Welcome to the first installment of Kim’s Kitchen. I'll be testing a different apple recipe every week. Feel free to send along suggestions for recipes and I'll test them in my kitchen. Our first recipe is for apple bread.

Aunt Theresa's Apple Bread

My husbands Aunt Theresa comes to visit at every opportunity. Whenever she comes she brings gifts. Always books, because she was a librarian here at our public library for some 30 years. But she also brings something fresh baked.

Now usually its pretty good, but this year she brought over this Apple Bread that was fantastic. I asked her right away how she made it, and she recited the recipe from memory then and there. She is in her late 70’s, but she remembered all the measures perfectly. My kids and I loved it so much we ate the entire loaf. As soon as Aunt Theresa left, I went in kitchen and took out some apples to make it myself. I wanted Dennis (my husband) to be able to try it I knew he would like it as much as we did.

The ingredients are very basic, things I always have in stock. And it is a very simple recipe. I have to say one of the things I really love about it is that you don’t have to peel the apples, that makes it so quick and easy. Which something I can truly appreciate.

Now you might be tempted skip the topping , but don’t because it really adds to the flavor of the bread. It only takes a few more minutes to prepare. Be sure to use butter or shortening that is firm because you want it to be the consistency of crumbs so its easy to sprinkle. When my daughter made it once, she used soft margarine and it turned to butter/sugar dough. So as soon as it’s crumbly go ahead and sprinkle.

Here is the recipe which I call ......

Aunt Theresa's Apple Bread 1 C sugar 1/2 C butter 2 Eggs 1 tsp vanilla 2 C flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp soda 1 tsp baking powder 2 T buttermilk (I use regular milk and just a drop of vinegar) 2 C diced tart apples (such as a good Macintosh, Northern Spy, Granny Smith or Ida Red) Topping 2 T flour 2 T sugar 2 T butter 1 tsp cinnamon

With a pastry knife, cream the first four ingredients. Sift together the dry ingredients, ( I personally never sift anything) then mix alternately with the buttermilk into the creamed mixture. Fold in apples. Drop into greased or lined loaf pan.
Sprinkle topping over all. Bake at 360º for 1 hour.

If I make one large loaf it will be gone in one day. I have four small loaf pans that I like to use because it makes the bread go farther in my family. We may have a small loaf for dessert, or have it with coffee in the morning. Also makes a quick snack for the road for the kids. Also I like to give them as little gifts to people like my mom or my grandpa. They always appreciate it so much.

I also used this same recipe to make little apple muffin cakes. These are also a big hit! Of course you will have to adjust the baking time for the smaller baking pans 25-30 minutes. I hope you will like this recipe as much as we do. E-mail me and let me know. :)