ICED LEMON BREAD

 After stepping aside from my hosting duties at the church for the Cafe Treats 9 months ago, I decided I could host once a month. Since I decided to contribute to the treats on the 15th, I just thought that would be a good time for March since I needed to get the treat there early. 

I saw this recipe when I was recently trying to clean out a plastic tub of recipes and had put it aside to try soon. I thought I had all of the ingredients but after searching several different places I had to give up and realized I was out of the dry lemon zest I always use when lemon zest is called for. I know it is not quite the same, but I rarely have real lemons. I found a small container of crystalized lemon called True Lemon and it was really strong with lemon flavor - so I just used 2 tablespoons of it. The bread was really lemony and I loved it. 

I sliced each mini-loaf into 12 slices and treated everyone to the whole slice. (I usually cut the loaf down the center also, but it was such a pretty slice, I thought better of it.)

The recipe went together quickly and those selecting it in the Cafe seemed pleased so I am sure I will make it again.

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ICED LEMON BREAD

1-1/2     cups flour

1-1/3     cups sugar, divided

2           teaspoons baking powder

1/2        teaspoon salt

1            cup sour cream

3           large eggs

2           tablespoons grated lemon zest*

1            tablespoon lemon juice

*********

2           tablespoons water

1            teaspoon lemon extract

*********

1            cup powdered sugar

1-1/2     tablespoons skim milk

1/4        teaspoon lemon extract

* I used True lemon (crystalized lemon) instead.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. (I used three mini-loaf pans and Baker's Joy)

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, 1 cup of the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice until well blended.

Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture, stirring just until combined.

(Make sure you get all the way to the bottom of the bowl.)

Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) dividing evenly if making mini-loaves.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes for the large loaf and 30 to 35 minutes with the mini-loaves. Check doneness with a toothpick.

While the loaves are baking, stir together the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar, the water and lemon extract in a small saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and syrup is clear. Set aside.

Cool the bread in the pan(s) for 10 minutes. 

Poke holes in the loaves with a thin skewer or fork.

Spoon the glaze over the top of the loaves so the glaze can soak into the loaves. Cool completely.

Remove the loaves from the pan(s).

For the icing, Measure the powdered sugar into a small dish. Add the milk and 1/4 teaspoon of lemon extract; stir to form a thin icing.

Spoon it over the cooled loaves running over the edges.

Wrap in plastic foil after icing sets.

AWARD-WINNING CRANBERRY SCONES

Another Platte County Fair has come and gone until next summer. This was a first for me - at least for the Platte County Fair - to enter some items for judging. I entered three things and all three took ribbons. Yay. So exciting. 

I was planning on entering one of my lap quilts like I make for Blankets of Hope; I just needed to get it finished. But when I was encouraged to enter three things so I could get a pass for all four days, I thought I would enter another quilt I had made with a "farm theme" - animals and food. I actually made it for Blankets of Hope but liked it so much I was talked into keeping it. The third item, I wasn't sure of. 

Saturday afternoon, the day before I was supposed to take the items to the fairgrounds to drop off my entries, I was missing doing any baking and decided to make some cranberry scones. I had found the recipe earlier when I was going through a cookbook I thought I could donate. Well, they tasted so good and looked nice enough, I decided I would package up a few and they would be my third entry. 

Image my surprise when we went to the fair Wednesday afternoon and  I saw that both of my quilts had ribbons hanging from them. Third place on the first one I wanted to take and fourth place on the "farm theme" one. 

Then Wayne and I started looking for my cranberry scones. I had just about given up on finding them, when we both saw them at the same time. There was the closed container just as I had brought it in with a blue First Place ribbon attached to it. I was so surprised. I was really surprised that they had replaced the paper cardboard cover so no one could see what they looked like. But right above it was a coconut cake that had also won a blue ribbon and it was covered with the plastic wrap so you really couldn't see how delicious it looked. Oh Wayne said he wasn't surprised at all because they tasted so good.

The scones are really delicious and were so fast and easy to make. They are cut into 2 - inch circles, but if you think scones have to be cut in triangles, there is no reason, other than the fact you don't end up with as many servings, you couldn't cut them that way when you press the dough out into a circle to cut them into 2 - inch circles.  My sister-cousin, Marie, is allergic to cinnamon so she will have to omit the last step or try substituting nutmeg maybe for the cinnamon. She can also just sprinkle some sugar on top, too.

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 CRANBERRY SCONES

2-1/2     cups flour

2            teaspoons baking powder

1            teaspoon baking soda

1/2         cup sugar

6            tablespoons butter

1/2         cup dried cranberries

1            egg, beaten

1/2         cup plain yogurt

1            teaspoon dried orange peel

Cinnamon/sugar mixture for the tops

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly spray/grease a large cookie sheet. Set aside.

Sift together the first four ingredients together into a large mixing bowl. Cut in the butter until mixture is crumbly.

(I thinly slice the cold butter and add a few at a time and work them in with my fingers.)

Add the cranberries, beaten egg, yogurt, and orange zest. Blend all well to make a dough that barely holds together.

(I used my hands to work the ingredients until there are no dry ingredients.)

Drop dough onto a floured surface/board and pat dough out until about 1/2 inch thick.

(Make sure the dough is smooth.)

Using a 2 - inch round biscuit/cookie cutter, cut rounds using all of the dough. (Lightly work unused dough and flatten to 1/2 inch and cut.)

Place the rounds 1 inch apart on the cookie sheet. (I made about 17 scones so also used a second pan. I used two racks in the oven.)

Sprinkle the tops with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden and well-risen.

Thought you would like to see my lap quilts that won the other ribbons.

Third Place:

Fourth Place:

CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA NUT BREAD

 I made this bread twice. The first time was for Friend Jamie. Last year her husband Martin started bartering fresh eggs for chocolate chip cookies with me. He wanted plain chocolate chip cookies with no additives. So whenever I needed a dozen or two eggs, I would make him some chocolate chip cookies. Eventually I started feeling badly because I felt like he wasn't sharing them with Jamie so I asked her what she liked. Her response was banana bread. Now I try to make both especially if they are giving me two dozen eggs.

I made three mini-loaves so she could freeze two of them and take them out when she wanted some to eat. Since I didn't get to taste it, I decided to make the recipe again yesterday morning. I made the three mini-loaves again so I would have one for us to eat now, one to freeze, and one to give to Friend Fran. I have been neglecting Fran lately. Not on purpose, I just haven't been baking as much the last few months.

The recipe came from my Pillsbury The Complete Book of Baking cookbook. The only substitution I made was substituting the Greek yogurt for the sour cream. Since it worked out so well, I added it to the recipe. I'm sure it changes the taste somewhat, but not enough for me to go buy sour cream when I had the non-fat plain Greek yogurt.

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CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA NUT BREAD

3/4     cup sugar

1/2     cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened

1        cup (at least 2 bananas probably) mashed ripe bananas

1/2     cup dairy sour cream or non-fat plain Greek yogurt

2        large eggs

2        cups flour

1        teaspoon baking soda

1/2     teaspoon salt

3/4     cup mini-chocolate chips

1/2     cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour bottom only of one 9 x 5 - inch or two 8 x 4 - inch or three mini loaf pans. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and butter beating until light and fluffy.

(I start with the slowest speed and gradually continue to increase the speed until light and fluffy, scraping the sides as needed while I mash the banana and measure out the rest of the ingredients. I don't think you could do this too long.) Scrape the sides of the bowl.

Add the bananas, sour cream or yogurt, and eggs.

Stir on low and then increase until mixture is well mixed.

Mix the flour. baking soda, and salt with a whisk and

then add the mixture to the creamed mixture.

Stirring until blended. Scrape the sides of the bowl.

Add the mini chips and nuts, if you are using the latter.

Scrape the sides of the bowl one last time.

Divide the batter evenly between the pans (whatever you are using).

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes for the one loaf or two loaves. I baked the three mini loaves about 40 minutes. Press the center with your fingertips to test doneness or use a toothpick inserted in the center. I failed to take a picture of the loaves in the pans. They were pretty domed over the top of the pan.

Cool in pans on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes. Using a knife, loosen the bread from the sides of the pans, to remove to finish cooling.

Wrap in foil to freeze or to store to eat.

NO-SUGAR-ADDED BANANA BREAD

 Some people are turned off a "sweet" if you tell them it is sugar-free. I know before our sons were married and still living at home they wouldn't drink diet drinks. They said they didn't like the after taste.  Baked goods or sweets that are sugar-free, I don't think have an after-taste. If anything they just lack the sugary taste.

If you get used to eating sweets with less sugar or artificial sweetener, then when you eat something with real sugar, it will taste too sweet for you. At least that is the way my husband and I have experienced it. 

When we offer sugar-free or no-sugar-added treats for the Cafe Treats at church on Sunday, some people pass it up because they say they want lots of sugar. (I wanted the Treats to be inclusive when I started them, so I wanted to offer a Treat for diabetics or anyone trying to reduce their sugar intake.) Some of our SF options are very sweet tasting and people rave about them and can't believe they are SF.

Just FYI, any recipe that calls for a sugar-substitute can be made with the same amount of sugar for a sweeter, higher calorie food.

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NO-SUGAR-ADDED BANANA BREAD

1         stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened

1         cup stevia or sucralose

2        large eggs, lightly beaten

1-1/2 cups flour

1        teaspoon baking soda

1        teaspoon salt

1        cup very ripe bananas, mashed

1/2    cup sour cream

1        teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2    cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9 x 5 - inch loaf pan or two mini-loaf pans. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sweetener with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and beat well.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture and beat until combined. Stir in the bananas, sour cream, and vanilla. Stir in the nuts if you are using them.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan(s). 

Bake a large loaf for an hour or until the the bread tests done with a toothpick. For the mini-loaves, check after 40 minutes and bake until done.

Turn onto a wire rack and cool.

For the Cafe Treats we cut the slices in half to have smaller servings to offer. 

PUMPKIN CRANBERRY BREAD

 2025 is now a couple of days old. Each year seems to go by faster than the previous year, but that seems to be said by even younger people than just "old" people. It does seem like time is on fast speed to me. I hope 2025 will be a healthy year for me and my husband and we can experience some memorial occasions with family and friends.

Friend Phyllis made this Pumpkin Cranberry Bread for her Sunday school class and dropped a plate off at the Cafe at church back in December. It was so delicious so I made sure I got the recipe from her.

This weekend we are forecasted for some cold temperatures and even some snow so I'm not sure the Cafe will be open Sunday for church, but I decided I would make the quick bread because it would freeze easily if we can't make it to church. Local weather forecasters on television that this area is the most difficult to forecast in the country. I believe them. It always depends on what happens to it just west of us. It can turn south and miss us or turn north and miss us. My husband thinks it's because the Missouri and Kansas Rivers come together and cause splits.

The recipe made 5 mini-loaves and I just may keep one for us to enjoy because I was able to eat one slice when Phyllis dropped it off. It is really good.

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PUMPKIN CRANBERRY BREAD

3         cups flour

2-1/2  teaspoons cinnamon

2-1/2  teaspoons ginger

2         teaspoon baking soda

1-1/2   teaspoon salt

1          can of pumpkin

3         cups sugar

4         eggs

1          cup oil

1/2      cup orange juice

1          cup chopped cranberries

1          cup toasted chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans or five mini-loaf pans. Set aside.

Combine the dry ingredients by sifting them together into a large bowl. Set aside.

Combine the sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil, and juice in another bowl with a whisk until blended.

Add to the flour mixture and stir until just moistened.

Add the chopped cranberries and nuts if you are using. (I didn't add the nuts.)

Divide between the baking pans.

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes for the large loaves and about 40 minutes for the mini-loaves. Cool in pans for at least 10 minutes before removing.

Remove from the pans and cool completely before slicing.