Apple Walnut Bread

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and dub this Day 2 of the 4 Sons ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’. Each day, for the next 10 days, we will be bringing you holiday themed recipes, potential goodies for gift ideas, and holiday themed crafts/fun food options for the kids. While I’ve got a lot of this planned out, if I happen to miss a day or so, thanks in advance for your forgiveness. While working full-time and raising the 4 Sons, things can always pop up.

The holidays are always a really happy, but really hectic time around our house. Even with the extra helping of chaos, I wouldn’t trade a moment. I live for seeing the Christmas spirit, the ‘magic’ of the holidays reflected in their eyes. I’m so blessed that the Sons’ have all inherited our belief that even though receiving can feel really awesome, giving is always more gratifying. So naturally, we all want to get gifts to give to just about everyone we know. And it’s all these big ideas, wrapped up with candy canes, and silver ribbons. And then we all hit the same snag … the budget. That budget, what a scrooge. Bahumbug!

Luckily, when that tried to hold us back, we can always rely on our trusty pair of holiday gift-giving crutches, the old glue gun and the family recipe book (or Pinterest if need be). Who doesn’t love an adorable hand-made trinket, or something delicious that just tastes like Christmas in a bite?

Loaves of our Apple Walnut Bread are one of our go-to’s for just such an occasion, especially after taking advantage of the nearby apple harvest the month before. Ahh, the perks of living 30 minutes from the mountains of Virginia.

 This bread just tastes like home… if your home were, say… tucked up in the Blue Ridge mountains. And if there’s one thing I know, it’s that I’ll always be ‘home’ for Christmas. And that homey feeling is perfect to pass along this time of year, especially to any of our friends and family who may not be as fortunate as we are to be home for the holidays this year.

Bottom line? Make this bread. It has cinnamon and apples in it. Really… that’s all you need to know, right?

Apple Walnut Bread

recipe adapted from On Sutton Place

1 cup sour cream
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup apples diced very fine
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Spray one large loaf pan or 3 small with non stick cooking spray or coat in butter and set aside
2. In a stand mixer, mix together the first 4 ingredients.
3. Add the dry ingredients mixing well and scraping sides of the bowl so that everything is evenly incorporated.
4. Fold in the apples and half of the nuts.
5. Pour the batter into the loaf pan(s) and top with the remaining nuts.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 60 min. (large) and 35-40 min. (small)
7. Let the loaf rest in the pan(s) for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

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