SUPER AWESOME BEER BREAD. YUP, IT'S THAT AWSOME.

I love Recipezaar.com. It's fantastic. I was searching for and easy bread to make because I don't really have the patience or knack for yeast breads. This one is as easy as they come. This recipe has to be fab because it's just a smidge under a 5 star rating by 534 people. Literally. I'm pretty sure that many people can't lead me astray. I only wish I would have chosen a better beer...but I'm cheap, but not PBR cheap. By the way, has anyone gone onto a beer's website and noticed that you have to put your birthday in? Really? You can't look at beer online if you're under 21? You can see commercials on tv when you're 2. Also- you should go to the PBR link and look at the PBR art. Sweet. I personally like this one because I believe that the belly on the dragon truly depicts that of a true PBR drinker.

BEER BREAD

3 cups flour (sifted)
3 teaspoons baking powder (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
1 teaspoon salt (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
1/4 cup sugar
1 (12 ounce) can beer
1/2 cup melted butter (1/4 cup will do just fine)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix dry ingredients and beer.
3. Pour into a greased loaf pan.
4. Pour melted butter over mixture.
5. Bake 1 hour, remove from pan and cool for at least 15 minutes.

**1/3/11 UPDATE**

I made a double batch, using self-raising flour, 3 cups (or 1.5 c each batch) of finely shredded cheddar cheese and Lebatt Blue beer. OMG Delicious.

Strawberries 'n Cream Muffins

I signed up for the Cooking Club of America without knowing that you had to pay membership dues and all of that bullshit. Mike signed up for the Hunter's Club and didn't have to pay a dime...and they sent him a pant load of cool gear. WTF. Same thing I guess, only I get delicious recipes, kind of. Anyway- they send me a cooking magazine which, for the most part, sucks. However, in the back of the April/May 2010 issue, there is a "flashback" recipe which looked scrumptious. I just had to try it. Besides, tomorrow is Mikey's birthday...he's gotta have something good for breakfast!

Strawberry-Cream Cheese Muffins

2 c all-purpose flour

3/4 c plus 3 tbsp sugar, divided

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, chilled, cut up

1 c chopped strawberries

3/4 c plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

1 egg

1 (3oz) pkg. cream cheese, cut into 12 cubes

1. Heat oven to 400 F. Grease bottoms of 12 muffin cups or line with paper liners. Combine flour, 3/4 c of the sugar, baking powder and soda in a medium bowl. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly-ish. Stir in strawberries.

2. Whisk buttermilk and egg in a small bowl until blended. Gently stir mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Divide evenly among muffin cups. Dip cream cheese pieces in 2 tbsp of the sugar; press cubes in the center of each muffin (do not cover with the batter). Sprinkle muffins with remaining 1 tbsp sugar.

3. Bake 20-25 minutes or until light brown and toothpick inserted off-center comes out clean (don't put the toothpick in the cream cheese). Cool on wire rack 10 minutes Remove from pan; serve warm or at room temp. Store in refrigerator.

Note: I made 6 large muffins. I baked at the same temp for 25-30 minutes-ish.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKEY!!!