UMMM, Yum!

This latest dessert that I made deserved its very own blog post.  I could go on and on about it, but I'll just show you the picture.

It needs no words.  It's just plain yum and it just screams FALL!  Between the apples, pecans, and the praline glaze it just feels like something that you would serve around Thanksgiving.  I found it in the September issue of Southern Living and I'm so glad I made it.  Now, I'm passing it on to you!

Go on now, go make it!

Praline-Apple Bread

Ingredients

• 1 1/2  cups  chopped pecans, divided


• 1  (8-oz.) container sour cream


• 1  cup  granulated sugar


• 2  large eggs


• 1  tablespoon  vanilla extract


• 2  cups  all-purpose flour


• 2  teaspoons  baking powder


• 1/2  teaspoon  baking soda


• 1/2  teaspoon  salt


• 1 1/2  cups  finely chopped, peeled Granny Smith apples (about 3/4 lb.)


• 1/2  cup  butter


• 1/2  cup  firmly packed light brown sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake 1/2 cup pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring after 4 minutes.

2. Beat sour cream and next 3 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until blended.

3. Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients. Add to sour cream mixture, beating just until blended. Stir in apples and 1/2 cup toasted pecans. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9- x 5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup chopped pecans; lightly press pecans into batter.

4. Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, shielding with aluminum foil after 50 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack.

5. Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil in a 1-qt. heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, and spoon over top of bread; let cool completely (about 1 hour).

Note: To freeze, cool bread completely; wrap in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Recipe from Debbie Grusska, Hobart, Indiana

Debbie Grusska, Hobart, Indiana, Southern Living, SEPTEMBER 2009