Meatballs in Beer Sauce

I feel like it’s too hot to do anything, especially cook! You can still eat a nutritious, home-cooked meal without wearing yourself out or heating up the house. These tasty Meatballs in Beer Sauce from Baking Powders are the perfect meal for those steamy summer nights.

Photo Courtesy of http://www.bakingpowders.blogspot.com

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground meat of your choice, chicken, turkey, beef, pork, soy etc.
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs, regular or Italian seasoned
• Herbs of your choice (if your bread crumbs have herbs you won’t need them)
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• Olive oil
• 1/4 lb. of mushrooms
• 1/2 onion
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tbsp. light cream or milk
• 1/2 – 3/4 cups beer of your choice (Corona, IPA, and lagers work great)

Cooking Directions:

1. Allow ground meat to get to room temperature.
2. Saute onion on low heat until tender.
3. Add mushrooms and let them cook until they’ve released all the water.
4. Combine ground meat, egg, bread crumbs and seasoning in a bowl and mix well. (Tip: If your meat are too sticky, add a bit more bread crumbs.)
5.  Make ping pong-sized balls.
6. Once the onions and mushrooms are done, slightly fry your meatballs until they are seared. (Tip: This prevents the meatballs from falling apart once you add the liquid.)
7. Add about 1/2 cup of beer or about about 3/4 cups of light beer, such as Corona.
8. Add one cup of water or of chicken broth and about 2 tablespoons of milk or light cream.
9. Let the meatballs cook at low heat until tender. (Tip: If the liquid evaporates too fast, just add more water or chicken broth.)

Dobrou Chut’!

Homemade Gnocchi With Dubbel Mushroom Sauce

I love Gnocchi, but I’ve never made it from scratch because I always assumed it would be really difficult and time consuming to make. After coming across this reciple on The Beer Cook, I am ready to start kneading the dough right now! The frozen stuff tastes pretty good, but pair homemade gnocchi with a rich, earthy mushroom sauce and you are are all set for an autumn feast!

Ingredients (For Gnocchi):

• 4 russet potatoes (Make sure you get the right potatoes or your gnocchi will fall apart)
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg (beaten)

For Sauce:

• 1/2 cup evaporate milk
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspsoon minced garlic
• 10 sliced white mushrooms (Or another mushroom of your choice)
• 3 tbsp. buteer
• 3/4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Parsley
• Salt
• 1/3 cup beer (This recipe uses a Dubbel, I like Green’s Endeavour Dubbel Ale, which is actually also gluten-free!)

Cooking Directions (For Gnocchi):

1. Prick holes in your potatoes with a fork and microwave for about 5 – 10 minutes or until soft.
2. Carefully peel the potatoes while still hot and mash with work or potato ricer.
3. Add the flour and salt.
4. Add egg until the poptatoes are binded togeher.
5. Knead with your hands on a flat, floured surface. (Tip: Add more flour as you need it)
6. Once the dough is not sticky, form a dough ball, roll out into “ropes.”
7. Use a knife to cut into gnocchi-sized (bite-sized) pieces.
8. Roll the pieces on a for to form ridges.
9. Boil a pot of salted water and drop in the gnocchi in batches.
10. Remove gnocchi’s from water when they rise to the top. (TIP: Use a slotted spoon to remvoe excess water.)

For Sauce:

1. Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a pan.
2. Add the sliced mushrooms and garlic.
3. Cook over medium heat or until the mushroom start to brown.
4. Add the milk and evaporated milk.
5. Stir in your cheese until melted and well-blended.
6. Add salt to taste.
7. Pour in your beer and remove from heat.
8. Pour your suace over gnocchi and top with parsley and parmasean cheese.

Dobrou chuť!