Monday, April 6, 2009

Gourmet Monday



If you were to walk into my house on any given day excluding Open House day you would find several cook books. I have a habit of moving them around as I move about the house. Often I will use recipes from Bon appetit because I hate to see the magazine go to waste. I found this recipe in an old Bon appetit after I made the bread I realized that the recipe came from Dorie Greenspan latest book Baking from My Home to Yours. She has a wonderful blog at doriegrenspan.com. You might know her by Tuesdays with Dorie. Now I can say I have made one of her great recipes. I did make one change to the recipe, I choose to use dried apricots in place of the pears. After the bread came out of the oven it looked like the rough roads we have here in Utah. But oh did it taste perfect the bacon and cheddar together. Be sure and have the sink full of hot soapy water before you start or you will be washing dishes all day.Bacon-Cheddar Quick Bread With Dried Apricots

5 bacon slices, chopped
1 cup coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese plus 1/2 cup 1/4 inch cubes extra- sharp cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces total)
1/2 cup finely chopped moist dried apricots
1/3 cup walnuts toasted, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
13/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 large eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Position rack in center of oven preheat to 350 F. Generously butter 81/2x 41/2 x 21/2- inch metal loaf pan. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
Combine bacon, all cheese, dried apricots, walnuts, and sage in medium bowl. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper in large bowl to blend. Whisk eggs, milk, and olive oil in another medium bowl to blend. Pour egg mixture over flour mixture and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Add bacon- cheese mixture and stir until incorporated ( dough will be very sticky. Transfer dough to prepared loaf pan; spread evenly.
Bake bread until golden on top and slender knife inserted into center of bread comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool bread in pan 5 minutes, then turn out onto rack and cool completely.

13 comments:

Barbara Bakes said...

Wow - that looks delicious! I never would have thought of that combination.

Sara said...

I remember seeing this recipe in the magazine. Glad it came out well for you, it looks great.

Connie said...

Oh how I love bread! I recently learned about Dorie...she is amazing isn't she?

Mary Bergfeld said...

This looks delicious! That combination is sure to please.

Jennifer said...

Ohh my that looks soo good! I must try it!

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

Now that looks like a fantastic recipe. I love how the bacon, cheddar and apricots are spaced out. It looks beautiful and I know the taste has to be incredible.

Pam said...

What a great combination of flavors - it looks great.

Becky at VintageMixer said...

my man would love this.

Ginger said...

Lynette

I do the same thing with my cookbooks!!! ANYWAY that bread looks amazing.

Selba said...

The bread looks so delicious especially because of the colors inside it of bacon and dried apricot!

Lyndas recipe box said...

This sounds so different, but looks delicious! I'll have to try this one!

Coleens Recipes said...

What a winning combo!! GREAT photo.

Katy ~ said...

A unique blend of ingredients for sure, but they sound as if they'd work together. I'd certainly like a good slice of this!