Apple Cinnamon Loaf

With apple season in full swing, I like to take advantage of the variety of different ways in which to use the famous fruit. From applesauce to apple crisp and even using it to make an apple spice beer, I’ve done pretty much everything you can possibly think of. So when I saw a version of this recipe online, I had to try it. What’s nice about the recipe is you can make one loaf for home and give the other to a friend or neighbor (or just keep them both to yourself). The recipe is also easily halved in case you don’t want to make two. I just figure if I’m turning on the oven, I may as well make two loaves. Anyway, this loaf, fresh out of the oven, is extremely moist and fluffy. And the flavor of the apples and cinnamon is absolutely delicious. It’s so good, I decided to enter it in an apple recipe contest our local TD Bank was holding. So, if you have a couple leftover apples from making pies this holiday season, give this a try ... you won’t be disappointed.

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture:

2/3 cup brown sugar (not packed)

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tsp. sugar

Batter:

1-1/3 cup white sugar

1 cup butter, softened

4 eggs

3 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

2-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 cup milk

2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans. Mix cinnamon sugar ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat white sugar and butter together using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Stir in vanilla extract. In a third bowl, combine flour and baking powder; stir into creamed butter mixture a little at a time. Add milk to batter and stir until smooth. Pour a quarter of the batter into each of the prepared loaf pans. Add a quarter of the apples and a quarter of the cinnamon sugar mixture to each loaf pan. Lightly pat apple mixture into batter. Pour half the remaining batter over the apple layer in each pan; top with remaining apples and add remaining cinnamon sugar mixture. Again, lightly pat apples into batter; swirl cinnamon sugar mixture through apples using a finger or spoon. Bake for 35 to 45 minute or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaves comes out clean.

Beer Bread

The most important things to remember when baking bread is to sift your flour. If you don’t sift, you’ll end up with a brick instead of a nice, fluffy loaf. So, sift, sift, sift. What’s nice about this recipe is the fact that the beer already contains active yeast, so you don’t have to sit around waiting for the dough to rise (a huge plus). And it also tastes excellent. This recipe, in particular results in a crisp, buttery crust and a soft, chewy center … the perfect bread, in my humble opinion. What’s great about this is it’s also easily doubled for two loaves - if you’re the sharing type. I used some of our home-brewed pilsner for this, but any canned beer (Miller Lite, PBR, Budweiser, etc.) will work just as well. I also added some coriander and ginger for some added flavor since the original recipe I gleaned this recipe from seemed kind of plain. At some point, I may even add ground cloves or cinnamon to give it a little sweetness.

3 cups flour, sifted

3 tsp. baking powder (omit if using self-rising flour)

1 tsp. salt (omit if using self-rising flour)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. coriander

1/2 tsp. ginger

12 oz. (1 can or bottle) beer of your choice

1/2 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together. Stir in the beer until well-blended. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Pour the melted butter over top of the dough. Bake for 45 minutes to one hour or until it passes the toothpick test.

Zucchini Bread

When my mom decided to plant zucchini in the garden one year, we had to come up with some creative ways to use it all up. But, because they grow so damn fast, it just was not feasible. An ample amount ended up in a compost heap down at the city shops. Regardless of the number of different ways we tried to prepare the zucchini, I was not a fan … until I made this bread. When I was growing up and my mom made this, I simply turned up my nose because it had vegetables in it. If I only knew then what I know now …

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup oil
1 - 4-oz. container applesauce
1 Tbsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large mixing bowl, cream eggs and sugar. Add zucchini, oil, applesauce and vanilla. Mix well. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well-blended. Pour into two greased large loaf pans. Bake for 55 minutes or until the loaves pass the toothpick test. Let cool slightly, then remove loaves from pans and transfer to wire racks. Cool completely before slicing.

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

My mom made lemon poppy seed bread a lot while I was growing up. She acquired a recipe from a neighbor of ours and it has been a staple in her culinary repertoire. While she did alter the original recipe with one of her infamous tricks, substituting apple sauce for oil, it still turns out very moist and delicious. For the original, full-fat recipe, simply cut out the applesauce and add 1/2 cup of oil instead.

1 - 18.25-oz. box lemon cake mix (with pudding in mix)
1 - 3-oz. package instant lemon pudding mix
1 cup boiling water
4 eggs
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup oil
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Glaze:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3-1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, water, eggs, applesauce and oil. Beat with a mixer for two minutes. Stir in poppy seeds. Pour into a 9-by-5-inch greased baking pan. You will have enough batter left over for two mini loaf pans. Bake for 35 minutes; remove the mini loaves. Continue baking the large loaf for about another 15 minutes. When slightly cooled, remove loaves from pans and transfer to a wire rack covered with wax paper. When the loaves have cooled completely, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice until well blended. You may need to add more lemon juice to reach the desired texture for the glaze. Drizzle over top of each loaf.