Cheesy Beer Bread

The beer bread that I made to go with the tortilla soup was truly awesome. I had never tried this recipe before, but it sounded so good that I had to give it a whirl. Actually, I ran across it as I was flipping through some old cooking magazines before I threw them in the recycling bin. This one jumped out at me, and since it sounded like it would go nicely with the soup I was making, I gave it a shot.

Please make this bread, just for the pleasure of smelling it as you pull it out of the oven. The onions and cheese just send it over the top.

A couple of notes about the recipe (adapted slightly from one in Cooking Light): it actually calls for Monterrey Jack cheese, but I used cheddar, which is what I had on hand. Besides, beer and cheddar just seem natural together. Also, I didn't realize before that I couldn't buy a single bottle of beer from my grocery store (you have to buy them in packs), but I did find a few large bottles, so I got one of those and used about half for the bread. I chose Stella Artois.

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Cheesy Beer Bread

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
12 oz. lager-style beer
cooking spray
2 Tbsp. melted butter, divided

Preheat oven to 375. Heat skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion to the pan and cook until soft and slightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in pepper and garlic; cook 1 minute.

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cups. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt with a whisk. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the onion mixture, cheese, and beer. Stir until just moist.

Spoon batter into a 9x5" loaf pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of butter over the batter. Bake for 35 minutes. Drizzle the other tablespoon of butter over the batter, then bake for 20-25 minutes longer. The bread is done when it is a deep golden brown and when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Enjoy!