Beer Bread or 3-2-1 Bread

 So I "retired" from my school district.  29 years of teaching, principaling (is that really a word?), training...and now off to other adventures.  It has been a really tough couple of weeks.  Each day brought a meeting with another group I work with, and at the end of the work, the goodbyes.  Not my favorite thing.  Finally, the last day, and after Miriam's cheesecake for breakfast (and morning snack and after lunch dessert-yes it is that good), cake and a room full of people to hug and say goodbye to, presents, turning in my keys, and Anita deleting me from my district iPad (I loved that damn iPad), the day was done.  And I was unemployed...for 15 hours.

A group of friends met me for dinner.  We had a nice meal, fun conversation and some champagne to celebrate the next chapter and more presents.  I held it together until the very end (I am not a pretty cryer).  One of my gifts was this memory book.  On every page were different pictures of groups I work with, parties we had, notes from people wishing me well, there was even a goal sheet from the mentors I work with (yes, next steps are finding the new coffee pot and bathroom!), and pockets and pockets of letters.  I sat with my coffee this morning weeping from the profound gratitude I feel for having the privilege  of working with these people, the sadness I won't get to see them everyday and the pure terror from the fact I don't know what I am getting myself into...

So what do you do when you catch yourself crying in your beer?  You bake with that beer instead!

This is the easiest bread you will ever make.  We call it, simply, beer bread or 3-2-1 bread.  It has a crunchy, biscuit like outside, and a tender inside.  It is perfect for that bowl of chili or next to steak and and salad.  I could eat this every day.

To start you melt one stick of butter in your bread pan.

Pour in the batter, and squish it down to get butter on the top.

And bake!  It is that easy.  Four ingredients and you have warm, toasty, buttery bread.  Yum.  Maybe I'll make a loaf and take it to my first day of work.

3-2-1 Bread

3 c. self rising flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 can of beer, or 11/4 cup yogurt or sour cream if you don't use beer at your house

1 stick of butter, (1/2 cup)

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Place stick of butter in bread pan, place in oven to melt.

Meanwhile, mix flour sugar and beer together.  When butter is melted, remove pan from oven and put batter in pan, squishing down so butter covers the batter.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until bread is a golden brown.  Let cool about 10 minutes in pan.  Turn bread out over a paper towel to catch any butter drips left in bottom of pan.  Cool about 15 minutes more, cut and serve.  Delicious!

October 4, 2013   Daylight 10 hrs. 55 min. 34 sec.  Temp. H 40/ L 30°F