Back in the Saddle, Again… Or, should I say, “back in the kitchen, again”?”
It seems that Victor has been doing a lot of cooking the past few weeks. It’s been fun for both of us, but I must admit I do miss making my messes. Uh, er… I mean cooking.
Since it actually made it up to a balmy 22° today with only 40 mph winds, I thought soup and bread would be a good combination. I had soaked a bag of canary beans last night with no real idea of what I was going to do with them, so the frigid weather made up my mind for me.
The bread was my old standby… It comes from customers at Trader Joe’s from way back when…
Beer Bread
George and Suzanne
George says this is one of the easiest – and best – breads he’s ever come across. The basic recipe is first, and his variations follow.
- 3 cups self-rising flour
- 2 tbsp sugar (raw sugar works best)
- 12 oz beer
Use a 4″ x 8″ bread pan. Mix and bake at 350° about 1 hour. Top with melted butter*
*This means melt a cube of butter and pour over the unbaked dough in the pan.
Then bake for 1 hour. It is best to put the bread pan on a cookie sheet.
If you don’t have any self-rising flour in the cupboard, don’t fret. Use:
- 1 cup flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
per cup of flour.
Variations:
- Use 1 1/2 – 2 cups whole wheat or rye flour.
- add 1 tbsp caraway seeds or flax seeds
- add 3 tbsp cranberries, currants, etc.
- Use different beers, stouts, or ales.
The type of beer you use will really make a difference! Ales and porters will give you a stronger flavor than a simple Miller Lite, but it will also will work!
I had a ham bone in the freezer, so out it came, along with everything else in the refrigerator. This was really a clean out the refrigerator soup!
Bean Soup
- 1 pound canary (or other) beans, soaked overnight
- 1 ham bone
- 4 quarts water
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 whole cloves
- 6 peppercorns
- pinch salt
- 6 carrots, sliced
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 heads belgian endive
- 1/2 carton grape tomatoes
- freshly-grated parmesan cheese
Put bean, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, and ham bone in pot and add water to cover. Simmer until beans are almost done. Add carrots, celery, and whatever vegetables are in the ‘fridge and have to be used up.
Simmer until vegetables are cooked and beans just begin to break down and thicken.
Serve with fresh-baked bread and parmesan cheese.
Simplicity.
Between the simmering soup and the baking bread, the house was totally warm and filled with tantalizing scents.
Tomorrow is supposed to bring more cold weather and some flurries.
Can’t wait. <sigh>