Chocolate Beer Balls for your Valentine!

Instead of going out and buying your "Beer-lovin" Sweetie store bought chocolates for Valentines day, what better way to show him your love than by cooking up these fantastic, scrumptiously beer tasting good, homemade chocolate balls...he'll love ya for it!!

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tbsp. dark corn syrup
½ c. Alaskan Oatmeal Stout beer
2 c. crushed Vanilla wafer cookies
1 c. powdered sugar
1 c. toasted walnuts, chopped fine
¼ c. sugar

Put chocolate chips in saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until completely melted. Blend in corn syrup and Alaskan Oatmeal Stout. . Add cookies, powdered sugar and nuts. Mix well. Let cool until easy to handle and a little firm. Form into 1” balls or smaller and roll in granulated sugar.

This recipe was found at http://www.alaskanbeer.com/
Original title is "Oatmeal Stout Chocolate Balls"

Been having issues in finding recipes made with Beer soley from different breweries as was my orginal goal...in fact, so far only Samuel Adams and Alaskan Brewing Company are the ones which I have come across which actually post recipes made with Beer! So, if anyone out there comes across any other breweries which kindly enough post Beer recipes, please let me know!

In the meantime, I have expanded my search to magazines, cookbooks and of course the internet. My next "Beery" cooking adventure is from the great magazine Beeradvocate at ...beeradvocate.com. Here it goes with a few of my own changes...


Biere Paella

1/2 cup olive oil
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut in chunks
2 yellow onions, peeled and sliced
2 serrano chilis (optional - I added this)
Dash of red pepper chili flakes (optional - I added this)
2 Andouille sausages sliced thin
5-6 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 cups Pearl Barley short grain rice
1 bottle of beer (I used Flying Dog double pale ale)
6-7 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 Tablespoons smoked paprika
2 pinches of saffron
2 pound of fresh mussels
1 pound of fresh clams
1 cup of frozen peas
1 large handful of fresh basil (I added this)
1 roasted red bell pepper julienned

In a paella pan (I used a dutch oven pot) at medium high heat, add enough olive oil to coate the bottom of the pan and add the chicken pieces. Cook for about 6 minutes on each side. While the chicken is browning, prep the rest of the ingredients. Once the chicken is about halfway cooked, remove it from the pan and set aside. Add some more olive oil if needed and add the onions, serrano and red pepper flakes. Cook the onions until they are transparent. Add the sausage and cook until brown. Add the garlic and the chicken pieces back to the pan. Cook for about another 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat. Deglaze with the beer and pour enough stock to just cover the ingredients. Add the paprika, basil and saffron, season with salt and pepper and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat to medium and lightly mix the paella. This will be the last time you stir the dish, as the paella will cook slowly for about 20 -25 minutes and will form a golden crust on the bottom of the pan. After about 15 minutes arrange the mussels, joint side down into the rice. Next add the clams in the same pattern. Sprinkle the red bell pepper over the pan and continue to cook until the clams and mussels open and the liquid has almost evaporated. Test the rice to see if it's al dente. Add a touch of more stock if the dish requires more cooking time. Then, just before serving, increase teh heat to high for 1 minute, toasting the rice and creating what they call "socarrat" (crust to the bottom of the pan). Once done, scoop into indivdual bowls or bring to the tabel family style and enjoy!!!

Star rating: 4 outta 5

For those of you that have never tried the short grain pearl barley rice it's quite good...and good for you!!