Homemade Beer Bread

Everyone I know loves beer bread and it's so easy to make when you buy the mix pre-packaged.  That can start to get expensive though so I've found a recipe that I think tastes even better and is just as easy to make.

INGREDIENTS:

1 12oz bottle or can of beer, any flavor
3 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Pre-heat oven to 350F.
2.  Whisk together dry ingredients, add beer and stir until well blended.
3.  Pour into a greased 9x5 loaf pan.
4.  Bake for 50-60 minutes until crust is golden brown.


Makes 1 loaf for about 12 servings.

Peanut Soup

I'm not one for spicy foods and all the peanut soup recipes I've come across call for heat including the original recipe for this one.  However I thought I'd try it with out the heat and see what happens.  I also wanted a crock pot recipe so I adapted this for the crock pot to save on time.  The original recipe can be found here with my recipe to follow.  http://www.campbellskitchen.com/RecipeDetail.aspx?recipeId=27081&fbid=R5Nuhe1a0MT

INGREDIENTS:

2 large sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
6 cups 99% fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 cup creamy peanut butter

Chili powder to taste (for less spice)
Ground red pepper to taste (for more spice)

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Place the first 5 ingredients in the crock pot and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until the sweet potatoes and carrots are tender.
2.  Use an immersion blender to completely puree the soup.  If you don't have an immersion blender, place the soup in a food processor and blend until smooth.  You will need to do this in 3 or 4 batches.
3.  Pour the soup back in the crock pot and add in the peanut butter.  Mix until well blended.  Add additional seasonings to your liking and turn back to low until heated through.

Makes 8 servings (A little over 1 cup each)