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cheesy beer bread

You guys, all I can say is, what a bunch of junk.

From all outward appearances, I have been just a step shy of silent over the course of the year. Behind the scenes, however, I have been working like a maniac to make this blog a better place.

For nearly its entire existence, I have operated in this space with a “create, create, create” mentality without much thought to “create, improve, create better.”

Now I find myself with some unexpected time on my hands, so I’ve been making an effort to learn some new tricks and clean up my content. And what a bunch of junk!

cheesy beer bread

I’ve fixed typos. I had onions and mushrooms cooing instead of cooking. Those mushrooms must have been baby bellas. (Ha ha ha!) I bet they sounded cute.

I’ve identified my own jargon. Everything I make is delicious or delightful, with a flavor that really shines through. I learned I have a ton of go-to recipes, and for a while, I was hard pressed to write a blog post without the words, quite frankly or the good news is….

If you asked me to begin a sentence that did not start with yet, well, I don’t think I could have done it. I also really loved cloaking my opinion with the words, in my book.

And I loved – I mean absolutely, positively, I would die for you loved – to say, the point to this rambling explanation is…. On more creative days, this gem would take the form, my point, if there is one to be made in this mess…

cheesy beer bread

I’m cringing. Looking back at the boatload of garbage I’ve published on the internet is like looking back at a junior-high picture where you are sporting frizzy hair and smiling bright, courtesy of your shiny, metal braces. Egad.

Now that the task of sorting through my epic pile of word trash is nearly complete, I am ready to share a recipe. Beer and bread are two of my favorite food things, so I’m getting back into the swing of things with a recipe for cheesy beer bread.

As I was mixing up the dough, I remembered how much I like cooking and baking. As I styled its photo shoot, I begrudgingly admitted photography is a hobby I am not yet ready to give up on. As I sat down to write this post, if only to get the elements of it rattling around my head out of my brain, I full-on owned how much I love writing.

So, I shall continue, even if the pace is slow. Here is to committing to making this a better space for you. Cheers!

cheesy beer bread

Cheesy Beer Bread

Author Baked Occasions by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder (optional)

4 ounces Comte cheese, shredded

4 ounces semi-soft sheep's milk cheese cut into cubes (like Pyrenees Brebis)

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) beer

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and ancho chile powder (optional).
Stir in half (two ounces) of the Comte cheese and all of the semi-soft sheep's milk cheese, making sure each piece is covered with flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the beer, egg, sour cream, and melted butter.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together until combined. Do not overmix.
Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray, sprinkle approximately one ounce of the Comte cheese over the bottom of the pan, and pour the batter into the pan.
Smooth the top and sprinkle with the remaining one ounce of Comte.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. When the bread is done, the top will be browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread will come out clean.
Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 20 minutes or so, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.