Beer Bread, the Wisconsin Way
we see this as an opportunity to have some family time making and enjoying homemade bread.
Craving carbs
Bread is a staple in my family. As a runner, I crave carbs. I guess it’s in my blood since my children ask for toast almost daily (and often multiple times a day). In fact, my kids as five AND three year olds were self-sufficient when it comes to toasting and buttering their own piece.
Multi-tasking meltdown
As they age, we ask my kids to notify us when they want to use the toaster. If I get any rebuttal, I just mention “the hotel incident” when I set off a smoke detector at a hotel attempting to make them toast in the microwave. I just couldn’t help multi-tasking and before I knew it smoke was billowing out of the microwave. My husband swooped in like Superman to carry the machine outside, but too late. I bolted to notify the hotel lobby to disalarm the smoke detectors and sprinkler system. Luckily, we did not have a hotel evacuation. Despite an entire bottle of Febreze over the duration of our stay, we still smelt the smoke every time we entered the room and the memory still looms.
Using a breadmaker
I was inspired to purchase a breadmaker several years ago after hearing how good my friend’s fresh loaves of were. He talked about how easy it was with the breadmaker. Since he was not considered a chef on any level, I thought it would be a good investment.
After my breadmaker sat on the shelf for many years, my husband threatened to give it away. That gave me the push I needed and over the past couple of years have regularly made a loaf every week or two.
My breadmaker recipe book has 1 loaf and 1 1/2 loaf options. I ALWAYS make the 1 1/2 loaf recipe option (I even tried increasing it to a 2 loaf option but found I had trouble rising my dough). I have two favorites I usually alternative between - cinnamon raisin and honey oatmeal.
The loaves usually disappear very fast. In fact, the last 1 1/2 loaf I made, there were only 3 pieces left by the time it had fully cooled and I put in a container…and my husband hadn’t even come in the house yet to try a piece. Then the rest of the loaf had disappeared after my almost 2 year old son helped himself to a mid-morning snack the next day.
My three year old polishes off a piece of bread
No breadmaker necessary
Since not everyone may have a breadmaker (or bread flour) on hand, beer bread is an easy bread to make. I particularly enjoy a specialty bread that isn’t even found in the store!
Wisconsin ingredients
You don’t even need yeast to make this beer bread. Instead you’ll need (you guessed it) a can of beer - and nearly every Wisconsinite has a can of beer in the back of the fridge. They don’t call us Wisconsinites Cheeseheads for nothing, so make sure to add some cheese in the bread too!
No need to knead
Beer bread is especially easy to whip up since it requires no kneading or rise time. From start to finish it takes only an hour before we’re enjoying fresh bread.
Cheesy Beer Bread Recipe
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 can beer (a good way to use up a leftover cheap beer from a party)
Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
Mix in the can of beer, but don’t overmix (there should still be a few lumps).
Stir in the cheese.
Pour into two greased bread loaf pans.
Bake at 375F for 35-40 min until an inserted toothpick comes out dry.
Wait until the loaves cool before removing from the pan.