Pear Walnut Bread

I adapted this recipe from a few other bread recipes.  It's family approved.  I used my homemade vanilla, locally grown walnuts, and our very own pears and eggs.  Yum.  Last year I canned organic applesauce as well.  I haven't yet this year however.  I sprayed my pans with organic canola oil spray.  I think the 3 pears I cut up, amounted to about 2 1/2 cups.


Pear Walnut Bread
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
3 eggs
3 pears, peeled, cored and diced
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

In a med. mixing bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine applesauce, sugar and eggs. Beat well.  Stir in pears and walnuts.

Stir dry ingredients into the pear mixture.  Combine well.  Pour batter into 2 - 8 x 4 in. prepared loaf pans.

Bake at 350°F for 60 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean).  Leave in pans on cooling racks for about 10-12 minutes.  Remove the bread from the pans to cool completely, and enjoy! 


Homemade Vanilla Extract
1 cup vodka
5 vanilla beans

Slice vanilla beans lengthwise, add both ingredients to a pint canning jar.  Place a lid on the jar.  Place the jars in a cool, dark location, and shake daily.  After 3 months or longer, strain the vanilla, and bottle.  I use a natural coffee filter to strain mine through a strainer.  I bottle it in brown glass jars.

Recipe is compliments from Michele's Little Piece of Heaven.

I have also seen where folks have simply added vanilla beans to the bottle of vodka.  I'm not sure on amounts, but it's been done that way as well.