I couldn’t resist trying out this “Guinness Bread with Molasses” by Hank Shaw of Hunter Angler Gardener Cook:

Here is the recipe (you can find the original post and recipe at Simply Recipes)

Ingredients

• 3 cups self-rising flour*
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup molasses
• A pinch of salt (roughly 1/8 teaspoon)
• 12 ounces of Guinness beer
• Butter for greasing the pan and painting the top, about 3 tablespoons

* If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can substitute using a ratio of 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, plus 1/8 teaspoon of salt, for every cup of self-rising flour. Have made both ways though and got better results from the self-rising flour.
Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan well with butter.

2. Pour the flour, salt and sugar into a large bowl and whisk to combine.

3. Slowly pour the Guinness into the flour mixture. (The “pub cans” are larger than 12 ounces, but they have better carbonation, so I pour most of it out and leave a swig to drink. This has never failed me, but if you are a stickler, use a 12-ounce bottle of Guinness instead.) Start stirring the beer into the dry ingredients, and when you are about halfway done, add the molasses. Mix well, just to combine. Don’t work the heck out of the batter – because that’s what it’ll look like – but you don’t want lumps, either.

4. Pour into the loaf pan to no more than 2/3 full. Pop into the oven immediately and bake for 50 minutes. Since ovens can vary, check the bread after 40 minutes and see if a toothpick inserted into the deepest part of the loaf comes out clean. If it does, you’re done.

5. Let the loaf cool a bit, maybe 5 minutes, and then turn it out onto a rack. Paint it with lots of soft butter, which will melt as you go.

~~~End original recipe~~~

My take on it:

This was my St. Patrick’s Day cooking Odyssey. I decided to do a double batch. (Why heat up the oven for just one loaf of bread?)

I ended up using Guinness Extra Stout (who knew there WAS such a thing as stronger than Guinness?) — and blackstrap molasses, which is extra dark – so mine turned out quite dark compared to the original blogger’s version.  It’s a simple recipe, producing a slightly sweet bread, and not like anything I’ve baked before.  You can definitely taste the beer. (Shall we say- a glass in every slice?)  Unable to even attempt to finish the bread at home, I gave half-loaves to a few friends, all of whom liked it, and it was a hit with the office crowd as well.  I’d love to try again soon, with regular Guinness and a lighter molasses.  If you like beer, you should give it a try.

The question: if you make bread with the beer that claims to have a sandwich in every glass, does the universe implode?

SarahB

Tags: baking, beer, bread, molasses, odyssey, recipe, St. Patrick's Day

Using a Smoker Box on Your Grill

Author: Ray Shank

Using a Smoker Box on your grill is an excellent way to give your smaller meals a great full, smoky flavor. You can find them in all sizes and prices.  They’re perfect for smoking fish, steak, ribs, chicken and more!  I recently got one and found it easier to get that great smoky taste on small meals than using my big smoker.  Of course, if I had a big cooking job, I’d elect to use the smoker, but for small cooking chores, you might find that using a smoker box is a great way to go.

To use your smoker box, get a bag of wood chips like hickory or mesquite chips (Don’t use chunks)

• Soak wood chips for approximately 20 minutes. (or a full day.)
• With the lid open or off and fill box with wood chips.
• Place smoker box on top of rocks or briquettes on one side of the grill.
• Light your grill, as you would normally.
• When smoke appears start the cooking process.
• Smoke will last approximately 15-20 minutes and will enhance the flavor of your favorite dish.
• Before reusing the Smoker Box, dispose of ALL the residue in the box, refill with FRESH and reuse.

TIP: What I do with my smoker box is that I go ahead and start cooking my meat as normal, making sure I sear the meat before the box starts smoking. Once the box starts smoking, I turn down or shut off the side of the grill opposite the smoker box and transfer all the meat to that side. (opposite the smoker box) The meat should be already seared and just about cooked by now, and now we are mostly just flavoring the meat with the smoke from the smoker box.

Woodstone's Smoker Tray

Different wood chips used for smoking:

Hickory is a great all-purpose wood, especially recommended for all cuts of pork and chicken.

Apple is exceptionally good for fish and fowl; the greener the wood, the sweeter the smoke flavor that will be imparted.

Other fruit woods, such as cherry, mulberry, pear and peach are good for fish and poultry, including any wild foul.

Grapevine is also good for fish and poultry, including any wild foul.

Pecan is another good all-purpose wood, recommended for all cuts of pork.

Use persimmon with beef or pork. It is also good for wild game.

The bark, roots and wood chips of sassafras are good for smoke flavor in fish and poultry.

About the Author:
Get Information, resources, recipes, tips and techniques for enjoying the great American grilling experience, on your grill. Sign up for “The Sizzle” Newsletter: www.OnYourGrill.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cooking-tips-articles/using-a-smoker-box-on-your-grill-836787.html

Tags: aroma, cherry wood, cooking tips, dishes, flavors, fruit wood, grill, meats, oven smoker, recipe, sizzle, smoker box, steak

I am not sure how many readers of TasteOdyssey have had the pleasure of shopping at Trader Joe’s – a low priced organic grocery food store that generally creates its own products – also one of the largest companies in the US – but for any who have, this video nails the experience perfectly.  Whether you have had the pleasure of enduring the parking situation or going for milk and ending up with seaweed snacks, I hope you enjoy this great video by carlsfinefilms.

Tags: commercial, food, funny videos, grocery store, spoof, trader Joe's, tv ad, youtube commercial

For all you “Macro-Maniacs” out there looking for a sweet treat this Easter Season, I found a cool dish from a 1981 “Macrobiotic Desserts” publication by Sandra Lynn Shuman.   The book is filled with wholesome endings to a meal, leaving behind such “extreme foods” as animal products and refined sugar. I hope you enjoy the dessert I have selected today, and be sure to write in with any suggestions of your own!
Happy Eating!

OK, let’s get down to business; we have dessert to eat!

The recipe I chose today is a FRUIT LASAGNA

PART 1:
What you need:

• 1 cup of dried peaches diced.
• 1 cup of dried nectarines diced
• 2 cups of dried apricots diced
• 1/2 cup of raisins
• 8 cups of water

To get accurate measurement of dried fruit, pack firmly in measuring cup. Put all the ingredients in a large pot and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce heat and boil gently until all the water has cooked out (approximately 1 hour).

PART 2:

8 ounces of whole wheat lasagna noodles

Put noodles in a large pot filled with boiling water. Drop noodles in slowly so water continues boiling. Stir briefly with a wooden spoon. Cook for 30 minutes. Do NOT rinse, just drain the noodles thoroughly in a colander. Set aside. When cool enough to handle arrange noodles on a large plate to keep them flat.

Part 3: (Custard)

• 1/2 cup of brown rice flour
• 1 cup of whole oat flour
• 1 teaspoon of agar-agar powder
• 5 cups of water
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
• 1/4 cup of rice syrup
• 2 T. pure maple syrup
• 1 T. pure vanilla

Put the first four ingredients in a medium large saucepan. Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and add the salt and gently boil for 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and add the rice syrup, maple syrup, and vanilla. Cool 5 minutes; pour into a blender and blend until smooth. In a very lightly oiled casserole dish, put alternate layers of noodles, fruit and custard ending with a top layer of noodles. cover the casserole with foil and Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven on the lower shelf 25 minutes. Serve at room temperature. Keep refrigerated.

Simple as that!
You have your very own (and possibly very first) fruit lasagna!
Just try not to make a habit of eating desserts all the time, especially while on a macro-based diet! However, a little indulging every now in then is good for the soul.

Till next time!

~Fooddiva~

Tags: custard, dessert, fruit, lasagna, Macrobiotics, noodle dish, recipe, vegan, vegetarian

Author: Dianna Smith

King Cakes are as deeply entwined with the traditions of New Orleans and Mardi Gras as parades, Bourbon Street, and jambalaya. The city of New Orleans is the proud host of the popular Mardi Gras Festival, and celebrants consider a Mardi Gras King Cake a necessity. These unique delicacies are so coveted that people throughout the country order them from their favorite bakery or bake one for their family and friends.

A Mardi Gras King Cake is made from braids of rich, cinnamon flavored dough that is shaped into an oval before being baked. Some of the more modern recipes may even have fillings of chocolate, cream cheese, lemon, apple, or strawberry. When the King Cake is removed from the oven and cooled, it is then glazed with icing and decorated with colored sugars. The sugars and the triple braid of the cake originated as a way to honor the 3 Wise Men who brought gifts to the Baby Jesus. Each of the colored sugars has a meaning:

• Purple- Justice
• Gold-Power
• Green-Faith

Even the time of preparation for these cakes is special, with baking being done between the dates of the Twelfth Night (January 6th) and Ash Wednesday. There are thousands of King Cakes prepared for purchase as well as for delivery to customers who have placed their personal order weeks in advance. To many people having one of these sugary confections is reason enough for a celebration.

January 6th, or the Twelfth Night, officially introduces the Carnival Season which is a much anticipated time of year. This is the time that the Baby Jesus was honored with gifts from the Wise Men. From the very earliest times, small tokens have been placed in the cakes for revelers to find. At times people have chosen to use a small coin, peas, or even a pecan. In the 19th century, a small gemstone was being added to a King Cake by the wealthier families. The tokens would bring good luck to whoever found them and the finder would be the king (or queen) of the ball.

It was at the beginning of the 20th century that the tradition changed to placing a small plastic baby in the cake. This plastic baby represents the Christ Child, and is placed into the cake after baking. Then the cake is frosted and decorated so no one realizes where the object is hidden. Everyone hopes to find the doll in their slice of cake and slicing the cake is an exciting time. Whoever finds the doll will have good luck and they also honored as the King or Queen. According to tradition, they must also host a Mardi Gras celebration next year and furnish a new Mardi Gras King Cake for guests to enjoy.

About the Author:

Dianna Yvonne Smith has published articles and e-books in the family, home, fitness, business and cooking categories. She is a Cajun cooking enthusiast. Find out why New Orleans during Mardi Gras is the place to be! Visit http://www.Cooking-New-Orleans-Style.com for a great Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe and more free Cajun recipes.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/holidays-articles/mardi-gras-king-cake-the-royal-tradition-of-the-king-cake-continues-770120.html

Photo by Joe in DC

Tags: baking, fat tuesday, king cake, mardi gras, new orleans, tradition