Whole-Grain Beer Bread

Makes: 1 loaf  Prep time: 20 minutes   Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

This is a hearty bread with 3 grams of fiber per slice. You can make it with a dark beer such as Guinness or a lighter beer [I used Porter]

Vegetable oil cooking spray

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

2-1/4 cups white whole wheat flour (whole grain flour from white wheat)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 container (5.3 oz) low-fat plain Greek yogurt (about 2/3 cup)

2 Tbs canola oil

1 can/bottle (12 ounce) beer

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside. Place rolled oats in a food processor and pulse 4 to 5 times until they are coarsely chopped, but not powdery (this can also be done with a knife on a cutting board). In a large bowl, combine coarsely chopped oats, whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, mixing well. In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil and beer. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well. With a large spoon, gently stir until just incorporated. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool bread in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Enjoy!

Apple Crumble

1-1.5lbs Apples

Other fruit (optional)

Sugar

Cinnamon

4oz Margarine

8oz Flour

4oz Sugar

Cinnamon

Peel, core and slice apples. Layer in a deep dish with sugar to taste and top with a teaspoon or two of cinnamon. I usually add a layer of frozen blackberries, blueberries or pitted cherries to add some color (do not defrost them first).

Fingertip mix the margarine and flour to fine crumbs, add the sugar and a dessert spoon of cinnamon, mix and spoon the crumble over the fruit, leaving the surface rough and loose.

Cook for 30 minutes at 425F then reduce to 375F for 15 minutes.

Serve hot with ice-cream or English Custard.

For English Custard, 4 heaped dessert spoons of sugar and 1 of corn starch. a few drops of vanilla and food coloring (traditionally yellow but other colors work just as well and taste the same). Add enough milk to make a smooth paste and then the balance of 2 cups of milk. Microwave until it starts to rise (about 2 minutes), stir well and then microwave for another 20-30 seconds. Stop before it overflows the container - if you don't watch it carefully you will have lots of clean-up to do!!

Here is the recipe for a very easy (and tasty) applesauce cake with a cream cheese/sour cream and honey frosting. The last time i made this, I didn't have crushed ginger so I substituted a bit of vanilla extract and almond extract, and it tasted fine. I also added some crushed walnuts to the batter, and that was a good addition too. For the frosting, I cut back on the honey just a bit and added some Baily's Irish Cream, and that was a nice flavor addition too. Read the notes from other bakers to see if there are any suggestions there that appeal to you. Have fun!

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019758-applesauce-cake-with-cream-cheese-and-honey-frosting?unlocked_article_code=jc3cY4jwmj-hXY9TQHU8DKM4rPh83LahKJDKlci4r_-aVFw3E-Ux4a7fYSc4eAwUFwXTlc3ayaSHE9QQP_j9WmNciPH-jZ5pfVlJwo4P_L8WRKhdRUSFtmglhjm1NUS1MJmmiI2lDP-2-f1lGBQQoRwgNU193RvLzT0E1SRegZD2rqjLaQ5_-0uw_xmxOjCVpfkB65fDoTlmN-YOXiE0tVKL30XBo_2pLPY4n9o51srO4G-zqVOR8qRLqeeWC0q_9e-f6FffhfeR0jUHq7X-Ss6vQkbxIiJEsf3adwKx8iYJccNPkXBnDF3eI3Ml9qxZUS1KiVd91Q48wnpjIDanA_p_n0efAZlCyu4K7jelIDEysfSqni_Ve3I&smid=share-url

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

For the cream cheese filling:

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened

• 3 tablespoons sugar

• 1 egg yolk

• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the pumpkin bread:

• 1-¾ cups flour

• 1-½ cups sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 1 egg

• 1/3 cup whole milk

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Step 1: prepare cream cheese filling

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla. Mix with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer on medium speed until smooth. Set aside.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients

In a separate bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.

Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients

In a mixing bowl, add the pumpkin, melted butter, egg, milk and vanilla. Mix on low speed until smooth. Gradually add in the dry ingredients mixture, mixing slowly until just combined. Mix for 30 seconds on medium-high speed.

Step 4: Layer the batter and filling

Scoop one-third of the pumpkin batter into the prepared loaf pan. Spread half of the cream cheese filling over top with a spatula. Add another third of the pumpkin batter. Spread the rest of the cream cheese filling over top, and then drop spoonfuls of the remaining pumpkin batter over top. Use a knife to cut through the batter to create a swirl on top.

Step 5: Time to bake

Place the prepared loaf pan in the oven. Bake the pumpkin bread for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Insert a toothpick to be sure it comes out clean!. Once fully baked, remove the pumpkin bread from the oven and allow it to cool for 20 minutes in the pan before transferring the loaf to a cooling rack. Then cool for one hour before serving.