Three Ingredients To Beer Bread

This is the easiest recipe to make bread, as long as you like a little hint of beer flavor.  Most breads use yeast, which produces a gas that makes the bread dough rise and have little air pockets.  In this recipe, the beer replaces the yeast and does the same job, only without all the processing steps that yeast requires.




Mix in large bowl:

3 c. all purpose flour (not bread flour)
1/2 c. sugar


 make a well in the middle and pour in:

12 oz light, mild tasting beer  (for drinking I prefer dark, heavy beers, but those don't work very well in this recipe.  Stick to light, mild flavors)





Stir just until well blended.  (if you mix too much, it breaks up the bubbles and you get a flat, dense bread)










Spread in greased loaf pan.





Bake at 375 for 45-50minutes.

Cool in pan for 15 minutes.  Turn out onto wire rack and let cool for at least 1 hour.


You can sprinkle cheese on top before baking, or try cutting a slice down the center and spreading with a line of pesto.

Salami Snack Loaf

This one is really easy to put together when you have guests, and comes out soooo gooood... (keep in mind that when i say "good", i usually mean "salty":)


I used a ciabatta loaf, but you could use any relatively soft bread.  you don't want it to be too crusty.


Slice loaf lengthwise.


Spread both halves with garlic herb cheese spread.  I use Alouette spreadable cheese, but you could make it yourself by blending softened cream cheese with garlic powder and black pepper.

Layer one side with salami, then layer of shredded mozzarella, another layer of salami, a layer of drained sliced olives, and the final layer of salami.
You can mix it up a bit by using different kinds of salami for each layer, as I did here, or even try hot capicola or ham.

Top with second half of bread.


Place stack on a piece of foil, then pull the sides of the foil up to hold it together.  You want the whole thing to get warmed through and melt the cheese without making the crust too crunchy.  I leave the top open to let the heat in.

Place on baking sheet in 350F oven for 20 minutes.


Slice and serve hot.

I like to serve with condiments: diced pickles, ranch dressing, and marinara sauce.

Best Banana Bread

 This recipe has been a classic from Better Homes & Gardens cookbook for decades.  I have tried experimenting with it but the original recipe is still the best.

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease loaf pan.

in medium mixing bowl combine:
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt

Make a well in center of dry ingredients.

in small bowl, mash 3 bananas (best if over-ripe)
Stir in:
3/4 c. white sugar
1/4 c. cooking oil
1 egg

pour into well in dry ingredient bowl.
stir until moistened - batter will be lumpy.


fold in 1/2 c. chopped walnuts.

pour into loaf pan.

bake @ 350 for 55 minutes, until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.



 turn out of pan, cool on rack completely.


here is the key step to moist banana bread:

wrap in foil overnight before slicing.  it will come out softer and moister? is that a word? more moist? i'm not entirely comfortable with the word "moist" - it somehow seems.... icky....

anyway, try it and see!

 slice to serve with butter.

also good with orange marmalade.

not good with maple syrup, even though it seemed like a good idea.

peanut butter also failed, but i'm not sure why.  i love peanut butter and banana sandwiches so i thought that peanut butter on banana bread would be wonderful, but it wasn't.  not at all.  neither was using peanuts instead of walnuts.  Better Homes and Gardens had it right in the first place :)