Vegetarian Reuben Dip with Caramelized Guinness Beer Braised Onions

Happy St. Paddy's! Weeeee!

I used to go all out when I was younger, but now I'm chilling out in my older age. It's kind of nice to know I won't be hungover tomorrow though.

I have to finish my peg board project in my art room. Super stoked to have something to finally hang all my purses on. It's going to be awesome! It's the little things, babe-let.

I did have plans with some family, but they were too anxious to go to the bar before half the party even arrived at their house. People who can't wait 10 minutes, are definitely not someone I want to accompany to bars throughout the suburbs during one of the heaviest drinking days in Milwaukee, where cops will be everywhere. And. That's kinda being an asshole. I don't want to hang out with assholes.

So, I stayed home and made this dip. I did plan to pick up rye chips, but that would have required me to leave the house after I had already decided I was staying in. Pita chips would have to do. However, I urge you to not be a lazy pants and pick up rye chips. They really would be fantastic with this dip!

Serves: 2 Non-Drinking Irishmen (or women-whatever)

Ingredients:

For the Onions:

3 TBS Butter 1/4 Cup Olive Oil 2 Onions-sliced & chopped 1/3 Cup Guinness Salt & Pepper

1 Block Cream Cheese-Softened 2 TBS Relish or Chopped Pickles 1/3 Cup Mayo 3 TBS Ketchup 1 TBS Pickle Juice 1/3 Cup Sauerkraut-pressed and squeezed dry 1 tsp Coconut Sugar (or regular sugar) Pepper 1 Cup Shredded Gruyere Cheese (or Swiss) + 1/4 Cup 3/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese + 1/4 Cup 1/2 Cup of the Caramelized Guinness Braised Onions

Start with the onions. These babies will take a few hours, but they will totally be worth it. You can make these while you do other things around the house. Be sure to cook these long and low. Melt the butter over med-low heat in a heavy medium deep fry pan, once melted turn heat back down to low.

Chop the top and bottoms off the onions, chop in half and thinly slice. Throw the onions in and coat with the butter, add the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté and stir every 15 minutes or so, for about 2 hours. They will get dark and caramelized. You'll be tempted to turn the heat up to hurry the process, but don't.

You'll just end up burning them.

Sexy Onions

Once they get that dark caramelized color, add the Guinness a little at a time. You might use less, depending on the hotness of the pan. You don't want them swimming in beer. You just want to deglaze the pan and add depth of flavor to the onions.

Preheat the oven to 350. Add the cream cheese, mayo, relish, ketchup, pickle juice, sauerkraut, sugar and pepper to a food processor. Process. Dump into a bowl, add 1 Cup Gruyere, 3/4 Cup of the Parmesan and 1/2 Cup of the Caramelized Guinness Braised Onions (use the leftovers on your hangover omelet tomorrow). Stir this by hand.

Pour into a Pam sprayed baking dish and top with remaining cheese and bake 20 minutes, or until bubbling.

Serve with rye chips!