Buttermilk Quick Bread

There are so many food blogs out there that it's hard to keep track of all the ones I want to read and all the recipes I want to make. Sometimes, a post catches my eye, and I end up making the recipe right away. I'll see some delicious looking chicken dish, already have chicken thawed for dinner, and decide to change my plans to accomodate this new recipe I've found. However, I had never gotten up out of my chair after reading a post and gone straight to the kitchen to make a recipe. Until today.

Buttermilk Quick Bread

2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 large egg whites

1-1/2 c. buttermilk

1/4 c. melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine the dry ingredients.

**Note** Part of the reason I wanted to make this recipe was because I discovered a container of powdered buttermilk in my pantry this weekend. If you are using powdered, add the powder to the dry ingredients, then add the water when you would add the liquid ingredients.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the liquids. Stir gently to combine - do not overmix! You just want everything to be incorporated, not beaten to death.

Here's where Stephanie tells you to pour the batter into a greased loaf pan. Oops! I didn't realize that I packed my loaf pan and sent it to my mom's house...in Connecticut. So here I am in Ohio, debating what to do. I ended up using an 8" x 8" pan, and it worked beautifully.

Bake for 45 minutes, unless you are dumb like me and have to use an 8" x 8", in which case, bake for 35 minutes.

I allowed mine to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then removed it to a baking rack per Stephanie's instructions. I'm sorry, but I couldn't let it cool completely before I tasted it. I would be ashamed, but let's face it, hot buttermilk bread is pretty irresistible.

I decided to cut the 8" x 8" square into two rectangular "loaves" and then slice.

So, today I discovered two great new things: a new blog to enjoy in Stephanie Cooks, and on that blog, a great new recipe! Stephanie found this one in the January/February 2009 issue of Cooking Light magazine.

If you have buttermilk powder on hand, this is the type of recipe you can pull together at the last minute when you need something for weekday breakfasts, a weekend brunch, or even to serve with chili. I love recipes that can be put together using only the contents of my pantry and everyday fridge items (eggs, butter). I honestly didn't find any fault with the buttermilk powder - some foodie purists might choose to disagree, but I thought this bread was luscious - buttery, not too crumbly, moist, and rich. *sigh* I think I need to be alone with the bread for a moment.

Okay, I'm back. ::wipes away drool:: I don't trust myself alone with this bread for another day...so I sent it to work with Andrew. Hope everyone enjoys it! And for the record, I did keep two pieces for myself. Okay fine, three.

This quick bread really was easy to put together - it took me all of five minutes to mix it once I had my ingredients assembled. Another five minutes was spent looking for my loaf pan, then about 30 seconds deciding screw the loaf pan, I'll just use an 8x8. Another 30 seconds was spent inhaling two slices once the bread came out of the oven. See, I told you...it's quick.