Thursday, October 8, 2020

Beer Bread: fast and fantastic for Oktoberfest or any time #recipe #Giveaway


Beer Bread: fast and fantastic for Oktoberfest or any time.   #recipe #Giveaway



by Mary Jane Maffini


Fall is officially here and one of the biggest annual celebrations is Oktoberfest, celebrated in many  places around the world including Canada and the USA, Germany. and other countries. Of course, the main ingredient in Oktoberfest seems to be beer. Most of us won’t be attending such a festival this year (if we ever did) but we can still have small and delicious celebrations at home or with small groups of friends. I nominate Beer Bread as a great way to get into October.  Last spring when I may have been moaning that yeast had suddenly vanished from the stores, I was given this recipe from Gail, a very special person. It solved the lack-of-yeast problem in the tastiest way.  For the beer bread we used bread flour and our locally-milled whole wheat flour as well. 

                                            

The volunteers at our historic mill sell the product to support their activities. All-purpose flour and regular whole wheat will do fine.

Full disclosure: this is a very easy recipe, however I was distracted when I made the first loaf and only when it was bubbling away in the oven did I notice the container of baking powder, unopened. I had no recollection of adding one tablespoon of that baking powder to the dry ingredients. My husband who has never baked anything in his life insisted it should be fine and he would eat it anyway. He did actually, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Beer bread 2.0 turned out much better and was a huge hit. Funny how a simple recipe with common ingredients can wow people.  The little mister has asked for the recipe.

Beer bread has become a popular feature in our home and backyard. This loaf was recently served with butter and two kinds of cheese as a dinner appetizer as you can see further down.  I’m hoping you’ll enjoy it too on a crisp autumn day outside or curled up and comfy inside. It’s great toasted if there’s any left the next day. Truth be told, we loved it in the spring too. Guten apetit!

Because I’m still feeling guilty my new book cover and cover is not yet available to thrill you with, I am having another giveaway today.  Make sure to read to the bottom of the post to find out what and how.  And now, happy and easy baking to you.

Beer Bread

Ingredients

3 cups flour – 2 cups white + 1 cup whole wheat or rye, etc.

1 Tbsp. baking powder

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 12oz can of beer or equivalent

¼ cup melted butter

chopped chives or herbs (optional) – I used chives from the garden

grated cheddar (optional)  I’ll do this next time

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Mix dry ingredients. 


Don’t forget any! Add beer and blend until incorporated.


Transfer to greased loaf pan. You will notice that I lined the loaf pan lengthwise with a strip of parchment paper, a tip from our much-missed colleague Sheila Connolly.  The resulting loaf before and after cooking won’t be as smooth as regular bread. 


Pour melted butter over top. 


 


How easy was that? Bake at 375 for 45 minutes to 1 hour in the middle of the oven. Chopped herbs, sautéed onion or grated cheese can be incorporated.  



Serve warm with butter or at room temperature with cheese or pate or just by itself.  We 'ladied it up' with wine glasses and Boursin cheese to serve to guests before dinner but anything goes. 

                                        


 


Mary Jane Maffini is the author of three and a half mystery series: the Camilla Maffini mysteries, the Fiona Silk capers and the Charlotte Adams mysteries – number six coming soon!  The Charlotte Adams books have recently been optioned for television films. Details to come when they can be made public. With her daughter Victoria Maffini, MJ collaborated on The Book Collector Mysteries as Victoria Abbott. Victoria Abbott spent several happy years on Mystery Lovers Kitchen. MJ  is very glad to be back. 

Don't forget to check out MJ's Canadian books:  Camilla MacPhee features a fortyish widowed lawyer who runs an advocacy agency for victims of violet crime, in Ottawa, Canada's capital city. Life would be easier if she didn't have the world's worst office assistant, the world's bossiest sisters and, arguably, the world's greatest stubborn streak. If you like your mysteries a bit edgy with a side order of humor, these could be for you.  Speaking of, read about the giveaway:


GIVEAWAY TODAY:  The Dead Don’t Get Out Much is also a fall book but set a bit later near Remembrance Day. As part of it is set in the war, shortages of materials and ingredients form part of the story and that seems to be something we are getting used to. By the time it gets to the winner, it should be right on time. Of all the books I have written, this one is my favorite. I hope you will enjoy it too!  Just come by with a comment about what you like to eat on those early fall days or anything else really. Don’t forget to include your email address, suitably disguised to fool the ‘bots’ and to watch for an email from me if you are the winner. A whisper in your ear: I am often in the spam filter.  Perhaps Mary Jane Maffini is a little bit too close to marijuana muffins for those vigilant spam filters.  

 


Keep up on the news!  Sign up for MJ's newsletter HERE 

 

 

21 comments:

  1. I enjoy a good beer bread and plan to try this one. I have a corn chowder recipe from a neighbor that is the perfect thing to eat on cold days. It's become a fast favorite at my house.
    kozo8989(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  2. As we get into fall I love to start eating pumpkin baked goods.
    Kitten143 (at) Verizon (dot) net

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  3. I load up on apples as soon as the new crop comes in.
    sgiden at verizon(.)net

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  4. When fall arrives I look forward to making my favorite soups which are soothing and tasty. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  5. Macintosh apples for apple cake, applesauce and baked apples. I love this season for the wonderful apples which are so perfect for eating and enjoying. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  6. Thanks for this recipe, MJ! We have all this beer left over from our kids, who cannot come for a visit any more. We don't drink it, and I've been looking for a good way to use some of it up. This looks perfect.

    I'll serve it with a cool weather favorite soup. More than one!

    k maslowski at fuse dot net And thank you!

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  7. Yum. When it's fall it's time to make the beef stew and chicken soup I have been making for years. Bread always goes well with stew and soup!
    sallycootie(at)gmail(dot)com

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  8. I love making chili and stew in the Fall I also like making my Mom's English Apple Pie when apples are in season.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  9. What fun!
    Any ball park amounts for additional herbs, onions, and/or cheese?
    I'm intrigued by the "1 12oz can of beer or equivalent" entry. "Or equivalent"???

    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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    Replies
    1. We in the frozen North have beer in various containers, but measured in millilitres (ML)Different bottles and cans, slight difference in sizes. I was doing math in my head! So there's a mystery answered. Also the Heineken can was larger and had to be calculated. Luckily this is a forgiving recipe, LOL.

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    2. PS - I only tried chives and used maybe three tablespoons. You know I am kind of seat of the pants. Cheese I would GUESS 1/4 cup. Time wil tell.

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    3. Thanks.
      I like that "seat of the pants" style! "Hm, that looks about right." Or "Hm, a little bit more, I think."

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  10. Oh this bread looks so good. Perfect to go with pretty much any kind of soup, which is what I love eating in the fall.
    turtle6422 at gmail dot com

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  11. Thank you for this recipe. This looks very similar to the one my nephew makes. It is the best. On fall cooler days I like to make soups and stews and shepherds pie with cauliflower
    quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

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  12. I like stews, soups and curries when the weather turns cooler.
    wskwared(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  13. In the early days of autumn (and winter too!) I like to cook home made soups, stews, chili, and lots of home made bread and rolls. Thank you for the giveaway opportunity! I really appreciate all the authors who sponsor giveaways both here and elsewhere!

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

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  14. I enjoy soups and stews when the weather turns cooler.
    jtcgc at yahoo dot com

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  15. I love making soups in the fall and this bread will go great with my chunky potato soup! thanks for the chance to win! amandasmother(at)aol(dot)com

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  16. That looks good! I had a recipe for bread that was just beer and Bisquick. Haven’t made it in years.
    patdupuy(at)yahoodotcom

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  17. I had to pass this recipe on to our sons! One of them made it within the hour, plus my husband made a loaf while I was at work! This is definitely a WINNER. Adding it to my personal recipes! Thank you! Betcei(@)aol(dot)com

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  18. I enjoy eating my spinach artichoke dip on either bread or crackers! tWarner419(at)aol(dot)com

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