Brown Banana Bread

I swear, I need to take it easy on the bread. But its such a comfort food for me I cant help it. I have such fond memories of banana bread. I have never tried a banana bread with brown sugar so I figured I would give this one a try. I am still on the fence about it. It's not my favorite banana bread but it ranks. 

Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Strawberry Orange Bread

I have been on a total bread kick lately. I have had a bunch of dehydrated strawberries that just needed to be turned into something. So this was my answer. You don't need to use dehydrated strawberries, fresh is fine as well. 

Strawberry Orange Bread

Ingredients

Bread

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 1/8 cups vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup chopped strawberries
• 1/4 cup orange juice

Optional Icing Mixture

• 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease three 8x4 inch bread pans.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, poppy seeds and 2 1/2 cups white sugar. Add the eggs, milk, oil, orange juice, vanilla and lemon extract; mix until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour batter evenly into the prepared pans.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaves comes out clean. Cool loaves in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
4. If you want an icing mixture, combine lemon juice with confectioners sugar a tablespoon at a time and stir well. Pour this mixture over the loaf while it is still hot. Allow loaf to cool completely before serving.

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

So it's been entirely too long but I have been somewhat busy. A few weeks ago a favorite and best friend of mine was in town for her birthday weekend. During her stay her family threw her a brunch to which I was invited and thought, awesome excuse to bake something delish.

So I have made this recipe a few times and I keep tweeking it. This mixture seemed to go over well. I was able to make some muffins and a loaf. Just because I like variety.

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

Ingredients

Bread

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 2 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 1/8 cups vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract

Icing Mixture

• 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease three 8x4 inch bread pans.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, poppy seeds and 2 1/2 cups white sugar. Add the eggs, milk, oil, vanilla and lemon extract; mix until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour batter evenly into the prepared pans.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaves comes out clean. Cool loaves in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
4. Combine lemon juice with confectioners sugar a tablespoon at a time and stir well. Pour this mixture over the loaf while it is still hot. Allow loaf to cool completely before serving.

Sundried Tomato Basil Bread

I have been searching the world over for the perfect tomato basil bread. This one, cold very well be it. It's been a lengthy process to make this bread and it was well worth it. To get the best taste of tomato I opted for dehydrating tomatoes instead of buying sun dried tomatoes. It has been a full day affair but my house smells yummy and the bread.. oh divine!

Sundried Tomato Basil Bread

• Prep Time: 2 hrs
• Total Time: 2 hrs 15 min
• Serving Size: 1 8 x 4-inch loaf

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp chopped dried basil
• 1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

Directions

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in the bowl of stand mixer. Add 2 cups of the flour and all other ingredients to the batter and mix with dough hook until just combined.
2. Add remaining flour a little bit at a time until dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.
3. Remove dough from bowl and place in a clean, lightly-greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled. This will take approximately 1 hour.
4. Punch down risen dough and shape into an oval, stretching from the top of the loaf to underneath the bottom. Place shaped loaf in a lightly-greased 8 x 4-inch loaf pan, cover and let rise until doubled. (about 30 minutes.)
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.