Yummy Apple Bread

Little Moore and I got to hang out with my folks over in California last weekend. Yup, that’s two weekends in a row that we’ve made the trek to California… I’m working on cutting back, but there are always things going on, and reasons to go… and when you’re a SAHM, it isn’t like you have anything else to do, right?

Anyway… my Aunt, Uncle, and cousins were coming down to visit my folks. They live up in Northern California, and it was a pretty big deal. L, their oldest (now 7 years old), was diagnosed with Leukemia a year ago. He’s been undergoing intense treatment, so they’ve wanted to stay pretty close to the hospital. This was the “big trip” before he gets to go back to school… very exciting, because he hasn’t attended a “regular” school since his diagnosis last October.

They completely packed the car – not just stuff for themselves, but hand-me-down toys and clothes for LM (THANKS!). We love getting all the hand-me-downs. : ) They also had fruit from their trees… apples and some Asian Pears.

I snagged some of the apples to make something yummy when we got back home. I was in the mood to bake yesterday, but wasn’t in the mood for apple pie (I know, weird, right?), and I had a recipe for apple bread that I snagged from Epicurious some time ago… I altered it a bit and added some spices. It turned out really yummy – a cross between apple pie and spice cake (which is my hubby’s favorite cake)!

If you feel like trying it out, here’s the recipe:

Sift together:
1 3/4 c flour
3/4 c sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Stir in:
2/3 cup apple juice
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 c melted butter, cooled slightly
2 eggs, lightly beaten
(stir until just mixed… do not over mix)

Add in:
2 c chopped apples
1/2 c chopped nuts (optional – I used walnuts, it is what I had – pecans would be yummy too)

Pour into greased 9x5x3″ loaf pan. Bake 50-60 min at 350 degrees.

… even the dog liked it! Here is the cutting board on the floor the next morning (missing the half a loaf we’d left on it the night before… good thing I made a double batch!)

Always,