Beer Bread

I love this bread during the holidays. It is great for cutting up into cubes and used with your favorite dips as an appetizer. It is a pretty hardy bread and won't break apart when dip is smeared all over it! My favorite is to dip this bad boy into spinach dip and eat it accompanied by a nice cold beer. Remember...if you wouldn't drink it, then don't bake with it. So you'll have to actually sacrifice one can of your favorite beer for this recipe, but it is well worth it!

Beer Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 can (12 ounces) of your favorite beer
2 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Grease an 8"x4" loaf pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, salt and beer. Mix well (it easier if you let the beer foam subside then stir). Pour into the loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes. At the last 3 minutes of baking, brush melted butter over the top of loaf and continue baking for the final 3 minutes.

Hot Artichoke Dip

I love any kind of dip there is...I dip almost all of my food in something or other...bbq sauce, ketchup, sour cream, ranch, the list goes on. My big Walnut on the other hand, has never once in his life dipped anything. Not even his apple dippers into the caramel at McDonald's (not that we go there that often, but I will get them some apples if we happen to be going by one and they need a snack). He won't let gravy touch his plate even! He likes solid foods, sorted out on his plate so that nothing is touching. I just can't explain it.
This has to be about the easiest and tastiest appetizer dip there is. And its so versatile...serve it on chips, bread, pitas, crackers or right off the spoon (ok...maybe that last one is just me.) Substitute shredded Parmesan instead of grated to make it creamier and use it as a topper for grilled chicken breast. It seems the options are endless for this one here.

Hot Artichoke Dip

1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 c Mayo

2 cloves garlic

1 c grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp chopped tomatoes

1 green onion, sliced

Heat oven to 350

Mix first 4 ingredients

Spoon into shallow ovenproof dish or 9” pie plate

Bake 20 to 25 minutes until hot and bubbly. Garnish with tomatoes and onions and serve with bread or crackers.

Pico De Gallo and Guacamole

The scent of spring, sprouting flowers and sunshine are filling the air! It is making me itchy to get gardening too! Last week Walnut and I got our seeds started in the house and guess what? They are already starting to sprout! So far I've got oregano, basil, tomato, pepper and pumpkin seed sprouting. I am so tickled I could scream! I wasn't so sure how starting my own plants in the house would go, but am extremely encouraged by the turnout so far...

I made some Pico de Gallo for Easter to set out for guests while dinner was in the final stages of baking and it made me long for my garden even more. Tomatoes bought in the store never ever live up to my hopes and leave recipes falling flat compared to tomatoes straight from your own backyard...but from September to June in Minnesota...you don't have many other options!

Pico de Gallo

4 large tomatoes
3 jalapenos, deseeded
1/2 large red onion
1 handful cilantro
Juice from 1/2 lime or lemon
Salt to taste

Chop tomatoes, jalapenos, and onion to a small dice and put in a bowl. If you like it hot...you can go ahead and leave the seeds in the jalapenos. Next chop up a handful of cilantro and toss in the bowl. Squeeze juice from lime or lemon over the top and sprinkle with desired amount of salt...fold together. I usually let it sit for a little before digging in to make sure all the flavors have harmonized together!

Have a hankering for some Guacamole? Mash three ripe avocados and fold in Pico de Galo and give another good squeeze of lime or lemon juice.