Orange-Glazed Lemon-Poppyseed Bread

I promised the recipe directions for the bread and here they are:

Orange Glazed Lemon-Poppyseed Bread

Follow above instructions below for Orange-Glazed Lemon Poppyseed Muffins EXCEPT pour batter into greased large bread pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Glaze when cool.

I'm supposed to bring what???

So, my brother and sister-in-law are blessing their super-sweet, super-cute new baby on Sunday. He is so precious. There is going to be a little get-together after the blessing. My husband took the call and asked what we could bring and my brother-in-law said we could bring some lemon-poppyseed muffins or bread...hmmm...that is not a recipe in my repertoire of whole wheat recipes. What to do??? Well, I could just find a recipe with white flour and take it in with my head hung low as the "whole wheat gal" succumbs to the white flour world...OR I could attempt six different times to come up with the perfect lemon-poppyside muffin recipe. Well, I decided to do the latter and I'm so glad I did. With all the frustration and work it required, it was worth it. I now have an absolutely delicious lemon-poppyseed muffin AND bread recipe. After eating one of my orange-glazed lemon-poppyseed muffins, my brother asked, "Do you want me to tell you the truth or just say 'They're good.' " I said, "tell me the truth." He said with a nod, "They're good!" My kids love them, my husband loves them and I love them. Not many recipes can withstand that group of critics! I'll give the muffin recipe first and then the directions specific for the bread later.

Orange-Glazed Lemon-Poppyseed Muffins

1 C milk

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 C sugar

1/4 C + 2 T vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 tsp. lemon extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 C whole wheat flour (I like to use freshly ground)

1 T baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1-2 T poppy seeds (as desired…I use 1 T)

Let cream cheese sit on counter for about one hour to soften. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add cream cheese, oil, eggs, sugar, salt and milk to a large mixing bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. Add extracts and mix. Add in whole wheat flour and baking powder and mix to combine. Stir in poppy seeds. Bake in greased muffin tins for 14-16 minutes, or until top springs back when touched. Makes about 24 muffins.

Glaze with:

5 T orange juice

1 C powdered sugar

orange zest to taste

Mix above three ingredients and glaze cooled muffins.

Note: If using paper liners, you may have to bake muffins a few minutes longer

Where have you been all my life??????

I went to a barbecue the other night and we were discussing, of all things, pancakes and one of my friends said, "I had banana pancakes and they were AMAZING!'. My other friend then exclaimed, "I've had them, too and they are incredible!!!". As you can imagine, as a true banana-lover, I felt a little excluded from the banana pancake world. How have I lived for 25 years (wink, wink) and never been properly introduced to banana pancakes??? Well, I decided to remedy this little situation as quickly as possible. So, for those of you out there, like me, who are naive when it comes to banana pancakes...I have a recipe that will knock your socks off. My mom says these are the "BEST" pancakes she's ever had in her life. If you are a banana fan...you will LOVE these!!!

Mouth-Watering Banana Pancakes

2 medium very ripe bananas mashed (about 1 C)

1/4 C brown sugar

2 eggs

1/4 C oil

2 C buttermilk

2 C whole wheat flour

2 T baking powder

Mash bananas and add oil, eggs brown sugar and buttermilk and mix. Add flour and baking powder. Mix on medium/high speed until thoroughly mixed (about 30 sec. to a minute). Bake on heated, greased griddle or skillet. Makes 16-20 pancakes.

Snacks...

So, Smiths had a bunch of snack crackers on sale and I bought tons of them! We've taken them on our picnics, to amusement parks, to church, you name it, these snack crackers have gone with us. The one problem with these snack crackers is that they are in no way healthy. They don't even claim to have ANY whole grains, let alone 100% whole grains. This, again, started to cause digestion issues with my children. YUCK! However, I am pleased to announce that yesterday I solved this problem....enter Cinnamon Graham Snack Crackers. Three of my four children LOVE these and I took them to a barbecue last night and even the adults thoroughly enjoyed these little morsels! My husband loved them, I loved them and so did my mom. I only had one daughter that wasn't a huge fan, so I think those are pretty good odds! So, here is the recipe...happy snacking!!!

Cinnamon Graham Snack Crackers

(can also be used to make graham crackers and then crushed for graham cracker crumbs)

2 C graham flour (coarsely ground whole wheat flour)

1 1/4 C finely ground whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 C unsalted butter chilled

1/2 C brown sugar

1/3 C honey

1/4 C molasses

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 C milk

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

cinnamon sugar for dusting

Mix together flours, baking powder and baking soda. Pulse in food processor until mixture is thoroughly mixed and crumbly. Stir in brown sugar, honey, molasses, vanilla, milk and cinnamon. Chill for 45 minutes to an hour. Pinch off sections of the dough about 2 in. in diameter and place on parchment paper. I do about four dough balls at a time. Return the other dough to the refrigerator. Place a piece of parchment paper over the top of the dough balls and roll out to about 1/8 in. thick. Use a pizza cutter to cut into desired shapes, either cracker-sized or graham cracker sized. Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-13 mintues. (12 minutes makes mine perfect) Do NOT over or under bake! They will harden as they sit and should get hard enough to feel like a "typical" graham cracker.

Just Perfect for Summer Barbecues

So...even though I am totally a whole wheat gal and so are lots of my friends, there is one area that most of us still use white bread. This area is hamburger buns. The truth is, I actually use the Orowheat 100% whole wheat sandwich thins, but the rest of my family is not a fan of these super flat buns. This recipe makes both hoagie rolls and hamburger or hotdog buns. These rolls are light and fluffy and perfect for an on-the-go summer day. The cool thing is that you are in control of the size. So...you always have hotdog-length buns and hamburger buns just right for your burgers. No more leftover buns...and they're delicious...and they're whole wheat! This recipe, along with the last one is in my cookbook...the trifle is found on page 131 and the rolls are found on page 57. The cornbread is found on page 72. The picture above depicts some meatball subs I made that my family very much enjoyed. So, without further ado...here is the recipe.

Whole Wheat Hoagies/Hotdog Buns/Hamburger Buns

For the hoagie:

21⁄2 tsp yeast

11⁄2 C lukewarm water

1 T sugar

Mix above ingredients and set aside for about 5-7 minutes.

2 T vegetable oil

4-41⁄2 C flour

2 tsp dough enhancer

2 tsp gluten

11⁄2 tsp salt

Combine yeast mixture and oil and add 31⁄2 C of the flour, the dough enhancer and the gluten. Add salt and mix. Add flour by 1⁄2 C measurements until dough is just “not sticky”. Knead for 8-10 minutes. Cover and let rise on warm oven in a greased bowl for 45 minutes. Punch down dough. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Form dough into five mini-loaves (hoagies) and cover and let rise another 20 minutes. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until top is golden brown. Slice, leaving one end in tact, and fill with your favorite sandwich fixings. These are delicious with Sweet and Spicy Cranberry Meatballs (found in my cookbook). For hamburger buns: Follow hoagie instructions, but after rising for 45 minutes, divide dough and form into 7-9 round balls, instead of loaves. Cover and let rise 20 minutes. Cut in half before serving. For hotdog buns: Follow hoagie instructions, but after rising for 45 minutes, divide dough into 7-9 loaves that are longer and skinnier than the hoagie rolls. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes.

mmmm....Smooth Chocolate Strawberry Trifle

I love trifles.

• They are easy, delicious and always "wow" a crowd.
• They are aesthetically pleasing and look much more time-consuming than they actually are.
• The blend of fruit, creamy pudding and brownies is ummmm....what's the word....SCRUMPTIOUS!

What makes a trifle even better??? When it has whole grains in it...so you can justify eating it!!! This recipe uses my whole wheat brownies (which I love and which NO ONE knows have whole wheat in them!). This recipe is perfect for all seasons from a summer party (like the one I'm attending tonight) to a Christmas party.

First...You need this recipe:

Ooey Gooey Not-So Wheaty Brownies

3⁄4 C softened butter

1 1⁄2 C sugar

2 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

3⁄4 C sifted whole wheat flour

1⁄2 tsp baking powder

1⁄2 C cocoa powder

1⁄4 tsp salt

1 C chocolate chips, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar. Add vanilla and eggs. In another bowl mix the whole wheat flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix. Bake 30-40 minutes in a greased 13X9 pan. This is a family favorite and I have yet to meet anyone who can tell that there is whole wheat in it!!! YUM!!! If using chocolate chips, fold in after mixing all other ingredients. They make take a few minutes longer to bake, but this is how I prefer to make them...they are so good!

For Fudgier Brownies: Subtract one egg. Bake 30-40 minutes.

For Cake-Like Brownies: Add an egg. Bake 30-40 minutes.

And then...you need this recipe:

Smooth Chocolate Strawberry Trifle

3 C cold milk

2-3 1⁄2 oz. pkgs. chocolate instant pudding

1-8 oz. whipped topping

Ooey Gooey Not So Wheaty Brownies

21⁄2 C sliced strawberries

Mix milk and pudding for at least two minutes, until well blended and starting to thicken. Fold in 1 C of the whipped topping. Dice brownies into 1 in. cubes.

Layer the following:

half the brownies half the pudding mix half the raspberries

Use the other half of each to make another layer of brownies, pudding mix, and raspberries. Top with leftover whipped topping and serve! Guaranteed to make everyone ooh and aah!

Note: You can substitute raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, mixed berries, etc.

A Healthier "more multi-grain" Twist on an Old Favorite

We all know how much I love to fill my little tykes' bellies with whole grains first thing in the morning. There is just something about knowing that my kids have started the day with B-vitamins, fiber, iron, magnesium, etc., etc. I decided to try something new with my waffles today. Enter my old friend...nine grain cereal. Yes, it is true, I use this stuff as much as I use paper towel. I know I've plugged it many times, but truly, can you beat a cereal made of red wheat, white wheat, rye, barley, steel-cut oats, corn, millet, flaxseed and buckwheat. Plus...the place I get it, it costs 50 cents a pound!!! I LOVE THIS STUFF! Okay, enough rambling...this waffle recipe was snarfed up by my kids and I'm sure your family will love it, too.

Look closely at the pictures. One common misconception about whole wheat is that it is dense...look closely...do those waffles look dense to you???

Multi-Grain Waffles

3 C whole wheat flour

1 C nine-grain flour (nine-grain cereal ground into flour, see instructions below)

2 T baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 C brown sugar

6 eggs, separated

2 1/2 C milk

1/4 C oil

Grind nine-grain cereal on the finest setting in a coffee grinder until you have 1 C of nine-grain cereal flour. You can't grind it in a wheat grinder because of the oil in the flaxseed. Stir together flour (both whole wheat and nine-grain cereal flour), baking powder, salt and sugar. Separate eggs. To the yolks, add milk and oil. Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks when the beaters are lifted. Beat the yolk mixture until thoroughly combined. Add the yolk mixture to the dry ingredients and blend. Fold in the egg whites. Bake in a greased or non-stick waffle iron until golden brown. Serves 8-10, depending on the size of the waffle iron.

P.S. you can easily half this recipe, but I love to keep it big, feed my family, then store the leftover mix in the refrigerator for an easy breakfast all week long.

P.P.S. I have to apologize again for my rudimentary blogging knowledge and my amateur photographs. What can I say...grains are my thing...

Good Things Utah

Today was a big day for me. I was on Good Things Utah...my first time on live TV. So, live TV is a little bit stressful because if you do something, like spit, or burp, or just stutter, there are no re-runs. Lets say I accidentally dumped all of my flour on the counter when I was trying to get it in the bowl...well, pretty much, the show is a no-go for everyone to see. You might say that wouldn't happen...not so my friends. I was teaching a class one time on how to make rolls, and yes, it happened, my rolls did not turn out...the ONLY time in my life that they haven't turned out just how I want them!!! Anyway, today went okay, thank heavens. I'm going to attach some pictures as soon as my sister sends them to me. It was so neat to be on the set and to see how they do things and my kids got to see it all, too! If you'd like to see the segment, go here:

Suzie's Sweet Wheat Good Things Utah. It was a good experience and the ladies on the show were wonderful. They really put me at ease. It was a lot of fun. I'm currently self-published, as I stated on the show, but would be interested in finding a publisher. If you know of one, have them email me at suziessweetwheat.gmail.com. Thanks to all of you who wrote me sweet comments...overall it was a very good experience that I am thrilled to have behind me.

Love this one...

This is a recipe in my cookbook, but I decided to post it anyway, because we had it tonight. My kids LOVED it. Although it requires a bit of preparation (the breadcrumbs) it is worth it. The orange, honey and surprisingly, chicken broth, blend into a sweet, tangy sauce to baste the chicken with. The chicken is super moist, because it is continually drenched in the honey sauce. This is a big hit with my family and, as usual, it is coated in whole grains...gotta love those grains!!!

Orange Honey Chicken

1 C dry whole wheat bread crumbs

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground pepper

3⁄4 C orange juice

6-8 chicken breasts

1 tsp chicken bouillon

1⁄2 C water

1⁄4 C butter

1⁄2 C +2 T honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the first three ingredients. Put orange juice in a bowl and coat each piece of chicken in orange juice and then in bread crumb mixture. Put chicken in greased 13X9 pan. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Heat water. Mix chicken bouillon, water, butter and honey until thoroughly combined. Spoon over each chicken breast. Bake for another 20-30 minutes until chicken is done, spooning honey mixture over chicken every 5-10 minutes.

For added flavor, mix 11⁄2 T grated orange rind in with whole wheat bread crumbs, salt and pepper.

For Whole Wheat Breadcrumbs...I used the Delicious Honey Whole Wheat bread I had made earlier in the day. I sliced about 5 pieces of bread, dried them out at 200 degrees in the oven (on a cookie sheet) for several hours until they were crunchy, then I blended them in my blender until they were fine.

I'm going to give out my family's "all-time favorite" green smoothie recipe. My kids LOVE it, my husband loves it, I love it...and it has five vegetables in it...and four fruits! The blend of flavors is so satisfying...sweet, but not too sweet and no trace of the veggie taste that would send my kids running like chickens with their heads cut off. I'll give it out later this week.

In case you were wondering...

My book is again available...sorry about the brief hiatus. If you were trying to order and were unsuccessful...you can now purchase it again.