Fall Means Quick Bread Time

I love fall! As soon as the nights begin to cool and the morning is crisp I start baking quick breads. They are great for breakfast, snack and dessert. They make the house smell delightful too. Here are four favorites. Oven temps and times may vary with different ovens. We have a gas oven and this is what works for us.

Cinnamon Coconut Crunch Bread
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup white sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup coconut
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
In a small bowl nix coconut, brown sugar and cinnamom. Set aside
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, in a bowl.
In a mixing bowl combine eggs, oil, white sugar, sour cream, and cream untill well blended. Add flour mixture. Mix well.
Put 1/2 of the mixture into a well oiled and floured 9 by 5 loaf pan. Sprinkle 1/2 of the coconut mixture on top of the mixture in the pan. Add the remaining dough mixture. Top with remaining coconut mixture. Cut through the mixture with a knife to swiirl the coconut mixture.
Bake at 350 for 1/2 hour. Turn oven down to 325 and cook for 15 to 30 minutes more.
Cool completely before taking out of pan.

Apple Cranberry Nut Bread
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups chopped peeled apples
1 cup crasins ( plumped in warm water)
1 cup chopped walnuts
Combine wet ingredients in mixing bowl. Combine all the dry ingredients, mix well and add to wet ingredients. Blend well. Add apples, cranberries, and nuts. The batter will be very very thick. Do not add more liquid. The fruit has plenty of liquid in it.
Bake in a well greased and floured 9 by 5 bread pan at 350 for 1/2 hour and 325 for about 1/2 hour more. Cool completely before removing from the pan.

Banana Bread
Combine
3 large very ripe ( black is best!) bananas. Mashed.
2 Tablespoons milk ( or sour cream, or yoghurt )
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix and add to above mixture
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Bake in a well greased and floured 9 by 5 bread pan at 350 for 1/2 hour and 325 for about 1/2 hour more. You may need to cover the top in the last 15 minutes of cooking ( foil tent) to ensure it does not burn but cooks completely in the middle. Cool completely before removing from the pan.

Pumpkin Spice Bread
Combine in large mixing bowl:
2 sticks of margarine ( or 1 cup of oil)
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cup cooked pumpkin
Combine and mix well.
3 1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
Add the dry to the wet ingredients and mix very well.
Bake in 2 well greased and floured 9 by 5 bread pans at 350 for 1hour. Cool completely before removing from the pan.
This bread is best the next day. It also freezes very well and has a 6 month freezer life.
Add ins for this bread:
1 cup nuts
12 oz chocolate chips ( yep its messy but oh so yummy!)
1 cup raisins or craisins or both.