Lemon Balm Quick Bread
by Cindy Meredith at The Herb Cottage

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 8 tablespoons butter

• 1/4 cup lemon balm leaves, finely chopped or

• 1-2 tablespoon dried herb

• 2 large eggs

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup milk

• grated rind of one lemon

Grate the lemon peel and remove the juice from the lemon. Reserve the juice for the glaze.

Cream butter, sugar, and finely chopped leaves *. Add eggs and beat well to get a smooth consistency. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into one large greased loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes if using a large pan or 25-30 minutes if using miniature pans.

Before removing from the pans, use a toothpick to prick holes into the crust. Pour Lemon Balm glaze over the top while the loaves are still warm.

Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan.

Lemon Balm Glaze

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped lemon balm leaves or

• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried herb

• juice from one fresh lemon (about 4 tablespoons)

*Tip* To avoid having bits of chopped herbs in the bread, steep chopped leaves in the liquid for a half an hour or so to soften and then chop in small pieces. Dried herbs can be grounded in blender or grinder for powder consistency.

Original recipe has been changed with the addition of dried herbs instead of fresh.