This is a good hearty bread...especially when toasted and then the addition of a wee bit of butter or a gentle slather of whipped cream cheese.  Enjoy.

2 cups white flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup peanut butter (chunky or creamy...your choice)
1 cup milk
1 egg, well beaten
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 (F).  Grease a loaf pan.  Put the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl..  Add the peanut butter, milk, and egg and mix until well blended.  Gently fold in the chocolate chips.  Spoon into the loaf pan and bake for about 50 to 55 minutes.  Remove from the pan and cool on a rack.

This recipe originally came from the "Fannie Farmer Cookbook"...the 12th edition from 1979.  Over the years of baking this wonderful bread, I've modified the recipe...sometime to reflect what I had in the larder on any given day and/or to change and perhaps enhance the flavor.

It is brown and crusty on the outside...with bits of tart apricot and toasted almond scattered throughout.  Also, it seems to me the flavors are more subtle if the bread sets for a day.

1 1/2 cups dried apricots that have been cut in half
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup brandy
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups white flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup toasted slivered almonds
1 egg, well beaten
2 tablespoons orange marmalade

Preheat the over to 350 (F).  Butter a loaf pan.  Put the apricots in a bowl and add the 1/2 cup brandy and the boiling water...add the butter, sugar and salt...stir gently...and then let cool until lukewarm.  In large bowl then combine the apricot brandy mixture with all the other ingredients and mix very well.

Spoon into prepared loaf pan and bake for one hour and 15 minutes (1 1/4 hours).  Remove from the pan and cool on a rack.

This recipe originated in the Canadian cookbook called "I've GOT To Have That Recipe!".  Over time I've modified the recipe slightly...improvement on what was already perfect?  Anyhow, if you decide to try this, enjoy.

2 cups flour
2/3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups apples (peeled, cored, and diced)
1/2 to 3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup milk (do NOT use skim)

Combine dry ingredients in bowl.  Mix together remaining ingredients and add to dry ingredients.  Mix well.  Spoon into a greased loaf pan.

Bake 60 to 70 minutes at 350 (F)...or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

A number of years ago a good friend gave me this wonderful cookbook titled "I've Got to Have THAT Recipe Too!"  In that cookbook is a recipe for Strawberry Bread...a quick bread...that I decided to try.  OH! MY! GOSH!  One bite of the finished product and I could have eaten the whole loaf!

I am sharing this very enjoyable recipe with you...

1 cup butter (best if brought to room temperature)
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs (best if brought to room temperature)

3 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup strawberry jam
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1 cup toasted chopped walnuts (optional)

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, until mixture is light and fluffy.
​
Combine dry ingredients and set aside.

Add remaining ingredients (jam, sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice and orange peel) to the butter/sugar mixture and stir until blended.

Add dry ingredients...about 1 cup at time...until well blended.

Gently fold in chopped nuts.

Pour into two greased loaf pans.

​Bake at 350 (F) for 60 minutes or until done.  Cool before removing from pans.  (Makes two loaves)

This is one of those simple recipes that is adaptable to the event whether it be a lazy Sunday, a holiday such as Easter or Christmas, or a simple hankering for something to go with a good cup of coffee.

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter, melted.
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 16.3 oz can of Pillsbury Grand Biscuits
Frosting:  1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon sour cream (optional) plus 2 - 3 teaspoons milk

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 350 (F).  Butter/grease 9x13 loaf pan.
2.  In small saucepan, melt butter.
3.  In small bowl combine nuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon with fork.  Add butter and stir until blended.  Set aside.
4.  Separate biscuits...it should be eight biscuits (if more, no problem).  Coat one side of dough with the brown sugar cinnamon nut mixture, fold in half with the mixture inside of the fold.  Place biscuits fold side down in prepared loaf pan...forming two rows of three and one row of two (the two will be be crosswise).  The important thing is to make sure the loaf pan is evenly filled with the folded biscuits.
5.  Spread remaining nut mixture over the top of the biscuits.
6.  Bake at 350 (F) for 35 - 40 minutes or until deep golden brown.  Remove from pan immediately.
7.  Combine sour cream, milk, powdered sugar and whisk with fork...pour over warm loaf.

Should make 10 servings.

This is a wonderful easy bread to make.  It is good for breakfast, a brunch, or just with coffee.  And, of course, it is a good breakfast bread for Christmas and/or Easter.  The nice thing is your home will smell wonderfully while it is baking.

1 1/4 cups coconut
1 cup surgar
1 1/2 cups mashed canned pears (a 29-oz can pears, drained, is equal to 1 1/2 cups mashed pears)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 1/2 cups all purpose or unbleached flour
3 teaspoons baking  poweder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans)

Heat oven to 350 (F).  Toast coconut for 5 - 7 minutes, stirring once.  Cool to room temperature.
Grease bottom only of 9x5 or 8x4-inch loaf pan.
In large bowl, beat sugar, pears, vanilla and egg until well mixed.  Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.  Add flour, baking powder and salt.  By hand, stir 25 to 35 strokes until dry ingredients are moistened.  Dough may seem stiff.  
Fold in coconut and nuts.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake at 350 (F) doe 55 to 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  
Cool 5 minutes, loosen edges, remove from pan.  Cool completely.
Makes 1 loaf
(Bake a day or two ahead to better blend these subtle flavors)

Many years ago a dear friend gave me a cookbook titled "I've Got to Have That Recipe!"  It is a Canadian cookbook and I believe it was/is published in British Columbia.  Every recipe from this book that I have tried is a "keeper."  And "Barb's Blueberry Cheese Bread" is one of them...

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated (I used shredded)
3/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons butter, melted (I used 2 tablespoons extra-lite olive oil)
1 egg
1 cup fresh (or frozen) blueberries

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt, orange rind and cheese and mix together.  Add juice, shortening and egg.  Beat until smooth.  Carefully fold in the blueberries.  Pour into a well greased loaf pan (1 1/2 quart).

Bake at 350 (F) for 55 - 65 minutes or until bread is firm to touch.

Banana Bread/Banana Nut Bread recipes are as ubiquitous as bananas themselves.  Unfortunately for me I've not found a recipe that works for me...my loaves of Banana Bread usually come out tough for some reason.  So I came across this recipe and tried it...and it's good...very good.  Methinks a good baker can tweak the recipe to their taste.

Here is the recipe -

Ingredients:

• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 1cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 bananas, finely crushed (for serious and extreme moist and delicious, try 4 bananas)
• 1 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts.  Can be optional.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Cream together butter and sugar.
3. Add eggs and crushed bananas.
4. Combine well.
5. Sift together flour, soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Add vanilla.
6. Mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
7. Pour into greased and floured loaf pan.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.

Makes one loaf...about 10 servings.  Serve slathered with whipped cream cheese and a rich coffee for a wonderful way to start the day.

When in despair, I bake.  My mother had her recipe for this wonderful bread.  My aunts also had their own recipes.  And I remember my Grandmother making Date & Nut Bread.  This recipe is from a McGraw-Hill published cookbook in 1981.  Trust me, this is a keeper.

Old Fashioned Date & Nut Bread

3/4 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1 8-oz package chopped dates
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (5-oz pkg)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsps baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).  Grease & flour a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan.  In a small saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil; pour over dates in a medium bowl.  Allow mixture to stand 15 minutes.  Stir to blend.  Add nuts, eggs, vanilla.  In small bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda & salt.  Stir into date mixture until blended.  Do not overmix.

Pour into pan.  Bake 65 - 70 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes.  Loosen edges with spatula; turn out on wire wrack to cool completely.  Makes 1 loaf.  Serve with whipped cream cheese.