Cookie Bars

I was about to make some Chocolate Chip Cookies when I realized I had some extra ingredients I wanted to use up. So I added them to my dough and make these delicious cookie bars.

Ingredients
3/4 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Butter, softened
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Egg
2 1/2 cup Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Pecans, chopped
1 cup Semisweet Chocolate Chip Morsels
1 cup Butterscotch Morsels

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Mix Sugars, Butter, Vanilla and Egg until well blended.
3. In separate bowl mix Flour, Baking Soda, and Salt.
4. Gradually stir the Flour mixture into the Sugar mixture to form dough.
5. Mix in Pecans, Chocolate Chips and Butterscotch.
6. Press Dough into 13 x 9 baking dish.
7. Bake 15-20 minutes.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

I made this one awhile back for St. Patrick's Day. Turned out wondefully!I usually use Guinness to make this but other dark beers will work just as well. This time, I used 1554 by The New Belgium Brewing Company.

Ingredients

3 lb Corned Beef Brisket
1/2 cup Onions, chopped
4-5 small Potatoes, diced
2 cups Carrots, chopped
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 (12oz beer)
12 oz water
1 small head of Cabbage, chopped

Instructions
1. Spray Crockpot with cooking Spray or line with Slowcooker liner.
2. Place Onion, Potatoes and Carrots in the bottom.
3. Place Corned Beef on top.
4. Sprinkle with Brown Sugar and the Spice Packet (if included)
5. Pour Beer over top. Fill bottle with water and add that as well.
6. Cover and Cook for 8-10 hours.
7. Add Cabbage in the last hour.
Serve with the beer you used to cook with!

Featured Beverage
I used 1554 by New Belgium. It was awhile ago since I made this but this beer was awesome! It worked perfectly for this meal. I will be buying this again. I highly recommend it to dark beer lovers such as myself.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

I've been falling behind on my post. Too much food and too little time. I make Pulled Pork a lot. This one is great for parties. I usually buy mini buns and serve Pulled Pork sliders. I usually use Jack Daniels but we also like using Carribean Jerk sauce from Buffalo Wild Wings as well.

Ingredients

3 lb Pork Shoulder, boneless
1/2 Tsp Thyme
1/2 cup Onion, chopped
1 (12oz) can Coke
1 bottle BBQ sauce (I used Jack Daniels)
Buns

Instructions

1. Spray you Crockpot with cooking spray or line with Slowcooker liner.
2. Place Pork in Crockpot.
3. Sprinkle with Thyme.
4. Top with Onions.
5. Pour Coke over top.
6. Cover and cook for 8 hours.
7. Remove pork and shred with two forks.
8. Remove liquids from the Crockpot.
9. Put the pork back in the pot and stir in BBQ sauce.
10. Cook for about 20 more minutes. Serve on Sandwich buns

Buffalo Chicken Mac N Cheese

Yes, I am making something with a Buffalo chicken theme again. I can't resist. Plus this one is a tasty twist on an old classic.

Ingredients
1 package Elbow Macaroni
2 Tbsp. Butter
1/4 cup Flour
1 Tsp Garlic, minced
2 cups Milk
1 (8oz package) Shredded Cheddar

2 Chicken Breasts, cooked, diced

3 Celery Stalks, chopped
1/4 cup Buffalo Sauce- I used Frank's Buffalo.

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Cook Elbow Macaroni according to package instructions. Drain.
3. Meanwhile, Melt Butter in large sauce pan. Stir in Flour and Garlic until well blended.
4. Stir in Milk. Bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 1 minute.
5. Remove from heat. Stir in Cheese.
6. Mix Cheese mixture with Pasta. Add Chicken, Celery, and Buffalo Sauce.Stir until well blended and spoon into 13x9 baking dish, sprayed with cooking spray.
7. Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Featured Beer
I tried a Red Chair NWPA by Deschutes Brewery. This is what they are calling a Northwest Pale Ale. It has a ABV of 6.2% and is available during the Winter. I like this one because it has a slight bitterness and the flavor isn't overwhelmed by hops. It has a nice hint of citrus to finish off the aroma and flavor.