Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf à la Starbucks

Have you ever tried the lemon poppy seed loaf at Starbucks? Well this one tastes just like it! The only thing we did differently was that we didn't make the glaze. We found the loaf on it's own to be sufficiently sweet. I've already eaten two slices and am contemplating a third. It's that good!

Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons lemon extract

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup oil

4 tablespoons poppy seeds

zest of one lemon

Glaze

1/4 cup water

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

Loaf: In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and lemon juice with a mixer until blended. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and blend until smooth. Add oil, poppy seeds, and zest and mix well. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and pour glaze over it, then cool in pan on a wire rack.

Glaze: Combine and simmer all ingredients in a saucepan until reduced in half.

Source: Starbucks at Home

Sunny Sunday

My Sunday afternoon will be consumed of reading for work, but at least I get to do it outside, and with the Quatchis!

Have a great day, everyone!

Decorating the Condo with Prints

Q is excited to show you some prints I've purchased and framed for my condo. It's taken me a good year to find ones I really like. The three above are from Sovereign State here in Toronto. I'm still contemplating where to hang them (over the sofa, or above the two PS Cabinets they are currently sitting on). They were a steal - $50 for the trio!

These prints are from La Carnita, which started off as a food truck and is now a sit down restaurant. You get them for free with your bill, or at their events. Otherwise, they're $5 each. The skull is named Meathead, and is La Carnita's mascot.

This print is from one of my favourite blogs, My Milk Toof. It was the very first print I bought for my place. It now hangs in the bathroom. Of the two little teeth, I like to think that the Mins is in the front, and Q in the back of the boat. The rubber duck is the Labbit.

Rifle Paper Co. makes beautiful paper goods. A different city is featured each month in this calendar. When the year is over, I may take some (or all) of the cities and frame them for my bedroom. Inspiration - here from Young House Love.

I'm still hoping to get a few more prints for the wall, and decorations in general for the condo. Also, my search continues for the perfect side chair, coffee table, and desk. I'm quite particular, so it'll come together, all in time!

Trip to TBay

It's been a busy month of weddings and other related wedding events for my friends. The majority of them have been around town, but one of them was in Thunder Bay. The Mins was in tow for a Northern adventure!

As soon as we got off the plane, we picked up our rental car and drove to the Hoito to have their famous Finnish pancakes. This was my second time and the Mins' first. Our tummies were very, very, very satisfied.

We then checked out some of the shops nearby. This store in particular specializes in Marimekko products. I loved the colourful napkins! I had to show restraint and bought only two packs.

My friend's wedding was in the late afternoon / evening at Fort William. The Mins was pretty tired from the travelling, so he stayed back at the hotel.

The next day we visited the Terry Fox Memorial...

 ...which overlooked Sleeping Giant Provincial Park.

 We also checked out Kakabeka Falls (the sole reason I wanted to rent a car). I should have taken more photos of the surrounding area, because it reminded me a lot of the Group of Seven paintings.

 After a BBQ with friends, the Mins and I went to the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.

And before heading back to the airport, we picked up a dozen Persians (pastries). I purposefully packed light in order to bring these back for my co-workers. I didn't tell them in advance, so I was the hero in the office the next day!

Classic Bran Muffins

The Quatchis were muffin-spired! They wanted to bake a classic, and found a recipe with a healthier take. Hellooooooooo, bran muffins!

Bran Muffins

1-2/3 cups natural wheat bran

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 large egg

2 tbsp molasses

In medium bowl, stir together bran, flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder.

In large bowl, whisk together sugar, buttermilk, oil, egg and molasses until well blended. Add bran mixture. Stir just until moistened. Do not overmix.

Scoop batter into 10 to 12 muffin cups with paper liners. They should be about 3/4 full.

Bake in preheated 375 F oven 20 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

Makes 10 to 12.

Source: Toronto Star

Friendship Quilt

We truly have the greatest friends! Sophia from QuatchiFan2010 made us a beautiful quilt!

Life's been kinda blah (I've been working a lot lately), so this brightened up our day heaps!

Hanging Around

Mother nature can't make up her mind lately! It was hovering around zero today, without the crazy gusts of wind. I escaped the cold weather at the City of Craft - a fantastic craft show that takes place twice a year (I went for the first time last fall). I bought a whole bunch of stuff, including some screen printed cards, homemade soaps, and a bag from Bookhou. I hung up my bag when I got home. Later on, I found the Quatchis just hanging around. I guess they like my new purchase too!

Happy weekend!

Superb Strawberry Scones

It's been a while since we've made scones a mi casa. We think of them as a treat, given their high cream and butter content. Mini was eager to help out, as always with baking. He measured all of the ingredients to a tee!

Strawberry Scones

1 cup chopped strawberries

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons shredded (or cubed) cold butter

2/3 cup cold half-and-half (or cream or buttermilk)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Place parchment paper on baking sheet. Set aside.

Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add butter, using a pastry cutter or 2 knives. Stir in chopped strawberries, then add cream. Gently stir the dough until it holds together.

Turn dough on a lightly floured surface and knead a few times to incorporate the dry ingredients. Don't overwork the dough. If the dough gets sticky, sprinkle with flour. 

Press the dough into a circle 3/4 inch thick. Push strawberries into the dough if they peek out. Cut circle into 8 wedges, then transfer the wedges to the baking sheet, leaving at least 1/2 inch of space between them. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.

Source: Confessions of a Tart

Made with Love

I love hanging out at home in my pajama pants. Who doesn't, right? Now Q can too!

Q's pants are inspired by his favourite board game - Scrabble!

And they were made by his favourite person - my mum! She measured Q, made a pattern, and sewed everything by hand! Thanks, mum, for making Q's day!

Eat Yo Greens

These brussels sprouts from A-OK Foods were ahhhhhmazing!

Q was all smiles!

:]     :)     :D