Hawaiian Oat Beer Bread

My dears, I am terribly sorry for my complete lack of blogging, let alone recipe/ foodie inspirational blogging. Life has been transitional and I am still trying to adjust to this new working lifestyle (it may sound a little lame, but after spending almost half a year searching for a job, there are many wonderful, welcome things when you get a job, but it is a huge daily lifestyle change). I’m trying to figure out whether morning or evening workouts will work for me. So far, I am not sure because every day has been different in terms of start time/ end time. Not to mention the Florida Freeze we’ve been experiencing that is doing nada to get me out of bed in the AM!

So today I came home from work, Ross was at a training, and I decided it was time to attempt something mildly creative in the kitchen to share with my devoted readers. Dinner was already solved because I put a crockpot of chili on before I left for work this morning. So hmm, what to go with chili? My first thought of course is some sort of bread! If there are any ZestyCook fans out there, you may have seen his post for Homemade Bubbly Beer Bread a couple days ago. This was a partial inspiration for my recipe, because I needed something I could do quickly. I knew I’d have to go out and get the beer, but I had a couple other things I needed at Walmart. The other inspiration was hubs saying he wanted a Hawaiian bread when he texted me bored at his training.

Thus Hawaiian Oat Beer Bread was born!!
(*please excuse the miscellaneous flours used, I was completely running out of whole wheat and whole wheat pastry flours. If I make this again I would more than likely use all whole wheat flour, with maybe 1/4 c. each of ground golden flax and spelt flour).

1 1/4 c. old fashioned oats
1 1/2 c. unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. spelt flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 T. light agave nectar
2 T. pineapple juice (from a can of pineapple slices)
4 pineapple rings, chopped finely
12 oz. beer
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 T. butter

Combine all of the dry ingredients. Combine the liquid ingredients (except the crushed pineapple and the butter), adding the beer last. Stir in the pineapple. Pour batter in a loaf pan and brush 2 T. butter on top. Bake in a preheated 375* oven for 30-40 minutes.

Next time I make this I would also leave off the butter on top. I was timid to not include it because every recipe I saw had the butter on top, and I wasn’t sure if there was some sort of reaction between the beer and the butter or anything. But having made it, I’m sure it’s only to add a layer of flavor and extra “crispiness” to the crust.

It was actually a really good bread because it’s not sweet! I mean, it has a mild sweetness from the pineapple but no excess yucky sweetness like you’d find in the King’s Hawaiian Bread Sweet Rolls.

Anyway, time to go watch Grey’s….after the preview last week, I gotta admit I’m nervous for how this week is gonna go!

Y’all have a great Friday tomorrow, k??