Feels like Fall

I love Fall (almost as much as Spring) - leaves turning colors and the crisp, cool evenings are such a pleasure and are good for curling up with favorite books (I'm rereading That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis). In the fall I enjoy baking pumpkin breads and anything else with cinnamon that will fill my house w/ scent. This apple bread recipe is one of my favorites to do that. It's a wonderful moist bread that gets better with age and freezes beautifully.

Apple Bread

In bowl mix together;

2 cups unbleached or whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

In another bowl mix;

1 cup honey or agave

1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter

1 cup applesauce

2 cups of apple, finely chopped

2 eggs

1 cup raisins (optional)

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Add wet ingredients to dry and mix together. Pour batter into 2 well greased loaf pans and bake 45 to 55 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven when tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool 15 minutes, run a knife around loaves and remove from pans. Cool completely on cooling rack and then wrap well in plastic wrap or foil and allow to age for 24 hours for best taste (one loaf never makes it that long in our house). Enjoy.