Add Flavor With Root Beer

Try this beloved beverage in new and surprising ways.

For most folks, enjoying the distinctive flavor of root beer means sipping it from a frosty mug. It's time to discover that our old friend makes a great ingredient in some unexpected places. Try our savory and sweet recipes, and you'll be stocking up on root beer for both drinking and cooking. KATE NICHOLSON

MAKE YOUR OWN ROOT BEER

Stir together 1 liter chilled seltzer water or sparkling water, 8 heaping tablespoons sugar (or no-calorie sweetener adjusted to taste), and ½ tablespoon root beer extract in a large pitcher until blended. Serve immediately in a frosty mug or over ice. Makes about 5 cups.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Zatarain's Root Beer Extract. It can be ordered from www.thecajunconnection.com. The recipe can be found on the back of the bottle.

ROOT BEER POT ROAST

MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

PREP: 10 MlN., COOK: 10 MIN., BAKE: 3 HRS.

Serve this juicy and tender roast with hot cooked mashed potatoes or rice.

1 (4-pound) eye of round roast

1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided

1 teaspoon pepper, divided

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 (12-ounce) bottle root beer (not diet)

1 (12-ounce) bottle chili sauce

1 garlic clove, minced

SPRINKLE roast evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ 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 ½ teaspoon salt, remaining ½ teaspoon pepper, root beer, chili sauce, and garlic until blended. Pour root beer mixture over roast mixture in Dutch oven.

BAKE, covered, at 300° for 3 hours or until tender. PATSY GRIFFIN

SHREVEPORT, EOUISIANA

ROOT BEER FLOAT CAKE

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

PREP: 15 MIN., BAKE: 30 MIN., COOL: 10 MIN.

1 (18.25-ounce) package German chocolate cake mix

1 ¼ cups root beer (not diet)

¼ cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

Root Beer Frosting

COMBINE first 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat mixture at low speed with an electric mixer until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13- × 9-inch pan.

BAKE at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake 10 minutes. Spread Root Beer Frosting evenly over warm cake.

Root Beer Frosting:

MAKES 2 ¼ CUPS

PREP: 10 MIN., COOK: 5 MIN.

½ cup butter or margarine

7 tablespoons root beer (not diet)

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

BRING first 3 ingredients to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter melts. Remove from heat; whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.

ROOT BEER FLOAT

MAKES 1 SERVING

PREP: 5 MIN.

SCOOP vanilla ice cream into a tall glass, filling half full. Top with root beer, and gently stir. Serve immediately.

ROOT BEER BAKED BEANS

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

PREP: 5 MIN., COOK: 12 MIN., BAKE: 55 MIN.

You don't taste the root beer in this recipe-it's just used for sweetening instead of the traditional brown sugar.

3 bacon slices

1 small onion, diced

2 (16-ounce) cans pork and beans

½ cup root beer (not diet)

½ cup hickory-smoked barbecue sauce

½ teaspoon dry mustard

1/8 teaspoon hot sauce

COOK bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp; remove and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon.

SAUTÉ diced onion in hot bacon drippings in skillet over high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Stir together onion, crumbled bacon, beans, and remaining ingredients in a lightly greased I -quart baking dish.

BAKE beans, uncovered, at 400° for 55 minutes or until sauce is thickened.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Oct 2004
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