Apple-Cheese-Lager Bread

INGREDIENTS
1 small Granny Smith apple, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/4 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
1 (12-ounce) bottle Sam Adams lager, or a similar lager-style beer
2 tablespoons melted butter

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Shred the apple, discarding the core. Squeeze the excess juice from the shredded apple so that it is barely moist.

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and shredded apple to the pan and cook for 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the pepper and garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, thyme, and cayenne. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the shallot mixture, cheese, and lager to the bowl, stirring until just combined.

Transfer the batter to a 9X5-inch loaf pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Drizzle the melted butter over the loaf and bake for 50-55 minutes, until the loaf is a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean. Cool the loaf in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Feel free to substitute or get creative with this recipe - you could swap out the cheese for one you'd like better, omit the cayenne, or change up the beer to hard cider for example. Store your bread at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for up to two days.