Orange zest and a half cup of lemonade infuse this bread with a subtle zing, balanced by the creamy flavors of walnuts, pecans, and milk. Moist and subtly sweet, this citrus nut bread is a tasty snack, with nutritional benefits from the nuts and orange zest. Savor a slice with a cup of coffee or tea, as an after-school snack, or even just grab a piece on the go. Some may like to spread cream cheese or jam on a slice; I like it just as it is. There is something joyful and energizing about citrus flavors. As we wait for seasonal fruits to become ripe here, citrus can do wonders to tide us over. Though it takes almost an hour to bake, it takes just a few minutes to zest some orange peel and mix up the batter.
This recipe is adapted from a favorite orange walnut bread recipe in one of the many cookbooks I have collected from various churches over the years. Once I got started making the bread, I realized I didn’t have the orange juice the recipe called for. I also didn’t have enough walnuts. My husband suggested I use lemonade instead of the orange juice, and I used a combination of walnuts and pecans. The bread turned out great! I actually like it better than the traditional orange walnut bread. The lemonade gives it a sunny flavor and such a pretty, delicate color.
The making of this bread helped soothe my nerves. I made it a day or so before my daughter was to leave on her overnight class trip to Chicago. I know she loves this bread, and making it for her made me feel like I was giving her an extra hug before she waved goodbye and hopped on the bus. It is true that food can express love in ways that words sometimes cannot. I look forward to hearing all about her trip when she gets back!
Meanwhile, spring marches on with warm days and cold days, bright sun, rain, and wind. The key is to dress in layers, since it changes so quickly! The scene around us is becoming more colorful by the day. After the browns and grays of winter, it feels good to see such bright colors. Our cherry trees are starting to blossom! Bright yellow dandelions decorate bright green grass. I hope you are all having a great week!
Citrus Nut Bread
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1/2 cup of lemonade
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted
- 1 egg, beaten slightly
- 1 tablespoons of orange zest
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 cup of a combination of walnuts and pecans, chopped
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease an 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan.
In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine. In a smaller bowl, combine the milk, lemonade, butter, egg, and orange zest. Add those ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just incorporated and a batter forms. Stir in the chopped nuts. Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan. Bake in your 350-degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the bread is golden and the top cracks just a little. Test to see if a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. When the bread is done, allow it to cool for about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and enjoy!
Our mornings are still chilly at this time of year, so a nice warm bowl of quinoa with fruit and nuts is comforting and cozy, as well as delicious and healthy. Spring comes in fits and starts here, rarely smoothly. Following our spring snowstorms we had a major heat wave, and now it’s back to damp, foggy weather today. The spring peepers have started, stopped, and started peeping again at least a couple of times in the past couple of weeks. They say that after the peepers have started and stopped peeping three times, then spring is finally here to stay. I have lost count, but we must be about there. Our lilac bushes and cherry trees have little buds on them. A birch tree we thought was dead has just sprouted tiny little leaves!
With spring comes soccer for our kids, which means full schedules and lots of muddy laundry, mixed with lots of fresh air and fun. I get a chance to spend time with my fellow soccer moms, who are some of my favorite people on this earth. Last night they helped me identify some recipe ideas to develop in the coming weeks, since we are all in need of quick, energizing foods and spring crock pot ideas to help us get through these active times with grace and vitality. I have lots to work on!
No matter what the weather is–cold or hot, damp or windy, have you noticed how good the spring air smells? It is full of the promise of new life and new experiences, while at the same time waking up long-buried emotions and bringing back memories from past springs. No wonder spring is such an emotional time! That’s why it’s important to have a good, stabilizing breakfast. I hope you all have a lovely weekend! I’m sharing this post with Angie’s 
There has been a lot going on since I last posted, including two spring snowstorms, two weekend getaways for spring break, and a birthday for my son, among many other things. While most people around here prefer to go south for spring break, we went on two mini vacations, first a couple hours west, and then a few hours northwest. And while it would have been nice to lie on a beach in a bikini in the sun, sitting in an outdoor hot tub while the snow swirled around us and landed in our hair was truly exciting and refreshing.
The natural beauty of fruits and vegetables continues to amaze me, and maybe that’s partly because the seasons are always changing, and the plant life reflects the seasons. I always feel so contemplative, so wistful, when my kids have birthdays. Growing children are such poignant representations of the passage of time, the cycle of life, always changing. I hope you all have a great weekend! Savor the spring! There is a 
