Glazed Lemon Zucchini Bread

This bread is a great variation on the traditional zucchini bread.  Made this over the summer when zucchini from the garden was abundant!  I found the recipe on this site.

Glazed Lemon Zucchini Bread

• 2 cups cake flour (I used one cup wheat flour and one cup white flour.)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup canola oil (I used melted coconut oil.)
• 1 1/3 cups sugar (May try coconut sugar or even substitute half honey next time.)
• 2 TB lemon juice
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup grated zucchini 

Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 TB lemon juice
• 1 TB milk 

1. Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Then add oil and sugar until well blended. Add lemon juice, buttermilk, lemon zest to this mixture and blend all together.
3. Fold in zucchini until it is mixed well.
4. Add dry mixture to the wet mixture and blend all together until well combined.
5. Pour batter into greased 9x5 loaf pan.
6. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.
7. While still warm, make glaze and spoon over the bread. Let the glaze set up before cutting and serving.

Bruschetta

With the explosion of cherry tomatoes from our garden and fresh basil that I can't hardly keep up with, I decided some Bruschetta was in order.  I made a batch of this bread to use for the base.  We added small squares of Mozarella cheese after I took this photo which made these just perfect.  This recipe is adapted from one I found at www.simplyrecipes.com.

Bruschetta

1 baguette or other artisan bread
6-7 Roma tomatoes or equivalent amount of cherry tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (and more for spreading)
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
10-15 fresh basil leaves
1 tsp Kosher salt (more or less to taste)
fresh ground pepper (a couple of turns)

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degress.
2.  Slice bread into 1/2" thick slices and using a pastry brush, spread olive oil on one side.  Place olive oil side down on a cookie sheet.  When oven is heated, place bread in oven on top rack for 5-10 minutes until golden brown.
3.  Cut tomatoes into small pieces.  Mix with garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil (cut into thin slices), salt and pepper.
4.  When bread is done turn slices over so olive oil side is upright and spread with a generous amount of the tomato mixture.  Top with small cubes of Mozarella cheese if desired.

Healthy Apple Muffins

Once a week or so I like to make muffins for breakfast.  So when I came across this recipe here I was excited to try them.  They were a hit with the whole family and I will definitely be making them again.

Healthy Apple Muffins

• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil (I used coconut oil)
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2/3 cup honey 
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup rolled oats {quick or old fashioned} + 3 tbsp for topping
• 1 1/4 cup crushed bran cereal
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used one cup wheat and half a cup white)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and coarsely grated 
• 1 tbsp brown sugar 
 

• Preheat the oven to 350F and line your muffin tin with paper liners
• Mix the eggs, oil, milk, honey, yogurt, and vanilla together in a large mixing bowl until well blended.  Add 1 cup of the rolled oats and the crushed bran.  Let soak for 10 minutes.
• In another bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Add the wet ingredients in and mix until blended {the batter will be quite thick}.  Stir in the grated apple.
• Scoop the batter into the muffin tin and fill up almost to the top {they rise very little}.  
• Mix brown sugar and the remaining oats together and sprinkle on top.
• Bake for approximately 15 minutes {until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean}.  Makes 16.

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread (or Muffins)

We've been harvesting zucchini from the garden and that means it's time to make zucchini bread!  I came across a new recipe from 100 Days of Real Food that only uses honey and no sugar.  I decided to give it a try and was pleasantly surprised! 

One little tip: I've found that any baked good with whole wheat flour tastes better (lighter, fluffier) if I grind the wheat and use it immediately instead of using pre-ground wheat... even if it's only been sitting in my fridge for a few days.

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread (of Muffins)

3 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup coconut oil (liquified)
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F for small loaf pans or 325 degrees F for large loaf pan or muffins.
2. Blend the dry ingredients.
3. Make a well (or hole) in the center and pour in the eggs, oil, honey and vanilla. Stir just until mixed – do not overmix.
4. Fold in the grated zucchini and chopped nuts if using. Pour batter into greased loaf pan(s) or muffin holders and bake until a toothpick comes clean in the top/center of the loaf or muffin.
   - If using smaller pans bake for 30 – 40 minutes.
   - For one larger loaf pan bake for 50 – 60 minutes.
   - For muffins bake for 15 - 20 minutes.

Healthy Applesauce Carrot Muffins

We love to eat muffins for breakfast or snacks but I've been looking for recipes that use little to no sugar.  This is a great one I've made a few times and will definitely make again.  I usually have all of these ingredients on hand so I can make these without any forethought.  I originally saw this recipe on the 100 Days of Real Food blog but more recently found it at Mels Kitchen Cafe where she made some modifications that made me like these even more.

Healthy Applesauce Carrot Muffins

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3/4 cup finely shredded carrots (about 2-3 medium carrots)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
3. Make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the butter, honey, egg, vanilla, and applesauce.
4. Stir ingredients together until just combined and there are still some spots of flour remaining.
5. Fold in the shredded carrots just until combined (don't overmix or the muffins will be dense).
6. Distribute the batter evenly among the muffin liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
7. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. These muffins freeze wonderfully and keep well if covered at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Shredded Wheat Banana Bread

I was excited when I found this recipe on my friend Sarah's blog because I sometimes buy Frosted Mini Wheats and there are always a lot of crushed leftovers at the bottom of the bag.  Now I don't have to throw them away!  Thanks Sarah!

Shredded Wheat Banana Bread

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use coconut oil, liquified.)
2 eggs
4 tablespoons buttermilk
4 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup flour (I use whole wheat.)
1 1/2 cup crushed shredded wheat (leftover from cereal)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine sugar and wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (except nuts). Add dry ingredients to wet and mix. Add walnuts. Pour batter into a greased 9x5 loaf pan and bake for 60-75 minutes. Or pour into greased muffin tins (makes about 18) and bake for 25 minutes.

Thanksgiving Recipes

I am going to post some of the recipes I used for Thanksgiving this year so I will have them in one place, ready to go for next year!  We had a Mel's Kitchen Cafe Thanksgiving this year.  So grateful for her delicious recipes!

(Sorry about the poor picture quality.  I have not mastered the art of photographing food and with the exception of the turkey, all of these pictures were taken of leftovers, after all natural light was gone.)

Brined Turkey

• 1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey
For the brine:
• 1 cup kosher/coarse salt
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 gallon vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
• 1 gallon heavily iced water 
For the aromatics:
• 1 red apple, sliced (no need to core or peel)
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup water
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 6 leaves fresh sage
• Canola oil

1. About 4-5 days before roasting, take the turkey out of the freezer (if using a fresh turkey, you can omit this step and just keep the turkey refrigerated), and place it in a 9X13-inch pan or larger to catch any raw turkey juices and place the pan in the refrigerator to thaw.
2. 1-2 days before roasting, combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. The night before roasting, combine the brine, water and ice in a large bucket (5-gallon or larger). Remove the innards from the turkey and place the thawed turkey breast side down in the brine. the turkey should be fully submerged in the liquid and ice. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in a cool area for 8 to 16 hours. Because I live in a cold climate, I usually stick my brining turkey on the back porch or in the garage, after I have made sure it will be cool enough to keep the turkey safe from high, warmer temperatures.
4. Move an oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
5. Place the bird on a roasting rack inside a half sheet pan or roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey’s cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.
6. Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to roast for another 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the internal temperature of the turkey is 161 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.

Turkey Gravy

1 tablespoon canola oil
Neck and giblets from turkey
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
Pan drippings from roasted turkey (about 1/4 cup), fat separated and discarded
2 cups chicken/turkey/vegetable stock or broth
Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Brown the turkey neck and giblets in the oil, turning every few minutes, until they are well browned and there are little browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Remove the giblets and neck and discard. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter to the pot and let it melt, stirring and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the flour and pan drippings (separate the fat from the pan drippings before adding or else the gravy will be too greasy) and stir to combine. Cook over medium-low or medium heat, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes, until the butter/flour mixture is golden. Slowly whisk in the broth and cook over medium heat, stirring or whisking often, for about 10-15 minutes until the gravy has thickened and is bubbly and hot. Season with salt and pepper.

Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

• 5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, rinsed and diced (I used red potatoes.)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ¾ cup milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4-5 cloves roasted garlic (Trim the pointy end off a head of garlic, place sprout-side down on a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil, fold sides of foil up to enclose the garlic completely and cook in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until the garlic is tender; the cloves squeeze right out of their skins when they are ready.)

1. For the mashed potatoes, In a large pot, place the potatoes and cover with water (by at least two inches). Add the salt. Bring to a boil, and cook the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return to the hot pot.
2. Begin mashing the potatoes. Add the butter and mash in to the potatoes. Add the milk, cheese, roasted garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Mash until the potatoes are smooth. Serve immediately.  (Or put in slow cooker to keep warm.)

Creamy Confetti Corn with Bacon

• 8 slices bacon, chopped
• 2 12-ounce packages frozen corn kernels, white or yellow
• 1/2 cup chopped onion, white, yellow or red
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, light or regular, cubed
• 1-2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 4 green onions, green parts finely chopped (white parts discarded)

1. In a large nonstick skillet, cook the chopped bacon until golden and crisp. Scoop the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate and discard all the bacon grease except for a thin coating on the pan, maybe a teaspoon or so.
2. Add the corn, onion, and red pepper, and cook over medium heat, stirring every so often, until the vegetables are tender and the corn is heated through, 6-8 minutes. Add the cream cheese and milk, stirring until the cream cheese melts and the mixture is evenly combined.
3. Stir in the sugar, salt and pepper. Add more salt to taste if needed. Stir in the green onions.
4. Serve warm topped with the reserved bacon.
5. This dish can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. Scoop the creamy corn mixture into an oven-safe dish, sprinkle with the bacon and cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator. When ready to eat, heat the corn dish in a 325 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until heated through. 

Lion House Dinner Rolls

• 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 2 cups warm water
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2/3 cup nonfat dry milk
• 5-6 cups flour

1. In a large bowl, combine the yeast and water. Let stand 5 minutes (no need to do this if using instant yeast – just add the yeast and water together with the other ingredients). Add sugar, butter, salt, dry milk, 2 cups flour and egg. Beat together until very smooth. Add remaining flour gradually (about 1/2 cup at a time) until a soft but not sticky dough is formed. Knead the dough for at least five minutes if using an electric mixer and for at least 10 minutes if mixing the dough by hand. When the dough is smooth, supple and elastic, place it in a lightly greased large bowl covered with greased plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled.
2. Separate the dough into two portions. Roll each section out to an 11X14-inch rectangle. Brush the top with melted butter. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into two pieces, the long way. Then slice the dough into five or six strips across so you end up with 10 to 12 small rectangles. Roll each small rectangle up like a snail and place on a silpat-lined or lightly greased baking sheet with the roll resting on it’s open edge. Repeat with the second portion of dough.
3. Cover the rolls with lightly greased plastic wrap and let them rise until doubled. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes until they are nicely browned.

*These rolls can be frozen after they are baked OR you can form the rolls and then freeze them before letting them rise.  Take them out when ready to use and let them rise as usual, until double in size - this part will just take a lot longer than normal since the rolls are so cold.

Cape Cod Apple Nut Carrot Muffins

Tuesdays are muffins/sweet bread for breakfast days so I was excited to find this recipe.  It's one I will definitely be making again!  This recipe comes from The Sisters Cafe.  They have tons of muffin recipes. 

Cape Cod Apple Nut Carrot Muffins

2 c. flour (I used 1 c. wheat flour and 1 c. regular white flour.)
1 c. sugar (I used coconut sugar... this substitutes well in almost any baked good recipe.)
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
1 c. oil (I used coconut oil.)
2 c. shredded carrots
1 lg. apple shredded
½ c. chopped walnuts
2 tsp. vanilla
½ c. raisins
3 eggs

Mix dry ingredients together. Then add remaining and mix. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. Makes 18 muffins.

Whole Wheat Muffins

I found this recipe here and was intrigued because these muffins call for no sugar!  I didn't think it would be possible to make a tasty muffin with no sugar but my kids gobbled these up.  They were definitely not sweet as far as breakfast muffins usually go, but they were good!  And I think if I use more berries next time they will be just right.

Whole Wheat Muffins

• 1½ cups whole-wheat flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup oil (I used coconut oil.)
• ¾ cup orange juice or apple juice
• About 1 cup of total filling (berries, fruit, nuts, etc. – whatever your family likes!)
• Muffin/Cupcake liners

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl with a fork or whisk mix the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Make a well (hole) in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the eggs, honey, vanilla, oil and orange juice. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together – do not over-mix.
4. Add 1 cup of blueberries, mashed up banana & nuts, or other filling of your choice and pour into muffin liners.  If you have an extra minute, pour the batter into muffin liners first (about 2/3 - 3/4 full) and add your filling individually to each cup - you can vary them or make them all the same.  Then gently mix filling into each cup with a fork or spoon.  Here are some options to consider for the filling:
   - blueberries
   - diced strawberries
   - peeled and diced pears
   - applesauce
   - either diced or mashed up bananas and chopped walnuts
   - raisins and chopped pecans
   - grated carrot and chopped walnuts
   - orange or lemon zest (only add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of zest per individual muffin)
   - a mix of dried fruit bits
   - jelly
5. After the filling has been mixed into each muffin slide the tray into the warm oven and bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature and freeze some for a later date if you want.

Basic Baked Scones

I made scones for the first time the other night and my family loved them.  They were especially delicious with strawberry jam.  I can't believe I've never made them before... they are so easy.  This recipe comes from Our Best Bites.  I have been perusing their site a lot lately.  BTW, you've gotta love the Transformer plate in the picture.  That's what happens when you forget to take a picture until the last scone, which is sitting on your son's plate, is about to be consumed... no time to make it look nice.

Basic Baked Scones

1/3 cup real butter
1 ¾ cup flour
3 T sugar
2 1/2 t baking powder
¼ t salt
1 egg, beaten
4-6 T milk (I used all 6.)

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Cut in butter with pastry cutter until it resembles fine crumbs.

Combine egg and 4T milk. Slowly pour milk mixture into dry mixture while mixing with a fork to combine. If you need the additional 2 T milk to bring the dough together, add it. 

Gently pat dough into a circle, about 1/2 inch thick. Brush top with milk or beaten egg and sprinkle liberally with sugar.

Cut into 6 wedges and separate on a cookie sheet.Bake 10-12 minutes.The tops shouldn’t be brown, but the bottoms will be golden-brown and the tops set. Keep an eye on them and don’t over-bake.

 
While still warm, split and spread with butter and jam, lemon curd, honey-butter, just about anything! Or let them cool and use them for things like strawberry shortcake.

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Banana Bread

I just came across this picture today and realized I never posted this recipe.  This is a fun twist on regular banana bread or even chocolate banana bread... add peanut butter into the mix!  If you can't tell, I'm a sucker for sweet breads.

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Banana Bread

2 c all purpose flour
1 c sugar
1 TB baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 c mashed ripe banana (approx 2 med)
1/3 c milk
1/3 c peanut butter
3 TB oil
1 egg
1 c milk chocolate morsels, divided (Or use 3/4 c. morsels inside and 1/4 c. minis for on top)

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray bottom only of loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add bananas, milk, peanut butter, oil and egg; stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in ¾ cup of the milk chocolate morsels. Spoon batter into pan. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup of milk chocolate morsels evenly over batter.

Bake 60 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Watch and check the last ten minutes because oven temperatures vary and you do not want to overcook it! Cool in pan 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove loaf to non stick cooling rack and cool completely.

Makes 1 loaf.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Here's another great recipe for using up all that garden zucchini! 

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Beat:

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

2 tsp vanilla

 

Add:

2 cups grated zucchini

2 1/3 cup flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup cocoa

Preheat oven to 350. Pour batter into greased (or use nonstick cooking spray) and sugared loaf pans Sugaring is just like flouring a pan–but do it with sugar. It makes for a sweet and crispy crust.  Sprinkle a large handful of chocolate chips over the top of the bread.  Mini chips work great.

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.  Makes two regular size loaves.

Sour Cream Banana Bread

During the week or two before Blake was born I started baking and freezing bread.  I also put together a few freezer meals so our family wouldn't starve. :)  I love Martha Stewart's Banana Bread recipe I have but wanted to try a more traditional banana bread recipe this time.  This one did not disappoint.  Now I have two go-to banana bread recipes that I think I will alternate between.

Sour Cream Banana Bread

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 ripe bananas)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bottom only of a loaf pan (or use 3 small loaf pans). In a large bowl, beat together sugar and oil. Add eggs, bananas, sour cream and vanilla; blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour, baking soda and salt; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes (about 40 minutes for smaller loaf pan) or until toothpick inserted in center comes clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely. Wrap tightly and store in refrigerator. Makes 1 loaf. **I was able to make one regular size loaf and two small loaves with this recipe.

Raspberry Lemon Muffins

Have I mentioned before that I love muffins?  So do my kids (and sometimes my husband.)  I'm excited to add this recipe to the mix.  It's always good to have choices when it comes to muffins...depending on what fruit, etc. I have on hand.  BTW, the crunchy topping on these is delicious!

Raspberry Lemon Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup buttermilk (or you can substitute milk)
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1 tsp grated lemon peel

Topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbs butter, softened

Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 Tbs fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine first five ingredients in a medium bowl.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the egg, melted butter, and buttermilk.  Stir just until all ingredients are combined.  Gently stir in the raspberries and 1 tsp lemon peel.  Fill 12 paper-lined or greased muffin cups 3/4 full.  Set aside.  Combine first four "topping" ingredients.  Cut in butter with pastry blender or use your fingers until crumbly.  Sprinkle mixture over muffins.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown.  Cool for 20 minutes and glaze with mixture of powdered sugar and lemon juice.

Strawberry Bread

I love sweet breads and usually make the banana or zucchini variety but I was excited to come across a recipe that called for strawberries.  Since they are coming into season we have been eating A LOT of them around here.

Strawberry Bread

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

4 eggs

1 1/4 cup canola oil

2 cups fresh strawberries, cut small

Mix flour, soda, cinnamon and salt in bowl. Add eggs, sugar, oil. Mix until moist, carefully add strawberries. Batter will be thick. Spoon into greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes then remove.

Note:  I substituted 1 cup of wheat flour for one cup of the regular white flour.  I also substituted coconut sugar in place of the white sugar and I didn't use a full 2 cups because my strawberries were already pretty sweet.  I also used liquified coconut oil in place of the canola oil but I think the consistency of the bread would have come out slightly better had I stuck with the canola oil.  

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

I LOVE muffins for breakfast.  My kids would eat cereal every morning if I let them, but for me, cereal is about my last choice.  I would much rather have some sort of baked good, oatmeal, cream of wheat, etc.  So when I woke up before anyone else on Saturday morning I knew I had time to whip up some muffins and these did not disappoint.  They are definitely best hot out of the oven but still good reheated the next day.  This recipe came from Melanie at The Sisters Cafe. 

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

3 cups of all-purpose flour (I used 2 1/2 cups white flour and 1/2 cup wheat flour.)

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tbsp poppy seeds
10 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/4 stick), softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 Tbsp lemon zest

Glaze

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, and salt and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together, beating until fluffy with an electric mixer.  Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each one. Add the buttermilk and sour cream. Beat in the lemon zest.
4. Now add the dry ingredients. Mix until all is moist. Do not over beat.
5. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray or use paper liners and drop dough equally among cups, filling each 2/3 full.  Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. 

6. While the muffins are baking, in a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice for the glaze.  After you pull the muffins out of the oven, while they are still warm, spoon some glaze over each muffin.  

 

*This recipe makes about 18 muffins.

 

Martha Stewart's Banana Bread

This banana bread is divine!  Before we left for Maui many people told us we needed to buy the homemade banana bread at stands along the Road to Hana.  Well, we began the Road to Hana too late and missed the banana bread!  This is how I imagine it would have tasted though.  I love the inclusion of sour cream in this recipe - makes it so moist.

Martha Stewart's Banana Bread

1/2 c butter (1 stick), at room temperature
1 c sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c very ripe bananas, mashed (~3 bananas)
1/2 c sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan; set aside. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat to incorporate. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix until just combined. Add mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in nuts (if desired) and pour into pan. Bake until cake tester inserted into center of loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour - 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool. 

Soft Pretzels

Making these was a lot of fun! I quickly made up the dough - super easy - and then the kids were able to roll it out into long snakes and form it into whatever shape they wanted. We were going for pretzels but we somehow ended up with faces and pumpkins too! My boys had a lot of fun doing this and the dough is not sticky so it makes it really easy for kids to help! The second day, we brushed melted butter and sprinkled parmesan cheese on the remaining pretzels and stuck them under the broiler for a few minutes. Yum!

Soft Pretzels

1 1/2 cup warm water

1 pkg yeast (or 1 Tb)

1 Tb sugar

1 tsp salt

4 cups flour

Add sugar to warm water then sprinkle yeast on top. Let float for a minute then stir to dissolve the yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes as yeast activates and starts to foam. Add salt and flour and knead 5-10 minutes; adding more flour as needed to reduce stickiness. Divide dough in to 12 pieces and roll each piece into a long rope or "snake". Twist into pretzel shape and place on nonstick baking sheet. Make an egg wash with one egg and a Tb of water, lightly beaten together. Brush pretzels with egg wash then sprinkle liberally with Kosher salt. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cinnamon Rolls

I have been craving warm homemade cinnamon rolls for a while now. I finally got around to it. I last made this recipe while up at my parents' house in Washington. My dad wanted to take cinnamon rolls into his office to thank everyone for their kindness towards are family so I stayed up all night making these. They were hot and ready in the morning. These are really quite easy to make they just take a LONG time because of all the rising. Both times I've made this recipe it has taken the full time to rise. But they are worth the wait. This recipe comes from Melanie at http://sisterscafe.blogspot.com.

Cinnamon Rolls

2 cups milk
2 cubes butter (1 cup)
2 pkgs yeast (4 1/2 tsp)
1/3 cup warm water
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
4 beaten eggs
8 cups flour

Filling: 1 cube softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon

Heat milk and 2 cubes of butter in saucepan until butter is melted. Cool and set aside. Mix yeast and warm water; let stand 5 minutes. Add cooled milk, 1 1/3 cups sugar, 1 tsp salt and 4 beaten eggs. Add 4 cups flour and mix. Gradually add 4 additional cups of flour. If you don't have a Bosch or Kitchen Aid (like me) you can mix this all by hand. Dough should be firm but sticky. Cover with cloth and allow to rise until nearly double in size (about 2 hours). Divide dough in half and empty onto floured surface and knead a little. Roll dough into a large rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. To this half of dough, spread 1/2 cube of softened butter, completely covering dough. Then generously sprinkle brown sugar over entire piece of dough. Then a layer of cinnamon - be generous. Roll into long roll, pinch edges together and slice with dental floss. Place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Do same thing to second half of dough. Cover with lightly sprayed plastic wrap and allow to rise until double in size (2 to 5 hours). Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes, until barely browned. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Drizzle with glaze while still warm. Makes 2-4 dozen, depending on size.

Butter Cream Glaze

1 cube softened butter (1/2 cup)
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt
dash of cream of tarter
1 1/2 lbs powdered sugar
scalded milk or cream (I heat about 1 cup, but you may not use it all.)

Add all ingredients together, adding milk gradually to reach desired consistency. It should be thinner than regular icing.

Pumpkin Bread

My old neighbor Kristin made this bread back when Ben and I were first married and it was delicious so of course I asked her for the recipe. She actually got it from another friend of ours, Mikaela. So here's one of my favorite recipes for pumpkin bread with chocolate chips!...love the combination of pumpkin and chocolate. A couple of notes: I prefer to use oil instead of butter for this recipe. If you double this recipe it makes three regular size loaves. As is, this recipe makes four small loaves.

Pumpkin Bread

1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg (I only do 1/4 tsp.)
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup melted butter (or oil)
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg beaten
1/3 cup water
1/2 bag chocolate chips (about 1 cup)

Combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine pumpkin, egg and water. Add pumpkin mixture to dry mixture along with butter (or oil). Mix until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into greased loaf pan(s). Bake at 350 for about an hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Can also make muffins. They take about 20-25 minutes to bake.