Cherry Pecan Bread

I originally found this recipe in a little Canadian cookbook called "I've Got to Have THAT Recipe Too!"  This is a tried and true recipe that I've made and given away as a simple little gift:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 10-oz jar maraschino cherries, drained (reserve liquid), chopped*
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Glaze:  1 cup powdered sugar and 1 - 2 tablespoons milk or reserved cherry juice (one tablespoon of each)
• In a large bowl, cream together sugar, butter and eggs until light and fluffy.
• Combine dry ingredients and add to butter mixture along with the buttermilk.  Beat until well blended.  Stir in pecans, cherries and vanilla.
• Pour batter into greased loaf pan.  Bake at 350 (F) for 55 - 60 minutes.
• Remove from pan, cool and glaze.  Makes one loaf.
• For the glaze...combine the powdered sugar and milk or reserved cherry juice until smooth.  Drizzle over warm pecan bread.
• *the reserved cherry juice can be refrigerated and used for batches of Kenny Lysdahl Brandy Manhattans!

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