Breakfast Treats with Kim Laidlaw are the BEST.

Pastry Chef Kim Laidlaw, instructor at San Francisco Cooking School, taught us how to make quick breads and muffins yesterday and as the goods came out of the oven, everything seemed right in the world. Banana Bread (which can also include the likes of walnuts, zucchini and/or chocolate chips) brought a heavenly aroma into the gorgeous kitchen on Van Ness. And the Strawberry Shortcake Muffins (which can feature any fruit that is in season) were airy and not-too-sweet in just the right way.

In season fruit is fresher, more colorful, more nutritious, less harmful to the environment, CHEAPER and always more delicious!

Want to make some happiness in your oven? Here are Kim’s recipes:

Berry Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/2 cup sugar
Finely grated zest from 1 orange or 1 lemon (optional)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream or whole-milk yogurt
Heaping 1 cup fresh berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or diced strawberries (or a mixture)

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners, or grease with cooking spray.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer with the beater attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and orange zest (if using) on medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 minute.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla, until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the sour cream and beat on low speed. Add the dry ingredients and, using the rubber spatula, stir just until evenly moistened. Gently fold in the berries. The batter will be super thick.

Using a 1/4-cup measure (or an ice cream scoop), heap the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them nearly full.

Bake until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean, 15–17 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 5 minutes, then unmold onto the rack. Smear them with butter if you like, and eat while they’re still warm.

Super Banana Bread
Makes 1 loaf

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 very ripe bananas
1 large egg
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sour cream or whole-milk yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp (1 oz) unsalted butter, melted

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Generously grease a loaf pan.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, smash the bananas. Add the eggs, brown sugar, sour cream, vanilla, and melted butter to the bananas and stir to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool.

Note:
To turn the bread into banana-nut muffins, make the batter as directed, adding 1/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts or pecans. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and fill as many cups with batter as you can until the batter runs out (fill them 3/4 full). Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.