Oktoberfest Celebration ~ Oktoberfest Beer Cheese Dip

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After a little hiatus, I’m back to my blog! I am starting to get excited about all of the foods of autumn. It’s my favorite time of year to cook. Once the weather gets a little cool and rainy, I love to stay cozy in my kitchen.

Here’s a simple little recipe to get you into the spirit of Oktoberfest! I used a local seasonal lager from Silver City Brewery, but any Oktoberfest beer should do.

Oktoberfest Beer Cheese Dip

4 ounces sharp cheddar, cut into cubes

3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese

2 teaspoons prepared mustard

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup Oktoberfest beer

Mix all of the ingredients together in a food processor until smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides a few times to get everything well incorporated.

That’s it! It couldn’t be simpler.

The festive printable is from a website entitled Sunny Slide Up. It is adorable and free to download for personal use! I hope you’ll check out their website.

It’s Oktoberfest! ~ Beer, Sauerkraut, and Cheese Muffins

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Oktoberfest MuffinsHappy Oktoberfest!

Even though I am typically a wine kind of girl, when Oktoberfest rolls around, I love to try the autumn beer at the market. Many of our local breweries make special beer just for the season. I picked up one from Pyramid Brewery, and instead of just drinking it, I decided to use it in some muffins. 🙂 Then I took these muffins one step further…I wanted to add one more Oktoberfest flavor, so I added a little sauerkraut! I know it sounds a little odd, but it actually added a lot of moisture and flavor to the muffins without making them taste like pickles. These go well with chili, or they are great just as a snack (with a little beer of course! 😉 )

Oktoberfest MuffinsBeer, Sauerkraut, and Cheese Muffins

Makes 12

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, minced

3 cups ivory whole-wheat flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup sauerkraut, squeezed to remove excess brine and finely chopped

12 ounces Oktoberfest beer

1/4 cup skim milk

Cooking spray

Preheat your oven to 375.

Heat a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the oil and onion, and cook until the onion is slightly caramelized. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Then stir in the caramelized onions, cheese, sauerkraut, beer, and milk. You may need to work it with your hands to make sure everything is well combined because the batter is very thick.

Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. Divide the batter evenly into 12 muffins.

Bake for about 35 minutes, until cooked through but still moist.

The cute little flags came from PreppingParties.com. I actually used the artwork for the party banner, but printed it very small to make muffin flags instead. There are a lot of other sweet Oktoberfest printables in the same place that you might want to check out this season. 🙂

Prost!Oktoberfest Muffins

 

Happy Oktoberfest ~ Soft Pretzels

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Happy Oktoberfest!

The world’s largest fair is being held in Munich Germany right now. I love the fact that it started as a wedding celebration about 200 years ago, and it continues today. Now *that* is a wedding reception! 😉

World celebrations and holidays give me a fun excuse to try recipes from different countries. To be a part of this celebration, I decided to try making one of my favorite German treats – Soft pretzels. I have to admit, this is not the first time I have attempted these, but they were nothing to write home about before. 😉 However, this latest attempt was a great success! They were so delicious and tender and comforting. Perfect to pair with a cold Oktoberfest beer. 🙂

I used a recipe from Alton Brown this time. I followed it closely other than one deviation – I replaced the butter with Earth Balance, which worked beautifully. The result was worth the time and effort. Really, is there anything better than fresh baked bread? 🙂

Soft Pretzels

Recipe courtesy of the Food Network and Alton Brown

1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 package active dry yeast

22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups

2 ounces unsalted butter, melted (or Earth Balance)

Vegetable oil, for pan

10 cups water

2/3 cup baking soda

1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Pretzel salt

Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter (or Earth Balance) and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.