Beer Bread

Every open a beer and not drink it?  No?  Me either.  But over this past holiday season, the Veggie Dad did just that.  He opened a beer and took only the smallest sip of said beer before abandoning it opened to the refrigerator.  Not being one to let a good beer go to waste, but not being one to be able to tolerate flat beer,  I decided to make a Beer Bread with the left over beer.  I did a quick search and found a yummy and easy looking recipe on Food.com.  Food.com is a basically a database of recipes submitted by home cooks, think allrecipes without all the annoying upgrades.  Plus in my experience the recipes on Food.com seem to turn out with a higher rate of success then to those I find on some other sites. 

This bread was hearty, but not too heavy.  The beer takes the place of the yeast, so it needs not time to rise.  Of course a bread without traditional yeast will be a bit heavier than a yeast-ed bread, but this one was not too heavy at all.  The addition of melted butter to the top of the bread makes for a yummy, crispy, top. 

The Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

1-12 ounce bottle or can of beer

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Prep Work

 Move you over rack to the lower middle position and preheat the oven to 375°.  Grease a loaf pan unless you are using a truly non-stick loaf pan.

Measure your flour, and then sift it.  Unless otherwise noted always measure first and then sift. 

Shifting is fun!

Add the baking powder

And the salt

And then add the sugar

Mix them together

Add the beer and stir until well incorporated. 

Press the dough into a greased loaf pan

Pour the melted butter over the top of the dough and bake the bread for 1 hour at 375°. 

Allow the bread to cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack. 

Source: http://www.food.com/recipe/Beer-Bread-73440

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Parmesan and Garlic Biscuits

I used my Cheese Garlic Biscuits for the base of this recipe.  There is not stopping me with the recipe.  The variations can go on forever.  I think I might try a spicy cheese next. 

2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup milk

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and garlic powder. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until the mixture appears pebbly. Add the cheese and stir until well combined. Add the milk and gently mix until a dough is formed.
3. Drop the biscuits onto a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until slightly browned on top.

Smokey Cheese Garlic Biscuits

This is a another variation on my classic Cheese Garlic Biscuits.  I replaced the sharp cheddar cheese with a mixture of smoked cheeses.  This minor change made for a much richer flavor. 

2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1 cup Trader Joe's Shredded Smoked Cheese Blend

1 cup milk

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. 
2. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and garlic powder with a whisk.  Using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture is the consistency of small pebbles. Add the cheese and stir until well combined. 
3. Make a well in the middle and add the milk.  Gently combine until a dough is formed.  Using a large spoon drop the biscuits onto a cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes.

White Cheedar Cheese Biscuits

This is my basic Cheese Garlic Biscuit recipe, but I changed the type of cheese that I use.  I plan on trying some smokey flavored cheeses next.....Yummmyyy.....I cannot wait.

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 cup shredded White Cheddar Cheese
1 cup milk

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. 
2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and garlic powder.  Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until the mixture appears pebbly.  Add the cheese and stir until well combined.  Add the milk and gently mix until a dough is formed
3. Drop the biscuits onto a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until slightly browned on top. 

Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe is from the America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook and like all the recipe from America's Test Kitchen it was a home run. The original recipe does not call for fat free evaporated milk, but that is what I had on hand and the recipe turned out just fine.

8 ounces macaroni
2 large eggs
1 (12-ounce) can fat free evaporated milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard (dissolved in 1 teaspoon water)
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
12 ounces low fat shredded cheddar cheese

1. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, add the macaroni and cook for 9 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the eggs, half the evaporated milk, the mustard mixture, the Tabasco, salt, and pepper.
3. Drain the pasta, and return to the pot. Set the pot over low heat and stir in the egg mixture and half the cheddar cheese. Continue to cook over low heat, gradually stirring in the remaining evaporated milk and cheddar, until the mixture is hot and creamy. About 5 minutes.

Serves 6, 1-cup servings. Calories: 387, 14 grams of fat, and 1 gram of fiber

Italian Cheese and Herb Biscuits

This is the basic biscuit base that I use for my cheese garlic biscuits. I was out of cheddar cheese so I was force to modify and invent something new. This is the result.

2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
1 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, oregano, basil and parsley. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or a couple of forks until the dough looks pebbly. Add the cheese and milk, stirring to combine.
3. Drop biscuits onto baking sheet or pat them into a biscuit shape (like those pictured above).
4. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown on top. If desired melt some additional butter and bush it over the top of the biscuits when they come out of the oven.
   

Olive Oil and Sea Salt Bread

This recipe is from the Mark Bittman, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian cookbook. This bread is very easy and more like a biscuit type dough. There are many variations for adding additional flavors. Also, please to do not be put off by the amount to salt in the above photo. Most of it falls off when you cut the bread and you can dust off even more if you so desire. I just wanted more salt for the photo.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt for the dough, more for the top
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup warm water

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Spray a square baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Put the flour, baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor and turn on the machine. Pour through the feed tube first the olive oil and then the warm water. Process for 30 seconds or until the dough has formed a ball. If the dough is too dry, add more warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Once the dough is a well defined, easy to work with ball, remove it from the food processors.
3. Press the dough into the prepared pan, then turn it over and press it into the pan again. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
4. Remove the bread from the oven, take off the foil, and sprinkle the top with a coarsely grated sea salt. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Enjoy!

Serves 9 when cut into 9 equal squares. 203 calories, 8 grams of fat, 0 grams of fiber

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

I have had a lot of zucchini recipes lately, but what can I say I had a lot of zucchini in the house. When I say that my friend Katherine has hug zucchini, I am not kidding. They are the size of a child's arm. This a delicious and nutritious take on Chocolate Zucchini Bread. I had planned on putting walnuts in this bread, but it turned out it did not have any on hand. I left them out, but I think they would have been a great addition. Do not tell you kids it is healthy and they will never know!

2 cups zucchini, shredded and slightly drained
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling, but puree)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon black strap molasses
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

1. Move your oven rack to the lower middle position, and preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a loaf pan and set it aside.
2. Grate the zucchini and set it aside in a stainer in the sink to allow some of the access water to drain off.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa, salt, and cinnamon. Add the zucchini and set aside.
4. Mix together with a hand-held mixer or in a stand mixer the pumpkin puree, the sugars, eggs, and molasses.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the pumpkin puree mixture. Mix on low speed until well combined.
6. Fold in the walnut.
7. Bake for 1 hour.

Zucchini Cheese Bread

This is one of my mom's old recipes. I like that this is a savory take on Zucchini Bread. I have actually used this recipe as a base for making other types of savory cheese breads. Thanks to my friend Katherine for sharing her giant zucchini!

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 cup shredded, unpeeled zucchini (squeezed dry)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs

1. Move your oven rack to the lower middle position, preheat the oven to 350° and grease a loaf pan
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cheese and onion powder together in a large bowl. Add the squeezed dry zucchini to the flour
3. Pour the batter into a prepared pan and bake for 55min to 1 hour. Cook pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely.
4. In a medium sized bowl, combine the melted butter, buttermilk and eggs. Slowly add the butter mixture to the flour and stir until well combined

Scones

This recipe is from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons, unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup heavy cream

1. Adjust your oven rack to the lower middle position and preheat the oven to 450°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a food processor to combine, about 6 pulses. Scatter the butter over the top and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with a few slightly larges butter lumps, this should take about 12 pulses.
3. Transfer the dough to a large bowl. Stir in the cream with a rubber spatula until the dough begins to form, about 30 seconds.
4. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and knead until it forms a rough, slightly sticky ball, about 5 to 10 seconds.
5. To obtain the proper shape, press the dough into a 9-inch cake pan. Unmold the dough from the cake pan onto the prepared baking sheet and cut the dough into 8 wedges.
6. Bake until the scone tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
7. Enjoy!
   

Cheesey Corn Muffins

1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 egg, slightly beaten

1. Move your oven rack to the lower middle position and preheat the oven to 400°. Grease a muffin pan and set aside
2. Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Combine the milk, oil, cheese, corn and beaten egg in a medium size bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the cornmeal mixture and mix until well combined.
3. Pour into muffin tin until each muffin opening is 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes or until muffins are golden brown on top.
   

Happy St. Patrick's Day: Irish Soda Bread

Here is my second St. Patrick's Day recipe. This is the first time that I have ever made Irish Soda bread. This recipe is from the Grit Restaurant Cookbook.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
4 tablespoons cold butter
2 cups raisins, craisins or a blend of both, finely minced (I tossed mine in the food processor and hit the pulse button)
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1. Move the oven rack to the lower middle position and preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a baking sheet.
2. Whisk together the flours, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and caraway seeds. With a pastry cutter, two forks or your fingers, cut in the butter as you would if making biscuits until finely blended. Stir in the raisins and/or craisins.
3. In a small bowl beat the egg together with the buttermilk. Add to the flour mixture. Gently stir and fold until just combined. Form dough into a rounded, disk-shaped loaf a few inched thick and 7 to 8 inches wide. Place on a baking sheet, and using a sharp knife, mark the top of the loaf decoratively with 1/2 inch deep knife slashes.
4. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.

Cheese and Herb Garlic Biscuits

I decided it was time to update my basic Cheese Garlic Biscuit recipe.
2 cups all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup of butter, plus 1 tablespoon
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup milk

1. Adjust oven rack to middle lower position and preheat oven to 450°.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together. Then cut in the 1/3 cup of butter with a pastry cutter, a fork or your fingers until the mixture appears pebble like. Add the garlic powder, dried herd and cheese; mix until well combine. Carefully stir in the milk. Do not over mix the dough.
3. Drop the biscuits only a cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown on top.
4. While the biscuits are baking melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. When the biscuits are down baking spread the melted butter over the top of the biscuits with a pastry brush.
5. Enjoy!
   

Swiss Cheese Bread

3 cups bread flour
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup butter melted and cooled
2 eggs, slightly beaten

1. Move oven rack to the lower middle position and preheat the oven to 350°
2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil and shredded swiss cheese in a large bowl and set aside
3. Combine milk, butter and eggs together. Add the egg and milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined.
4. Pour batter into greased 9x5x3 loaf pan and bake for 1 hour or until top is golden brown.
   

Biscuits

This is a very basic biscuit recipe that has been in family for ages. For the photo above I doubled the recipe. Below you will find enough for about 6 biscuits.

1 3/4 cups self rising flour
1/3 cup unsalted butter or shortening
3/4 cup milk

1. Preheat the oven to 450°.
2. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter, two knives or your fingers until the mixture resembles pebbles
3. Add the milk and mix together until just incorporated. Do not over mix.
4. If you are new to biscuit making, just drop the dough onto a pan and bake. If you want to try and roll out your biscuit go ahead. I roll mine out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2 inch thick and use a round chopped to cut them out. You can also use a glass to cut them out.
5. Place them on a baking sheet and back for 10-12 minutes. If desired melt some butter and bush onto your finished product.
   

Mexican Corn Bread

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon of ground red pepper
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 4-oz can chopped green chilies
1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 16-oz can creamed corn

1. Move the oven rack to the lower middle position and preheat your oven to 425°. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Combine the meal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and ground red pepper in a medium size bowl. Coming the milk, oil, egg, chilies, cheese and corn in a medium sized bowl. Add the milk mixture to the cornmeal mixture and stir just until well mixed together. The mixture will be lumpy.
3. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is a golden brown and cake tester/toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the bread.

Granny Smith's Cornbread

2 cups self rising cornmeal
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
1 2/3 cups buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 cup melted shortening or vegetable oil
1-2 tablespoons white sugar (optional)

Mix corn meal with sugar (if using) buttermilk and egg. Add the melted shortening or oil. Pour into greased skillet or 8X8 baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes at 425°

Cheese Garlic Biscuits

2 cups self rising flour

1 stick of butter, cold (1/3 cup for dough, set aside the rest)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup milk

1. Move oven racks to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 450°.
2. Cut 1/3 cup cold butter into flour until the mixture is peddley
3. Add garlic powder and cheese
4. Add milk and mix until incorporate, but do not mix to much or your biscuits will be tough.
5. Drop biscuits onto baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until slightly browned on top.
6. Melt the remaining butter in the microwave. Spread melted butter over the biscuit just after the come out of the oven.
7. Serve hot and enjoy!

Banana Bread

2 cups self rising flour

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 to 3 ripe bananas

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup to 3/4 cups milk (more bananas=less milk)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Move oven racks to middle positions. Preheat oven to 350° and grease and flour a loaf pan.
2. Combine the flour and sugar and set aside
3. Mash the bananas, add eggs, melted butter, milk, and vanilla. Beat by hand until well bleneded or with an electric mixer if you desire no lumps of banana in your bread.
4. Add the flour mixture and stir until mixed.
5. Spoon into prepared pan.
6. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour