Beer Bread

On a cold winter day, nothing warms up the house like a hot oven and the yeasty smell of fresh baking bread. I love to make bread and on months when my interning requires less than the average 80 hours per week, we make a loaf every week. But, on other weeks, we just do not have time to knead, rise, rise again, and bake bread, no matter how delicious and healthful the result is. So, we often turn to quick and tasty beer bread. Lots of yeasty flavor, no kneading, no rising. Just a quick mix and toss it in the oven and turn it on. Some versions we have tried are enhanced with sliced green olives, or cheese, or caramelized onions. But our favorite is just plain bread.

As with any recipe, the product is as good as the ingredients, ie, better beer makes better beer bread. Even if you are not a beer consumer, buying a single bottle of Guinness, or a local porter or ale, will give so much more flavor than the standard American Bud Light. I would even try a St. Pauli's Girl (non alcoholic) if you are shy to buy beer.

3 cups flour (we often mix 1/3 to 1/2 whole wheat with white)
3 Tb sugar
4 Tb active dry yeast
1 12 oz bottle beer

1. Combine dry ingredients. Add beer and mix well.
2. Pour into loaf pan.
3. Place in cold oven. Set to 350 degrees.
4. Bake 45 minutes, or til knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Cool a few minutes before removing from pan.

from The Healthy College Cookbook that I keep around despite being more than 10 years out of college.