Monday, January 9, 2012

The color of winter (Recipe: WW Beer Bread)

Nature's Ornaments


Its hard to believe that Christmas has passed, we rang in the New Year and have said goodbye to the second week of January, all the while wearing shorts and tee-shirts down here in The Lone Star State.
Today has finally given us something that resembles winter-overcast skies, wind and a cool drizzling of rain.  The few handfuls of leaves still grasping to the pear tree won't last long now.  They have a story of fight and survival on their hands and thus must be strong.

Somebody is hungry
My husband and I took very good care of our trees during this past summer's painful drought.  We followed the restrictions but never missed a watering day-our trees can show for that.  Their colors are great, from the deepest purple, to the crimson reds that fade to oranges and yellows.  We must exercise patience here in Texas, as our changing of the leaves come during the winter months.  They are resilient.
They have a story to tell
I've been tinkering with my new toy, a camera the hubs surprised me with for Christmas.  I love it and am very pleased with it.  I have a lot to learn in order to get the quality I hope for.  The nature shots are with the new camera.  The picture of the rather healthy hawk stalking my parent's backyard was taken from the inside of the house and the zoom impressed me greatly.  Not a bad shot through a window pane on a rather foggy morning.  The bread pic is taken with my oldie but goodie (which is still held together by tape).

They last few just holding on
When the weather turns cold you can usually find our kitchen bubbling with a spicy gumbo.  We love beer bread paired with Cajun food.  It accompanies gumbo and seafood stews really well.  I think a thick slice slathered with butter is a perfect snack for a winter's day that is trying so hard to get here.

WW Beer Bread
Whole Wheat Beer Bread
1 loaf
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
4 1/2 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t. salt
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 (12-fl. oz) bottle beer (we use Shiner-'cause its the law)
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F.  Lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, stir the flours, baking powder, and salt together.  Add brown sugar and mix the dry ingredients together.  Add the beer and stir until a stiff batter forms.  Scrape dough into prepared pan.
  3. Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

5 comments:

Lee said...

Would you please clarify the units for the baking powder and brown sugar? Your suggestion for making this bread to go along with your gumbo recipe is genius! Whenever I make your crawfish gumbo for our friends up here in the far north, I am the hero of the day. Adding your bread will only enhance my title :) Thanks!
Lee

Melissa said...

Ha! Thanks for pointing that out. I could blame it on the child-but it was a huge oversight on my part! Units added! :)

Kristen said...

Congrats on your new camera - I can't wait to see what you create with it. So fun!

Bunny said...

Your new camera takes great pics but it's YOUR eye that finds them. I've never made beer bread, it looks terrific!

Mama Pea said...

You took fantastic photos with your old camera! Congrats on the new one. Very exciting. This bread looks really yummy. Any bread is good but beer bread is always great!