Menu Monday

It's been a long while since I posted a "Menu Monday", but I tried a new recipe that is definitely blog worthy!

It's my new "go to" bread recipe, Almond Poppy Seed Bread.

I

*HEART*

almond poppy seed bread

in the worst kind of way!

I mean honestly, my summer swimwear HATES me

for this bread addiction,

but seriously the sweet almond aroma that's filling my kitchen right now

is just making my heart go pitter-patter.

And when I dream of a slice of this heaven

with a cup of my morning French Roast,

Oh heavens...

swimming in our plastic, rainbow Wal-Mart special blow up pool in my backyard

is totally DO-ABLE for me ;)

If I told you how many poppy seed bread recipes I've tasted or made,

you'd gasp in horror,

so let's just say...

this little gem tops my list!

Cade and Gracyn can practically eat 3/4 of a loaf by themselves {you think I'm kidding} and I can pretty much polish off the other 1/4...it's just THAT tasty. This bread is a nice balance of thick, dense bread and a light, zesty glaze. Plus, I love that it's made with pantry staples. No need to rush off to the grocery to buy all the ingredients, you likely already have them all.

A few quick notes:

- be sure that your baking powder is fresh when making any type of bread.

- don't skip greasing your loaf pans with Crisco followed by dusting them with flour before pouring in the batter, {that's what "prepared pans" means girls} it can really make the difference in your loaves popping right out after cooling!

I also made this recipe in mini loaf pans to deliver to friends and they always turn out perfectly. Several of my friends have called to even tell me how yummy it was and ask for the recipe, so here you go girls!

ALMOND POPPY SEED BREAD

3 C. All-purpose flour
2 1/2 C. Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
1 1/8 C. Canola oil
3 Eggs
1 1/2 C. Milk
2 tsp. Poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. Butter flavoring
1 1/2 tsp. Almond flavoring

GLAZE

3/4 C. White granulated sugar
1/4 C. Orange juice
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. Butter flavoring
1/2 tsp. Almond flavoring

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, oil, sugar, and flavorings and beat for 2 minutes. Alternate adding in flour mixture and milk and then mix until just combined. Add poppy seeds and mix until just combined. Pour into prepared pans (5 mini pans or 2 regular loaf pans) and bake (35-40 minutes for mini pans, 1 hour for large pans; keep an eye on them, not too brown ladies).

When done, place on a cooling rack for 10 minutes and then remove from pans and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. While cooling, prepare glaze by combining all glaze ingredients. Drizzle over loaves and allow to harden. I've found that the best way to drizzle is to place a cookie sheet under the cooling rack holding your loaves and drizzle away. The cookie sheet will catch all your drippy glaze for ya!

recipe found at our best bites.

Do you have a favorite recipe for poppy seed bread?

If so, then you better hook this sister up!!!!

I'm always on the scout for poppy seed

mecca.