Onion Fontina Beer Bread

It might be a little embarrassing if you run into a ward member while buying the beer for this bread. That's why I recommend buying a whole pack of beer at once so you can bring a loaf to the witnesses and have some left to make more loaves for yourself. I promise you will want more of it! This really is one of my favorite things, and it accompanies many soups and salads really nicely.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (about 13 1/2 ounces)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated fontina cheese
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle beer (amber ale)
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup butter, melted and divided

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 6 minutes or until tender. Cool to room temperature.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Add onion, cheese, and beer; stir just until moist.

Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; drizzle evenly with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes; brush with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake an additional 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

I have made this recipe with white whole wheat flour (whole wheat flour made from white wheat kernels) and that is really good as well, but I confess I like it best with all purpose flour.