Cheese and Guinness Spread

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Last weekend I was looking for a few recipes to make for a homemade tailgate party. It's college football season in Buckeye territory and at least a part of each Saturday is usually spent watching a game on the TV. Last Saturday the game was at 3:30 p.m. and so the game time overlapped with supper time, thus dinner was tailgate party fare.

My husband enjoys Guinness beer (his preference is for a Black and Tan) and so I knew he would like this spread. Served with carrot and zucchini chips, as well as some whole wheat crackers, I enjoyed this spread, as did the kids. The flavor of the beer is present, but not overpowering. I modified the recipe, found at myrecipes.com, just a bit.

Cheese and Guinness Spread

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4 T. unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 ounces Guinness stout
2 cups grated sharp Cheddar
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 t. caraway seeds
1/2 t. paprika
Salt and pepper

Assorted crackers and crudités

In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallot and sauté until soft, 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a food processor and let cool.

Add Guinness, cheeses, caraway and paprika to food processor and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a serving bowl, cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. Serve with crackers and crudités.

Source: modified from myrecipes.com

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