loaf

Quick Bread Lemon Poppyseed

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Quick Bread Lemon Poppyseed! When life gives you lemons, eat them!  There’s nothing more refreshing than the citrusy taste of lemon, in my opinion. It’s light, refreshing, and reminds me of sunshine. I believe you can achieve surprising results when you use good ingredients in a recipe, even if it involves convenient shortcuts. After all, rave reviews are proof enough!

QUICK BREAD LEMON POPPYSEED

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1 box of lemon cake mix

1 cup hot water

1 tablespoon lemon citrus peel, granulated

2 tablespoons poppy seed

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine all ingredients and beat for 10 minutes. Pour into greased and floured loaf pans.* Bake for one hour or until done. Bread is done when a pick comes out clean and loaf springs back from pan. 

*Makes 2 regular-size loaves or 6 mini-loaves and 1 regular loaf. The mini loaves need bake for only 25-30 minutes. Watch carefully. 

Cross-Cross Party Loaf

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Cross-Cross Party Loaf! Every buffet table should offer this yummy garlic cheese bread as a grande centerpiece. It commands attention by its savory aroma, golden crust, and strings of ooey-gooey cheese. Oh. My. Gosh. Choose any artisan bread: sesame, sourdough, rye, baguette, or round. No matter how many times you make it, you’ll be the hit of every gathering. Bread-lovers unite!

CRISS-CROSS PARTY LOAF

Ingredients:

1 loaf artisan bread

6 ounces Havarti cheese, sliced

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon oregano 

1/8 teaspoon marjoram 

1/8 teaspoon basil

1-2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon dill weed

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the artisan bread on the baking sheet. Cut the bread diagonally in a crisscross design, stopping near the base without cutting through. Combine olive oil, garlic powder, sea salt, oregano, marjoram, and basil. Mix well. Cut each slice of Harvarti cheese into strips. Separate each segment and brush with olive oil mixture. Place a strip of cheese in each crack. Repeat until the bread is saturated. Wrap bread in foil. Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted. Unwrap foil. Drizzle with melted butter; sprinkle with dill weed.  Bake 5 minutes longer. Serve warm. Guests may pull apart crusty segments as needed. 

Kalamata Olive Oregano Loaf

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Kalamata Olive Oregano Loaf! Olive-Lovers rejoice. If olives are not in your wheelhouse, no worries. I’ll catch up with you later…….or you could simply substitute sun-dried tomatoes in this recipe. Just so you know, olives have heart-healthy fats. I’ve mentioned before how much I love bread. And in the World of Bread, there are so many options: whole wheat, multi-grain, sourdough, flax seed, rye, pumpernickel, focaccia, pretzel, and more. Focus today on the taste of Mediterranean culture where savory bread can be made without yeast. Talk about instant gratification for a weeknight treat. Don’t forget the bread dipping oil. It’s slurp-worthy.

KALAMATA OLIVE OREGANO LOAF

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 egg whites, room temperature

1/4 cup Kalamata olive blend, pitted and chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick oil. Line with parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Make a well in the center. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, melted butter, and egg whites. Add liquid mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in chopped olives and dried oregano. Spread batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove loaf from pan. Serve slightly warm with seasoned olive oil.

Fritter Fratter Apple Loaf

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Country Casual Cravings: Fritter Fratter Apple Loaf! This recipe is pure country. If you don’t believe me, ask the Amish. They cook for taste, dietary staples, and comfort. It definitely checks all the boxes when it comes to a flavor-filled bakery bread loaded with fresh fruit, brown sugar, and cinnamon spice. No frying allowed, simply because this delectable treat falls in the category of “quick breads”. No need to feel intimidated. You have everything you need. As with any recipe, the results depend on the one baking it. You can do this.

FRITTER FRATTER APPLE LOAF

Ingredients:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups diced apples, peeled and cored

For Glaze Topping:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tablespoon butter, softened

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick oil. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix well; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until blended. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Gradually add to the large bowl. Stir until blended. Pour milk into the batter; blend until smooth. Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Layer with half the diced apples. Pour reserve batter over the apple layer. Top with remaining apples. Gently press into the batter. Cover the top with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. For the glaze topping, blend the powdered sugar and softened butter until smooth. Add milk and vanilla extract to form a smooth consistency. Allow the apple loaf to cool for 20 minutes. Drizzle the glazed topping over all. Slice loaf and serve.

Yeast Artisan Bread

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Elevated Edibles: Yeast Artisan Bread! There’s no doubt bread can be a family’s comfort food, even if you seldom bake it yourself. With more people setting up a home office or home schooling, suddenly bread-baking has turned into a thing. And if you own a bread machine, better yet. Dust it off and give it center stage on the quartz countertop in your gourmet kitchen. Baking bread is like therapy for the soul. We combine ingredients, knead dough, make decorative slits on top, and bake it to a rich golden color. From start to finish, it becomes a focused project. When the house begins to smell like the neighborhood corner bakery, everyone notices. It’s time to slice it up and slather on the butter.

YEAST ARTISAN BREAD

Ingredients:

1 cup water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

3 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 packet active yeast

Instructions:

Using a bread machine, add ingredients in the order listed. Always add the yeast last, creating a small indentation on the top of the dry ingredients. Pour yeast into indentation. Select the “Dough” setting. At the end of the cycle, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for one minute. Grease a bowl with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about one hour. Cover bowl with a damp cloth. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Punch the dough down and knead for a few seconds. Form the dough into a ball and return to the bowl. Cover again and allow it to rise in a warm place 30 minutes longer. To bake in an iron skillet, preheat oven to 400°. Put the iron skillet in the oven while it is preheating. Place a roasting pan on the bottom shelf of the oven. Fill it with one inch of hot water. Using oven mitts, remove the hot skillet from the oven. Grease the inside of the skillet with olive oil. Sprinkle with one tablespoon cornmeal. Carefully transfer the puffed bread dough to the iron skillet. Dip a kitchen shears in hot water. Cut slits in the top of the dough. Sprinkle generously with water. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the loaf is a deep golden brown. When a cake tester is inserted in the center, it comes out clean. Remove the iron skillet from the oven. Immediately remove artisan bread to prevent over baking. Allow it to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before cutting.

Kalamata Olive Oregano Loaf

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Kalamata Olive Oregano Loaf! Olive-Lovers rejoice. If olives are not in your wheelhouse, no worries. I’ll catch up with you later…….or you could simply substitute sun-dried tomatoes in this recipe. Just so you know, olives have heart-healthy fats. I’ve mentioned before how much I love bread. And in the World of Bread, there are so many options: whole wheat, multi-grain, sourdough, flax seed, rye, pumpernickel, focaccia, pretzel, and more. Focus today on the taste of Mediterranean culture where savory bread can be made without yeast. Talk about instant gratification for a weeknight treat. Don’t forget the bread dipping oil. It’s slurp-worthy.

KALAMATA OLIVE OREGANO LOAF

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 egg whites, room temperature

1/4 cup Kalamata olive blend, pitted and chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick oil. Line with parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Make a well in the center. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, melted butter, and egg whites. Add liquid mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in chopped olives and dried oregano. Spread batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove loaf from pan. Serve slightly warm with seasoned olive oil.

Fritter Fratter Apple Loaf

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Country Casual Cravings: Fritter Fratter Apple Loaf! This recipe is pure country. If you don’t believe me, ask the Amish. They cook for taste, dietary staples, and comfort. It definitely checks all the boxes when it comes to a flavor-filled bakery bread loaded with fresh fruit, brown sugar, and cinnamon spice. No frying allowed, simply because this delectable treat falls in the category of “quick breads”. No need to feel intimidated. You have everything you need. As with any recipe, the results depend on the one baking it. You can do this.

FRITTER FRATTER APPLE LOAF

Ingredients:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups diced apples, peeled and cored

For Glaze Topping:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tablespoon butter, softened

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick oil. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix well; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until blended. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Gradually add to the large bowl. Stir until blended. Pour milk into the batter; blend until smooth. Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Layer with half the diced apples. Pour reserve batter over the apple layer. Top with remaining apples. Gently press into the batter. Cover the top with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. For the glaze topping, blend the powdered sugar and softened butter until smooth. Add milk and vanilla extract to form a smooth consistency. Allow the apple loaf to cool for 20 minutes. Drizzle the glazed topping over all. Slice loaf and serve.

Zucchini-Orange-Walnut Loaf

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Food Whisperer: Zucchini-Orange-Walnut Loaf! Do you have zucchini coming out of your ears? Take care. This relative of the squash family has fewer calories than a baked potato and more potassium than a banana. Plus, its versatility is a bonus. Zucchini is probably the most bland vegetable you can find. But that works to its advantage. You can pair it with just about anything. I promise you this, if I hadn’t told you there was shredded zucchini in this luscious loaf of quick-bread, you’d never know it from the taste. Nutrition is your friend. The moist, delicious orange and walnut combination make it seem as though you’re eating cake.

ZUCCHINI-ORANGE-WALNUT LOAF

Instructions:

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup orange juice

1 cup zucchini, shredded

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon orange rind, zested

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon butter, softened

1-2 tablespoons orange juice

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour the bottom of a loaf pan. Set aside. In a food processor, beat eggs until thick and lemon-colored, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar. Add vegetable oil, orange juice, and shredded zucchini. Pulse to mix. Slowly add flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, orange rind, cinnamon, and cloves. Scrape down sides, as needed. Fold in chopped walnuts. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake 45-55 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. In a small bowl, blend powdered sugar, butter, and orange juice. Spread over warm loaf. Cool completely and slice.

Marble Loaf Quick Bread

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Chow Down: Marble Loaf Quick Bread! When I was a little girl one of my favorite memories was making marble cake from a box mix. Not necessarily the ease of preparation, but the fact that I could be very artistic with the chocolate and vanilla swirls. There’s no way to get it wrong. And it’s pretty. Today’s version is a buttery classic with a moist center using plain yogurt. Just remember to have the melted butter, eggs, and yogurt at room temperature. If not, they won’t blend properly and you may end up with slightly cooked eggs and chunky batter. Nobody wants that, especially the one who licks the bowl.

MARBLE LOAF QUICK BREAD

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup Greek yogurt, room temperature

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick oil. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix well. Set aside. In another bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla extract, butter, and Greek yogurt. Whisk until blended. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir just until combined. Do not over mix. Pour half the batter into a medium bowl. Gently fold in cocoa powder until mixed. Alternate spoonfuls of plain batter and cocoa batter into the prepared loaf pan. Take a table knife and swirl the two mixtures together. Bake 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Do not burn. Remove from oven and cool slightly on a wire rack before removing from pan.