Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup and 2 Tbsp. sugar
¼ cup and 2 Tbsp. half and half or whole milk
½ cup softened butter
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
Grated rind of 2 lemons

Glaze:
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
1½ tablespoons lemon juice

In a large bowl, combine the ingredients listed through the grated lemon rind. Use an electric mixer to blend the ingredients at medium speed. Use rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure that the ingredients are well blended, but do not overmix.

Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and bake in a preheated 350ºF oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the bread.

After removing the bread from the oven, prepare a glaze by combining the 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons melted butter and 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir the ingredients until well blended, and then pour the glaze over the bread.

Allow the bread to cool for 15 minutes and then run a knife around the edges of the loaf pan to loosen the bread from the pan. Further cooling should be done on a wire rack.

Makes 1 loaf