Root Beer Food

HOMEMADE ROOT BEER

Steps:

• In a large cooler, mix together the sugar and water, stirring to dissolve sugar completely. Stir in the root beer extract. Carefully place the dry ice into the cooler, and cover loosely with the lid. Do not secure the lid, as pressure may build up.
• Let the mixture brew for about an hour before serving. Leftover root beer can be stored in one gallon milk jugs.

REAL HOMEMADE ROOT BEER

Steps:

• Use the funnel to pour the sugar in the bottle.
• Add the yeast.
• Toss the sugar and yeast around in the bottle so it mixes well. Just swish it around, don't shake it violently. Make it so there is a little depression in the center of the dry mixture.
• Add the root beer extract via the funnel.
• Add some of the water by pouring it over the tablespoon so get the extract residue into the bottle.
• Fill up the bottle about half way with some more water.
• Put the cover on the bottle and GENTLY swish to get the sugar/yeast mixture slightly dissolved.
• Add the rest of the water to about 1 to 1-1/2 inches from the top, then cap this TIGHTLY.
• Let stand in a cool place (65 to 72 degrees F) for three to four days.
• Do not shake the bottle or move it around unnecessarily. Leave it be.
• After about 24 hours of brewing itself, the bottle will start to feel hard as the pressure builds.
• After three/four days, the bottle should be very hard -- resist the urge to shake it up or open it, you will ruin your root beer. Place in refrigerator overnight. This arrests the yeast action.
• After chilling, decant into a glass and enjoy.
• Note: There will be leftover yeast in some sludge at the bottom of the bottle. Be careful decanting as you get to bottom of the bottle. That yeast will be skunky.
• Another note: The yeast is still working! Drink this up right away, keep it chilled.

ROOT BEER FLOATS

Steps:

• Hang a large, well packed scoop of vanilla ice cream on the edge of a fountain glass or other tall drinking glass. Fill the glass 3/4 full with root beer. Set the fountain glass on a salad plate, underlining the glass for overflow. Serve floats with straws and parfait spoons. When you are ready to enjoy the floats, knock the ice cream into the root beer and watch it fizz up as the ice cream floats. Yummy! This is the simplest and my most favorite fountain drink!

ROOT BEER BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Set a medium oven-safe pot over moderate heat and add bacon. Cook until most of the fat is rendered out and the bacon is crisp. Prepare a plate with paper towels, and using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pot to the plate. Set about a quarter of the bacon aside, for garnish.
• Add the onions, garlic and ginger to the pot, and saute until soft and golden. Add the tomato paste and cook until the tomato paste deepens in color, about another minute.
• Next add the root beer, cider vinegar, molasses, grainy mustard, red pepper flakes and garam masala. Stir to combine. Then add the beans and bacon, and gently stir so the beans don't lose their shape. Taste for salt and pepper, then pop into the oven, uncovered, until the mixture thickens, about 30 minutes. Remove the beans from the oven, let it cool slightly, and sprinkle with reserved bacon and serve.
• Combine the cinnamon sticks, cloves, green cardamom seeds, black cardamom seeds, if using into a spice grinder or coffee grinder and grind until fine. Store the spice mix in an airtight container away from direct sunlight.

ROOT BEER RICKEY

Steps:

• Into an ice-filled Collins glass, pour the whiskey and lime juice. Top with root beer, then give a quick stir with a bar spoon, fork handle or chopstick. Top with the lime wedge, if using.

ROOT BEER POT ROAST

Steps:

• Sprinkle roast evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• Brown roast on all sides in hot oil in a large ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion. Remove Dutch oven from heat.
• Stir together remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, root beer, chili sauce and garlic until blended. Pour root beer mixture over roast mixture in Dutch oven.
• Bake covered at 300 degrees for 3 hours or until tender.