Praline-Apple Bread

My friend, Judy, recently made this bread and posted a picture of it on Facebook. It looks sooo delicious and I can't wait to bake it myself. Posting it here is the easiest way to keep up with it, so here it is:

Judy modified the recipe a little, so be sure to check out her modifications at the bottom of the post.

• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided
• 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped, peeled Granny Smith apples (about 3/4 lb.)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. Bake 1/2 cup pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring after 4 minutes.

Beat sour cream and next 3 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until blended.

Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients. Add to sour cream mixture, beating just until blended. Stir in apples and 1/2 cup toasted pecans. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9- x 5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup chopped pecans; lightly press pecans into batter.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, shielding with aluminum foil after 50 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack.

Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil in a 1-qt. heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, and spoon over top of bread; let cool completely (about 1 hour).

Note: To freeze, cool bread completely; wrap in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Recipe from Debbie Grusska, Hobart, Indian

This recipe can be found here

Judy modified the recipe by using light sour cream. She also substitued 1 1/3 AP flour + 2/3 cup whole wheat flour for the 2 c. AP flour.

Glorious Morning Muffins

2 c. wheat flour
2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. applesauce
1 1/2 c. shredded carrots
1 1/2 c. apples, peeled and shredded
3/4 c. coconut
1/2 c. raisins
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Combine flour, sugar, soda, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl. In another bowl, combine carrot, apple, coconut, raisins, and pecans. Stir in beaten eggs, applesauce and vanilla. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until just moistened. Grease and flour muffin tin and spoon batter in. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on rack. (Store in refrigerator and warm before serving.)

Yields 18 regular size or 12 larger ones

WW – 3 points

Thanks, Judy for this awesome tasting and diet friendly muffin!

Mom's Cookin': Fruited Spinach Salad

1 can (11 oz) mandarine oranges
1/4 c. olive or vegetable oil
3 T. raspberry jam
1 T. red wine vinegar
1 pkg (10 oz) fresh spinach, torn
1 red apple, chopped
1 c. pecans, toasted and chopped

Drain oranges, reserving 1/2 c. juice. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine oil, jam, vinegar and reserved juice; shake well. In a large salad bowl, toss oranges, spinach, apple and pecans. Serve with the dressing.
Serves 6-8

Apple Cake

My friend, Judy Gay, made this cake recently and it was heavenly! I plan on making it soon!

1 ¼ cup corn or canola oil
2 cups sugar
3 beaten eggs
3 cups chopped apples
1 cup chopped pecans
3 cups plain or cake flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
3 tsp. vanilla


Sift dry ingredients 3 times. Mix ingredients in order given. Add vanilla. Cook in 2 – 9 inch pans which have been greased and floured. Put in cold oven. Bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Icing:
½ cup margarine or butter
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup evaporated milk
½ tsp. vanilla

Melt butter and sugar together; add milk and let come to a boil. Cool. Add vanilla. Ice between layers and top.


Optional Glaze:
1 stick butter
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Bring to boil over low heat. Boil 2 minutes. Pour over cake while hot. Can be used instead of icing for cake.

This cake gets better with age...so make it ahead if possible.