Monday, February 4, 2013

My Two Favourite Superbowl Munchies (Recipe)

I'm not really a television sports fan, but when food is one of the main attractions, I'm always up for trying new recipes. This year for Super Bowl XL VII, along with the standard chili, chicken wings and beer, we tried two new items that were a definite crowd pleaser. The Corona Lime Cupcakes and the Bacon Wrapped Deep Fried Pepperoncini Poppers were a hit at our Super Bowl party and will definitely become a staple in my future baking and sports watching menu repertoire. 

Corona Lime Cupcakes


Ingredients for the cupcakes:

- 3/4 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 3/4 cup of sugar
- 2 1/2 cup of flour
- 2 tsp of baking powder
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp of vanilla
- 1/2 tsp lime zest
- 1 cup of Corona beer, plus more for brushing on tops
- 1/4 of milk
- Lime wedges for each cupcake

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners.

2. In a medium size bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light a fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

4. Add eggs, beating after each addition, then add vanilla and lime zest.

5. Combine milk and beer in a separate bowl. Alternatively add the beer/milk mixture and the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture on low speed, beginning and ending with the flour.

6. Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

7. When cupcakes are done, poke holes in the tops of the cupcakes with toothpicks and brush some beer on while they are still warm. (I omitted this step because I thought the beer taste would be too strong, but I definitely regret this decision as they could have been slightly more moist)

8. Let cool completely on a baking rack before icing.

Ingredients for citrus icing:

- 12 ounce cream cheese
- 6 tbsp of butter, room temperature
- 1 tbsp of freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tsp of lime zest
- 4 cups of powdered sugar

Directions: 

1. Cream together the cream cheese and butter in an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.

2. Add the lime juice and zest and gradually add the powdered sugar until combined. Beat until smooth for about 2 minutes.

3. You can use a piping bag to frost the cupcakes, but I simply used a butter knife. The icing is quite sweet, so you can choose the amount of frosting depending on your sweet tooth level.

Serve and Enjoy!!! 


Bacon-Wrapped Deep Fried Pepperoncini Poppers

These poppers are best made with a deep fryer, but they can also be made slightly healthier by baking them in the oven, without adding the egg and bread-crumb mixture. 


They are a great make-ahead appetizer that requires little work so you can simply throw them into the deep fryer and enjoy your party.

Ingredients 

- Canned Pepperoncini Peppers (They are sweeter and less spicy than Jalapeno peppers, but you can swap for Jalapeno peppers)
- Bacon, raw (about half a piece per pepper, depending on the size of the pepper)
- 1 8oz container of herb and garlic cream cheese
- 1 Italian sausage, casing removed

For Batter  
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup of flour
- 1 cup of Italian (Panko) bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Cut the stems off the peppers so there is a small hole in the top end to drain the liquid and seeds.

2. Make sure to remove the seeds and center and cut a portion lengthwise so you can easily fill them with the cream cheese and sausage.

3. Fry the sausage and mix with the herb and garlic cream cheese.

4. Fill the peppers with cream cheese mixture and wrap with bacon.


5. If you do not have a deep fryer, this is when you would bake in oven, on 375 for about 20 minutes, or until bacon looks cooked. 

6. For deep fryer, place aside until ready. 

7. Crack eggs in a bowl, and mix flour and bread crumbs on a separate plate. 

8. Dunk poppers in egg bowl and coat with bread crumbs. Cook in deep fryer until coating is crispy and bacon is cooked. 


The ingredients in the poppers changed throughout the day as we became more creative, so feel free to experiment with your own flavours.

Enjoy by themselves or with a barbecue or hot dipping sauce!!!

Brothers Beer Bistro (Review)

Brothers Beer Bistro is a definite hot spot for beer lovers and foodies alike. They specialize in offering premium craft brewed and independently produced beer and locally derived seasonal food.

This past Saturday night we finally decided to try Brothers as we had been dying to try the Gastropub for a while. The atmosphere was cozy and inviting and definitely did not lack a lively beer drinking crowd. The place was packed when we arrived at 8:30 and didn't seem to die down at all when we left around 11.

Their beer menu is quite overwhelming, but I was happy to see they offered beer flights, which are small tasters of six different beers. Our server was very knowledgeable about the beer and food and was able to make several suggestions for our drinks and meal. We decided to share a starter and a main course and we were not disappointed by either choice.


We started off with the Pierogies, which were served with braised short ribs, white beans, blue cheese, and parsley. The blue cheese and short ribs added a unique and delicious flavour to the traditional Pierogi dish. We then decided on the Kichessipi Fried Pork with cheesy Polenta spicy Rapini, malt and sausage gravy. It was a rather heavy meal so I was glad we were sharing. The combination of flavours and the heavy sausage gravy were so rich and decadent. The pork was cooked to perfection and coated in a crisp and tasty batter.

Pierogies ($9)
Kichessipi Fried Pork ($24)
The food menu is not extensive, but offers some great meat, seafood and vegetarian varieties, as well as a mix of healthier and slightly more decadent options.

Our overall dinner experience was very positive and I would definitely recommend this restaurant for a unique culinary and beer experience. The servers were very friendly and knowledgeable and the overall atmosphere was relaxed, yet remaining uniquely charming and gourmet.

They also serve brunch on the weekends but I have to admit the experience was slightly less pleasant. It seemed like they were rather new to the brunch/breakfast experience as they were a bit confused on what they offered and were also quite slow. The menu items are definitely not traditional and most of our table was quite surprised when our dishes arrived at our table. They also don't serve lattés or cappuccinos, which I think is a definite must for brunch. The "Bagel and Lox" was the most unexpected dish and the Breakfast Poutine and Spaetzle were both a bit too hearty and rich for a summer meal. Moral of the story is to carefully read the menu or ask the server what the dish entails.

Breakfast Special
Spaetzle 
Breakfast Poutine
"Bagel and Lox"

Verdict: Unique menu, friendly staff, great atmosphere 

Cost: Dinner appetizers range from $7-$12. Mains range from $14-26. Breakfast ranges from $10-$15

Hours: Open for dinner 7 nights a week. Open for lunch from Monday to Friday. Open for brunch on the weekends. 

Brothers Beer Bistro, 366 Dalhousie Street, Ottawa