Fresh Herbs & Feta Quick Bread

This bread is just bursting with flavor! It’s perfect for a picnic — serve thick slices with a simple tossed green salad and a glass of crisp pinot gris or a buttery chardonnay.

Recipe

1 T. butter (for greasing the pan)
2 T. sesame seeds
1-1/4 c. flour (I use King Arthur Gluten Free Measure-For-Measure flour)
1 T. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3 eggs
1/4 c. olive oil
5.3 oz. Chobani plain Greek yogurt
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
7 oz. sheep’s milk feta
1 bunch fresh herbs, about 1 c. loosely packed, then chopped (I used a mixture of herbs from my garden — chervil, tarragon, chives, mint, parsley and basil)

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Butter a 9x5” loaf pan and sprinkle bottom and sides with half of the sesame seeds.

Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. In another large bowl, whisk the eggs for a minute. Then whisk in the oil, yogurt, salt and pepper until smooth. Add the feta and herbs and stir well to combine.

Fold the flour mixture into the egg/cheese mixture with a spatula until just combined. Don’t overmix. Pour into the prepared pan, level the surface with a spatula, and sprinkle the rest of the sesame seeds on top.

Bake for 40-50 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10-15 minutes, then unmold and put on a rack to cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

— inspired by a Chocolate & Zucchini recipe

Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf

I’ve been making a lot of bread lately, and this recipe does not disappoint! It’s quick and easy to make and is the perfect balance of lemon to poppy seeds. Yum! Delicious any time of day – for breakfast, or with fruit and whipped cream for dessert. Inspired by a recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi.

Recipe

3 eggs
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. sour cream
5 T. butter
1-1/2 T. poppy seeds
3 T. grated lemon zest (from 2 large lemons)
1-1/3 c. King Arthur gluten free measure-for-measure flour or all-purpose flour
1-1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 325-degrees. Grease the loaf pan and set aside.

Place the eggs and sugar in your Kitchenaid mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk on medium-high speed for 2 minutes, until pale and frothy. Add the sour cream and whisk for 2 more minutes until combined.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Take off the heat and stir in the poppy seeds and lemon zest and set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together into a bowl, and use a rubber spatula to fold this into the egg mixture before folding in the butter, poppy seeds, and lemon zest.

Spoon the mixture into the loaf pan. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not open the oven door to check on the cake during the first 45 minutes of baking. Let rest for 10 minutes and turn out onto a rack to cool.

Dried Fruit Scones

This quick and delicious recipe works well for any dried fruit. Here I used dried cherries and toasted slivered almonds. I’ve also used a cup of dried wild blueberries that worked beautifully! If you’re like me and dairy doesn’t agree with you, almond milk (other other nut milks) works just as well as heavy cream. Makes 8.

Recipe

2 c. gluten free or all-purpose flour
1/3 to 1/2 c. sugar, depending on your sweet tooth!
1 T. baking powder
1 T. lemon zest (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 T. cold butter, cut in chunks
3/4 c. dried cherries
1/4 c. toasted slivered almonds, roughly chopped
1-1/4 c. almond milk (or half ‘n half or heavy cream)

Preheat oven to 400-degrees. In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, salt, and cinnamon. Add the butter to the flour mixture and rub with your fingers until a coarse meal forms and the butter is well distributed. Stir in the cherries and almonds. Add the almond milk and stir together just to incorporate; don’t overwork the dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a rectangle, about 12” by 3” by 1-1/4” high (a slightly flattened log shape). Cut the rectangle in half, then cut the pieces in half again, giving you four approx. 3” squares. Cut the squares in half on a diagonal to give you the classic triangle scone shape.

Place the scones on a parchment lined sheet pan and brush the tops with a little milk. Bake for 25 minutes.

Eggy Orange Quick Bread

Rainy day = bread fresh out of the oven. This is a very light eggy quick bread with a touch of orange flavor using tapioca and rice flours. Would make delicious french toast! I like it with butter and orange marmalade. Makes one loaf. 

Recipe

4 eggs, separated
1 T. orange zest
1 tsp. lecithin
1/2 c. tapioca flour
1/2 c. rice flour
1 T. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 375-degrees. With a hand mixer whip egg whites until stiff. Mix in yolks one at a time, then add orange zest. Mix dry ingredients in another bowl and add to the wet ingredients. Mix well on medium speed. Pour into a buttered bread pan and bake for 25 minutes.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

A friend brought me a pretty yellow, large zucchini from her garden. What to do .. what to do ... I know! Make zucchini bread and add some chocolate! Makes two sinfully delicious loaves.

Recipe

3 eggs
1 c. vegetable oil
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. granulated sugar
1 T. vanilla extract
2 c. zucchini, grated
2-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cocoa
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350-degrees.

In a  large bowl, beat the eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla. Stir in the grated zucchini. In another bowl combine the dry ingredients, whisk. Add dry ingredients to the zucchini mixture and mix well with a spoon. It is a fairly thick batter.

Pour into two greased loaf pans and bake for 45 to 55 minutes.

Banana Bread with Sour Cream and Dried Apricots

Moist, cake-like, and baked to a golden brown, this banana bread is sure to please. The apricots add that little something that enhances the banana flavor. Serve warm with lots of butter!

Recipe

2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large overripe bananas, mashed
8 dried apricots, chopped
1/2 c. sour cream

Heat oven to 350-degrees. Grease and flour a 9x5" loaf pan.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl. Set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk the eggs with sugar, oil and vanilla for a few minutes. Stir in the mashed bananas and sour cream, then add the apricots. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for about 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.

Cool for about 10 minutes, then turn out the loaf onto a cooling rack. Best cut with a serrated knife, especially when warm.