| How to Make Beer Cheese Posted: 04 Mar 2022 08:00 AM PST Beer cheese is a popular dish for parties and potlucks. When making this dish, choose a flavorful beer of your preference. This will create more body in the cheese and impart some of its flavor, too. A mild garlic beer cheese will only take you about 20 minutes to prepare. A richer, bolder, creamier version of this recipe can be made in about 10 minutes. And should you be wanting for ideas about what to serve with your beer cheese, you can make the most of it with things like pretzel bread or dippable finger foods. [Edit]Ingredients [Edit]Mild Garlic Beer Cheese - 1 clove of garlic (peeled and halved)
- ¼ cup (59 ml) butter or margarine
- ¼ cup (59 ml) all-purpose flour
- 12 oz (355 ml) can or bottle regular or nonalcoholic beer
- 1½ lb (680 g) shredded mild cheddar cheese
- Green onion (chopped; optional)
Makes 16 servings. [Edit]Rich and Creamy Beer Cheese - 12 oz (355 ml) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1½ tbsp cornstarch
- 12 oz (355 ml) bottle of beer (preferably a brown ale)
- 5 oz (148 ml) evaporated milk
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp (5 ml) hot sauce
- Kosher salt (to taste)
Makes about 3 cups (710 ml). [Edit]Cooking Mild Garlic Beer Cheese - Rub garlic on your saucepan and then grease it. Take your peeled and halved garlic and rub it on the inside of your saucepan. Discard the garlic afterwards. Insert the butter into the pan and heat it over a low heat. Roll the melted butter in the pan to evenly distribute it.[1]
- Add flour and beer. Sprinkle your flour into the butter a little at time, stirring it in with a whisk as you do so. Continue to stir these ingredients while cooking them like this for about 2 minutes. Then stir in your beer.[2]
- Bring the mixture to a boil. At this point, you should increase the heat to your saucepan to medium-high. Heat the mixture until it boils, then reduce the heat so it stays at a steady boil. Stir it constantly throughout this process, and allow the mixture to boil for roughly 2 to 3 minutes.[3]
- When the mixture is thick and smooth, it's done. Depending on your stove top, it may take more or less time for the mixture to reach this consistency.[4]
- Pour your cheese into the mixture a little at a time. Reduce the saucepan's heat to low. Add your cheese to the mixture in ½ cup (118 ml) increments. While doing so, stir it with a wooden spoon or a similar kitchen utensil until the cheese is fully melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Add cheese in this way until no more cheese remains. Continue stirring throughout the process with a utensil.[5]
- Serve your beer cheese. Pour your beer cheese from the saucepan into a serving container, a crockpot, or a fondue pot. If you use a serving container, eat your cheese quickly so it doesn't cool down too much or thicken excessively. Crockpots and fondue pots will keep your beer cheese warm throughout a party or event.[6]
- You may want to add some garnish to your beer cheese to improve its presentation or modify the recipe. Chopped onions and parsley flakes, for example, are an excellent addition.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. In most cases, this recipe will keep for at least 5 to 7 days.
[Edit]Preparing Rich and Creamy Beer Cheese - Combine your cheese and cornstarch in a bowl.[7] In a medium sized mixing bowl, use your clean hands or a kitchen implement to toss your cheese and cornstarch together. Do so until the two are evenly mixed. The cornstarch will create a creamier, thicker, cheesier consistency.[8]
- When you've finished mixing these two ingredients, set the bowl off to the side to be used later.
- Mix the beer, milk, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Blend these ingredients together in your saucepan with a whisk while the pan is still cold. When thoroughly mixed, heat this over medium heat until the mixture is steaming lightly.
- While heating these ingredients, stir them frequently with your whisk. This will prevent the ingredients from getting scorched.[9]
- Stir in your cheese. Little by little, stir in your cheese. The mixture will thicken as you add cheese, so you should use a sturdy utensil like a wooden spoon to mix it. Continue stirring and adding cheese until no more cheese remains and the mixture is thick and lightly bubbling.[10]
- Add hot sauce and salt to the mixture, then enjoy. Use your wooden spoon to stir in and evenly distribute the hot sauce in the mixture. Taste it and add salt to taste. Now it is finished and should be served immediately.[11]
- You can keep your beer cheese hot and prevent it from thickening too much with a fondue pot or a crockpot.
[Edit]Making the Most of Your Beer Cheese - Enjoy your beer cheese with chips and pretzels. These classic dippers are perfect for scooping up and enjoying beer cheese. This combination, however, can sometimes be a little salty, so you might want to serve chips and pretzels with assorted vegetables, like carrot sticks and cucumbers.
- There are many different kinds of chip you can use for your beer cheese. Thicker chips, like pita chips, will be sturdier and allow for bigger bites of cheese.
- Drizzle your beer cheese on pretzel bread. Pretzel bread has a salty, brown outer crust but a tender texture. This texture pairs very well with beer cheese. Try drizzling the cheese over the tops of pretzel rolls or dipping pretzel rolls into the cheese.
- Pretzel bread can be bought at many bakeries. Even if it's not a normal menu item, you can frequently special order it.
- Dip finger food into the beer cheese. Cut a hearty bread, like a baguette or peasant bread, into cubes. Do this also for ham and cucumbers. Cut onions into strips. Arrange these on a tray and serve them with your beer cheese. Dip these cubed foods into the cheese and enjoy.
- Carrot sticks and whole pieces of broccoli also work well as dippers for beer cheese. Experiment with various veggies to find which best suit your tastes.[12]
- Finished.
[Edit]Warnings - Use caution whenever your stove top is hot. Failing to do so could result in injuries, like burns, or damage, like heat warping on your counter.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Mild Garlic Beer Cheese - Fondue pot (or similar serving container)
- Saucepan (at least 3 quarts (2.8 L) large)
- Whisk (or fork)
- Wooden soon (or similar utensil)
[Edit]Rich and Creamy Beer Cheese - Mixing bowl (medium size)
- Saucepan (medium size)
- Whisk (or fork)
- Wooden spoon (or similar utensil)
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Create a Vegetable Garden Posted: 04 Mar 2022 12:00 AM PST Creating a vegetable garden is a fun and rewarding experience. Grow delicious vegetables your family likes to eat. Find the best place in your yard to plant vegetables and with a little time and care, your dinner table will overflow with healthy, ripe vegetables. [Edit]Planning the Garden - Decide what to grow. What vegetables do you like to eat? Think about which vegetables you'd like to eat each season that also grow in your climate. Then plan your vegetable garden accordingly. Most vegetables grow well in a variety of different climates, but it's a good idea to learn what grows best in your region's garden zone before deciding what to plant.[1]
- Choose vegetables that can be harvested at different times. This way, you'll have produce all summer instead of all at once.
- Some plants don't grow well in certain regions. Find out if the vegetables you want to grow require a cold snap to get started, or if they'll wither and die when the temperature gets too hot. You might have to be selective about what you grow if you live in a climate with very short summers or an area that doesn't get much water.
- Choose plants with similar growing and soil conditions to make it easier to care for your vegetable garden.
- Select a garden area. Vegetables need strong, full sunlight, so choose the sunniest part of your yard to create your vegetable garden. Avoid areas that are shaded by your house or a tree during part of the day. Choose a spot with good drainage and rich soil.
- You determine if an area has good drainage by checking it after a heavy rain. If a puddle forms, that area is probably not suitable for a vegetable garden. If the water seeps into the soil quickly, it should be fine.
- Choose a flat area without roots and rocks. This will be much easier to till the soil to prepare the garden for planting.
- If your soil doesn't have good drainage, you can create a raised bed which allows plants to grow above ground level.
- Some vegetables grow well in large pots, too. If you don't have a yard, peppers, okra, tomatoes and potatoes can all be grown in pots on a patio or fire escape.
- Design the garden. Now it's time to figure out how much space the garden should take up, and where to place vegetable plants. Different vegetable plants require different amounts of space. Figure out how much space you will need for the plants.
- You need to know how much space to leave between the seeds or seedlings you plant, as well as how much space the mature plants will take up. Squash, zucchini and pumpkins take up a lot of space and produce a lot of fruit, while potatoes, carrots and lettuces stay relatively contained.[2]
- Planting vegetables in rows helps you keep track of which plants are which.
- Factor in extra space between the rows to allow you to walk into the garden to weed, fertilize, and water it, as well as to harvest ripe vegetables.
[Edit]Getting Ready to Plant - Buy seeds and supplies. Choose whether to start your garden from seeds or sprouted seedlings. Purchase from a catalog or nursery. You will also need to determine which garden tools to buy. Gardening can be done by hand with simple tools, but a very large garden may require a tilling machine to loosen the soil.[3] Here's what you'll need:
- Seeds or seedlings. Nurseries have good selections of seeds and seedlings and staff who can help you decide which varieties to buy.
- Fertilizer. A good natural fertilizer will boost your vegetable plants. Work bone meal, blood meal or fertilizer into the soil. Compost works well.
- Mulch and topsoil. Vegetable plants need to be protected from wind and heavy rain when first planted. Use mulch or simply a fine layer of topsoil. You could cover the soil with loose hay to protect sprouting plants.
- Pest deterrents. It's a good idea to also purchase products that combat disease and pests.
- Use a soil tiller or hoe to loosen the dirt and prepare your plot.[4] Doing this will loosen the dirt, allowing you to add fertilizer and dig holes for the vegetable plants. For a small garden, simply use a hoe, but for large gardens more than 10 square feet, you may want to buy or rent a soil tiller.
- A shovel, a spade, and a garden rake. Use these essential gardening tools to dig holes and to move plants and soil.
- A ruler or measuring tape. Vegetable plants need to be planted at different depths, so it's useful to measure the holes you make with a ruler.
- A hose with an adjustable watering feature. The ability to change the water pressure comes in handy.
- Fencing supplies. Rabbits, squirrels, deer and other animals like to nibble on vegetables, so you may want to construct a fence around your garden.
- Get the soil ready. Mark the corners of the garden area with rocks. Clear the area within the borders free of roots, rocks, sticks, weeds, and other large debris. Use the soil tiller, hoe or rake to break up the soil into small pieces, working it to a depth of about , depending on how deep your vegetables need to be planted.
- If you have weeds you know will take over your garden, you can place pieces of cardboard on top of them with a layer of compost on top. This will smother the weeds and leave a fresh slate for your garden.[5]
- Work fertilizer into the soil with a garden rake. Be sure to distribute it evenly.
- Be sure to take the time to remove large rocks buried in the dirt. They'll get in the way of your plants' roots, and it's worth taking the time to clear the area.
- If you're concerned about the quality of the dirt in your yard, buy a soil testing kit to find out how many nutrients and organic matter it contains, as well as its pH level. All of these factors affect the nutrition and growth rate of your vegetables. After you've tested the soil, you can add whatever it might be missing.
[Edit]Growing the Vegetables - Dig holes and plant the seeds or seedlings.[6] Use the spade to dig holes to the depths required by the various vegetables you're planting. Put a little fertilizer into each hole, then drop the seeds into the holes or gently place the seedlings into them. Cover the holes with topsoil and a layer of mulch, if required.
- Water the garden. For the first few weeks, while the vegetables take root, you need to keep the topsoil moist. Use the misting function on your garden hose to lightly spray the garden every day.
- Check the soil often. If it seems to be dry, mist it again.
- Avoid watering the garden at night. If water sits all night without getting absorbed or evaporating, it could cause fungus to grow.[7]
- Weed the garden. As the vegetables take and begin to sprout, take notice of non-vegetable plants that may also be taking advantage of the fertilizer and water you're providing. Grasp the weeds close to the roots and gently pull them out, then throw them away in an area away from the garden so their seeds don't spread.[8] Be careful not to pull up newly sprouted vegetables.
- Keep critters away. Before the vegetable plants begin to bear fruit, you might want to put up a fence to keep out the rabbits and squirrels. A short chicken wire fence usually does the trick. If you have deer, however, you might need to build something larger.
- Care for the vegetables according to their needs. Give the vegetable plants the amount of water, pruning, and fertilizer they require. Continue weeding the garden frequently as the vegetables grow throughout the summer. When it's time to harvest vegetables, pick only the ripest ones first and allow the others more time to grow.
- Keep the garden clean and neat to make it look good and to help your plants grow.
- For better plant growth and weed control mulch the entire area.[9]
- Avoid using too much of chemical fertilizers as it may reduce the soil's fertility.
- For more security, add a fence.
- You can use cow manure as well for fertilizing.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Make Water Candles Posted: 03 Mar 2022 04:00 PM PST Water candles look impressive and are surprisingly easy to make. The combination of water with a few decorations creates a pretty, shimmering light. The trick behind these candles is creating a floating wick out of thin plastic, and adding one secret ingredient to the water. [Edit]Decorating the Jar - Find a pretty glass container to use for your candle. It can be as simple as a mason jar or a tall, cylindrical candle holder (hurricane). For something more unique, you could try a small fishbowl or even a wine glass! For better results, use a tall, narrow vase. This will allow you to fill it with more decorations and have a thicker oil layer, which will increase the burning time.[1]
- Keep it simple with glass marbles. They are often labeled as "vase filler" and come in round or half-dome shapes. You can find these in the floral section of an arts and crafts store. How much vase filler you add is up to you, but don't fill the bottom of your jar more than a third of the way. If you overfill the jar, you won't have room to add the water and the oil.
- Create an elegant jar by filling it with flowers. Cut the blooms off of real flowers, or pull them off of fake ones. Fill your jar about two-thirds of the way with these flowers, or until you have about of space at the top. For a more elegant candle, fill the jar a quarter of the way with clear, glass marbles first, then add the flowers.[2]
- Fresh flowers should last up to 1 week in the jar.
- Use thinly-sliced citrus fruit for a colorful jar. Cut an orange, lemon, and grapefruit into thin slices, then fill the jar two-thirds of the way with them. Make sure that the flat parts of the slices are pressed up against the walls of the jar so that they are visible.[3]
- You don't have to use all 3 types of citrus fruit. You can use just 1 or 2 types of citrus fruit.
- For more color and fragrance, add some herbs, such as rosemary sprigs, star anise, cloves, or cinnamon sticks.
- Fresh herbs and fruit slices will last up to 1 week in the water.[4]
- Tint the water with food coloring for a unique effect. Food coloring is potent, so you'll have to be extra careful in your measurements. Fill a large jar with water, then stir in 1 drop of food coloring. Adjust the amount of water and food coloring until you get the shade you want. Save the colored water for later.
- Create an underwater scene with sand, plastic fish, and shells. Fill the bottom quarter of your jar with light-colored sand. Add 1 to 2 plastic fish. Make the scene more aquarium-like with a pretty shell and an aquarium plant. When the time comes to fill your jar with water, use blue-tinted water.[5]
- For an elegant scene, use sand, 1 to 2 shells, and a small aquarium plant or sprig of rosemary.
- Fill the jar with other items that match your décor. Make sure that the items are water-safe and heavy enough so that they don't float. If you are using a combination of different items, make sure that they look nice together. If you are going to be using the jars for an event, make sure that they match the decorations that you will be using. Don't fill the jar more than two-thirds of the way.
[Edit]Creating the Wick - Crumble the wax off of a birthday candle. You can use a brand-new birthday candle or a spent one. If you decide to use a brand-new birthday candle, cut the wick in half after you crumble the wax off to make it shorter. The length of the wick won't affect how long the candle will burn; the amount of oil you use will. If the wick is too long, it will just burn and fall into the water.
- For some reason, waxed wicks and cotton wicks don't seem to work very well for this type of candle. Stick with birthday candle wicks.[6]
- If you are able to find floating wicks online or in a store, you can use those instead and skip this section. They are floating metal disks with wicks inside of them.
- Soak the wick in oil for 2 minutes. Fill a small dish with cooking oil or lamp oil, then place the wick into the oil. Leave the wick there for 2 minutes before pulling it out and wiping the excess oil off with a paper towel. This will saturate the wick and help it burn more effectively.[7]
- Great types of cooking oil to use include: canola, olive, and sunflower.
- You should use the same type of oil later on when you go to assemble your candle.
- Cut a circle out of clear plastic that fits inside your jar. You can get this plastic from anywhere, such as a plastic bottle, cup, packaging, etc. The plastic needs to be thin and clear, otherwise it will become visible once you add it to the oil. The circle doesn't need to be perfect, but it needs to be small enough to fit inside your jar.[8]
- If you are using a plastic bottle, cut the circle from the domed part. This will create a shallow cup and help it float better.
- Poke a hole in the middle of the circle, then cut a slit. Place the circle on top of a piece of craft foam, cardboard, or a piece of wood. Use a skewer, awl, or pair of manicure scissors to poke a hole in the middle of the circle. Next, use a craft blade or manicure scissors to make a small slit coming off of the hole.[9] You can also make a small X over the hole instead.[10]
- The hole must be centered, otherwise the wick may not stand upright.[11]
- Insert the wick into the hole, then slide it into the slit. The bottom of the wick should be sticking out of the bottom of the plastic circle.[12] If you cut an X into the plastic, it may already be stable enough. If it isn't, slide the wick into one of the slits making up the X.
- If you cut the circle from a plastic bottle, the shorter end should be sticking out of the domed part of the circle; the longer end should be sticking out of the cupped part.
[Edit]Assembling the Candle - Pour water into the jar, leaving of space at the top. This will give you enough room for the oil. If you add too much water, the oil layer will be too thin, which will decrease the candle's burning time as well as increase the chances of spills. You will also run the risk of the wick touching the water and extinguishing.[13]
- Pour in the oil until it's deep. Canola oil, olive oil, and sunflower oil are all great choices. You can even use lamp oil from the craft store. How much oil you use will depend on the size of your jar. The wider your jar is, the more oil you will need to use. Don't worry if the oil mixes into the water at first; it will float to the top.[14]
- Most jars will require 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 milliliters) of oil.[15] About 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of oil will burn for up to 2 hours.[16]
- Lamp oil is more expensive, but it comes in many different colors, which can be helpful, especially if you tinted the water.
- Set the wick on top of the oil. Make sure that the longer part of the wick is sticking out of the oil, and the shorter part is in the oil. If the bottom of the wick is touching the water, add a little bit more oil. This way, you won't risk the wick accidentally soaking up water and extinguishing the flame.
[Edit]Using the Candle - Set the candle down onto a heat-safe surface. A metal tray, candle charger, or anything with a rim would be ideal. This way, if the candle accidentally gets knocked over, the burning oil will be contained. If you don't have any of these on hand, set the candle down someplace where it won't get bumped.
- Make sure that there are no open windows or vents near the candle.
- Light the wick. You can do this with a lighter, match, or stick lighter. Make sure that you only light the wick, otherwise the oil layer may also ignite. How long the candle lasts depends on how much oil you use. Typically, these types of candles can burn for up to 3 hours.[17]
- Reduce smoke by trimming the wick to
- Handle the candle with care while it burns. Avoid moving the candle around once you light it, or you risk spilling the hot oil. Never leave a burning candle unattended. All it takes is a few seconds to blow it out.
- Extinguish the candle before leaving the room or adding more oil. You should blow the candle out whenever you leave the room. If the oil level starts to get too thin and the wick is touching the water, extinguish the candle, add more oil, then relight it.
- Maintain the water and oil levels. The water will evaporate over time, even if you are not using the candle. Each time you use the candle, check the water and oil levels first. Make sure that the oil layer is at least away from the decorations. If the oil is too close to them, add more water. If the oil level is too thin, then add more oil.
- Decorate the outside of the jar instead of the inside. Draw designs on it with puffy paint or dimensional fabric paint.
- The water will eventually start to look murky. How long this takes depends on how much sunlight it receives. When this happens, discard the water and clean the jar.
- For best results, use a clear oil. If you tinted your water, you can use a lamp oil that matches the color.
- Add some herbs or essential oils to your water to make it smell nice.[18]
[Edit]Warnings - Do not touch the hot oil, and avoid moving the jar while it's lit.
- Never leave a burning candle unattended.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Glass jar or candle holder
- Decorations
- Thin, clear plastic
- Birthday candle
- Skewer, awl, or manicure scissors
- Craft blade or manicure scissors
- Water
- Cooking oil or lamp oil
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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