Simple Beer Shandy Slushies | #GuinnessBBQChallenge

I am working in partnership with Guinness for this this campaign. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Please Drink Responsibly!

I'm happy to working with Guinness again this summer to share another Guinness BBQ Challenge idea! Last year I shared a grilled pizza recipe that was topped with grilled onions, peppers, corn, and brats to pair with Guinness's crisp, hoppy Blonde American Lager. This year I accepted their challenge  to put my own personal twist on a shandy.

If you're not familiar with shandies, they are basically a beer cocktail that is made using half beer and half lemonade (or gingerale, ginger beer, or another citrus juice). They're a refreshing adult beverage option for summertime, and usually have fairly low alcohol content—if you use the half and half ratio.

Malted Guinness Beer Bread

The smell of this bread baking envelopes the kitchen in a warm, heady smell that, for me, conjured up memories of touring breweries and distilleries in Ireland. In two words, it smelled magical and comforting. My daughter said it smelled like bittersweet chocolate. I'm sure it was the combination of thick, rich Guinness and malt in the form of barley malt syrup and malted wheat flakes. This is definitely not your granny's beer bread.

With pleasantly chewy texture and notes of rich, malty chocolate, it's not for those with wimpy tastebuds. If you tend towards dark stouts and porters, dark chocolate, and dark coffee, I bet you'll fall head over heals for it like I did, though. I'm putting myself out there when I say basically, this is THE BEST beer bread I've ever eaten. Bold words for a bold bread.

I actually made this loaf almost five months ago, but I'm just now getting around to sharing it with you. I was waiting for the right time, and since I'm hosting this month's edition of #TwelveLoaves, I decided that time was now; I chose Malt as our theme.

Grilled Pizza w/ Onions, Peppers, Corn, and Brats

Would you believe me if I told you that Guinness© Blonde™ American Lager tastes an awful lot like Guinness Stout? Because that's what I'm telling you. As a lover of the deep, rich Porter that everybody knows as Guinness, my first sip of Blonde was a happy one. It may be a lighter in color, but not in complexity or flavor.

The first fusion beer in the new Guinness Discovery Series, Guinness Blonde combines European brewing techniques with American Hops to brew a lager that is hoppy with citrus and floral notes, while still having that "biscuity" malt finish so characteristic of Guinness. It's great for kicking back with and relaxing, but it also lends itself well to cooking and food pairings.

Irish Porter Cake inspired by The Quiet Man | #FoodnFlix

This month's Food 'n Flix pick is an oldie, originally released back in 1952, starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara—The Quiet Man. This flick is set in the fictional town of Innisfree, Ireland...not to be confused with the isle of Innisfree, an actual place made famous in a poem by William Butler Yates, located on Ireland's western coast.

Our main character, Sean Thornton, is an Irishman by decent, although he grew up in Pittsburgh. Looking to start over (I won't tell you why—I'll let you watch the movie to find out), he leaves the states and moves to this Irish town that he's known only through his mother's stories.

Though not particularly a foodie movie, there is plenty of inspiration to be had. First of all, it's March—and the movie is set in Ireland (exactly why I'm sharing this post on St. Paddy's Day). But even if it wasn't the month where everybody taps into their inner Irish, I would have went the same route. I can't think of Ireland without fond memories...from divided plots of land in all shades of green with sheep roaming freely to the whiskey distilleries and many glasses of beer to the breathtaking cliffs of the Giant's Causeway to the brown bread—Ireland will forever be a part of me.