I don't know how you feel about Guinness.  I like it, but I really like Murphy's Irish Stout.  So I re-created an Irish Stew using Murphy's rather than Guinness.  I love to eat this and drink it with its base beer.  The result? Well, judge for yourself.  Here's the recipe (of course, proportions are adjustable): Murphy's Irish Stew 1 1/2 pounds of chuck roast cubed into 1 inch pieces (helps if it's natural or organic and fatty) 1 1/2 Tbsp Butter 1 1/2 Tbsp Oil Flour and Corn Starch for Thickening (depending on how much you cook it down) 2 Medium Onions 3 Garlic Cloves 1/4 to 1/2 Tsp Thyme Salt and Pepper for Browning 1 Rutabaga 2 Carrots Handful of Fingerling or New Potatoes 1 large Golden Yukon Potato 2 Pints Murhpy's Irish Stout Heat large pan on medium heat until hot.  Add butter and olive oil.  Once hot, add beef and coarsely chopped onion.  Cook until beef browns and add garlic.  Cook until garlic is soft.  Add all seasonings at this point.  Cook for five minutes.  Turn heat up to medium high for 3 minutes, stirring consistently.  Once the mixture is hot, added the beer.  Heat to a simmer.  Once simmering, turn the heat to low setting and cover mixture.  Check and stir ...

This past week, my wife, Andrea, had some vegetables that we needed to use--some arugula and radish leaves (yes, the tops of the radish are edible).  We recently became part of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) group that supports local farmers who produce organic foods (www.abundantharvestorganics.com).  The co-op supports sustainable local practices.  Believe me when I tell you that the amount of produce we get is more than adequate to last for the week.  At any rate, I hate the idea of wasting something that is edible, so I determined to use some of the stuff we had in the fridge.  I decided to make a soup using some of our vegetables and was surprised just how good it turned out to be.  As result, I've decided to post what I came up with, in case there are any takers. Sour Beer Soup: 1 cup sour beer (save the rest for pairing) 1/2 cup water 10-15 radish leaf tops (coarsely chopped) 1 bunch arugula (coarsely chopped) 1 jalapeno (diced) 1 medium onion (diced) 1 clove garlic (finely chopped) Dash of pepper 1/2 teaspoon of boullion powder 1 lb turkey or regular smoked sausage (sliced in 1/4" thick circles) 1 tbsp olive oil Sautee the onion in the olive oil until it softens and ...