Alton Brown's Beer Cheese Bread

I love Alton Brown, and this bread was easy and delicious!



INGREDIENTS
* Nonstick spray
* 8 ounces all-purpose flour
* 4 ounces whole-wheat flour
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
* 4 1/2 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated
* 12 ounces cold beer, ale or stout
* 1 to 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds, optional


INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat the inside of a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with the nonstick spray and set aside.

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, wheat flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and dill in a large mixing bowl. Add in the cheese and stir in the beer just to combine. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the sunflower seeds, if using.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven until the bread reaches an internal temperature of 210 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 45 to 55 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Paula Deen's Spinach and Bacon Quiche

I have always seen myself as a good baker and a hopeless cook. However, joining some new baking communities recently has made me realize that I can use my baking skills to make meals sometimes, too. This weekend, I made my first attempt at a quiche. This is actually the second attempt because my husband liked it so much that I made another one! (The first one failed to get photographed because we had friends over).

I was so proud! I like baking because you put the ingredients together and then you're done. Whereas with cooking, you're standing there over the burner with your food about to turn into a blackened lump (if you're me) and wondering what to do right now.



Anyway, here is the recipe I used, courtesy of the Food Network and Paula Deen. No butter, but lots of eggs, cheese, bacon and heavy cream. Hmmm, wonder why I never seem to lose that extra 10 pounds. ;-)

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach, packed
• 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust, fitted to a 9-inch glass pie plate

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Layer the spinach, bacon, and cheese in the bottom of the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture on top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the egg mixture is set. Cut into 8 wedges.