Bacon & Chive Beer Bread

Since moving out on my own, the little holiday traditions I would share with my family or friends have changed. The rituals I enjoyed are evolving and taking on new forms. I am learning to rediscover these holidays, to make them my own in a small way. When I was younger, I imagined how the holidays would change as I grew older with my own family, but this middle ground, where I am neither a child nor a grown adult, has proven an adventure. A good adventure, but an adventure all the same.

Usually these little holidays make for a good excuse to raid the candy aisle, I've found.

The Super Bowl was one of those small celebrations my family shared together. Even though none of us cared much for football (we were lucky to catch a single game in a year's time), we made a big deal out of it just the same, turning an ordinary Sunday into something a little special. My mother would make mini sausages and a large pot of chili, leaving them to simmer on the stove until the smell drove us to the kitchen brandishing bowls and spoons. The game would be on in the background, secondary to the time we spent with one another. It was a simple tradition we shared together, but it was one I looked forward to as each new year approached.

In trying to find my own way to celebrate the Super Bowl this year, I've already stashed half a loaf of this Bacon & Chive Beer Bread into the freezer to emerge on game day. Paired with a hearty chili, I believe this will make for a good start for my own tradition. I may not know who is playing, or who will entertain at the half-time show, but there is no way that chili-soaked beer bread could ever be a let-down.

If you are looking for more Super Bowl party dishes for the big day, check these out:

• Beer Bread
• Sweet & Spicy Peanut Chili Chicken Wings
• Black Bean Salsa
• BBQ Mini Sausages
• BBQ Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Bacon & Chive Beer Bread is exceptionally simple to make, requiring only a bowl, spoon, and five minutes of your time. The bread is infused with bacon and chives, which elevates the classic beer bread to a new level. Melted butter is poured over the loaf before baking, which soaks deep into the bread and gives it a wonderfully buttery crust. I suggest using your favorite beer for the loaf because the flavor will be quite pronounced; that said, I would shy away from sweet or fruity beers because it would fight the saltiness of the rest of ingredients.

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Beer Bread

Beer has a time and place. Sporting events and hot summer nights. Wild concerts and Super Bowl parties. A refreshing side to a slice of pizza or a platter of fries. Whether you enjoy it pale or dark, bitter or balanced, light or filling enough to be a meal, there is a beer for everyone and every occasion. Sometimes the trickiest part is finding the right one for you. In my third year since reaching the legal drinking age, I'm not quite sure I've found my one and only just yet.

That said, I've always been more of a wine kind of gal.

Beer bread, opposed to a mug of frothy ale, is something I can get behind. It's no secret that I love bread in each and every form. Beer bread is no exception. If left to my own devices (with no concept of willpower or prying, concerned eyes), I could very well eat the entire loaf by myself.

After years of baking beer bread from box mixes, it wasn't until I set out on my own that I realized how absolutely easy it is to make without a mix. In fact, it takes only a minute longer to whisk together the base ingredients. A whole minute. Sometimes I'm amazed by the ease bread can come together.

For those of you are hesitant about making yeast breads, this is for you. Beer bread is technically a "yeast" bread but, since yeast comes only from the beer, you don't have to worry about proofing or anything else that comes with that process. Of course, you don't have to share that minor detail with those you are trying to impress.

The special ingredient in this particular recipe is the butter. Though the butter can be optional (especially if you are watching your waistline), I wholeheartedly recommend you brush it heavily on the bread before baking. It really gives the bread a thick, buttery crust that is absolutely wonderful.

In fact, I'm pretty sure it's my favorite part.

Beer Bread is buttery, chewy, and tastes like your favorite beer. The yeast in the beer interacts with the sugar to help the bread to rise (and the baking powder gives the bread an additional boost to keep it from becoming dense). Be wise, however, in choosing the beer you use. A beer with fruit tones will lend a sweeter, fruity bread. Likewise, a dark ale will lend a robust flavor to the final product. I recommend you use a beer you know and love (I've also heard rumor that cheap, regular beer often tastes better than anything else, but I haven't given this theory a true test). Beer bread is excellent when sliced and spread with butter, cubed and sprinkled on top a thick, hearty chili, or dipped into a spinach or cheese dip. Give it a try—the recipe couldn't be easier!

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