Poppy Seed Mayhem!!

When we started May-hem two years ago, we just assumed it was a one off thing.  I think we might have cursed ourselves, though, because when May rolls around, madness ensues.  Now, I don’t often have kitchen failures, but when you make up your own recipes, things are bound to go wrong occasionally.  This poppy seed bread, however, has been a complete kitchen calamity.

Attempt #1:  Wow… just wow. 

Attempt #2:  Seriously?

So, after all that, I made even more adjustments, and finally created the perfect batter. 

Here’s what you’ll need:    

• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• Zest of a lemon (about 1 Tablespoon)
• ¼ cup butter (1/2 stick)
• ¼ cup oil
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ cup powdered sugar  

The first thing you need to do is pull out all your ingredients so they can come to room temperature.  Measure out your buttermilk and add the poppy seeds. 

Stir them in, and allow them to soak while everything warms up. 

The other thing you can do while you’re waiting is make the lemon sugar.  Remove the zest of a lemon, making sure to get only the yellow part.

You should end up with about 1 Tablespoon. In a container with a tight fitting lid, put the sugar and zest. 

Pop the lid on and shake like crazy.  Not only does this distribute the zest throughout the sugar, but the friction releases the lemon oil.  (and OMG does it smell good!)

When all of your ingredients are room temperature, go ahead and preheat your oven to 350°.  Also, butter and flour a large loaf pan. (2 quarts)  Then, into your mixing bowl go the butter, lemon sugar, and oil.

Mix those until they’re nice and creamy. 

Add the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract.  Yes, I know poppy seed bread is usually lemon OR almond, not both.  But why?  Lemon and almond make a great combination. 

Mix until the eggs are completely incorporated.  And you see what gives this bread the lovely yellow color?  It isn’t the lemon, it’s the egg yolks.  But don’t tell your brain.  To it, lemon = yellow.  Seriously, have you ever tried to figure out the flavor of something clear?

Pour in the buttermilk and poppy seeds. 

When that’s incorporated, sift in the flour, soda, powder, and salt. 

Gently fold that in until it’s just combined.

Scrape the batter into your prepared bread pan.  See?  I told you it was the perfect batter. 

Even it out on top.  Hmm… that looks a bit full for a loaf pan.  Oh well, I’ll bake it on a sheet pan just in case, but I’m sure it’ll be fine.  Third time’s the charm, right? 

Into the preheated oven for about 1 hour.  When you pull it out… Son of a beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.  May-hem!!! 

Ok, so in doing a little research, most 9x5 loaf pans are 2 quarts.  Although mine measures 9x5, it has thick walls and is quite tapered, so it is only 1.5 quarts.  Check the volume of your loaf pan.  If it is more than 6 cups, you’re good to go.  If mine hadn’t overflowed, it would have been beautiful, but alas, it has a slightly fallen center.  Oh well, perhaps in a month other than May, I’ll make yet another attempt at perfection.  For now, this will have to do.   

It’s not yet complete, though.  It needs to be glazed.  Allow it to cool in the pan for 10 – 15 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto a cooling rack.  Sift ¼ cup powdered sugar into 1 ½ Tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice. 

Stir until you have a nice, smooth glaze.

Brush the glaze over the top of the bread. 

Continue until you run out of glaze.  It’ll probably be at least 2 coats.  It will give the top of the bread a beautiful, shiny finish. 

Allow it to cool completely before slicing.  To store it, wrap it tightly in plastic.  You can even wrap individual slices and freeze them if you’re not going to eat it all in 2 or 3 days.  But I doubt that will be necessary, because it's the best poppy seed bread you've ever had.   

What recipe has been your undoing in the kitchen? 

Easy Peasy Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

If you like peanut butter and chocolate, you’re going to love this recipe.  It’s super easy.  I actually had to make it twice because the first time I was just throwing stuff into the mixing bowl and didn’t keep track of any measurements.  They were so good that I just had to share.  That meant making them a second time so I could put together an actual recipe for you.  I really didn’t mind, though. 

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 ½ cups peanut butter (something natural)
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 ½ cups sugar*
• ¼ - ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon molasses*
• 1 Tablespoon brown rice syrup (or other syrup)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 1 cup oats (I used quick oats, but old fashioned are also fine)
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• ½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
• *If you prefer, you can use brown sugar in place of the sugar and omit the molasses.

Go ahead and preheat the oven to 350°.  Butter a 9x13 pan and set it aside.  Then, into your mixing bowl go the peanut butter and butter.  (As always, the ingredients should all be at room temperature.)  The peanut butter I’m using is made from unblanched peanuts which is why it has such a dark color. 

Mix them together until they are thoroughly combined. 

Add the sugar.

Mix. 

Add the molasses, rice syrup, vanilla, and ¼ teaspoon salt. 

Mix.  (I did mention these are really easy, right?)  This is a good time to taste the mixture for saltiness.  I like my peanut butter stuff to be pretty salty, but it’s a personal thing.  If you like it at that point, leave it.  If it needs more salt, go ahead and stir some in. 

Add the baking soda and powder.  Mix them in thoroughly, scraping the bowl down in the process.

Next up are the eggs.  Go ahead and throw them both in. 

As you mix them in, you’ll see your stuff get stiff.  *ahem*  To be honest, I’m not sure why that happens with peanut butter cookies, but that’s the reason the eggs don’t go in until now. 

Add the flour and oats. 

Stir just enough to bring everything together.  It’ll be a bit crumbly,

But if you squeeze some of it in your hand, it will hold together nicely. 

Add the chocolate chips.  I used a combination of milk chocolate and mini semisweet ones, and although you can really use whatever you want, I highly recommend that particular pair for this application. 

Stir them in so they’re evenly-ish distributed. 

Dump the whole thing into your prepared pan and press it down firmly so that it’s an even thickness. 

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes.  It will look dry on top and will be browning nicely around the edges. 

Cool completely (yeah right.  Good luck with that) and cut into squares.  The salty peanut butter combined with the sweetness of the chocolate and the chewiness of the oats brings together all of your favorite cookies into one fabulous bar. 

What's your favorite cookie bar?