Basic Beer-Cheese Bread

I used whole wheat pastry flour in place of white flour and a combination of cheddar and asiago cheeses. From Cooking Light, November 2008.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup  finely chopped yellow onion
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 3  cups all-purpose flour (about 3 cups)
• 3  tablespoons sugar
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  cup  shredded monterey jack cheese
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle  lager-style beer
•  cooking spray
• 2  tablespoons  melted butter, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat.
3. Add onion to pan; cook 10 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in pepper and garlic; cook 1 minute.
5. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk; make a well in center of mixture.
6. Add onion mixture, cheese, and beer to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
7. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5–inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.
8. Drizzle 1 tablespoon butter over batter.
9. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes.
10. Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon butter over batter.
11. Bake an additional 25 minutes or until deep golden brown and a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
12. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan.
13. Cool completely on wire rack.