Dandelion Bread

"The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything that they have. Live simply. Love Generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly."

These are great words to live by! I want to share my favorite recipes as I work to compile them into one place. My mother taught me to cook from scratch, and I've been scratching around in one kitchen after another for the last 50 years! I love recipes that don't send me to the store, simple basic things. So for my first post I would like to share a new recipe that is definitely a keeper! This one only sent me to the yard.

Dandelion Bread

Before you start the recipe you need to harvest some organic dandelions. For me this wasn't hard, we always have a ready crop! My oldest daughter told me one day when she was around three, mommy, see that yard over there? They must not have any little kids, because no one has picked the dandelions! I've loved a yard full of them ever since, because it reminds me of her and all the precious bouquets she use to pick for me. So this morning I walked around picking the cute yellow flowers thinking of my daughter. Remember you only need the flowers. Then you need to pull the yellow petals out, try not to get any green. You need 1 cup, rinsed.

2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup dandelion petals

4 tbsp honey

1/4 cup oil

zest from 1 lemon

1 egg

1 1/3 cup milk

Combine dry ingredients in your mixer and mix lightly. I like to do this so there are no unmixed pockets of baking powder. Add wet ingredients and mix. Pour into a greased loaf pan, 9x5 and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Cool in pan for 10, then remove to a wire rack to finished cooling.

My loaf turned out nice and moist with pretty swirls of yellow from the dandelion petals and the hint of lemon, yum!