Basic Beer Bread

Cheddar - Dill Beer Bread

• 3 Cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder (fresh!)
• 12 ounces beer
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Heat oven to 375ºF.
Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder (**and optional ingredients)  in a large mixing bowl.
Slowly stir in beer and mix just until combined. Batter will be thick.
Spread in a greased 8″ loaf pan.
Pour melted butter over the top.
Bake about 45 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick  stuck in the center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.
Remove from pan and cool 10 more minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

**Don’t be afraid to flavor it up with any multitude of variations. Here are some idea’s:
Herbs:  1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon fresh. Garlic, Rosemary, oregano, thyme,  dill, chili powder just to name a few.
Cheese: 1 cup grated sharp cheddar, crumbled feta, Parmesan, Romano, Asiago
Other options: 1/2 cup chopped scallions or onion, fresh parsley, fresh basil, sun dried tomato
Replacements: in place of 1/2 cup of the flour use 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, or 1/2 cup oatmeal.

I love this recipe because it’s so versatile, quick and easy. Surely you can mix and match combination to fit with whatever you might be serving it up with.  I dig the garlic, dill, cheddar cheese version the most. Sometimes I add chili powder and bacon or infuse the melted butter with garlic before pouring it over the bread. It always comes out delicious!

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

• 4 large handfuls spinach (rinsed & dried)
• 2 large eggs (hard boiled)
• 8 pieces crispy bacon (chopped) (reserve fat)
• 4 Large white mushrooms (sliced)
• 1 small red onion (sliced thin)

Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons bacon fat (or combine fat with olive oil for 3 tablespoons)
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt
• Pepper

Remove the stems from the spinach and wash, drain and pat dry.
Place in large mixing bowl and set aside.
Hard boil the eggs and cook the bacon until crisp.
Reserve 3 Tablespoons of bacon fat. (I reserve 1 Tablespoon bacon fat  and add extra virgin olive oil for the rest).
Slice mushrooms (hint: the egg slicer works well on mushrooms too) and onion.
Add to spinach and toss.
Peel and slice eggs, crumble bacon.
In small saucepan on low heat whisk bacon fat (olive oil) with vinegar, sugar and Dijon mustard.
Season with salt and pepper.
Drizzle warm dressing over spinach. Toss.
Top with sliced eggs and crumbled bacon.

Mushroom Fettuccine

• 8 oz  dry fettuccine
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 to 2  pounds  sliced mushrooms (baby bellas and/or cremini)
• 1/2 cup pinot noir  (or other favorite dry red or white wine)
• 1/2 grated Parmesan / Romano  cheese
• Salt to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley to garnish.

Cook pasta in salted water according to directions.
Drain reserving 1/2 cup to set aside.
Heat butter and oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat.
When bubbles calm down add pepper flakes and garlic. Cook 1 minute.
Stir in mushrooms, cooking until they release their liquid and it’s nearly evaporated (takes about 15 – 20 minutes).
De-glaze pan with wine.
Simmer until nearly evaporated.
Add fettuccine to pan.
Stir in pasta water a little at a time until sauce loosely coats pasta (1/4 to 1/2 is all you’ll typically use).
Remove from heat toss pasta with grated Parmesan cheese.
Season with salt.
Garnish with chopped parsley and more Parmesan.

Mr. D's Grilled Salmon

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh salmon (cut into 4 – 6 fillets)
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup loose brown sugar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Lemon Pepper (Lemon zest & black pepper works also)
• Garlic Powder
• Salt

Season salmon fillets with lemon pepper, garlic powder, and salt.
In a gallon sized zip lock bag, mix together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and vegetable oil until sugar is dissolved.
Place fish in plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture, seal, and turn to coat.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Preheat grill for medium heat.
Lightly oil grill grate.
Place salmon on the preheated grill, and discard marinade.
Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

**You can also bake this in a 400ºF oven for 25-30 minutes by placing fish and marinade in a sprayed shallow baking dish.