Sausage and Peppers with Beer

This recipe is something I've been making for years. From back in the days when I only cooked a few days a week, and if it wasn't something I just created on the spot, then it came from allrecipes.com. This was something I used to absolutely love and made often, but just kind of forgot about. It's been a very long time since we've had it, but I had several bell peppers that needed using up and some turkey sausages in the freezer, so I decided it was time to revisit it.

This is such an easy, versatile recipe. I've always used whatever color combination of peppers I had on hand, and any decent quality beer (something like Amstel Light or Heineken.) Its saucy, so serve it over rice or pasta of your choice, or alone with crusty bread for dipping. This time I had sweet sausage, but I've made it many times with hot, and you can add extra heat additional red pepper flakes or several shakes of your favorite hot sauce. With the addition of rice or pasta, this would serve at least 4.

adapted from allrecipes.com

1 tbsp olive oil

1 1/4 lb. (5 links) package of turkey Italian sausage (Sweet or Hot)

2 1/2 bell peppers, sliced (I used 1 red, 1 yellow, and 1/2 of a green.)

1 large yellow onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (12 oz.) bottle of beer

1/2 ( 6 oz.) can tomato paste (I usually wind up using the entire can)

2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

1/2 tsp fennel seed kosher

salt and fresh ground pepper

hot sauce, if desired

cooked rice or pasta, and/or bread, for serving

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage until browned on all sides. Remove sausage from pan and set aside.

Pour in 1/2 of of the bottle of beer to deglaze pan. Place peppers, onions and garlic in pan. Stir in the remaining beer, tomato paste, spices, and hot sauce, if using. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover and simmer until onions and peppers are tender.

Slice sausages into bite size pieces and add to pan. Cover, and simmer until sausages are cooked through. Serve over rice or pasta or with bread.

Cherry Beer Cake

I usually bake like twice a year, so I have no idea what's up with all the baking I've been doing lately. I saw a recipe for a Beer Cake with cherries it it and was intrigued, but it was chocolate. I'm not a cake person, but I do love beer, so I wanted to find a non-chocolate version.

I found a recipe on LiveJournal that the poster had modified. I cut the recipe in half, made a few changes myself, and made 6 cupcakes and a mini loaf. All I had was a Belguim lager, Stella Artois, which is one of my favorite beers, and I think a great one to have used. I wouldn't think something like BudLight would be good choice. I went with a Vanilla Glaze from allrecipes.com, although they'd be just as good without icing. They were amazingly moist and sweet but not overwelming. Definitely a great option for people who don't care for traditional cake.

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 egg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1 1/2 cup sifted flour*

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup beer

3/4 cup fresh cherries, pitted and quarted (about a dozen)

1/3 cup walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and beat well. (If making full recipe, beat well after each egg.)

3. In seperate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt.

4. To butter mixture, alternately add beer and flour mix, stirring well in between.

5. Stir in cherries and nuts.

6. Pour into greased muffin tins, loaf pan, or cake pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (It took about 25 minutes for the cupcakes, and about 30-35 for the mini loaf.)

* I don't have a sifter, so I just used 1 1/2 tbsp less of the 1 1/2 cups of flour.

Vanilla Glaze (from allrecipes)
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1/2 tbsp milk
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp butter

1. Melt butter, and add to rest of ingredients. Stir until creamy.