Apple Praline Bread

My best friend, Kelli, made a delicious treat today.... APPLE PRALINE BREAD! Double yum! She is bringing me a taste tomorrow. I am so excited! She found the recipe in a recent copy of Southern Living magazine. Here are the pics and the recipe. Get ready to drool.

Praline Apple Bread

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided

1 (8oz) container sour cream

1 c. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1TBSP vanilla extract

2 c. all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. finely copped, peeled Granny Smith apples (about 3/4 lb)

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. firmly packed light brown sugar

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 in to a greased and floured 9x5 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 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.