Don't Just Drink Beer This Super Bowl -- Cook With It!

STUDIO CITY (KCAL9) — Don't just drink beer this Super Bowl – cook with it!

Jackie Dodd, author of "The Craft Beer Cookbook" stopped by KCAL9 Wednesday to show viewers how to make great game day food with beer.

Here are some recipes and excerpts from her book:

Chili Con Queso Cerveza Crostini

This idea was born out of necessity. I noticed that during parties people congregated near the dip; no one ever loaded up a party plate with dip and moved away from the table. To solve this dilemma, I started spreading the beer cheese dip on tiny portable rounds of bread. Now people fill up plates and move on, and party mingling is much more harmonious.

20–24 crostinis

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

1 poblano, stemmed seeded and chopped

1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar

1 cup shredded jack cheese

2⁄3 cup IPA

8 weight ounces cream cheese

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 French baguettes, cut into ½" slices

1⁄3 cup cilantro, minced

2 firm Roma tomatoes, diced

2 large avocados, sliced

1. Preheat broiler.

2. In a pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add both types of chopped peppers and cook until softened, stirring occasionally.

3. In a food processor add the Cheddar, jack cheese, beer, cream cheese, and cornstarch. Purée until smooth, about 5 minutes. Add to the pan with the peppers, stirring constantly until thickened, 6–8 minutes.

4. Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet. Place under broiler until lightly browned, 1–2 minutes. Flip each slice and brown on the opposite side under broiler for an additional 1–2 minutes.

5. Spread each toasted baguette slice with a generous amount of the dip. Sprinkle with cilantro; top with tomato and avocado. Serve immediately.

Choose the Right Brew!

An IPA will give you a strong beer bite and compete with the strong pepper and cheese flavors in this appetizer. Look for a floral or citrusy high-hop beer.

Soft Pretzels with Chipotle Beer Cheese Sauce

Beer and pretzels have a long-standing romance. Here they team up in a beer-infused pretzel with a creamy, smoky, spicy beer cheese sauce for your dipping pleasure. Dough can either be made into 6 soft pretzels or about 48 pretzel bites.

Makes 6 pretzels or about 48 pretzel bites

For pretzel:

2½ cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 envelope rapid-rise yeast (do not use

regular dry active yeast)

1 cup wheat beer

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

10 cups water

½ cup baking soda

3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

2 tablespoons coarse salt

For sauce:

½ cup wheat beer

1½ cups sharp Cheddar

½ cup milk

1 chipotle pepper in adobo

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons butter

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the flour, sugar, and yeast; mix on medium-low speed to combine.

2. In a microwave-safe dish, add the wheat beer. Microwave for 20 seconds, test temperature with a cooking thermometer, and repeat until beer reaches between 120°F and 125°F.

3. Add beer to the stand mixer and mix on medium speed until the flour has mostly been incorporated (stop to stir with a wooden spoon if necessary).

4. Add the salt and oil. Mix on high until the dough starts to gather around the blade, about 5 minutes.

5. Transfer dough to a bowl that has been lightly oiled with vegetable oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and allow to sit in a warm room until doubled in size, 45–60 minutes.

6. Preheat oven to 425°F.

7. To make pretzels: Cut dough into 6 equal-sized pieces. Roll each dough piece into a 20"–22" rope. Form into a "U" shape and cross the ends over to form a pretzel shape. To make pretzel bites: Cut dough into 44–48 equal-sized pieces.

8. Place pretzels or pretzel bites on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

9. Place 10 cups of water in a large, wide pot. Make sure the pot is large enough that the water doesn't reach more than two-thirds of the way up the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and then add the baking soda.

10. One at a time, add the pretzels to the boiling water (if making pretzel bites, add about 5 at a time). Allow pretzels to boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a flat wide spatula, and return to the baking sheet. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt.

11. Bake at 425°F for 12–14 minutes, or until a dark golden brown.

12. To make the sauce, add the beer, cheese, milk, chipotle, and cornstarch to a blender or food processor. Blend on high for 3–5 minutes or until very well blended. In a pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the cheese mixture and stir continually until thickened, 8–10 minutes. Serve pretzels warm with warm cheese sauce on the side.

Choose the Right Brew!

Wheat beer pulls double duty for this one! Look for a wheat beer with lots of bready and malty notes and a medium-hop profile to give you the right kick. Remember that alcohol intensifies heat, so the higher the

ABV of the beer used in the sauce, the spicier it will be.

Jalapenos and Bacon Beer Cheese Dip

Sure, this is great right out of the pot, and your friends might end up licking the bowl if you run out of chips, but there are so many other ways to use this. Make crostinis by spreading it on toasted slices of baguette, make mini tarts with golden rounds of baked puff pastry, or use it as a spread to turn a chicken burger into The Best Chicken Burger of All Time.

Makes 2½ cups

16 weight ounces cream cheese

1½ cups mozzarella

2 tablespoons cornstarch

½ cup pale ale

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

5 strips thick-sliced bacon, cooked and chopped

2 large jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

Chips for serving

1. In a food processor add the cream cheese, mozzarella, cornstarch, beer, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Process until smooth, about 3 minutes.

2. Transfer to a pot over medium-high heat, stirring until warmed and just starting to bubble, about 5 minutes.

3. Turn off heat and stir in most of the bacon and jalapeños, reserving 2 tablespoons bacon and 1 tablespoon jalapeños for garnish.

4. Pour dip into a serving bowl, sprinkle with reserved bacon and jalapeños, and serve warm with chips.

Choose the Right Brew!

This is a dip for the paler end of the beer spectrum. Look for a medium-hopped pale ale with notes of citrus to set off the flavors in this spicy and smoky dip.

Porter-Braised Pulled Pork Sandwiches with IPA jalapeno Slaw

Who doesn't love a good pulled-pork sandwich? Since beer acts as a meat tenderizer, using it for braising will up your pulled-pork game. Top this amazing sandwich with a spicy and tangy jalapeño slaw and you will have your guests eating out of your hand. Literally.

Serves 12

For the pork:

3-pound pork shoulder

6 cloves garlic, peeled

2 tablespoons kosher or sea salt

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 tablespoons olive oil

24 fluid ounces stout beer

1 cup beef broth

For the IPA jalapeño slaw:

1 large jalapeño, stem and seeds removed, chopped (about 1⁄3 cup)

2 cups purple cabbage, thinly sliced

2 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

½ cup sour cream

½ cup IPA

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon sugar

¼ teaspoon chili powder

¼ teaspoon salt

12 round Kaiser Roll sandwich buns

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.

2. Using a paring knife, create 6 2"-deep holes fairly evenly spaced through the meat. Push a peeled clove of garlic into each hole until garlic is no longer visible.

3. Sprinkle the pork evenly with salt.

4. In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, pepper, paprika, chili powder, and onion powder. Rub the spices all over the surface of the pork.

5. In a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven (with an oven-safe lid), heat the oil until hot but not smoking. Sear the meat on all sides, about 3 minutes per side.

6. Add the beer and broth; bring to a simmer.

7. Cover and place in the oven. Turn the meat over every 30–45 minutes. If the pot begins to dry out, add extra broth or hot water. Allow to cook until meat is falling apart, 3–4 hours.

8. Remove from oven. Shred meat in pot, using two forks. Leave in the pan juices for 10 minutes while you prepare the jalapeño slaw.

9. To make the slaw, combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl; toss to coat.

10. Remove meat from pan juices, draining off most of the liquid prior to serving. Fill each sandwich bun with pork topped with slaw.

Choose the Right Brew!

This is a recipe that lends itself to many beer styles. I tend to lean toward a stout with notes of coffee or spice. Several breweries are making spicy stouts and porters with chipotle peppers; those are excellent choices for this recipe.

Chorizo Stout Sloppy Joes

Whether you're entertaining the school lunch lady or just fixing your typical weeknight dinner, Sloppy Joes make a fun and easy meal that you can throw together in a hurry. This is a great way to get some beer cookin' in when you don't have a lot of time.

8 sandwiches

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 red bell pepper diced

½ cup white onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground pork

12 weight ounces chorizo

1 cup stout beer

½ cup tomato paste

¼ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon black pepper

8 Kaiser Rolls

6 weight ounces cheese (Cheddar, Swiss, or pepper jack), sliced

1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Add the red bell pepper and white onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir, cooking for about 30 seconds.

2. Add the ground pork and chorizo; cook until browned and mostly cooked through. Drain off most of the grease that has accumulated.

3. Add the stout, tomato paste, cumin, and black pepper and simmer until pork is cooked thoroughly, about 10 minutes.

4. Toast the buns in a warm skillet or toaster oven.

5. Scoop meat into Kaiser rolls. Cover with cheese slices and tops of buns. Serve immediately.

Choose the Right Brew!

A dark beer with chili peppers is how you want to treat this dish. Brewers aren't shy about adding jalapeños, habaneros, chipotles, and even ghost chilies to their beers these days, and I couldn't be happier about it. Look for a chipotle stout or jalapeño porter or any dark beer with spicy notes.