Lemon Bread

I tried this bread this morning. I used butter instead of shortening and plain yogurt that I made (and it tasted a little sour!) in place of sour milk. I used pecans for the nuts, because it's what I had. Grandma would have used farm-fresh eggs from out back in the chicken coop. Which makes me think of when I was four or five running out to find Grandpa in the chicken coop. A big orange rooster was not happy about my plan. He came at me with a vengeance, squawking, his neck stretched out, and running full speed like he was going to pierce right through me with that beak and keep going. I remember my terror at his bright red crown flapping as he ran. I ran for the house, screaming at the top of my lungs. No one properly understood my pain. I believe they laughed, in fact. Grandpa said chickens don't like bright colors - he said that's why he wore a plain green coverall when he was working with them. He told me the rooster was alarmed by my red hair running at him. Hmm. At least someone took my plight moderately seriously.

In case you want the step-by-step for the Lemon Bread, which Grandma didn't include in her recipes, here you go. My attempt turned out a little oilier than I expected and not the light texture I thought it would be. Might be that I neglected to alternate flour and milk when I mixed them in. Be sure to try that step and add your comments if you have more success than I did!

Lemon Bread
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening [or soft butter]
Rind of 1 lemon
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour milk [or plain yogurt]
1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Topping:
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Coat a loaf pan with cooking spray or oil.

Cream the sugar and shortening (or butter) together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add grated lemon rind.

Mix baking soda into flour separately. Mix into sugar mixture alternately with sour milk (or plain yogurt). Stir in nuts and vanilla.

Pour into the greased loaf pan and bake at 350F for 50 minutes, until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean. (Use a 325F oven for a glass pan.) Let cool 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the juice of 1 lemon with the powdered sugar. Transfer bread from pan to cooling rack over a plate. Spoon lemon mixture over the top of the bread (still warm), letting it absorb before spooning more. (Add any dripping that are caught by the plate.) Let cool completely. Serve at room temperature, thinly sliced, as a dessert bread or for tea. Store covered with plastic wrap at room temperature.