Blueberry Orange Bread

Thanks to Minute Maid® Pure Squeezed for sponsoring this post. Click here to see more of the discussion.

I have a confession to make.

Lean in a little closer and let me whisper it to you.

I have a fresh fruit problem.  It’s an addiction really.  When I pass by a stand filled with rainbows of fresh fruit, I can’t pass it by.  My mouth starts watering, my mind starts whirring and my fingers start twitching.

Images of fruit salads, fresh baked goods, juicy deliciousness dripping down our chins on hot summer days.  I can’t stop.

The other day I opened up the fruit drawer in my refrigerator and I was greeted with a bounty of blueberries and oranges and strawberries.

I pulled them out of the drawer and tossed together a quick and delicious summer fruit salad to go with our grilled chicken – it was a perfect summer meal.

Even after our fruit salad, and topping morning granola with blueberries and sending orange slices to volleyball camp with Princess, my weakness for beautiful fruit was still evident in the overflowing fruit drawer.

I stood in my kitchen gazing at the beautiful blues and oranges and my mind danced around what I could make as an unexpected treat for my family.

The kids have fallen head over heels for my citrus sugar treats, and my blueberry cheesecake muffins, but I wanted to make something a bit different.  I was headed on a 4 day trip out of town and I wanted to leave them something special, something that would warm their tummies and their hearts.

I decided to make them a loaf of blueberry orange bread, it’s a recipe that I’ve been toying with and dreaming about.

A moist, dense loaf of orange infused bread studded with fresh, juicy blueberries.

As soon as it came out of the oven, Monkey was hovering around with wide eyes wanting to know when he could try it.

He patiently watched as it cooled, as I made the glaze that I debated whether or not to pour over it.

As I looked down into his sparkling, eager brown eyes – my heart melted and I gave in and sliced him a piece.

He cupped it in his little hands, inhaled deeply, bit down, and looked up at me with huge eyes and mumbled around the mouthful of bread “Mom – you are the bestest cook ever, this is awesome”

A quick hug around my legs and then he was off running through the house and out the front door with his prize in hand.