Glazed Poppy Seed Bread

Make this please!  I did half oil half applesauce and only did 2 cups of sugar.  Only 2 cups I know :)

I couldn’t bring myself to buy butter extract after spying the list of unpronounceable ingredients so I subbed melted butter which is like, SO much healthier, but use whatever you prefer!

Ingredients

Bread:
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons butter extract or 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons poppy seeds

 

Glaze:
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 3/4 teaspoon butter extract or 1/2 tablespoon melted butter

Directions

1. Line the bottom of the loaf pans with waxed or parchment paper and then grease and flour the entire loaf pan well.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and oil. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, salt and baking powder. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the egg/oil mixture and whisk to combine. Add 1/2 of the milk and stir together. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the last half of the milk and stir. Finally add the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix. Add the extracts and poppy seeds and mix well.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans, filling about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 60 minutes checking often the last 10 minutes of baking to ensure the bread doesn’t overbake. When completely baked, a toothpick inserted in the middle should pull out moist crumbs but not wet batter.
4. While the bread is baking, combine the glaze and ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
5. Let the bread sit in the pan for five minutes. Run a thin-edged knife around the edges of the bread and carefully remove the bread from the pans onto a wire rack set atop a layer of paper towels. Brush the tops of the bread with the glaze while the bread is still warm. Continue brushing and/or gently pouring until all the glaze is on the bread. Cool completely before slicing.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

I really liked this although the sauce was a little too dijony for me.  I would half it or even omit it next time.  So easy and a crowd pleaser.  I also made mashed potatoes.

Note: fresh bread crumbs here make all the difference. I save the heels of my bread stashed in the freezer for just a recipe like this when I need to grind up fresh bread crumbs quickly in my blender or food processor. Also, try to find really thick chicken breasts – it makes it easier to cut them in half lengthwise and still have a good-sized portion.

Ingredients

For the Cordon Bleu:
• 3 large chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half length-wise (to form two thinner chicken breast cutlets)
• 12 slices deli ham
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/3 to 1/2 pound thinly sliced swiss cheese
For the Parmesan-Dijon Cream Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules (or 1 bouillon cube, crushed)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs and melted butter. Set aside.
2. Lay the cut chicken breasts in a single layer in the 9X13-inch dish. Layer each chicken breast with two slices of ham and top with 2 slices of swiss cheese, shingling across the chicken breast to make sure the entire chicken breast is covered with ham and cheese. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top of the chicken.
3. Bake the chicken for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through completely, the cheese is bubbling and the bread crumbs are golden.
4. While the chicken bakes, in a medium saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, whisking constantly, while cooking the flour/butter mixture for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking quickly. Stir in the chicken bouillon granules and salt. Whisk constantly over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, about 3-5 minutes. Once the sauce has bubbled and thickened, remove from heat and stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Keep the sauce warm until the chicken is finished baking.
5. Serve each chicken cordon bleu portion with warm sauce.