There is nothing like the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven. And the easier the better. This delicious olive loaf is rich and delicious – it requires no fancy equipment or heavy kneading. Just mix, bake and eat! What could be easier? It uses olive tapenade and stout ^[1] beer to give it rise and an amazing flavor!

Making this easy bread – 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Using a small whisk, stir the dry ingredients to distribute them evenly.

Add 2 Tablespoons of tapenade and

stir it again, working to break it up and spread it evenly through the flour.

Pour in the whole bottle of beer and

stir until it forms a soft dough.

Using your hands, gently squeeze to mix the ingredients and firm up the dough.

Lightly oil a large casserole dish (2 qt) and place one half of the dough in the bottom. Shape it into a flat loaf.

Spread the remaining tapenade on the top,

then cover it with the remaining dough. Pinch the edges together to seal the olive inside of the loaf. Cut deep slits into the top of the loaf.

Place in the hot oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and rub butter over all the sides and top. Return to the oven and bake another 20 to 30 minutes.

The loaf will sound hollow when you tap on it if it’s done. Remove from the oven, rub more butter on the top and let it cool at least 20 minutes before cutting. There is a lot of steam inside the loaf and if you cut it too soon it will create a dense, doughy center in the bread.

Cut and spread with butter – great warm or toasted!

© Copyright 2023 The Lazy Gastronome

5 from 14 votes

Print ^[2]

No Knead Olive Beer Bread

A delicious, no knead, no yeast bread.

Course: bread, Breads

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beer, bread, no knead, olives, tapenade

Servings: 1 medium loaf

Author: HelenFern

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 Tablespoons Olive tapenade
• 12 oz dark beer - like guiness stout
• 4-1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 4 Tablespoons butter (for top of loaf)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Using a small whisk, stir the dry ingredients to distribute them evenly.

3. Add 2 Tablespoons of tapenade and stir it again, working to break it up and spread it evenly through the flour.

4. Pour in the whole bottle of beer and stir until it forms a soft dough.

5. Using your hands, gently squeeze to mix the ingredients and firm up the dough.

6. Lightly oil a large casserole dish (2 qt) and place one half of the dough in the bottom. Shape it into a flat loaf.

7. Spread the remaining tapenade on the top, then cover it with the remaining dough. Pinch the edges together to seal the olive inside of the loaf. Cut deep slits into the top of the loaf.

8. Place in the hot oven and bake for 30 minutes.

9. Remove from the oven and rub butter over all the sides and top. Return to the oven and bake another 20 to 30 minutes.

10. The loaf will sound hollow when you tap on it if it's done. Remove from the oven, rub more butter on the top and let it cool at least 20 minutes before cutting. There is a lot of steam inside the loaf and if you cut it too soon it will create a dense, doughy center in the bread.

11. Cut and spread with butter - great warm or toasted! 

Recipe Notes

 

© Copyright 2023 The Lazy Gastronome

Leave me a comment! I’d love to hear your thoughts. 

Ever heard of a Michelada? My husband used to make them and we called them Beery-Marys. Similar to a bloody Mary ^[6], this tomato based cocktail usually calls for a Mexican lager, but my husband no longer drinks, so we experimented.

We chose not to use alcohol-free beer because it actually has a small amount of alcohol that develops during the process. But some breweries are starting to make “hop tea”. It is an alcohol free beverage made with carbonated water and flavored with hops. It’s not fermented and doesn’t use yeast to the alcohol never develops. But it tastes a bit like an IPA. So we used that. And we call it – Success!

Here’s how to make an alcohol-free Michelada:

I like to gather up all my ingredients first.

Start with the base. You can make a pitcher of it and mix the cocktail as you go. This base will work with beer or hop tea.

Mix the vegetable juice with the lime, jalapeño brine (the liquid from a can of pickled peppers), salt, lemon pepper and 1 teaspoon tajin.

Blend it together with an immersion blender and refrigerate at least three hours.

When it’s time to enjoy the drink, rub the rim of a 16 oz. glass with a lime wedge, then coat it with tajin powder. Drop the lime into the glass.

Pour the glass half way up with the tomato base

and top it off with some hop tea. Garnish with a lime wedge and jalapeño ring.

Put your feet up and enjoy!

© Copyright 2023 The Lazy Gastronome

5 from 13 votes

Print ^[7]

Alcohol-Free Michelada

A delicious and refreshing cocktail that forgoes the beer and uses alcohol-free hop tea.

Course: beverage

Cuisine: alcohol-free, Mexican, Southwestern

Keyword: hop tea, lime, tajin, vegetable juice

Servings: 4 servings

Author: HelenFern

Ingredients

• 24 oz vegetable juice cocktail (like V-8)
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 large)
• 2 Tablespoons jalapeño brine
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 2 Tablespoons tajin powder (or other chili, lime salt powder)
• 24 oz carbonated hop tea
• limes and jalapeño rings to garnish

Instructions

1. Start with the base. You can make a pitcher of it and mix the cocktail as you go. This base will work with beer or hop tea.

2. Mix the vegetable juice with the lime, jalapeño brine (the liquid from a can of pickled peppers), salt, lemon pepper and 1 teaspoon tajin.

3. Blend it together with an immersion blender and refrigerate at least three hours.

4. When it's time to enjoy the drink, rub the rim of a 16 oz. glass with a lime wedge, then coat it with tajin powder. Drop the lime into the glass.

5. Pour the glass half way up with the tomato base and top it off with some hop tea. Garnish with a lime wedge and jalapeño ring. 

   Put your feet up and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

 

© Copyright 2023 The Lazy Gastronome

Leave me a comment – I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Are you wanting to switch up your Sunday afternoons with something a little more refreshing, light and fruity? Look no further than Fruit Beer. The widely popular European brewing trend is making a comeback. Here are the top picks for you to enjoy a refreshing alcoholic beverage ^[11]. 

What is Fruit Beer? 

Fruit beer is a style of craft beer with origins first noted in Belgium ^[12]. Fruit beer has a broad and vague definition, but essentially any beer that has fruit in it is considered to be a ‘fruit beer’. 

History of Fruit Beer

Traditionally, stone fruits like cherries, peaches and raspberries, were added to Lambic beer at the end of the brewing process and before fermentation. 

Based on the languages spoken in Belgium, including French, Flemish and German, their beers were named in these languages. Popular fruits crafted into fruit beer included Framboise (raspberry), Peche (peach), Cassis (black currant), Kriek (black cherry) and Pomme (apple). 

Besides drinking ^[13], fruit beers have been widely used in cooking ^[14], especially with modern adaptations since the emergence of the fruit beer popularity. Fruit beer can also be paired nicely with cheese and crackers, and also added to desserts due to their perfectly complementary sweet and sour tastings. 

How is Fruit Beer Made?

This large scope of possibility can confuse drinkers, many expressing sentiments of one fruit beer tasting different or not tasting the same as one they previously tasted. This is because of several factors; the different fruits used in each brew, the base style of the beer, the method of adding in the fruit and at what point the fruit was added in. 

Fruit can be added into beer through natural infusions or flavoring, either natural or artificial. When deciding when to add the fruit to the base, the brewer must consider the flavors they want to achieve. If they want a lighter taste, then adding in flavoring extracts before packaging is the best way to go. 

If a deeper, richer flavor is desired, then the fruit can be fermented to achieve these tasting notes. However the brewers do need to be careful about preservatives impacting the yeast, as well as chemicals and bacteria on the fruit. It is recommended that brewers boil their fruit before adding to ensure it will be safe to ferment and later drink. 

There has been increased popularity of fruit beers within the past few decades, but even more so now in the early 2020s. People are experimenting with old styles in new ways, showcasing flavor profiles to meet different tastes. Brewers are happy to try something new and their collective drinkers are more than happy to oblige in tasting these creations. The emergence of diversified beer drinkers is something to celebrate, so grab your favorite fruit beer of choice – cheers to that! 

Top 6 Fruit Beers

Bentspoke Crankshaft IPA

Born & brewed in Canberra, BentSpoke Crankshaft IPA boasts a delicate balance of citrus and pine flavors, with a fragrant floral aroma. There’s plenty of punchy hops with this medium bodied beer, while rich malts making for a satisfying finish.

Nomad Rosie Raspberry Sour 

Nomad Brewing Co. was born from a great friendship and passion for good beer. They marry the best styles and techniques from around the world with Australia’s phenomenal native ingredients to create their fantastic range.

Rosie’s headed out to the farm to some super ripe raspberries to add to her Berliner Weisse Sour Ale. Tart and dry on the palate but with an explosion of fresh raspberry aroma and flavor.

Pirate Life Acai & Passionfruit Sour 

The nose shows soft lemon and raspberry sherbet. On the palate, bright citrus and tangy passionfruit. Tight. Clean. Refreshing style.

Stone & Wood Pacific Ale 

Using all-Australian ingredients, the Pacific Ale packs a huge aroma of passionfruit and citrus while remaining crisp, light and full of flavor. Just the kind of thing you might want to throw down after a hard day amongst the waves. This is a freakishly enjoyable beer that couldn’t be more perfect for summer days.

Wayward Raspberry Berliner Weisse 

Wayward is a proudly independent craft brewery in the Inner West of Sydney. This dry and refreshing ale is a ridiculously refreshing beer that is our take on the classic Berliner Weisse style. Bursting with bright raspberry flavors, balanced by zippy tartness and a crisp, dry finish. It’s Summer in a glass (or straight from the can).

Sierra Nevada Hazy IPA

A scaled down version of our popular hazy IPA. This beer features the same unfiltered, unprocessed fruit-forward hop flavors you have grown to enjoy from Hazy Little Thing. Ease into a pint of intense hop character and low bitterness that make this beer a perfect session IPA.

So put on your sour beer face and lets kick back and enjoy a brew!

I love soup. And I love cheese. So this soup ^[18] is perfect for our house. Some leek adds a depth of flavor – and bacon? Everything is better with bacon!! Serve this delicious dish as a side or as the main event with some hot garlic bread. Either way, you’ll totally love it. Don’t want to use alcohol? No problem! Just substitute a good chicken broth. And enjoy!

Here’s How to Do it:

First, cut the bacon into chunks.

In a medium soup pot, cook the bacon until it’s crispy, then set on a plate with paper towels to drain it. Set aside.

Remove all but 3 Tablespoon of the bacon fat.

Slice the white part of the leek.

Gently cook in the bacon fat until it is soft.

Stir in the flour, salt and pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour is starting to brown.

Using a wire whisk, stir in the beer or broth.

Bring it to a boil,

then reduce the heat and simmer on low for about 10 minutes.

Slowly add the cheese and stir until it’s melted.

Stir in the milk and cream and gently simmer until it’s hot and thickened, but not too thick.

If it’s too thick, just add a little more milk. Let it rest about 5 minutes before serving.

Serve hot topped with the crispy bacon.

© Copyright 2021 The Lazy Gastronome

5 from 14 votes

Print ^[19]

Cheddar Leek Soup with Bacon and Beer (or Broth)

A super easy, wonderfully rich soup that can be a side dish or the main event.

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, main dish

Cuisine: American, pub food

Keyword: bacon, beer, cheddar, cheese, jalepeno, leek, soup

Servings: 4 servings

Author: HelenFern

Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon, chopped
• 1 cup sliced leek (white)
• 3 Tablespoons bacon fat (or butter)
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 2 teaspoons lemon pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt (or to taste)
• 1-1/2 cups beer or chicken broth (I used a citrus IPA)
• 6 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 4 slices provolone cheese, cut into chunks
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. First, cut the bacon into chunks.

2. In a medium soup pot, cook the bacon until it's crispy, then set on a plate with paper towels to drain it. Set aside.

3. Remove all but 3 Tablespoon of the bacon fat. Slice the white part of the leek.

4. Gently cook in the bacon fat until it is soft.

5. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour is starting to brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.

6. Using a wire whisk, stir in the beer or broth.

7. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer on low for about 10 minutes.

8. Slowly add the cheese and stir until it's melted.

9. Stir in the milk and cream and gently simmer until it's hot and thickened, but not too thick. If it's too thick, just add a little more milk. Let rest for abut 5 minutes before serving.

10. Serve hot topped with the crispy bacon.

Recipe Notes

© Copyright 2021 The Lazy Gastronome

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This roast is so easy and makes the house smell amazing!! A perfect choice for Sunday dinner – add a side veggie or a salad – Voila! But first, let me explain a little about braising. Very simply, braised meat is cooked in a small amount of liquid, covered, and baked low and slow. It makes the meat melt in your mouth and permeates it with flavor and deliciousness! Are you ready?

Here’s How to Do it:

Braising doesn’t brown the meat because it’s covered. So you’re going to start by browning the meat on both sides. Heat the oil in a heavy dutch oven on medium-high heat.

While the oil is heating, put salt and pepper on both sides. I use fresh ground so use about 2-3 cranks of salt and 5-6 cranks of pepper.

Place the roast on the hot oil and sear for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

Pour the beer over the meat.

Add the garlic cloves and sage.

Cover and place in a preheated of at 350° for about an hour and a half (90 minutes). The meat should be fork tender.

Remove from the oven and add the potatoes. Cover the pot and put it back in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Put the braised pork and potatoes on a platter and remove the sage from the pot.

Smash the garlic with a fork. Stir up that thick, beautiful stuff on the bottom of the pot.

Add the cream and stir well.

Slice the pork and

serve with the potatoes smashed and the sauce drizzled over both.

This dish is so rich and delicious!! My husband says it’s one of my best recipes!

© Copyright 2021 The Lazy Gastronome

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