Lemon Poppyseed Bread YUM!

I made this bread and shipped it to my best of friends in Washington D.C. as a "happy your done with law school" celebration cake! It's her favorite type of cake, understandably, because it is quite the delight!

I also shipped one to Jen (the co-writer of this blog) but hers was left out in her mailbox for two weeks... so I do not believe she got a chance to enjoy it. She lives in Florida there is no saving baked goods that have been left out in the heat for that long!

Below are the ingredients and steps to create your own delightful Lemon Poppy Seed Bread!

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons poppy seeds (I added more like 5 but its up to you)

¼ teaspoons baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup lemon yogurt

2/3 cup butter softened

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup milk

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 8x4 inch loaf pan with butter or Pam.

Mix flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

Mix together sugar and flower with a stand mixer or handheld mixer. Mix at medium speed until creamy. Then add the eggs, yogurt, lemon zest, and vanilla.

Alternately add flour mixture and milk beating well after each addition until everything is moist and mixed together.

Spoon batter into pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool and enjoy with your favorite cup of tea!

Just one of "those" days

I'm convinced there is nothing better in the world to cure the mid week blues like a well made drink and some great music.

Old Fashioned:

Recipe:

1 sugar cube

2 dashes angostura bitters ( I also add in about 1 dash Reagan's orange bitters)

a very short splash of water

Sazerac rye (or any good quality bourbon, brandy or gin)

slice of orange to garnish

Place the lump of sugar in an old fashioned glass, then saturate with the bitters and water. Crush the sugar, bitters and water together using the back of a spoon, muddler, etc. Add a glass (about 3 oz.) rye and finally the ice. Garnish with an orange slice. Many recipes will call for muddling the orange in with sugar and bitters, and personally I'm not a fan, I don't like the texture the pulp adds to the drink.

As for the music, I can always look to my favorites to make me feel a little better.

- J.

Too bad they don't still make em like this....

- J.

For the love of cocktails

On the topic of comfort drinks, I recently stumbled upon what just may have to be one of my favorite cocktail recipes ever. The Final Ward, created by Death and Co.’s Phil Ward has everything I look for in a drink, most namely whiskey. The drink is delicious, complex, and to my surprise none of the very strong flavors of the individual liquors overpower one another. This may even tickle my fancy just a little bit more than its predecessor, The Last Word. Simply amazing.

3/4oz. Maraschino (I used Luxardo)
3/4oz. Green Chartreuse
3/4oz. Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey
3/4oz. Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)

- Jen.

(pics coming soon)

I support the elusive Men's Tea Party

Isn't it strange how Americans don't drink tea much? It is the ultimate comfort food (or drink in this case). There is nothing better than a nice warm cup of tea and something sweet to go along with it! I recently came across this article while browsing LATFH.COM. http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/noble-savage-a-mens-tea-party/?hpw

Now that’s a fucking tea party! Did my invite get lost in the mail? (I’m going to assume so because I don’t see how this party could have been thrown without them thinking... Hey you know who would love to be here with our fuzzy dog wearing a cape? DANA! She would just love it!)

A little something to go along with your favorite tea:

Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread:

(Will make one loaf of 9x5x3 bread)

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup ultra ripe mashed bananas (peals should be speckled black)

¼ pound or 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

2 eggs at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup sour cream

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips ( add as many or as little as you like)

½ cup roughly chopped walnuts ( or any kind of nut you would like to add also to taste)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F

Sieve together baking soda, flour, and salt.

Cream butter in mixer till it is fluffy then mix in the sugar.

Add one egg at a time and blend well in between each.

Mix in 1/3 of the mashed banana and then add 1/3 of the dry ingredients.

Do this till everything is mixed together.

Blend in sour cream and vanilla.

Add the chocolate chips and walnuts.

Poor into loaf pan that has been sprayed with Pam Cooking spray .

Bake for 60 min or until golden brown. You can test to make sure the loaf is done baking by inserting a knife into the center of the bread. If the knife comes out clean its done.

Let cool before eating. Then ENJOY!

~D