Blue Point Brewery Tour + Uncle George's Local Mussels in Beer

Oatmeal Stout fresh from the brewery, Photo: NK

Don't you just love it when a plan falls into place? Actually ... never mind.

Let's try this again:

Don't you just love it when you can work BEER into your plans?

Yeah, that feels right. 

This very thing happened to us a few weeks ago when a random errand brought us to Patchogue, New York. What joy was ours when my intrepid husband remembered that Patchogue is also the site of Blue Point Brewing Company - a place we'd been talking about visiting forever. That guy continues to surprise me ... and he sure knows how to entice me into chores as well! 

Beer Tasting at Blue Point Brewing Co! Photo: NK

Our little tasting session and brewery tour was a blast. Blue Point tasting room is kinda like visiting your best friend's basement - if said basement was filled with tasty beers, cool t-shirts and other merch, a fridge full of freshly filled growlers, and a super friendly staff of knowledgable beer mavens. 

Now, wait for it ... you can taste three kinds of beer FOR FREE. Seriously, how friendly can you get? 




Sufficiently buzzed from a tasting of Blue Point Oyster Stout, Oatmeal Stout, and the limited release "Wet Hop Experiment," it was the perfect time to take a little tour of the facilities. While most of the production of Blue Point beer takes place in Upstate New York, there's still some action at their original Patchogue hub, and we got to see it all. Michelle, our tour guide, was both funny and adorable. She shared a wealth of information on Blue Point's origins, as well as on brewing in general. Among the many facts we picked up (like that home-brewing was illegal until Jimmy Carter legitimized it - thanks, Prez!), I learned that hops are related to the marijuana plant (no comment:)) and that for much of the past century, the crop of hops that had been readily available in the Northeast were blighted by disease, which is why most of today's brewers ship their hops from the West Coast. 

The good news is that our Northeastern soil is starting to bounce back, and as a result, the future looks brighter for locally sourced hops. Want proof? Look at the autumn crop that my BFF, Natalie (one of the original urban farmers for the better part of the last decade), grew at her parent's gorgeous farm in Pennsylvania: 

Black Krim Tomatoes, a Red Pumpkin, Chilies, and Dank Hops (foreground)
Grown By & Photo By: Natalie Brickajlik

She's talented, what can I say? 

Upon leaving the brewery, my head was spinning. For the usual reason, to be sure, but also, for others; all I could think about was cooking with beer, preferably Blue Point Beer. And then, just like that, an opportunity presented itself:

Toasted Lager, Photo: NK

I returned to our weekend home to find that our neighbor had stopped by to drop off some freshly harvested Mussels that he plucked from the local bay. Using what I had on hand, and of course, some widely available and uber drinkable Blue Point Toasted Lager, I came up with the following recipe that I hope you'll enjoy. 



Very special thanks to my Uncle George and his wife, my Aunt Freddie for being super sweet and thoughtful - the mussels were delicious and the freshest I've ever had. I hope I did them justice. Enjoy the recipe!

Spicy Mussels Cooked in Blue Point Toasted Lager and Thai Chilies + Lime and Cilantro, Photo: NK 

Uncle George's Local Mussels Cooked in Toasted Lager
Serves 4 as a main dish, 6 as a light appetizer

Ingredients:
2 Pounds fresh scrubbed and debearded Mussels
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1/2 a large White Onion, chopped
2 large Garlic Cloves, sliced
1/2 cup Cilantro, roughly chopped, plus sprigs for garnish
8 Ounces (2/3 bottle) Blue Point Toasted Lager (or other dark beer)
3 dried Red Thai Chilies,(or other) finely chopped (discard seeds if you don't like extra spicy)
1 Tablespoon Lime Juice 

Method:
1. Heat butter in a very large pot over medium-low flame. Next, add the garlic and sauté until slightly golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes, taking care not to burn.

2. Add the chopped onion and sauté another 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Add the beer and chilies and turn up the flame to medium to bring the liquids to a boil. 

4. Put the mussels in the pot, cover, and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes. 

5. At this point, mussels should begin opening. Remove them from the pot one by one as they open and place in a large, communal serving bowl. Take care to remove them as they open so they do not become tough. Discard any mussels with broken shells or those that have not opened in a reasonable amount of time. 

6. Add the tablespoon of lime juice to the broth remaining in the pot. Taste for seasoning and add a tiny bit of salt and pepper if needed (mussels should have plenty of natural saltiness already so taste before you add!). Pour the broth over the mussels and garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve immediately and enjoy! 

Soul of The South - Kickin' Collard Greens

I want to take a moment to tell you about our latest family adventure, a trip to South Carolina by way of Savannah, Georgia. In addition to what is always a good old time with all the folks I love, I was struck by how beautiful this part of the country is.

The Beach at Hilton Head, Photo: NK

                                                                                                                      

From the white sand beaches to the seemingly endless marshlands, the wild sea birds and trees draped dramatically with Spanish moss (which look wonderfully spooky by the light of the moon), Low Country really is great.     

                          

She-Crab Soup, Photo: NK

                                                                  

And it's not just because of the vistas - the food is pretty good too! With a rich culinary history all its own, Low Country is a place to find and taste the foods of the Gullah Culture, as well as other regional delights like She-Crab Soup. This stuff was good, let me tell you.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

As soon as I got finished taking in the astonishingly pretty sunsets

Photo: NK

Photo: NK

and getting my fill of activities like a really fun day of kayaking and mini golf, 

Photo: NK

I knew it was time to get down to the business of cooking. My favorite kind!

I'd had my fill of yummy shrimp and grits during our fun family trip, so I decided to indulge the hankering I had for my favorite Southern side dish - Collard Greens. 

I actually can't believe that I had never made collards at home before because I really enjoy them. Collards are a sturdy, slow-cooking green. They take a while to become tender, but almost no time to prep. It's during the lengthy cooking period that the magic happens. 

You can infuse collards with many different flavors, but the traditional addition is some sort of smoked meat, whether bacon or a ham hock. Feel free to turn this vegetarian by omitting the bacon and cooking as directed from after that point. Relying heavily on a recipe I found on Allrecipes.com, my first attempt at collards was a great success. They were smokey, salty, and even a little spicy, from a generous pinch of crushed red pepper.

If you too are a collard novice, this recipe is a great place to start. Serve collards alongside your favorite Southern dishes, or if you like them as much as I do, throw them over rice, beans, or peas, and they are a meal in themselves. Y'all enjoy! 

Kickin' Collard Greens

Lightly Adapted from Allrecipes.com/Ken Adams

Photo: NK 

Serves 6

Ingredients: 

3 Strips of Bacon

1 teaspoon Olive Oil

1 medium White Onion, chopped

3 cloves of Garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Pepper

1 generous pinch Crushed Red Pepper

3 Cups Vegetable Broth

1 Large Bunch Fresh Collard Greens, chopped into two-inch pieces

Method: 

1. Heat the oil in a very large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook it until it is crisp. Remove the bacon, blot off the oil, roughly chop it and return it to the pan. 

2. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, another 2 minutes. Now add the collard greens and cook until the leaves begin to wilt. 

3. Pour in the vegetable broth and lower the flame to low. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Cover the pot and cook for 45 minutes until the greens are tender. Scoop the collards from the liquid, serve and enjoy!

Collards! Photo: NK

Ingredient Spotlight: Acorn Squash (+ Brown Sugar & Walnuts)

The Beautiful Acorn Squash, Photo: NK

There are a ton of things that rock about fall - like fuzzy flannel shirts, leaf-peeping, and pumpkin flavored everything.  

Of course, cooking with autumn produce ranks high in our house and I can tell that you too love preparing the foods of the season. Our Foolproof Fall Dinner for Six  post is getting tons of traffic! It is a great menu, if we do say so ourselves. 

For more Autumn produce inspiration check out our super healthy recipe for Apple Rutabaga Mash. But today, we're all about the Acorn. Acorn Squash to be exact. If you are looking for the world's  easiest side dish for your next meal, please, look no further. Today's recipe is merely a guideline, as there are endless possibilities for baking acorn squash. Just let your favorite spices be your guide. 

Our version includes the usual brown sugar and butter, but adds a hint of cinnamon and some smokey paprika (my favorite spice of all time), before finishing it all off with a sprinkling of crunchy toasted walnuts. The textural combo of the tender squash and walnuts is just great. Also - I find it especially cool that this dish is self-contained. Slice off a bit of the squash's bottom and you've made yourself a sturdy little bowl filled with fall goodness. Just get out a spoon and start scooping out the sweet, nutty middles. 

This recipe is so easy - just bake the squash, flavor it like so
(or use your own favorite spices), and bake again! Photo: NK 

Before we jump to our recipe, let's first learn a bit about our main ingredient:

"(Acorn Squash) flesh is sweeter than summer squash, with a nut-like flavor. It is shaped like a ribbed acorn, hence its nickname. The growing period is longer than summer squash, giving it plenty of time to soak up the sweetness of the sun. 

Along with the standard green variety, you may also run across orange and white acorn squash varieties. Although available in many areas year-round, prime season for acorn squash is early fall through winter." ~About.com 

OK! Now let's cook what we've learned. 

Baked Acorn Squash + Brown Sugar & Walnuts, Photo: NK

Baked Acorn Squash With Brown Sugar & Toasted Walnuts

Loosely Adapted from Martha Stewart

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 medium-sized Acorn Squash (about 1.5 pounds)

1/3 cup Toasted Walnuts, roughly chopped

1 heaping Tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon Salted Butter, divided + more for greasing baking sheet

1/4 teaspoon Hot Smoked Spanish Paprika (or regular Paprika)

1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

Salt 

Pepper

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 and grease a baking sheet with butter.

2. Lightly toast your walnuts in the toaster oven if you've not done so already. They should turn slightly golden.

3. Cut acorn squash in half and carefully scoop out all the seeds. Slice off a small part of each of the squash bottoms so they will sit level on the baking sheet later.

4. Bake, cut side down, until golden, about 20-25 minutes.

5. Turn the squash over and pierce the insides all over with a fork. Rub a half tablespoon of butter on the flesh of each half and place any remainder in the middle. Sprinkle the dark brown sugar evenly over each half, follow with paprika, cinnamon, and then a pinch of salt and pepper.

6. Return squash to the oven to bake for another 25 or more minutes with the cut side up. When they are done, the flesh of the squash should be easily pierced with the tip of a dull knife. Sprinkle walnut pieces over each squash and serve warm! These are best eaten with a spoon. Enjoy!  

Dinner 1 2 3 - Smoked Salmon Avocado Rice Bowl In Minutes

Is there such a thing as a case of the Tuesdays? 'Cause if so, I got one. I don't know about you but today was kinda blah. Mercury's in retrograde (yes, I just love Astrology) and everyone seems to be coming down with the old change-of-seasons cold. I'm not complaining (or am I?), but there just seems to be a collective sense of fatigue in the air. After work, as I plopped onto my couch, cooking dinner was dead last on my list. Thankfully, it didn't take me long to remember that today's meal plan involved a recipe that's as easy and fast as it gets. 

Smoked Salmon Avocado & Scallion Brown Rice Bowl, Photo: NK

Better yet, our Smoked Salmon Avocado and Scallion Brown Rice Bowl is packed with Super Foods and healthy nutrients - all in one low-cal package. Anything less and I'd have been on that phone for takeout in a jiffy. 

Our quick dinner is adapted from a wonderful recipe I spotted on Food & Wine's Blog as part of a series called The Food & Wine Diet. Like, hello! Sounds like my kinda dieting! Anyways, this clever spot showcases healthy recipes that are "all created to pair with wine (a 5-ounce glass has anywhere from 110-150 calories) - all for 600 calories or fewer." Should you choose to add the suggested wine pairing to this dish, author Kristin Donnelly recommends Riesling. 

We're skipping the wine tonight, but you certainly don't have to! Without a glass of the good stuff, this recipe probably comes in somewhere in the neighborhood of 400 calories and 17 grams of fat per serving. It also happens to be very delicious. 

Our changes to the original recipe were made both to suit our tastes and use some of the ingredients in our fridge. I subbed out cucumbers for zippier scallions and shallots. Alliums, or vegetables in the garlic and onion family, not only offer major health properties, but they definitely add the interest in this Asian-inspired rice bowl. When used raw, they are at their most potent. By the way, I love cucumbers so I am sure they would be a very welcome addition that you could definitely add back in. Now for the protein - smoked salmon is easy to buy in advance and have on hand in the fridge. A three-ounce package is the perfect amount for this dinner for two. Finally, because I always aim for a bit of extra flavor, we added a very modest splash of low-sodium soy sauce along with a few dots of sriracha for spice. We skipped the nori because it's not in our every day pantry. Cool Avocados round out the flavors of this surprisingly satisfying dish. 

To make this recipe in under 10 minutes, you'll either have to have your preferred grain or brown rice ready-cooked, or just take our recommendation and use our favorite, Uncle Ben's Ready Rice. It cooks in 90 seconds in the microwave and comes in two-serving portions. The stuff is a lifesaver. I hope you enjoy this tasty and fast recipe, as well as all the extra time it will give you to relax and recharge.

Smoked Salmon Avocado and Scallion Brown Rice Bowl

Adapted from Food & Wine/Kristen Donnelly

Wine Pairing: A dry Riesling

Serves 2 

Ingredients: 

1 Cup (8 Oz.) Cooked Brown Rice or other healthy grain, warm (Uncle Ben's Ready Rice)

Salt 

1/4 teaspoon sugar

4 Scallions, mostly green parts and a little white, thinly sliced

1/2 a small Shallot, sliced very thinly

1 Hass Avocado, cut into a 1/2-inch dice
1/2 a small Cucumber, sliced(optional)

Juice of half a Lemon

One 3-ounce package of Smoked Salmon (we used Verlasso brand), thinly sliced

1 teaspoon Low-Sodium Soy Sauce

Black Sesame Seeds, for serving

Sriracha, optional

Method:

1. Pre-cook your rice or grains, or place your Ready Rice in the microwave (follow package directions). You can heat your Ready Rice up just after you've finished chopping all the other ingredients.

2. In a small bowl, combine Scallions and Shallots (and Cucumber if using) with the Sugar and a 1/4 teaspoon of Salt. Toss. 

3. In another small bowl, mix the Avocado with the Lemon Juice and stir gently.

4. Scoop the Rice into two serving bowls. Drizzle each with a 1/2 teaspoon Low-Sodium Soy Sauce and mix.

5. Top each rice bowl with Avocado, the the Scallion and Shallot mixture, and finally with the Smoked Salmon Strips. Give it a gentle stir and dot with optional Sriracha and sprinkle with Black Sesame Seeds. Serve and enjoy!