Poppy Seed Bread with Lemon Glaze

I had to make poppy seed bread the other day and went to look for the recipe on this blog and...it wasn't there!  How could I not have poppy seed bread on here?  I don't know.  But here it is.  This is the recipe we've always made in my family.  I like to make it in small loaves, like I do with all of my sweet breads.  Makes about 6 small loaves or 2 regular loaves.  Sorry there aren't many poppy seeds in the picture.  I was a little short.  And speaking of poppy seeds...have you tried the lemon poppy seed muffins at Kroger?  The ones with the sugar crystals on top?  Holy smokes.  Those are good.  One look at the nutrient label is enough to put it back on the shelf.  Not that this bread is that much "healthier" but at least it doesn't come with a label pasted on it. :)

Poppy Seed Bread with Lemon Glaze

3 c. flour

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

2 ¼ c. sugar

3 eggs

1 ½ c. milk

1 c. + 2 T. oil

1 ½ -3 T. poppy seeds

1 ½  tsp. vanilla

1 ½ tsp. almond extract flavoring

1 ½ tsp. butter flavoring

  Add in order given.  Beat 2 min.  Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans.  Bake at 350 for 40-45 min. or until firm.

Glaze:

¾ c. powdered sugar

½ tsp. butter flavoring

½ tsp. almond flavoring

¼ c. lemon juice (or mixed orange juice-I prefer lemon)

½ tsp. vanilla

  Mix together well.  Spoon over hot loaves while still in pans!  Let sit 10 minutes.  Remove from pans and let cool.

Cream Cheese Cranberry Muffins

This recipe is from my sister, Amy.  She made them for us when we were visiting at Mom's house.  They are so delicious!  I believe they are from a Taste of Home magazine.

Cream Cheese Cranberry Muffins

1 cup butter, softened
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cream butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir into creamed mixture just until moistened.  Fold in cranberries and pecans.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.  Serve warm.  Makes 2 dozen.

Garden Muffins

These muffins are lightly sweetened and packed with "good" stuff like whole grains, vegetables, and walnuts.  Great for breakfasts or snacks.  Eat these slightly warm with a pat of butter or your favorite spread and you are set!  There are no eggs or dairy and you'd never even know!  You can make them mini-sized, regular, or jumbo!  I have rectangle muffin tins so that's why mine look like mini-loaves.

Garden Muffins

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (white wheat is the best)

1/2 cup oats, slightly ground (I just whirl them through my blender for a few seconds)

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup maple syrup or agave nectar (or 1/4 cup sugar if you don't have maple syrup or agave)

1/4 cup oil

1 cup grated zucchini

1/2 cup grated carrots

3/4 cup non-dairy milk (almond, rice, soy, etc.) or regular milk if you want

1/2 cup raisins, optional

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts, optional

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  In another large bowl, combine applesauce, maple syrup/agave and oil.  Add zucchini and carrots and then stir in milk.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, then stir in raisins and walnuts and mix until well-combined.

Spoon batter into lightly greased muffin cups, filling each cup until almost full.  Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes for regular size muffins or 25-30 minutes for jumbo, until muffins are lightly golden and toothpick comes out clean.  Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and cool on a cooling rack.  Store leftover muffins covered at room temperature.  Makes about 12 regular-sized muffins.

Pumpkin Bread

This is the pumpkin bread that I often make. I love the spices in it and of course I always have to add chocolate chips! (First I make a couple mini loaves without chocolate chips for my husband since he doesn't like them in his pumpkin bread and then I add the chocolate chips to the rest of the batter.) I made some this morning to give to a friend and it makes the house smell so yummy! I usually bake mine in mini loaf pans but sometimes I do large loaves or a combination. Today I even put some in mini muffin tins because I knew I wouldn't have enough time for the bread to cook before I had to leave. No matter how you bake it...it tastes delicious and makes a lot! I can get about 8 mini loaves out of this recipe! Today I made 6 mini loaves and 24 mini muffins! Plenty for everyone!

Pumpkin Bread


1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
1 cup oil (or 1/2 cup applesauce and 1/2 cup oil which is what I usually do)
2/3 cup water
4 eggs
3 cups sugar
3 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. allspice
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional
1 cup chopped nuts, optional


Beat pumpkin, oil (applesauce), water, eggs, and sugar. Mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Gently fold in nuts and chocolate chips if using. Bake in pans that have been greased and floured. (For muffins I just spray with nonstick cooking spray but for any loaves I grease and then flour.) Bake in 350 degree oven for recommended time below. All times approximate. Check tops of loaves before removing from oven. When done baking, let sit in pans for 10 minutes then loosen sides with a knife and remove from pans.

Large loaves: 50 minutes
Mini loaves: 25-30 minutes
Mini Muffins: 12-15 minutes

Corn Dog Muffins

A corn bread muffin with a hidden surprise! These muffins taste like corn dogs without being fried. Still not a "healthy" recipe but a little better...and fun. I use my little rectangle muffin tins but regular round muffin tins work just fine. In this picture I used the breakfast links (look like miniature hot dogs but bigger than the Lit'l Smokies-not breakfast sausage) cut in half. You could also use regular hot dogs cut into thirds or one Lit'l Smokie per muffin. I also used a jalapeno cornbread batter but regular is just fine. I think you could even make these with hot dogs cut into rounds and bake them in the really small muffin tins for an appetizer. Just an idea.

Corn Dog Muffins

1 package your choice of "hot dog" (hot dogs, Lit'l Smokies, breakfast links, etc.)
2 packages cornbread muffin mix (or your own recipe)

Make cornbread muffin batter as directed on package. Divide muffin batter evenly in sprayed muffin tins. (My rectangle tins are slightly smaller than normal and they made about 20.) Fill each muffin cup about 1/2 full. Place one hot dog piece in the middle of each muffin. Press down slightly until it is almost covered. Bake in oven as directed on cornbread muffin recipe. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Dip in ketchup or favorite corn dog dip.

Muffins for anything

My mom used to make these for us as kids, and now my kids love them. They are pretty basic and you can throw just about anything in them. I like to add chocolate chips, or pecans, or both. My kids love them (the non-nuts version), and they freeze pretty good too. I doubled the recipe and got 3 and a half dozen.


Mix together:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar

add and mix together:
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Add and mix:
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

stir in any extras, like chocolate chips or nuts
pour into muffin cups, bake in 375 degree oven for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Purple muffins !!??

Here is a recipe that I did twice, and twice it was this colour... I don't know why, as I did exactly what it says on my book... I find it interesting and it doesn't change the taste so if you want to try this one, tell me and i'll translate it for you!

Maybe you'll be more fortunate and will obtain 'normal' muffins!!

MUFFINS AUX MYRTILLES- BILBERRIES MUFFINS
Pour 12 muffins

230 g farine
2 c.c levure chimique
1 pincée de sel
½ c.c. cannelle en poudre
2 c.s. sucre
150 g myrtilles
1 œuf légèrement battu
180 ml lait
75 g beurre fondu

1- Préchauffez le four à 200°C. Beurrer 12 moules de taille moyenne
2- Dans un récipient, tamiser la farine, la levure, le sel et la cannelle. Ajouter le sucre et les myrtilles. Mélanger délicatement. Faire un puits au centre. Dans un récipient, mélanger l’œuf, le lait et le beurre fondu. Verser au centre les ingrédients secs.
3- Mélanger délicatement avec une fourchette, jusqu’à ce que les ingrédients secs soient bien humectés. Verser la pâte dans les moules aux 2/3. Cuire au four 20 à 25 min.