My Great-Aunt Esta is the youngest of six children in my grandmother’s sibling line-up. She is the only member of those loved ones still with us today. It was only on special occasions that we were able to visit with Aunt Esta, after she made the trip from New York. Honestly, all I remember from those visits was watching my grandma and her sisters laugh; talk a little- and laugh; move around a little- and laugh. It was the best. They all had great senses of humor, and nothing was off limits to become a joke. They could laugh at each other, at themselves, and even make the best of bad situations. It’s a gift; and if youtube had been a thing, they would have had a lot of followers. As time and families do, we went on and spread out. We don’t see each other as much as we’d like to… Which is why having recipes from special people is so rewarding. I love baking from scratch, sharing homemade food with my children, and telling them stories about loved ones.

Makes 2 loaves (or 6 mini-loaves)

3 cups Flour

2 1/4 cups Sugar

3 Tbsp Poppy Seeds

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1 1/2 tsp Salt

3 Eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups Milk

1 cup Vegetable Oil

1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp Almond extract

1 1/2 tsp Butter extract

Glaze:

3/4 cup Sugar

1/4 cup Orange Juice

1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

1/2 tsp Almond extract

1/2 tsp Butter extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 inch loaf pans. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine first 5 ingredients.

Add eggs, milk, oil, and extracts. Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 60 – 65 minutes (30-35 minutes for mini-loaves); until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely in pans.

On to the glaze!

I juiced an orange, but you do you.

In a saucepan, bring all glaze ingredients to a boil.

Pour over bread in pans.

Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely.

Don’t be like me and eat a whole mini-loaf in one sitting.