Why, Hello Quick breads! I adore you!

Yes, quick breads. The name used for those breads that do not get their RISE from yeastie beasties. I love quick breads. Pumpkin, apple, lemon and even date. I love to make them. I love to give them away. Mostly, I love to eat them.

The following are my two favorite recipes. They also happen to be my family's favorite two recipes. One I made myself by loosely following a recipe I found online. The other is printed on an old recipe card given to me by a dear friend to which I've "lightened up" a bit over the years.

Tray's Cinnamon Bread

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 heaping tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick of butter (1/2 c.)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. buttermilk

Heat oven to 350.

Mix together first 5 ingredients (flour through butter) until it resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 c. for the top. Pour 1/3 c. of mixture into bottom of a greased & floured loaf pan. Add into mixture 1/2 tsp. baking soda and mix well. Pour in buttermilk and place batter into loaf pan. Top batter with reserved crumb mixture. Bake for about an hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 15-20 minutes and then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.

Cook's notes:
Use your food processor to make the crumble part. It takes just seconds!

I've also made the following changes with decent results:
Cut down the sugar to a scant cup full.
Exchange one cup of all purpose flour for one cup whole wheat flour
Use 1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter and instead add in 1/4 c. oil or apple sauce when you add in buttermilk. This results in a more powdery crumb texture, but it doesn't change the taste.
Use 1/2 c. yogurt (plain or even vanilla works well) and 1/2 c. lowfat/fatfree milk instead of the buttermilk.
Use mini loaf pans (cooks in about half the time - great for gifts). 1 recipe of cinnamon bread yields 3 mini loaves.



Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

3 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
2 eggs
1/2 c. yogurt (plain or vanilla)
1 c. applesauce (I like the granny smith kind)
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla
2 c. grated zucchini
1 c. sliced almonds (or whatever kind of nuts you like)

Preheat oven to 325

In a small bowl combine the flour, salt, soda, powder & cinnamon. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl combine the sugars, yogurt and applesauce. Add in the eggs and vanilla. Carefully add in the dry ingredients followed by the zucchini & nuts. Mix just until blended. Pour into two 8" loaf pans. Bake for 40 minutes to an hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes and turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.

Cook's Notes
The recipe I loosely followed for this had over 2 c. of sugar and a cup of oil. While the bread was delicious, you might as well had made a cake! This version is something that I don't mind sticking in my kids' lunchboxes for snack AND it still is sweet enough for a dessert.

**I wanted to add that if you are worried about the whole wheat flour part of this bread or that this bread will be dry, you shouldn't be. I have NEVER made a bread that is this flavorful and moist that didn't call for butter or oil. Seriously, try it. I promise you won't be disappointed.**