Breads, Muffins and Scones

Cheesy Gorgonzola Bread

January 18, 2018

This recipe comes from my blogging partner, Tricia. When I first tasted it, I became immediately addicted and just had to share with you. This beautiful loaf, with it’s soft crumb and mellow hit of Gorgonzola cheese is just right for enjoying while savoring a fruit forward red wine. It doesn’t need any embellishment, so feel free to eat it as is with nothing added. Unless you happen to be like me, of course – I love this toasted just a little bit and slathered with butter. I have also been known to cut thick slices, fill with my favorite melting cheese, and make the best grilled cheese sandwich I ever ate. Naked or dressed, this bread is well worth making!

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Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Brown Sugar & Pumpkin Seed Topping

October 27, 2017

I have been making these muffins forever, and as is the case with all my recipes, they have gone through several variations over the years. I think we’re finally there: Just moist enough to make you keep coming back for bite after bite, and packed with a variety of warm spices. The recipe makes quite a few muffins – probably 28 to 30 of the regular sized guys, but trust me – they go down fast. They are great for sharing, and freeze beautifully. If you’d rather make a smaller batch, just cut it in half. I’ve included a hint for the sleight of hand required for dividing three eggs in half in the recipe below. These muffins just cry out of a Chai Latte or other similar hot beverage for fall, usually one that includes whipped cream. They do not require a nice pat of butter, but….

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Zucchini, Cheddar & Herb Quick Bread

October 14, 2017

Here we have the best of all worlds – bread that you don’t have to wait on to rise, and besides that it’s brimming with chunks of cheddar cheese and herbs. It’s so good when it’s warm right from the oven, or toasted the next day with plenty of butter. Give him a try with our Chicken & Corn Chili recipe, your favorite bowl of soup, or get crazy and make a grilled cheese sandwich. Any route you choose to take will be a good one, and that’s a promise. Read on to see just how easy this one is to get on the table -or off the cutting board, if you can’t wait long enough to get him on the table. Once again, just speaking from experience. …

Pesto & Parmesan Spiral Bread

October 5, 2017

A little taste of summer all year long…this incredibly beautiful loaf of bread has pesto in the dough, then is braided and stuffed with even more pesto and plenty of cheese. Perfect for serving with a pasta supper, using for sandwiches, or just all by it’s lonesome with a nice glass of wine. You won’t believe how easy it is to make this!

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Zucchini, Carrot & Coconut Bread

September 7, 2017

My first impulse when confronted with a frightening population of zucchini from our garden was to bake volumes of zucchini bread. But let’s face it: zucchini bread in and of itself can be a little bit of a snoozer. More flavor was desperately required to jazz up the old traditional bread, so some grated carrot and a generous amount of coconut went into the mix. Now we’re in business!! This recipe makes two loaves, because to me if you go to all the effort to do the baking, you might as well have an extra loaf stashed in the freezer for later.

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Marionberry Scones

July 28, 2017

Did you know that the Marionberry was developed at Oregon State University? Or that it currently represents about half of the blackberries grown in Oregon? Well, now you do, and you’ll understand why when you taste these scones. Marions are sweet and tart, and a beautiful dark purple in color. Just in case you can’t lay your hands on Marions, never fear – any type of blackberry will work. This is a tender, melt in your mouth kind of scone. Know what I mean? The kind that keeps you going back for just one more..

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Rhubarb Bread with Strawberries

May 31, 2017

I’ve just got to say that this is one of those recipes that, if ever lost, would result in me losing about half of my friends. It’s the one that gets requested over and over again and I would be shown no mercy if it disappeared. It’s mildly adapted from an Oregonian Food Day recipe from eons ago, and that’s all I know about it. My copy is yellowed, faded, and covered in batter – and we all know that’s the sign of a keeper. It’s a one bowl wonder that you can make at the drop of a hat. I make it a couple of different ways: with fresh strawberries shingled on the top, or if I’m feeling particularly lazy, I just slice a few and chomp on them on the side…

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Chocolate Tweed Scones

May 11, 2017

Here is another of Tricia’s ‘can’t stop eating’ recipes. These scones are just sweet enough, just rich enough, and dripping with melted chocolate when served right out of the oven. The chocolate glaze is beautiful, and adds yet another layer of decadence to this special treat. So nice for a special Mother’s Day brunch with a hot cup of tea, and also really good snuck from the kitchen with a glass of red wine. See how versatile they are? They are easy to make too – follow along and let me prove it to you!

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Lemon Muffins with Blackberry Filling

May 9, 2017

Here we have the ultimate spring muffin – perfect for Mother’s Day brunch, or anytime you feel the need for a big old grin of happiness. The lemon flavor is vibrant, and the combination of of lemon juice and zest is a perfect compliment to the sweet/tart addition of the blackberry jam in the center. These are not super-sweet as you can imagine, which makes for a very refreshing compliment to a brunch where something rich and savory is being served. They are also a fine addition to a mid-morning snack craving of which I have fallen victim to a number of times. You might want to make a double batch and freeze some for later snacking emergencies.

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Orange Bread with Grand Marnier Glaze

March 24, 2017

We’ve still got time to capitalize on the citrus season before it’s over, and what better way to do it than to make this moist and flavorful Orange Bread that is brimming with all that is orange – juice, zest, extract and Grand Marnier? These beauties get topped with a glorious glaze, and then get to sit all night while they soak all that lusciousness in. This is a recipe from Tricia, who has been tinkering with it for years to get it just right. You can always tell when a recipe is a good one – it should be full of spills and spatters and basically look like it’s been run over by a car several times. This would be how Tricia’s working copy looks. (If you’re unfamiliar with Grand Marnier, it’s an orange-flavored liqueur, made from a blend of Cognac brandy, distilled essence of bitter orange, and sugar – and delicious by the way).

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