More "Dog Chow"

We recently reviewed the Flying Dog "Dog Chow Cookbook." For that first post, we enjoyed the Mac & Cheese recipe. Not content to try just one recipe, a few days later we were enjoying Orange Chicken with Snake Dog. The recipe uses Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA.

This was a simple weeknight dinner. Rice is one of our favorite side dishes, so as the Jasmine rice simmered, the chicken dinner came together easily. The tang of citrus from the orange juice and the hops in the beer gave a nice sharp edge to the sweet brown sugar and slightly caramelized onion notes. A touch of ginger sparked the flavorful sauce, which we enjoyed over the rice as well as the chicken. The recipe calls for 1/3 cup of Snake Dog, and to use the rest as needed as the chicken cooks. By the time the chicken finished, the balance of the bottle had been added, leaving no cook's treat. Ah well, bottle opener in hand, that can be easily remedied. We all agreed this was a "keeper" to reappear on another evening as a deceptively easy elegant dinner!

Cooking with beer is fun. During the preparation of both Dog Chow recipes we've tried so far, we all have remarked on the aromas wafting through the kitchen, which we attributed to the beers. And of course, you get to the drink the beer you're using too.