Lemon Blueberry Bread

This bread is probably the best way to remember summer. Now that it's getting cold out, I'm missing summer a lot. It's even going to snow tomorrow! Warm baked bread takes me away from that for a little bit :)

This bread is pretty easy to make. I've made it before, but the first time it didn't go so well. If you make it, make sure to leave the bread in the pan for at least 20 minutes! Last time I left it in there for 5 minutes and tried to get it onto the cooling rack and it fell apart! But this time it stayed together. If you are going to make it, don't be afraid for the bread to get soggy from the glaze. The more glaze, the better.

Lemon Blueberry Bread

recipe from Joy of Baking

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (outer yellow skin of the lemon)

1/2 cup milk

1 cup blueberries (can be frozen or fresh. I used frozen)

Lemon Glaze:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

For the bread: Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter (or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray) the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 loaf pan.

In separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter until softened (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture (in 3 additions) and the milk (in 2 additions) alternately, starting and ending with the flour. Mix only until combined. Gently fold in the blueberries.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 55-65 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the 1/4 cup sugar and the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

When the bread is done, remove from oven and place on wire rack. Pierce the hot loaf all over with a wooden skewer or a toothpick and then brush the top of the loaf with the hot lemon glaze. Cool the loaf in the pan for about 30 minutes then remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.

Makes 1 loaf.

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

I was really excited about making these. Not only are they healthy, but they taste great too! I saw this recipe in a recent Cooking Light magazine and knew i had to make them. Because of the name, many people think that they're gross because they have oatmeal in them or something. Well they're wrong! The texture is soft and moist and they taste like you wouldn't believe.

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
2/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups fat free buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
2 large eggs
2 cups frozen blueberries
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
cooking spray
2 tablespoons granulated sugar.
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place oats in food processor or blender and pulse 5 to 6 times or until oats resemble coarse meal. Place in large bowl.
-Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups and level with a knife. Add flours and next five ingredients (through salt) to oats in bowl. Still well with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture.
-Combine buttermilk, oil, rind, and eggs in small bowl. stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture and stir just until moist.
-Toss blueberries with 2 tablespoons flour and gently fold them into the mixture.
-Spoon batter into 16 muffin cups coated with cooking spray and sprinkle batter with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when gently touched. Remove from pan, cool or wire racks, and enjoy!