Bean Dip - Witbier

I have no excuse, but I have completely dropped the ball on the blog lately.  This is one of those recipes that have been in my family for ages.  We have it just about every party.  I believe my mom started it and my brother in law Gage perfected it.  It’s a really simple recipe and most the time I have all the ingredients on hand, so its an easy appetizer to put together for an unexpected party.  This is a basic bean dip and you could add dozens of different ingredients to it, but this is always my favorite.

Bean Dip

Weight watchers – 4/serving using baked tortilla scoops (1/2 cup dip with 5 chips)

Servings – about 20 people

1-16 ounce container light cream cheese

1-16 ounce bag 2% milk Mexican cheese

2-15 ounce cans fat free refried beans

1 packet taco seasoning

*These are the amounts I general use, but adjust to your liking of beans/sour cream/cheese ratio.

1.      Preheat oven to 350

2.      In bowl mix together beans and taco seasoning

3.      In baking dish spread a layer of beans

4.      On top of beans add a layer of sour cream (should be about half as thick as bean layer)

5.      On top of sour cream add layer of cheese

6.      Repeat layering, finish with a cheese layer

7.      Heat in oven about 10 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted

8.      Serve with tortilla chips (baked scoops are great for a healthier choice)

This actually pairs really well with a lot of different beers.  It’s not too bold so you do want to stay away from anything too strong in flavor.  It still being summer, I like this with a witbier.  Mike and I both love witbiers especially in the summer.  Shock Top Belgian White, is pretty good is widely available.

Shock Top is another one, like blue moon, done by the big beer companies, Anheuser-Busch.  If I am craving a wit and I am out a bar and they don’t have blue moon, this is often your only other option.  It’s not the best witbier out there, but it will indeed satisfy the craving.  It is brewed with orange, lemon, lime and coriander.  I always love the coriander spice in a beer and the citrus flavors really come through.  This is refreshing and easy to drink.  It’s a good beer for people who don’t typically like beer.

Coconut Shrimp – Witbier

Coconut Shrimp

Weight watchers – 8 points/serving (Serving is ¼ lb of shrimp)

Servings – 4 people

1 lb de-shelled, deveined raw shrimp with tails on

¼ cup of Flour

2 eggs whites

1/2 cup French’s French Fried Onions

1/3 cup flaked Sweetened coconut

½ cup Panko bread crumbss

1 t Garlic powder

1 t Onion powder

Spray olive oil

1.      Preheat oven to 450

2.      Spray cookie sheet with olive oil

3.      Pulse fried onions in food processor for a few seconds

4.      Combine fried onions, coconut, panko, garlic powder and onion powder in dreding bowl

5.      Add flour and eggs (slightly beaten) to separate dredging bowls

6.      Dredge shrimp in flour

7.      Drede shrimp in egg whites

8.      Dredge shrimp in coconut mixture

9.      Palce shrimp on cookie sheet & spray with olive oil

10.  Cook about 10 minutes, flipping once and until shrimp are opaque.

The original recipe for these is just shrimp, eggs, onion & coconut.  However, I added some additional ingredients for added crunchiness and flavor & to make the crust stick better.  These can of course be pan fried, but baking them keeps them healthier.  This is definitely a little higher in points then many of my recipes due to the fried onions and carbs, but it’s worth it.

I chose one of Mike & I’s all time favorite beers, blue moon.  For the most part in this blog I am trying to support American micro & craft breweries.  Blue moon is actually manufactured by Coors Brewing Company and I am generally not a fan of Coors or other similar large brewing companies in the US.    However, the original blue moon is so good and so good for pairing; I’ll let it go this one time.  I will likely also pair the blue moon seasonal at a later date and time.  All of them are delicious, even if they stupidly changed the names of the seasonals recently.

Anybody who reads my blog knows what a fan I am of coriander in my beer.  Blue moon has this as well, but it’s must more subtle then other beers.  It’s balanced out by the fruity, citrus action of the orange peel.  This beer pairs beautifully with seafood due to these two prominent flavors.  Blue Moon is often served with an orange slice, however if the orange slice is too much orange for you a lime goes well to cut the sweetness.

Spinach artichoke flatbread – Witbier

Spinach artichoke flatbread – Witbier

weight watchers - 1 pt/piece

Servings - about 20 pieces

1/2 box frozen spinach (cooked and drained)

1/2 can quartered artichoke hearts (drained & chopped)

2 cloves garlic

3 T light sour cream

3 T light cream cheese

1T ranch seasoning

3 T parmesan cheese

3 T part skim mozzarella

Refrigerated pizza dough or fresh dough or Naan

1.       Pre cook pizza dough on cookie sheet for 10 mins at 400 degrees

2.       Put all ingredients (except cheeses) in bowl and microwave for 1 min

3.       Spread mixture over pizza dough. 

4.       Sprinkle cheese over top

5.       Cook 10 more minutes

6.       Cut into squares

I made this for a 4^th of July party and it was a hit and very easy to make.  I would pair a Witbier with this and serve this a summer appetizer.  I chose flying dog woody creek Belgian white.  It is a summer seasonal beer.  It is refreshing, light, citrusy and has a touch of coriander.  A very nice beer for a hot summer day.  Flying Dog is a Maryland base brewery that we love.

Ginger Shrimp - Witbier

Ginger Shrimp

Weightwatchers – 1 point/2-3 shrimp

Serving – 20 -25 shrimp

1 lb of medium peeled, deveined and tail removed shrimp

4 T chopped ginger

2 T soy sauce

1 T honey

1 T white wine

1 t peanut oil

1.       Heat ginger on stove in peanut oil for 2-3 minutes

2.       Add shrimp to skillet and cook 2 minutes on each side until cooked through

3.       Add remaining ingredient to pot

4.       Place each shrimp on a toothpick and add to serving bowl

This also goes great with Witbier .  Witbier's go great with seafood.  A witbier I love is Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat.  Leinenkugel is from Chippewa Falls, WI.  You can find their beers all other the midwest but are sometimes more difficult in other parts of the US.  This has a fruity flavor of lemon and blueberry.  You will also taste more of a slight wheat flavor.