Basic Beer-Cheese Bread

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion to pan; cook 10 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in pepper and garlic; cook 1 minute.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk; make a well in center of mixture. Add onion mixture, cheese, and beer to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Spoon batter into a 9 x 5–inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Drizzle 1 tablespoon butter over batter. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes. Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon butter over batter. Bake an additional 25 minutes or until deep golden brown and a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Apple-Cheddar Beer Bread: Substitute 1/2 cup minced shallots for onion. Place 1/2 cup shredded peeled Gala apple in paper towels; squeeze until barely moist. Cook shallots and apple in oil over medium heat for 7 minutes. Substitute 1 cup shredded extrasharp white cheddar cheese for Monterey Jack. Substitute 1 (12-ounce) bottle hard cider for lager. Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

CALORIES 151 (27% from fat); FAT 4.6g (sat 2.5g, mono 1.6g, poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 4.4g; CARB 21.9g; FIBER 0.8g; CHOL 11mg; IRON 1.3mg; SODIUM 265mg; CALC 87mg Manchego-Jalapeño Beer Bread: Substitute 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions and 1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeño pepper for onion; cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Substitute 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Manchego cheese for Monterey Jack cheese. Substitute 1 (12-ounce) bottle Mexican beer (such as Dos Equis) for lager-style beer. Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice).

CALORIES 148 (28% from fat); FAT 4.6g (sat 2.4g, mono 1.7g, poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 4.7g; CARB 20.6g; FIBER 0.7g; CHOL 12mg; IRON 1.3mg; SODIUM 244mg; CALC 108mg Sopressata-Asiago Beer Bread: Substitute 1/2 cup minced shallots and 2 tablespoons chopped green onions for onion. Substitute 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Asiago cheese for Monterey Jack cheese. Substitute 1 (12-ounce) bottle Italian lager beer (such as Peroni) for lager-style beer. Stir 2 ounces finely chopped Sopressata salami into batter. Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice).

CALORIES 154 (29% from fat); FAT 5g (sat 2.4g, mono 2g, poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 5g; CARB 21.2g; FIBER 0.7g; CHOL 11mg; IRON 1.4mg; SODIUM 301mg; CALC 89mg