Cheddar Sage Bread

1/2 tsp dry mustard
3 tbls fresh sage, minced
3-3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1 cup milk
3 oz shredded sharp cheddar
1 pkg active dry yeast
1 tbls sugar
1 tbls oil
1 egg
2 tbls butter

Dissolve mustard in 1 tsp warm water. Combine 3 cups flour with salt, pepper and sage. Warm the milk.

In a large mixing bowl combine the milk, yeast, sugar and oil. Stir or process to combine. Add egg and mix well. Add mustard and flour mixtures, adding flour as necessary so mixture forms a stiff dough and comes together in a ball. Incorporate cheese into dough.

Turn dough out onto floured work survace and knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour as necessary, about 10 minutes.

Put dough in lightly oiled bowl and turn to coat top. Cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour. PLunch down, shape in a loaf, and put in buttered loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, another hour.

Heat oven to 375. Melt butter. Brush loaf with melted butter and bake until loaf is golden brown, rebuttering once or twice if needed, about 50 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Cindy

I have to post a link to the most fabulous quick cheddar cheese beer bread -- it is so so so beyond delicious, and is on one of my favorite food blogs, Farmgirl Fare. Here's the link --

http://foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com/2005/11/beyond-easy-beer-bread.html

Enjoy!
Emily