Beer Cheese Bread

^ Cheese topping not shown above ^

This bread is phenomenal!  I have wanted to make a beer bread for a long time and just never got around to it.  Well, now that I’ve made it, I’m in love and I’m going to make it all the time!  It is super delicious and easy!

I have an odd fear of yeast, so this bread is right up my ally.  Next time, I may add some jalapeno peppers with the onion, but it is just perfect the way it is!

I’m going to go eat another slice now…

Beer Cheese Bread

{source:  Milk & Honey originally from Cooking Light}

INGREDIENTS:

• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 1/2  cup  finely chopped yellow onion
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 13.5  ounces  all-purpose flour (about 3 cups)
• 3  tablespoons  sugar
• 2  teaspoons  baking powder
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1  cup  (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese {plus, I added 1/4 cup extra for topping-optional}
• 1  (12-ounce) bottle lager-style beer {I used Blue Moon’s Harvest Ale, but Budweiser would be fine.}
• Cooking spray
• 2  tablespoons  melted butter, divided

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion to pan; cook 10 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in pepper and garlic; cook 1 minute.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk; make a well in center of mixture. Add onion mixture, cheese, and beer to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

4. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5–inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Drizzle 1 tablespoon butter over batter. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes. Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon butter over batter. Bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until deep golden brown and a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. {Top with 1/4 cup cheese and return to oven for 5 minutes.}

Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Enjoy!!!