Beer Bread

Generally, making bread is a concept that frightens me slightly.  I can do quick breads with little anxiety, but a real, add-the-yeast-knead-the-dough bread seems difficult.  Thus, imagine my delight when at a church picnic last summer, one of our friends introduced us to beer bread.  It's stupid easy, but lighter and more bread-like than most quick breads (which to me are more muffin-like).  Regardless, these are still more of a breakfast bread than a sandwich bread (though, I imagine it depends on the beer, too).

As a bonus, it's easy to change up the flavors by using a different beer.  Boom - instant seasonal bread.  Our friend makes hers with Miller Light, but because we're beer snobs, I rejected that option.  In the fall, I made ours with Dogfish Head's Punkin Ale (delicious, nutmeggy tones), and in the winter, I used New Holland's The Poet Oatmeal Stout (a rich, hearty flavor).  I'm about to see what Bell's Oberon will do, and will keep you posted.

3 cups self-rising flour, sifted
1/2 cup sugar
12 ounces beer (your choice)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Butter a loaf pan and set aside. 

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and beer, and mix well (don't over do it, though).  Pour into the loaf pan and bake for one hour, or until tester comes out clean.  Cool and enjoy.

This was my breakfast

We were walking through Meijer last night and saw the most interesting thing in the produce section. It was a brightly colored fruit with little spines poking out of it. I picked one up to examine it and thought "This looks more like a dog toy than a piece of fruit." Of course, I had to buy it.

I didn't know what it was at the register, and so I u-scanned it as if it were an ugli fruit, even though it clearly wasn't. I came in to work this morning, cut it open, and this is what I found.


It's tart like a kiwi, messy like a tomato, and apparently only contains 25 calories. A co-worker did some research while I was in the kitchen making a mess and found out that it was called a "horned melon", that it comes from Africa, and that there are all sorts of ways one can use it.

I scrubbed it out so my co-workers could get a good look at it. The inside of the rind is similar to a pumpkin after the fruit has been scrubbed away. When I get the opportunity, I'll totally get some more in order to try some of the recipes that my "horned melon" google search turned up. One involving beef. Sweet, right?