Cooking

.node ol li:before {content: "";background: transparent;}ol li {list-style: auto !important;} Our Jingle Bell's variety pack returns for 2021 with a brand new, exclusive Bell's beer! Twelve-packs of 12 oz bottles will begin shipping from our brewery in late October. Each pack will have 3 bottles each of Bright White, Two Hearted, Christmas Ale, and for the first time, Wild Spruce Chase. These 12-packs are limited so be sure to snag them when you see them. They also make the perfect gift or "dish to pass." Below are four recipes prepared by our very own chef. Each pair beautifully with a different beer from this year's variety pack.  Enjoy! Share your cooking adventures with us on social media. Tag us using the hashtag #BellsBeer or mention us on Twitter and Instagram (@bellsbrewery).  Cheers! Jingle Bell’s Recipes: Dinner at home Two Hearted  Potato Blini with Grapefruit and Celery    Grapefruit Salad  3 grapefruits, supremed, and roughly chopped, juice reserved   1 small red onion, finely diced  8 ribs of celery, finely sliced  ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil  2 Tbs sugar  2 tsp salt  2 tsp black pepper   In a large bowl, mix together the grapefruit, onion, and celery  Season with salt, pepper, and sugar, add the oil and reserved grapefruit juice, toss together to ensure all ingredients are dressed. Blini  1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced   3 large eggs  ½ cup whole milk  ½ cup sour cream,   ¼ cup all-purpose flour  1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt  ½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper  ¼ teaspoon baking soda  2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted or vegetable oil  Put the diced potatoes in a large pot and cover with water, bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender.  Meanwhile, whisk eggs, milk, and sour cream in a medium bowl to combine and set aside  When the potatoes are cooked, pass them through a food mill or ricer fitted with the small-hole disk onto a sheet tray. Once they are all riced, place the potatoes in a 350F oven for 10 minutes to dry them out.  If you do not have a food mill or ricer, a potato masher or fork will work well, just be sure not to overwork them.  When the potatoes come out of the oven, put them into a large mixing bowl and add the flour, salt, pepper, baking soda, and black pepper over the potatoes. Make a well in the center and pour in sour cream mixture. Whisk in a circular motion, working from the center out to incorporate, just until smooth (it should look like a thick pancake batter).   Heat a large skillet, preferably nonstick or cast iron, over medium-low. Brush a small layer of butter or oil on the pan and spoon the batter into the pan using a tablespoon. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan or else flipping will be difficult. Cook the blini until the bottoms are golden brown and then flip.  Repeat as many times as needed to cook all of the blini. Place on a wired rack and keep warm until ready to serve. Top the blini with the grapefruit salad and a small dollop of sour cream.  Wild Spruce Chase  Roasted Vegetable Salad with a Juniper Vinaigrette  1 large container of your favorite salad greens  2 large carrots, peeled, diced into 1” pieces   1 large red onion, peeled, diced into 1” pieces   1 head of cauliflower, stem removed, cut into florets   1 sweet potato, peeled, diced into 1” pieces   1 ½ cups olive oil, plus 2 Tbs  ½ tsp dried rosemary  ½ tsp dried thyme  1 Tbs salt plus 1 tsp  1 Tbs black pepper  2 Tbs juniper berries  1 Tbs Dijon mustard   ½ cup apple cider vinegar   1 Tbs sugar   ½ cup pine nuts   Pre-heat your oven to 400F.    Toss all of the diced vegetables with the 2 Tbs of olive oil, 1 Tbs salt, 1 Tbs black pepper, dried rosemary, and dried thyme.  Place onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 400F for 30-45 minutes or until the vegetables are fork-tender and the florets have browned slightly.  Remove from the oven and let them cool on your countertop.  You may need to divide the vegetables between two baking sheets depending on the size of your oven.  In a blender add the juniper berries, Dijon mustard, 1 tsp of salt, 1 Tbs sugar, and ½ cup apple cider vinegar, blend until the juniper is fully incorporated.  While the blender is running, slowly drizzle in the 1 ½ cups olive oil until the dressing is fully emulsified.    In a large salad bowl, combine the greens, roasted vegetables, and pine nuts.  Drizzle with the vinaigrette and serve.  Christmas Ale   Caraway Crusted Pork with Parsnip Puree and Cherry Mostarda   Pork 1 pork tenderloin, 3-4 lbs  3 Tbs caraway seeds  2 Tbs brown sugar  2 Tbs salt  2 tsp ground mustard  Preheat your oven to 450F.  In a small bowl mix together the caraway, brown sugar, salt, and ground mustard.  Rub it over the tenderloin.  Place the pork on a rimmed baking sheet with a rack and roast it in the 450F oven for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature down to 325F.  Roast the pork at 325F until it reaches your desired temperature.  I like my pork to be medium which is around 140-145F.  Remove the pork from the oven, tent with foil, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.  Slice and sprinkle some nice sea salt over the meat.  Serve with parsnip puree and cherry mostarda.  Parsnip Puree  2 lbs of parsnips, peeled and diced into 1” pieces  2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1” pieces   ½ lb butter (2 sticks), cut into cubes  1 cup buttermilk  Salt and white pepper to taste.  In a large pot add parsnips and potatoes, cover with water and bring to a boil.  Cook until they are forktender.  Once the parsnips and potatoes are cooked, strain the water, and place the parsnips and potatoes into the bowl of a stand mixer.  Using the paddle attachment, mixed the potatoes and parsnips at low speed until they break down.  Add the butter and buttermilk.  Mix until everything is homogenous and season with salt and white pepper.  Cherry Mostarda  2 cups dried cherries   1 shallot, minced  ½ cup Bell’s Christmas Ale   ¼ cup apple cider vinegar  2 Tbs sugar  ¼ cup whole grain mustard   In a saucepan, combine all ingredients except the mustard.  Bring to a simmer and cook until the cherries have become plump with the liquid, about 10 minutes  Add the mustard and continue to simmer until the mostarda is jam-like.    Bright White  Bright White Poached Pears 6 pears, peeled  2 bottles (24 oz) Bright White  1 cup sugar  1 cinnamon stick  1 tsp whole cloves  1 tsp allspice berries  Mix together the Bright White and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.  Place pears and spices into a saucepan, and pour the beer and sugar mixture over it.  Bring the pot to a boil and then lower to a simmer.    While regularly checking on the pears and making sure that they stay submerged in the liquid, simmer the pears for about 15 minutes, or until a knife can easily pierce through the pear.  Serve warm or cold with your favorite ice cream or whipped cream. 

A light twist on a classic, best enjoyed during Taco Funday... or any day! Ingredients 3 oz. Bell's Light Hearted 2 oz. silver tequila 1 oz. simple syrup .5 oz. orange liqueur Juice of 1/2 lime Hop salt for garnish Instructions Mix the tequila, lime juice and simple syrup. Add the lemon and lime for extra flavor.  Pour hop-infused salt in a shallow dish/plate. Moisten the rim of each glass with a lime wedge and dip into hop salt.  Place 4-5 ice cubes in a glass (or more if you prefer).  Fill glass with mix, top with Light Hearted and enjoy!

Another amazing use for a Bell's classic! Ingredients 8-12 oz. Bell's Amber Ale (depending on your glass size) Chili lime salt (enough to rim the glass and a pinch to flavor the drink) Juice from 1 -1/2 limes (about 1.5 oz.)  Worcestershire sauce (4 dashes) Your favorite hot sauce (2 dashes) Instructions Wet the edge of a pint glass with lime and dip it into a plate with chili lime salt to create a nice salt rim.  Squeeze lime juice into the glass, add Worcestershire, hot sauce and a bit of chili lime salt. Stir well.  Pour your Amber Ale and be careful not to have it make contact with the salted rim so it does not fizz up excessively and overflow. Stir. Add a couple of ice cubes and enjoy!  

This recipe makes 6-8 servings and is best enjoyed with a Light Hearted (or a few). Ingredients 1tsp cinnamon 1tsp ground nutmeg 2tsp ground All spice 3tsp paprika 2tsp dried thyme Red onion – peeled and rough chop 6 Habanero peppers – remove seeds 2tsp sea salt ¾ C dark brown sugar 1/2 C mustard powder 4 limes, zest and juice 1 head of garlic, peeled ½ C Cider vinegar 1 can of Bell’s Light Hearted or chicken broth 2 whole chickens cut into portions, drumsticks, thigh, breast, bone in cut in half Or 8 chicken thighs/drumsticks Directions In a blender, place all ingredients (except Chicken) and blend until smooth. Place chicken pieces in large bowl or Ziploc bag, cover and coat with marinade, refrigerate overnight, up to 2 days ahead. Place chicken on a foiled tray, removing some of the marinade, bake at 275*F for 25 minutes. Pre heat BBQ grill to medium hot. Remove chicken from oven and finish on the grill until the skin begins charred and golden brown. Do not burn! Remove from grill and serve with rice and beans, grilled corn on the cob and a pint of Bell’s Light Hearted Ale

Summer, grilling, Two Hearted. What more do we need to say? Makes 4 servings. Ingredients 4 Cups sliced/diced veggies (zucchini, pepper, onion, potato, broccoli, mushrooms, etc) 4 Brats, whole or diced 2 tbsp olive oil 1/4 cup Bell's Two Hearted 1 tbsp paprika 1/2 tbsp garlic powder 1 tbsp parsley 1 tbsp oregano Directions Preheat 400 degree oven, grill or campfire. Combine all ingredients. Divide mixture onto 4 sheets of tinfoil and close to form packets. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until brats reach 160 degrees Farenheit and veggies are cooked through. Enjoy with a Two Hearted!

This recipe doesn’t use Two Hearted but it does pair with Two Hearted! 4 servings Ingredients 12 lbs of trout, skin on, cut into 6-8 oz portions 6 Serrano or birds eye chilies, seeded and finely diced 2 lbs Brussels sprouts, cut in half 1 red onion, large diced 4 cloves of garlic, minced ½ cup chopped parsley 1 grapefruit, segmented 2 Tbs olive oil Salt and Pepper to taste Directions Preheat your oven to 400F and turn your grill on. If not using a grill, you can use a cast iron skillet or a stove top grill pan. On a large sheet tray, with parchment paper underneath, mix together the Brussels spouts, onion, garlic, and chilies with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables at 400F for 12-20 minutes or until the Brussels are softened and browning along the edges. While the vegetables are cooking, oil both sides of your fish and season with salt and pepper. Grill the fish, skin side down, for about 5-8 minutes, or until the flesh of the fish has turned opaque along the edges. Flip the fish and finish cooking flesh side down for a few minutes. Once the vegetables come out of the oven, put them into a bowl and mix in the segmented grapefruit and parsley, taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve the trout, skin side up over a few spoonfuls of the roasted vegetables and a pint of Two Hearted.

This recipe calls for our brand new Lo-Cal IPA, Light Hearted! Check back often for others. You can always find our recipe collection here.  INGREDIENTS 2 cups All-purpose flour – sifted Teaspoon of salt 4 egg whites 12oz can of Cold Light Hearted 4oz – ice cold water DIRECTIONS Sift flour into a large mixing bowl with salt. In a separate bowl whisk egg whites until they form a soft peak. Gradually stir in ¾ of the Light Hearted to sifted flour. Add egg whites and fold into flour and beer mixture. Use the remaining Light Hearted and then the ice cold water, folding the batter as you add it, to achieve a perfect tempura batter consistency. Make fresh every time and use immediately, it does not hold up well as you are looking to benefit from the carbon dioxide in the beer and aerated egg whites to have a light and airy batter. Use ice cubes to keep cold if making more than one hour ahead, substitute cold water for ice cubes. Oil for tempura, high quality frying oil, rapeseed (canola) or peanut oil 355 degrees - 365 degrees HOW TO USE THE TEMPURA LIGHT HEARTED BATTER It is important to allow vegetables to dry for 30-45 minutes before frying; slice, place on paper towel, turn after 15-20 minutes. This will give you the best results. Sweet potato into rounds with the skin on. Sweet Vidalia onion rings, thinner slice than pub style! Eggplant, slice into wide strips lengthwise or in rounds if a large one. Baby zucchini you can leave whole, just cutting off the ends, cut regular zucchini into wide strips. Carrots, slice on a diagonal, nice and thin or into matchsticks. Green beans, leave whole, just cut off the ends Asparagus, use the tips for best results, 3-4 inches in length. Seafood and meats, again allow meat and seafood to dry for 15-20 minutes before battering and frying, follow same directions as for vegetables De-veined and butterfly shrimp, leave tail on – 16/20 recommended. Thin fresh chicken strips, 2-3 inches long Thin slice sirloin with soy, garlic and ginger After drying, sprinkle with salt and pepper, try using a little white pepper and fine Himalayan salt mixture and a light dusting of cornstarch to help batter adhere to your food choice . Run vegetables/seafood/meat through the batter and allow excess to fall back into bowl, carefully drop into oil, don’t overcrowd oil when doing Tempura. Fry until cooked, floating, turn over when on the surface. Remove from oil, drain excess cooking oil on absorbent paper. Serve immediately with fine salt, lemon wedges and a can of Light Hearted Ale (of course)! Enjoy!

Here is another delicious way to use our beer in the kitchen. This time we are talking about Bright White Forgotten Cookies. Enjoy! Yields about 4 dozen cookies.  Ingredients 3 egg whites, at room temperature 3/4 cup sugar Pinch of salt 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup finely chopped pistachios 1 cup finely candied ginger 1/4 cup Bright White Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 2. Cover a sheet tray with parchment paper and spray with a cooking spray. 3. Whip egg whites until they start to foam. Once foamy, slowly add the sugar and continue whipping until whites are at a stiff peak.  4. Whisk in salt and vanilla.  5. Fold in pistachios, ginger and Bright White.  6. Drop spoonfuls of the meringue mixture onto the prepared sheet tray.  7. Put the sheet tray into the oven and turn the oven off.  8. Leave cooking in the oven overnight or for 10 hours. Keep the oven door closed to ensure no heat escapes. This should make the outside of the cookie crisp and leave a chewy texture inside.  Enjoy with a Bright White! Download the recipe. 

Girl Scout cookies are an annual treat around the brewery. Craft beer is ... a little more regular treat. Why not combine the two? Below are some of our ideas. You should also check out this great guide from our friends over at craftbeer.com.  Let us know what your favorite is. Tweet at us: @bellsbrewery THIN MINTS + KALAMAZOO STOUT The Thin Mint and Kalamazoo Stout share a dark chocolatey wafer character, helping to elevate the cooling of mint. CARAMEL DELITES/SAMOAS + PORTER The Samoas have a lot going on: toasted coconut, ooey-gooey caramel and chocolate. It needs a beer to match the intensity. We've opted for the robust, malty Bell's Porter that lends complimentary flavors and a warming character. TREFOILS + LIGHT HEARTED ALE Not that we want to be counting calories, but this freshly debuted lo-cal IPA's citrus notes elevate the simply delicious, buttery Trefoils. TAGALONGS + SONG OF THE OPEN ROAD The cookie's peanut butter will quickly coat your mouth. This malty winter warmer is strong enough to cut through the nut butter and has plenty of dark fruit and brown sugar notes to transform this into a fun play on peanut butter and jelly. LEMONS-UPS + Official These crispy lemon cookies are new for the Girl Scouts this year. Official pairs really well with the zesty taste from this cookie. Check out our events calendar and see if we have a pairing event near you. 

Here's another great way to use Bell's Christmas Ale for a sweet treat! (If you haven't already, be sure to check out this Christmas Ale Cherry Chocolate Bread recipe.) Yields about 3 dozen cookies. Ingredients 3/4 cup butter (melted and cooled) 3/4 cup and 1 TBS brown sugar 1 cup molasses 1/2 cup Christmas Ale 1 tsp salt 2 tsp cinnamon 2 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 1 egg 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 3 3/4 cup all-purpose flour In the kitchen Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a few sheet trays with parchment paper. Mix together melted butter, brown sugar, molasses, Christmas Ale, salt, spices, and egg. Whisk baking powder and baking soda with the flour and mix into Christmas Ale mixture. Divide the dough in half, wrap each in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour in the fridge. Once the dough is chilled, roll the dough out on a floured work surface to ¼ inch thickness. Cut out desired shapes and bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the edges have browned and the cookies are firm. Cool completely and decorate with icing, candy, or form into your very own ginger bread brewhouse! Enjoy with a pint of Christmas Ale! Download a PDF of the recipe.