CHEDDAR BEER DIP with SOFT PRETZELS / Serves 8
Bring on game-day with this warm and hearty dip made with beer and lots of cheddar
cheese. Add a few dashes of hot sauce or a squeeze of Sriracha and warm the soft
pretzels with a brush of butter and everything bagel seasoning!
• 1 cup Pale Ale
• 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon
juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 8 frozen soft pretzels, baked
according to package directions
Pour the beer into a 3-quart saucepot and bring to a boil. Simmer until reduced by half. In
a separate 3-quart saucepot, combine the butter and flour. Cook over medium-low heat,
stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add the reduced Pale Ale and the milk and continue to
cook, whisking often, until the mixture is thickened, about 5 minutes.
Slowly whisk in the cheddar cheese until smooth and fully incorporated, then add the
lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve the dip warm with soft pretzels for dipping.
VERY VEGGIE MINESTRONE with TORTELLINI / Serves 6
There is so much veggie goodness in this hearty soup. Add the rind from a wedge of
Parmesan while it’s simmering, to increase deliciousness! Top the soup with a dollop of
pesto and serve with an arugula salad and Tiramisu for dessert.
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small sweet yellow onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 leek - cut in half, cleaned, and
sliced thinly
• 3 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 russet potato, peeled and diced
• 4 cups vegetable broth or low-sodium
chicken broth
• One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in
juice
• One 15-ounce can cannellini beans,
rinsed and drained
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves or
kale leaves
• One 9-ounce package fresh cheese
tortellini
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
cheese
• Salt & freshly ground pepper
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepot. Add the onions and sauté, stirring often, until
the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining olive oil along with the garlic,
leek, carrots, zucchini, and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and sauté, stirring often,
for 5 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot
with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the diced tomatoes with
their juice, beans, spinach, and tortellini. Simmer for 10 minutes more. To serve, ladle the
soup into soup bowls and finish with Parmesan cheese.