Mancake Pancakes
8 slices bacon
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vegetable oil, or as needed
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tbs white sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
10 oz. dad’s favorite beer, or more if needed
3 tbs unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a wire rack on top of baking sheet; place bacon strips on wire rack.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes; remove from oven and sprinkle tops of bacon strips with half the brown sugar. Return to oven and bake 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and flip bacon to other side; sprinkle with remaining brown sugar and bake until bacon is crisp and brown sugar is golden brown, 10 to 15 more minutes. Remove bacon, let cool, and crumble into small pieces.
Lightly grease a skillet with vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat.
Whisk flour, white sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl; in a separate bowl, whisk beer, melted butter, salt, and vanilla extract. Lightly stir the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture to make a smooth batter. Stir candied bacon pieces into the batter.
Pour batter into the hot skillet 1/2 cup at a time and cook until edges are browned, about 2 minutes; flip pancake and cook until golden brown and the center is set, 3 to 5 more minutes.
— Tonya Turley
Beer-becue Beef Flank Steak
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup molasses
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 tbs white sugar
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup strong beer
1 (1 1/2-lbs.) trimmed beef flank steak
salt and ground black pepper to taste
Pour ketchup, molasses, and white vinegar in a bowl; add white sugar, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, cayenne pepper, cumin, allspice, and cinnamon. Whisk until sauce is smooth. Pour in beer.
Place flank steak into a non-reactive container; pour sauce over meat. Poke at least 100 holes per side in the flank steak using 2 forks.
Cover container with plastic wrap and marinate beef 8 to 12 hours (up to overnight).
Remove flank steak from marinade and pat the meat dry with paper towels. Pour leftover marinade into a saucepan, place over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes to make a basting sauce.
Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate. Season flank steak with salt and black pepper.
Grill flank steak for 2 1/2 minutes; turn meat around on grate to a 45-degree angle to make diamond grill marks; grill for 2 1/2 more minutes. Repeat on second side, turning meat 45 degrees after 2 1/2 minutes and grilling 2 1/2 more minutes.
Flip steak to original side and paint meat with sauce. Continue to grill until sauce has glazed onto the meat, about 30 seconds. Turn meat over and brush other side with sauce. Sauce will burn if cooked too long. Repeat 1 more time, brushing and glazing sauce onto meat for about 30 seconds on each side. An instant-read meat thermometer, inserted into the thickest part of the flank steak, should read 125 degrees F (52 degrees C).
Transfer steak to a platter and let rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing lengthwise down the center; cut each half across the grain into slices about 3/8 inch thick. Drizzle slices with more sauce to serve.
— Derrick Tillison
Dad’s Favorite Casserole
1 (16 oz.) package bulk pork sausage
3 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/4 cup milk, or as needed
1 (16 oz.) can refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough (such as Pillsbury Grands!)
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
5 eggs
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the sausage. Cook and stir until the sausage is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain and discard any excess grease. Stir in the hash brown potatoes, cooking and stirring until potatoes are browned, about 5 minutes more.
Line the bottom of the prepared baking dish with a layer of buttermilk biscuits, splitting the biscuits in half to completely cover the dish. Spread the sausage and hash brown mixture evenly over the biscuits, and sprinkle the Mexican cheese on top. Whisk together the eggs and milk in a bowl, and pour over the cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven until the eggs set, about 25 minutes.
— Sherri Grey