Multigrain Porter Bread

This bread came out better than I thought it would because I am not a fan of porter beers.  I find them to be to bitter.  It came out slightly sweet, with a pleasant bitter aftertaste.  The whole grains in the bread give a nice chewiness and interesting texture.  I did the dough in my bread machine, set for dough only.  It is a sticky dough.  I had this with a very hearty lentil stew.  It was a warm, comforting and earthy dinner for a rainy day.

Mulitgrain Porter Bread

12 ounces of a porter or stout type beer ( I used The Duke of Winship from Middle Ages Brewing)
2 tablespoons of wild rice
2 tablespoons of millet
2 tablespoons of steel cut oats
2 tablespoons of wheat berries
2 tablespoons of spelt
2 tablespoons of quinoa
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour
4 tablespoons yeast

In a small saucepan, combine the whole grains, the beer, the salt, the butter and the sugar.  Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let the mixture sit until completely cool.  Pour the grain/beer mixture into the bread machine, then add the flour and yeast.  Set for dough only.  When it has finished in the bread maker, you can either finish it there or do what I do because I don't like the pan of mine, shape it and bake in a 400 degree oven.  It should be golden brown and sound hollow when you tap the bottom of the loaf.

Margarita Cake

Technically, because it uses rum (I'm not a tequila fan), I think this is a daquiri cake.  Whatever, go make it.  I haven't yet, hence the lack of a photo.  But I plan on it.  You should too,  right now.
A note about the rum... I chose Prichards because A) It's good.. reeeeeally good and B) He's local and I try to support local products.

Cake part

• 1 package of cake mix(white, yellow, orange or lemon)
• 1 package unsweetened lemonade mix (Kool-Aid)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup frozen Bacardi margarita mix, divided
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup Prichards rum (why is the rum always gone?!?)
• 2 tablespoons triple sec

 Soaking syrup

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Prichards rum
• 1 tablespoon triple sec
• 1/4 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan and set it aside.  Combine the cake ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.  Mix your cake ingredients together for five minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed.  Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake towards the middle of the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  While the cake is baking, mix up the soaking syrup ingredients.  When the cake comes out of the oven, and while it is still hot, poke holes all over the to of it using a chopstick, skewer, straw or whatever you have handy that will poke holes.  Pour the syrup evenly over the top.  Refrigerate overnight.  Before serving, spread whipped cream or whipped topping over the top.  Garnish with some lime wedges and/or strips of lime zest.