Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread

So.... confession time. This loaf of bread did not even last one full day in my house. 

It's a quick bread, so smaller than a regular yeast bread, and that makes it okay... right? ;)

With things like this, it's hit or miss with my husband. He might love it, or he might not. He's not much of a sweet bread kinda guy. This, however, is clearly an exception. I think he and I did the most damage to it. The boys each had a few big pieces as their afternoon snack, so they definitely contributed too!

This is definitely a quick bread worth making. It was SO easy, and obviously a hit. (I had hoped to take some for a snack tomorrow to work.... that's clearly not happening.) 

I made some changes to the recipe to make it slightly healthier and more likely to be enjoyed by my family, but if you are looking to gain some pounds check out the original link at the bottom. This is not a low calorie food. ;) 

Remember, comments are loved! What's your favorite quick bread recipe?

Printable Recipe

Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread

Ingredients

• ¼ cup applesauce
• ¼ cup softened butter
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅓ cup cinnamon sugar mixture

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray; set aside.
2. In large bowl, mix applesauce, butter, and sugar until well combined. Stir in eggs and vanilla until smooth. Gently stir in flour, baking powder, salt, and buttermilk. 
3. Remove ½ cup prepared batter from bowl and place into a separate smaller bowl, then add cinnamon.
4. Pour half of the prepared batter into the bottom of the loaf pan. Spoon half of the cinnamon batter on top of the batter, then swirl with a butter knife. Pour remaining batter on top, then remaining cinnamon batter. Swirl again with butter knife. 
5. Bake 45-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool 10 minutes, then loosen edges and remove from pan. Carefully place on a plate or cutting board, and sprinkle all sides with cinnamon sugar mixture. (This step must be done while the bread is still warm!!)
7. Slice into pieces and serve warm.

Yield/Time

16 servings

1 ½ hours

Nutrition Facts *I calculate nutrition facts for reference only, this is not done scientifically

127

Source (for original): Lauren’s Latest

Herbed Wheat Muffins

My husband, Nate, doesn't have nearly as much of a sweet tooth as I do. Sometimes that's disappointing, sometimes it's just a fun challenge! I stumbled across this recipe when we were engaged, when he had a rough day and I wanted to show him how great of a wife I would be. ;)

I've made it quite a few times since then, but much more often in the last year. That is largely due to the fact that I acquired a tarragon plant at the farmer's market--this is one herb that's pretty expensive, and I'm too cheap to buy that very often. Now we always have plenty! (And usually have some to give away, if I'm keeping up on drying it! So, local readers... let me know if you need some!)

I will admit, this is a very healthy-tasting muffin. (So.... not my favorite.) Nate loves them, and so does my mom. The boys are touch and go--sometimes they will devour the batch, sometimes they hardly touch them. If you are looking for a good, healthy, breakfast or snack--try these!!

Printable Recipe

Herbed Wheat Muffins

Ingredients

• ¾ cup whole wheat flour
• ⅔ cup all-Purpose flour
• ¼ cup wheat germ *or cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ Teaspoon Salt
• ¼ Teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg, beaten
• ⅔ Cup buttermilk 
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ Teaspoon dried basil
• ½ Teaspoon dried tarragon
• 2 Tablespoon butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Coat muffin cups with cooking spray (or use muffin liners).
2. In a small bowl, combine the flours, wheat germ, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
3. Combine the egg, buttermilk, honey, and butter; stir into dry ingredients until just moist. Fold in basil & tarragon.
4. Fill prepared tins ¾ full with batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Yield/Time

Yields: 8

Prep Time: 15 Cook Time: 20

Nutrition Facts

162 (using buttermilk sub)

Source (for original): Cooking for Two

Remember, comments are loved! What's your favorite healthy muffin?

Buttermilk Bread

My Grandma is one of my favorite people in the world. Partly because she taught me most of what I know, partly because she's just amazing, and partly because she shares recipes with me.

Like this one. I have no idea where she got it, but she shared it with me, and that's the important part. I have a few plain bread recipes, but this is by far my favorite. Close your eyes, and imagine biting into warm, fresh homemade bread. The best warm, fresh, homemade bread you've ever had.

It's not as good as this. Promise.

There is something about the buttermilk in this recipe that makes it amazing. I'm sure it's a combination of everything, but I am giving a lot of the credit to the buttermilk. (Unless you have fresh goat's milk! Then use that! I've done that whenever we had goat milk, and had enough extra that my husband wouldn't divorce me for using it in my baking. He tends to hoard the stuff when we have it.) The taste and texture of this are perfect.

Yes, in the picture I cut the slices really thick. Try this bread, and tell me you wouldn't do the same. You don't even need to butter it. Just eat it warm, fresh, and perfect.

Printable Recipe

Buttermilk Bread

Ingredients

• pinch of ginger
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• ¼ cup warm water
• 2 cups warm buttermilk (or goat's milk!)
• ⅓ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 6 cups flour, divided
• ¼ cup butter, melted, cooled until only warm to the touch + extra

Directions

1. Mix the ginger, sugar, yeast, and water; set aside for five minutes. Add buttermilk, honey, salt and baking soda with the yeast mixture. Add 3 cups flour and mix with electric mixer about 5 minutes on low speed, til smooth. Mix in butter until it is totally incorporated into batter.  Add remaining flour, one cup at a time, keeping mixer on low. When dough pulls away from sides of bowl remove from bowl to floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. (Can continue to knead in mixer.)
2. Place in greased bowl and let rise 1 - 1 ½ hours. Meanwhile, grease 2 loaf pans.
3. Punch down and roll out/form into 2 loaves and place into prepared pans. Let rise 30-45 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 400°.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.  Remove from oven and brush with melted butter (optional). Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out and cool on rack.  

Yield/Time

2 loaves, 12 slices each

3 hours

Nutrition Facts

146/slice

Source (for original): my amazing grandma

Remember, comments are loved! What's your favorite bread recipe?

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins: The Taste of Fall!

I love fall. It's quite possibly my favorite time of the year, for some many reasons. My birthday, beautiful weather (sometimes; I do live in Michigan), changing of the leaves...

...and, of course, the food. There are endless great things about fall food. Fresh apples from the orchard (made into apple bread, applesauce, apple jelly, apple pie, apple crisp, etc.), peaches, warm thick stews, soups with Grandma's homemade noodles, fresh venison, pumpkin bread, pumpkin streusel muffins.... 

I could go on & on, but I'll stop there & actually share the recipe for the muffins!

I love to bake with pumpkin, but I restrain myself and only do it in the fall & winter. It just doesn't seem right to be eating pumpkin in the spring or summer. To make up for this, of course, I have to make quite a few pumpkin-themed baked goods while I can. I have a recipe for pumpkin bread that I love, and I usually make at least a couple batches of these muffins. 

They have just the right amount of pumpkin--I like pumpkin, but not if there's too much. (For example, I just don't like pumpkin pie. I've been told that mine is amazing, but I don't eat it.) The streusel topping adds quite a bit to it, too. And, if you are trying to watch your calories, these aren't even that bad for you. (The fact that they have pumpkin makes it a health food too, I'm sure.)

If you are a pumpkin fan, I would highly recommend these muffins. They are amazing!

Remember, comments are love!  

(Isn't the plate cute? I got a set of those & ones that say "Trick or Treat" clearance at Meijer a few years ago, after Halloween.)

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Ingredients

• ¼ cup butter, softened    
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar    
• ⅔ cup canned pumpkin
• ½ cup buttermilk (If, like me, you don't keep buttermilk on hand, you can easily sub with 1/2 tablespoon melted butter + enough milk to make 1/2 cup.)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons molasses   
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 teaspoon baking soda    
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon    
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice    
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt    
• 2 tablespoons cold butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and ¼ cup brown sugar until light & fluffy. Beat in pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, & molasses. 
3. Combine 2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices & salt; gradually add to pumpkin mixture until blended. Fill prepared muffin cups ⅔ full.
4. For topping, combine ¼ cup flour and 3 tablespoons brown sugar; cut in cold butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. 
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.

Yield/Time

18 muffins

Prep: 15 min. Bake: 20 min.

Nutrition Facts

One muffin: 148 calories, 6 g fat (0 saturated fat), trace cholesterol, 336 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein.

Source (for original): Taste of Home