Beer Batter Bread (with a side of White Chicken Chili)

When I try a new recipe it's usually from a blog, so there are usually pictures, that in my mind, represent how my finished product should look.

My finished products usually don't look like those on the blog. For example, this White Chicken Chili. Which tastes delicious - it was perfect, in my opinion. It was a little spicy and quite tasty, full of jalapenos, chilis, and corn and I added some lime juice and cilantro. But it's not very pretty. And it didn't thicken up as much as I would have liked, but actually it was probably just as close in consistency as red chili. So maybe it's fine. Either way, the main star of this post now is what was the side to my chili, Beer Batter Bread.

I was immediately drawn to this recipe because I am not a baker. Yeast and I are mortal enemies, and nothing I have baked using yeast has turned out. Ever. This bread sounded simple enough: flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, beer. I used Blue Moon, a belgian-style wheat ale. And it did turn out - but, next time I would up the salt to 2 teaspoons. It was a little floury and bland for me. I'm not sure exactly how much influence the beer has, so I wonder how different flavors and styles of beer would work. But that is an experiment I don't mind repeating.

Beer Batter Bread
from Tracy's Culinary Adventures

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 (12 oz) bottle beer, at room temperature and unopened
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt together until combined. Open the beer and immediately pour it all into the bowl with the dry ingredients (there will be lots of foam). Stir the batter with a spoon or spatula until it just comes together.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spreading it into an even layer. Drizzle the melted butter over the top of the batter. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow the bread to cool for 5 minutes before turning it out of the pan.

<-----the meh-looking, super-delicious 

White Chicken Chili (from the Kitchn)