Photo: Erin McGrady
3 Tasty (and Simple) Ways to Cook With Beer
We love beer. Some might say our passion for it borders on obsession. Luckily beer has some surprising benefits (assuming it's consumed in moderation). For one, it has nutrients—yes, you read that right. And some studies have shown that it may potentially improve cholesterol levels and boost cognitive health, among other perks.
So, in the name of health, we've come up with the following recipes, which might just convince you that beer is good for more than just drinking. It's fun to cook with and it adds flavor, too. A few of these recipes can be made on the grill, and all of them can be taken on the road—not a bad way to spend an afternoon.
Appetizer: Kickin' Beer Queso
Forget what you bought at the store, and make it fresh. Photo: Erin McGrady
Photo: Erin McGrady
Ingredients:
-12 oz beer (we used Miller Lite)
-8 oz low fat cream cheese
-4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
-1 medium tomato
-2 garlic cloves, minced
Garlic is almost always the star of any good dip. Photo: Erin McGrady
Directions:
-Put beer, garlic and cubed cream cheese in a pot on low heat.
-Whisk or stir until the cream cheese is melted and smooth. Make sure the mixture does not boil or the cream cheese will curdle.
-Add shredded cheese a handful at a time and stir until melted.
Docks and dip. Photo: Erin McGrady
-Add diced tomato and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes until the dip thickens. Check this by coating a spoon and letting the dip cool (It should be creamy but not soupy.)
-Pour in a bowl and eat with corn chips, pretzels, veggies, crostini, or anything dip-worthy.