When life gives you poppy seeds...

...make these:
Poppy Seed Orange Bars



Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons softened butter
2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice
1/3 cup poppy seeds
grated orange zest (optional)

Directions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees [F].
Comebine sugar, sourcream, 1/2 cup butter. Mix in flour, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and orange juice, and poppy seeds to the sugar mixture. Spread batter into a 13 x 9 baking pan. Bake for 17-22 minutes. Cool completely.
For the frosting, beat powdered sugar, 2 tbs. butter, and orange juice until you achieve a thick and creamy consistency. Spread over cooled bars. Sprinkle the top with orange zest for a citrus punch!


Poppy Seed Dinner Rolls
I made these for a casual dinner with friends, and they looked and tasted absolutely delicious. They were soft and flaky... just perfect.

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
2 envelopes of dry yeast
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup milk
1 large egg plus 1 egg beaten with 1 tabslepoon cold water (glaze)
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 stick butter, melted and cooled
5 1/2 cups flour
1 cup chilled butter, cut into small pices
poppy seeds

Directions: Add yeast and 1/4 tsp. sugar to warm water and stir. Let it dissolve and stand about 8 minutes.
Whisk 1 egg, milk, salt, and remaining sugar into yeast mixture. Add melted butter and whisk until smooth. Mix in 1 cup of flour. Combine 4 cups of flour and chilled butter in a food processor and combine until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add this to the yeast mixture and stir.
Knead in bowl until it is smooth. Add more flour if it is too sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
When you're ready to bake, roll dough into 24 balls and place on greased baking sheets. Cover rolls with a damp kitchen towel and let them rise until they are doubled in size (1 hour).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees [F].
Brush egg glaze over the top of rolls and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake these for approximately 25 minutes, until they are golden brown.