Cooking With Beer & Cheese

food blogger Hannah Larson offers recipes using some of Wisconsin's most beloved ingredients

Hannah Larson

Spaghetti and Meatballs (The Wisconsin Way)

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients
  • 2 spaghetti squash

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 2 eggs
  • sea salt
  • pepper
  • basil
  • oregano
  • Castle Rock cheese curds
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound can crushed tomatoes
  • Italian seasoning
  • ½ Cup New Glarus Two Women beer
  • 1 cup mushrooms
  • ½ tablespoon garlic
Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Slice the squash in half length-wise and place face down on a baking sheet. Place in oven for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, combine the beef, a generous amount of each spice, and the eggs in a bowl, and mix thoroughly.

4. Take a miniature muffin tin and fill each cup almost full with the meat mixture. Then take your thumb and make an indentation for the cheese curd in each portion.

5. Once all the indentations have been made and the curds have been placed, take the remaining meat mixture and place on top, making it round to complete the meatballs. There should be enough of the mixture for 12 full meatballs.

6. When 10 minutes are remaining on the timer, place the muffin tin in the oven alongside the squash.

7. In a saucepan, combine tomatoes, a generous amount of Italian seasoning, beer, mushrooms, and garlic. Bring to a boil, and then let simmer for five minutes.

8. When the squash is done, place it face up in the refrigerator to cool.

9. In another pan, heat the olive oil. Using a spoon, gently scoop out each meatball and add it to the pan. The muffin tin may be a little messy, but the meatballs should come out easily. Let all sides brown until the meatballs are slightly crisp.

10. Use a fork to scoop out the squash, then top with sauce and meatballs.

Enjoy!


 

Honey Pilsner Chicken

Ingredients
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • ¼ cup coconut aminos (soy-free soy sauce)
  • ¼ cup Lazy Monk Brewery Bohemian Pilsner beer
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
  • ½ teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • salt and pepper
Directions

1. On medium-low heat, place chicken breasts in a frying pan. Add salt and pepper to both sides. Cook the first side for six minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together the rest of the ingredients to make a sauce. Be sure to whisk well to combine the honey.

3. Once six minutes are up, flip the chicken, and pour in sauce. Let cook until chicken is fully cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degree. The sauce will begin to simmer and thicken.

4. Once fully cooked, serve on your favorite salad, with veggies, or eat alone!

5. You can also make extra sauce and turn this dish into a stir-fry just by adding some veggies with the chicken.

Hannah Larson is a UW-Eau Claire student and the author of YouThyme.com, a real food and self-care inspired blog. The blog’s main goal is to teach people how to use healthy, real ingredients to make great tasting dishes. YouThyme also stresses the importance of self-care and offers ways to care for ourselves to benefit our overall health.