Being deemed The Beeroness—which in drink-speak is similar to bearing the title of Princess, Duchess or Queen—has plenty of responsibilities that come along with the nobility. Luckily for us commoners in the ways of ale, stouts and malt liquor, we have food blogger and author Jackie Dodd to lead us down a beer-inspired foodie path. And with recipes like her Porter Caramelized Onion Dip, you’ll be bowing down in no time.
With just two years of blogging under her belt, the lovely Jackie Dodd has made an indelible impact of bringing beer to the culinary forefront through her popular food blog, The Beeroness, where she shares recipes that infuse craft brews of hops and barley into everyday foods.
Sporting the tagline “Have your beer and eat it too,” Jackie focuses on craft beers as the flavor enhancers to recipes sweet and savory and everything in between on her blog and has newly released The Craft Beer Cookbook, 100 Artisanal Recipes for Cooking With Beer.
Jackie’s ambitions as a food blogger didn’t start in the kitchen, but rather with her drive and determination to realize her desires to be a part of the craft beer world.
“I really wanted to be a part of the craft beer community but I didn’t brew,” says Jackie. “So I started to write recipes for the beers I loved, started to take photos of them and it caught on.”
But creating a food blog wasn’t familiar territory for this beer connoisseur.
“I didn’t grow up in a cooking household, no one I knew really loved food,” explains Jackie. “I just wanted to learn so bad. I read a lot, watched a lot of TV and Googled everything. I’ve known Tori of the blog The Shiksa since I was in 4th grade. She was a huge inspiration when it came to starting my blog.” (See more of Tori in “The Ultimate Hanukkah Hostess” from last winter’s issue of FoodieCrush magazine.)
While she’s always sharing recipes and ale-inspired fusions on her blog, there’s a few things you may not know about Jackie.
Like…
Growing up on a farm as one of seven sisters, one of Jackie’s chores was vaccinating all of the animals. “I even had my own hypodermic needles starting at the age of 11,” she proudly declares.
Jackie has a masters in Psychology. There you go, point proven: Beer makes you smart.
Jackie can draw cartoons and used them as a way to connect with a pretty rough crowd. ”Fresh out of college I got a job teaching anger management skills to gang members (they were ages 11-18) and teaching their caregivers parenting skills. I loved it, and never felt scared.” Here is a story about it.
Her dog Sophia is just as much a part of the family as her toddler daughter and husband and has been all over the world with Jackie. I may love her even more for that.
She’s cooked with Hoda and Kathie Lee on The Today Show and has shown the folks in this CBS News clip a thing or two about cooking with beer flavors. Watch your back Rachel Ray.
I’m thrilled to have Jackie share a little bit more about herself with this interview. Cheers to Jackie for being our foodie crush!
1. Describe your blog in 3 words:
Beer, Food, Shenanigans.
2. If you could be one food blogger other than yourself, who would you be?
Naomi from Bakers Royale. Her photos make me want to cry and her food makes me want to binge eat myself into a diabetic coma. And she’s super gorgeous.
3. Which 3 blogs do you follow/are obsessed with/can’t live a day without?
Savory Simple, her photos are so stunning and I trust her recipes 100%.
OC Beer Blog, I adore the way Greg writes, always inspiring and hilarious.
Brave Tart, she’s a CIA trained baker and has tons of baking wisdom.
4. What is the one kitchen tool you could never give up?
Cast iron skillet. I think I could rule the world with good beer and a cast iron skillet.
5. What dish are you obsessed with mastering that you just can’t get quite right?
Gnocchi. I’ve had some fantastic, light, pillowy, starchy bowls of awesomeness, none of which have come from my own hands. I can make “good” Gnocchi, but I want to make that carbtastic stuff of dreams.
6. What did you have for dinner last night?
Roasted vegetables, quinoa and avocados. I eat a lot of crap (and by crap I mean really delicious, high calorie stuff like beer, and chocolate, and doughnuts) so I go through these phases where I just want to eat vegan food for days. It helps with the balance. And the skinny jeans.
7. What’s one secret talent outside of the kitchen nobody knows about you:
I can draw cartoons. I don’t ever do it anymore but when I used to work with kids it was a great ice-breaker (I taught anger management skills to gang members in South Central LA right out college).
8. You’re happiest when cooking/eating:
Homemade pasta. I don’t always have time to spend on making homemade pasta, so when I can spend all day making cavatelli from scratch for a group of people I love, that’s a good day.
9. You have a lot of irons in the fire with a blog, book and stock photography site. How do you balance it all and keep it flourishing with new and innovative recipes?
A healthy amount of self-loathing. No matter what I’m doing, I just keep wanting to be better at it. I don’t compare myself to other people that have been doing it for 2 years, like I have, I compare myself to people who have been doing it for 20. It’s frustrating, but motivating. I also read a lot. I love Cooks Illustrated, and right now I’m reading The Brewmasters Table by Garret Oliver.
10. The one secret ingredient to your success is:
Beer. Is that too obvious? Not just to cook with. As a community craft beer people can’t be beat. A lot of what I’ve been able to accomplish is a direct result of the support, motivation and encouragement I’ve gotten from the craft beer community.
Jackie’s cookbook The Craft Beer Cookbook, 100 Artisanal Recipes for Cooking With Beer is full of great beer-infused recipes, and you can win a copy for your own cookbook shelf.
My own copy of Jackie’s cookbook is tattered with post-it notes, and I had a devil of a time which to share with you today.
Should I try the Chocolate Stout Cake with Chocolate Raspberry Ganache and Whipped Cream? Or maybe Beer and Butter Prawns? And how can you go wrong with Slow-Roasted Maple Stout Baby Back Beef Ribs?
Oh my word. Where to start?
How about here. With an appetizer that is perfectly infused with the flavors of an award winning, classic Utah craft brew: Wasatch Ale’s Polygamy Porter. Just because we’re from Utah doesn’t mean our brewmasters don’t have a sense of humor.
Caramelizing onions in this classic Porter brew adds a deep malted flavor to the dip, perfectly appointed for a tailgate party, elegant holiday affair or just to have on hand for the morning toasted bagel.
Jackie’s notes mention the dip’s flavors deepen after being in the refrigerator for a day or two. I gave it a try and yes, it was still totally tasty.
After sharing this Porter Caramelized Onion Dip with some of the neighbors and getting rave reviews, it was a given that it’s going on my recipe repeat list to be made again and again.
Porter Caramelized Onion Dip
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 large sweet white onions chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup porter plus 3 tablespoons divided
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup green onions chopped
Instructions
- Heat a saute pan over medium heat, add butter and oil and stir until the butter has melted.
- Add the onions. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions start to soften.
- Add the salt and porter and cook for about 25 minutes or until the onions start to caramelize. Stir occasionally and keep watch on the heat so the onions don't burn.
- Add the cream cheese, sour cream, caramelized onions, remaining porter, black pepper, smoked paprika and garlic powder to a food processor. Pulse until smooth but still with a few chunks. Add the green onions and pulse once or twice to combine.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Thank you again Jackie, can’t wait to share a drink with you again soon. Best of luck to you guys on the giveaway.
As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you.
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Delicious and easy! Mine was a bit thinner and darker than what is pictured but who cares? The flavor is outstanding. Thanks for a great recipe share.
Jackie is awesome & I must get my hands on her book!
Made Stout French Onion Soup tonight and it was delicious beyond words. Jackie’s recipes ROCK!
My favorite excuse to eat chips and dip is having people over, but my most-used excuse is that it’s some random weekday afternoon and I’m hungry.
Just came across your dip recipe thanks to Pinterest. My buddy owns a brewery so I love trying new recipes using craft brews! Thanks for the recipe!
chips and dip are good anytime we make it a chip and dip day just to eat it!!
My son would love this! He brews his own beer.
Reason to eat chips and dips?? I woke up, that’s what.
Who needs an excuse?!
Love using beer in cooking. A favorite is beer cheese dip!
Football games, hands down!
Because they go great with beer!
This book sounds amazing!!! I’ll have to check out her blog now too.
My fav excuse to eat chips and dip is to invite some friends over for a movie. Or just any time!
I can’t wait to try some of these recipes!!!!
My favorite excuse to eat chips and dip? Monday, Tuesday…
A movie night!
I love cooking with beer and cooking while drinking beer and everything food and beer.
I’m such a fan of adding beer to meals. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
chips and dip are a staple in our house.. no special occasion needed!
I agree with the other comments that football games are the perfect excuse for chips and dip!
And football games are my favorite excuse!
I make a beer cheese fondue (see http://artofnaturalliving.com/2012/04/13/artisan-beer-cheese-fondue/ ) and would loooove to do more cooking with craft beer!
Reason? What reason? We eat chips and salsa whenever we can!
I’ll be making this dip for the next Pac12 football game. Go Ducks!
This was a great interview!! I enjoyed learning more about Jackie. I follow her other blog, Domestic Fits, as well and the way that she feels about Naomi from Bakers Royale, I totally agree by the way, is how I feel about her photographs and food. They are Amazing!!! And my excuse for eating chips and dip is hunger and needing a snack.
I have no need for an excuse to eat salty, decadent deliciousness on any day ever!
No excuse needed, chips and dip are always a great combo.
Love The Beeroness, so stoked about her book!
I don’t need an excuse – love chips and dip.
I love Jackie and I love this dip! Awesome interview!
Listening to music, drinking some beer with my hubby is the best time for chips and dip!
Nothing goes better with chips and dip than a good beer and friends!
Excuse?s Because I’ve got the munchies?
Football is the best reason for chips and dip! Thanks for this 1:1 with Jackie, I love her blog!
Yum. My favorite excuse for chips and dip is tailgating! This recipe would be perfect for the game this weekend and I was just looking for a way to switch up our French onion dip, too!
I will eat a few chips & dip when I am having some drinks with friends/and or family.
I think this would be a gift for my fiance as well as me!
Anywho i don’t need an excuse for chips and dip if they are around i eat them, Probably bc we dont keep them in the house so it an extra treat when i see them.
This was one of my favorite interviews! I love Jackie, her blog and all her beery foods! She is so incredibly inspiring and I cannot get enough of her! HUGE congrats to her and her gorgeous book!
How do people learn carpentry on a online course?
When we have company over!!
The Beeroness, great blog with stunning pictures.
This looks amazing, only problem is if I made it I’d probably end up eating it all myself!
football… but who needs an excuse?!
My excuse is called LUNCH!
I need an excuse?!? Taco night, family get-togethers and football games.
I would kill for this dip right now!!!
Football! Parties! Wednesday night! Need to go grocery shopping! I’d even go as far as to say Baby Shower! Absolutely any and every excuse will do.
I’ve been following Jackie’s blog for a year now and all of her recipes are so mouth-watering!
I love any kind of dip – though French Onion dip is by far my favorite!
The only dip my beer connoisseur husband likes is onion dip so this is perfect for him. Can’t wait to try it.
Chips and dip are in themselves the best excuse for chips and dip. Can you say guilty pleasure? NOM!
Who needs an excuse! Although a good dip is a great addition for parties or just sitting around watching a football game. And congrats on the book! It looks amazing!
Put me in front of blue corn chips with homemade salsa and I am happy for hours!
Favorite Excuses:
1) Dip.
2) Chips.
3) Noms.
I love your recipes!
Heeeey, Jackie! I want your book. Even if I can’t drink for a couple more months. I still want it. Okay bye.
Who needs an excuse to eat dip and chips?! I love a good dip and even better chips!!
I absolutely love with Jackie’s new cookbook! Her blog is one of my favorites and I am super honored by the shout out <3
Love this post. I totally appreciate Jackie’s blogging style, as well as her devotion to craft beer. That dip is totally playing a starring role in my happy hour spread tonight. Cheers! (ew – too obvi?)
Yum! I love making chips and dips for parties, but they are also my guilty pleasure couch potato food.
I’ll use any excuse in the book but usually there’s no real reason. I just LOVE chips and dip!
Fantastic appetizer!
Just added The Beeroness to my Feedly. We love craft beer and good food, so the combination of the two sounds great! Looking forward to trying some new recipes.
I’ve only recently gotten into craft beer in the past year and have been looking for ways to cook with it! This book looks awesome!
When i know someone is coming over so i don’t eat the whole bowl
Who needs an excuse to eat chips and dip!?
This was a great interview! And I agree about Naomi from Bakers Royale. Her and her photography are stunning.
Haha! Love how she mentioned a “healthy degree of self loathing”–love her blog and her humor. And this interview was great. l’ve learned so many more wonderful things about her.
This recipe looks amazing
I tend to eat chips and dip at parties, holidays and movie nights !
how cool! I’m totally going to have a peruse of her blog and hopefully get inspired :)
Love Jackie, love her blog, humor, style, and a huge congrats to her! I have her book (managed to miss this dip!) but now I need to make it and have all the ingredients…except the beer. Ha! Congrats on your book and on ALL you have going on, Jackie!