still want to make sure I don't skimp on an ingredient and always have the recipes.

Since I moved home, my recipes have not been so easy to trace down. They ended up strewn over a few boxes and I was in the process of typing in the tried-and-true into my computer database, when I moved home. We were able to find a similar one online, but I'm still categorizing this under From the Books Thursday as it was in a book at one time!

I double this recipe as it's hard to just buy a 1/2 pound of meat, so I get a ton of meatballs - a good problem to have!

I had to look long and hard to find the veal this year and almost had to go without, but luckily a snowstorm delayed itself about three hours and I could get out on my lunch and check one more store. Yay for that store, as it had plenty of packs of veal.

This time I didn't have regular bread crumbs, but I had some Panko style in the fridge so I was hoping their would be no difference (Ohban Panko Style (to the tune of Gangnam Style!))

Basically, you just put all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix it up with your hands - yup get in and get dirty.

Then I lined some pans with aluminum foil and started rolling little 1.5-inch balls. I bake mine off in the oven as I have made a complete kitchen mess frying them in a pan on the stove top. The oven is much less of a mess.

 

I followed my mom's meatball recipe and baked them at 400 for about 10 minutes. I just kept checking them every time I added another completed pan to the oven, and looked for them to begin browning and using a meat thermometer, made sure they were getting to at least 160 degrees.)

The one mistake I made this time was that I didn't flip the meatballs over half way through. This gives them more of a crusty outside and makes them easier to stir in a Crockpot with sauce. They fell apart a bit at my work party, but even the scraps were eaten!

Now for the sauce, I used my mini processor (my new favorite gadget) and chopped up the onions and jalapenos for the sauce (Jeff Dunham jokes started flying around the kitchen about the Jalapeno on a Stick (pronounced Steeek - if you know and love Jeff, watch at the 4:45 mark and you will hear my fave Jalapeno on at Steeek joke!)

I combined everything but the wine together in a sauce pan and heated until it boils.

Then you remove from the heat and add the wine :)  Add any type of red wine you would like but I find Merlot and Cabernet work the best. This Bel Arbor was delightful to drink and you shouldn't cook with something you won't drink.

I put the meatballs in my mini crockpot with the sauce and voila!, delicious meatballs. The sauce has just enough bite to get the tastebuds going but not overwhelmed them.

I freeze at least half the batch of meatballs and use them in spaghetti at a later time, just thawing out a few at a time. However, this time I'll be using the second half of the batch for a New Year's party I'm going to.

Happy Eating!