Summer Squash Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

I figured it was time I dust off the ol' blog because I finally made something good enough today worth repeating. Life has been crazy and lots of quick meals and eating out has been happening but today I cooked, I grilled, and I baked. The winner recipe of all my efforts today was this delicious lemon poppy seed cake. It tastes as delicious as the stuff made by store bakeries, but the ingredients are a lot more simple and probably a lot more healthy. Sorry my photos aren't food blogger worthy, but the recipe is so good I'm documenting it anyway.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup melted butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon and 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups grated summer squash
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Directions, add all ingredients together slowly in order on low in mixer. Spray 2 loaf pans with non stick spray (generously) and bake at 325 for 1 hour or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean when inserted. 

I've seen several of these types of recipes include and icing glaze but these are perfect without one. 

Artisan Bread

Holy smokes guys. I just made artisan bread and it was so good! It was crispy and crackly on the outside and soft and warm on the inside. And it was easy too! Add a little butter and my mouth was in heaven. 

I got this recipe from a cute gal in my ward and I sorta expected it not to turn out because good bakery quality bread can be so hard to make. But this was super easy!

No-Knead Artisan Bread

From Sandy Gallup

6 c flour

½ tsp yeast

2 ½ tsp salt

2 2/3 cup cool water

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Mix in big bowl

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Let sit for 12-18 hrs

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Split in half

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Form into round loaf by tucking edges under

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Place on floured towel and cover with towel for 2 hrs

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@ 1 ½ hours put empty pot with lid in cold oven and heat to 425 degrees

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Plop bread into pot, cover. Cook in oven for 40 min. Take lid off, cook 5 min until golden/ chestnut

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Cool on rack until cracking is done and bread is silent

You need a cast iron enameled pot (Dutch Oven).

Bread Pudding

Stop. Before you scroll to the next post, hear me out. Most people turn their noses up at bread pudding. But they haven't tried this version. It's so good that when my husband made it for desert on Christmas Eve that my truck driving, deer hunting, MMA fighter brother in law went home and baked it on his own the next day. He said it was the best desert he had ever tasted. 

Sorry I didn't get a photo of the whole dish, but it got devoured before I could get my camera out. 

Ingredients;

• 1 loaf of french bread, cut into chunks. Best if it's day old or stale. 
• 4 c milk (use whole for added deliciousness)
• 2 c white sugar
• 1 stick melted butter
• 3 eggs (lightly beaten) plus 3 egg whites
• 2 t vanilla
• 1 c raisins
• 1 c chopped pecans
• 2 t cinnamon
• 1 t nutmeg

DIRECTIONS

FOR THE BREAD PUDDING

• 1

  Preheat oven to 350F and butter a 9x13 baking dish. Pour sugar and spices over bread in a large bowl. Pour melted butter over the bread and mix. Mix in milk, whole eggs, and vanilla.

• 2

  Beat egg whites to stiff peaks and fold in. Fold in nuts and raisins. Pour into prepared pan and bake for about an hour and fifteen minutes, until the pudding is puffed up and the top is golden brown. Serve warm.

• 3

  If you want to prep this ahead of time, bake for 40 minutes, cool, refrigerate uncovered overnight, then cover tightly and freeze. To finish, thaw and then bake an hour at 350F.

WHISKEY SAUCE

Cream 1 stick butter and 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until the butter is absorbed. Remove from heat and mix in 2 egg yolks. Gradually stir in 1/2 cup bourbon, stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken as it cools. Serve warm over bread pudding.

We didn't have whiskey so my husband used water and it worked great. 

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

I've been owing a thank you to a sweet friend of mine for weeks. I figured what better way to give someone a treat, than to add a little "fall" to my gift. Anything pumpkin flavored is instantly festive and more fun. 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup white sugar
6 ounce container plain yogurt
3 eggs
15 oz can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 cups flour 
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon iodized salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  This makes 2 loaves. One for you, one for a friend - yay! When combining ingredients being careful to not over mix.  When combined, gently stir in chocolate chips.  Divide batter between loaf pans and sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached.  Don’t overbake and enjoy.

Banana Bread

My in-laws recently came to town and stayed with us. I bought some fruit to have in the house for people to snack on, but we were too busy eating barbecue to touch it. So I was left with several over ripe bananas. Banana bread to the rescue! I found this great easy recipe on the food network. 

Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
3 ripe bananas
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.

Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Mix in the milk and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan, invert onto rack and cool completely before slicing.

I of course made it better by adding chopped dark chocolate peices. I gave my husband one piece for breakfast on his way to school, and the rest of the loaf ended up in my belly. I bet if you added flax seed this could keep you full for a half a day. I want to make this again this week!