Whenever I eat soup, I have to have bread. I think that is true for many people. I love to dip it in the soup while I’m eating it and I always save a bite or two of the bread to sop up the last drops of the soup. When I plan to make soup, I try to budget enough time to also make bread to go along with it. It takes some planning, but I can’t have one without the other. In a pinch, I’ll resort to some purchased naan or sandwich thins which I always have on hand, but I prefer to make a special bread, tailored to whatever soup we’ve decided to have. If I’ve budgeted & planned well, I’ll put together a yeast bread using the bread maker. Quick breads are flavorful options that work well, too. And they have the added benefit of being faster to put together and bake as compared to yeast breads.

Kelly gave me her friend’s beer bread recipe to make with the Pumpkin Leek Soup from earlier this week. Kelly & Kara spent their junior year of college together studying in Russia where daily afternoon tea is traditional. They continued their afternoon tea routine back in the States during their senior year. Kara would make some of this savory bread to share with Kelly while they hung out, did laundry & had tea. The bread’s subtle flavor is the perfect complement to a bold or hearty soup.

Rosemary Cheddar Beer Bread

Rosemary Cheddar Beer Bread (adapted from everybodylikessandwiches.com)

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup aged sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 12 ounces beer

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375º F. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and rosemary. When it is combined, incorporate the Parmesan and cheddar cheeses into the mix.

Add the cheeses to the dry ingredients.

Slowly stir in the beer and mix just until combined. (Use your hands if needed to thoroughly mix the dough.) The dough will be thick.

Slowly pour & mix in the beer.

Transfer the dough into a greased 8- or 9-inch loaf pan. Bake the bread until it is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 40 – 45 minutes.

Turn the dough into the prepared loaf pan.

Cool the bread in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.

Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto the rack.

Remove it from pan and cool for at least 10 more minutes before slicing.

Try to wait at least another 10 minutes before slicing the bread!

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Ready for some soup with delicious bread!

Bread is a must for soups!  ~Linda

Rosemary Cheddar Beer Bread  everybodylikessandwiches.co

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup aged sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 12 ounces beer

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and rosemary. When it is combined, incorporate the Parmesan and cheddar cheeses into the mix. Slowly stir in the beer and mix just until combined. (Use your hands if needed to thoroughly mix the dough.) The dough will be thick. Transfer the dough into a greased 8- or 9-inch loaf pan and bake it until it is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 40 – 45 minutes.

Cool the bread in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove it from pan and cool for at least 10 more minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.