Maple Apple Pecan Bread

Top 5 reasons you will "Fall" in love with this Fall bread today:

5.  This is a bread that is so rustic and beautiful.  Slices and behaves very well.

4.  Apples in October are in natural abundance, so I know your fridge is packed with local orchard apples right now.

3.  Maple.  That is all.

2.  It makes your whole house smell better than anything in the entire world.  Open the windows to make all your neighbors jealous.  (Oh Yeah!  Neighbors...that smell is coming from my house!)  I left shortly after baking this loaf and smelled it when I turned back into the block.  Pure heaven!

1.  So yummy, so healthy, so Fall. 

Maple Apple Pecan Bread
Print recipe here

1 C + 3 TB white whole wheat flour
3/4 C white flour, unbromated and unbleached
2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1 tsp aluminum free baking soda
1/2 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
1 tsp ground Vietnamese Cinnamon- KT#4
generous pinch ground nutmeg
3/4 C 100% pure Maple syrup
2/3 C cultured sour cream or Greek yogurt
1/3 C unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 C grated apples
1/2 C coarsely chopped apples
1 TB golden flax seeds, ground or whole
1/2 C pecans, chopped

Topping
1/4 C pecans, chopped
2 TB Turbinado or Sugar in the Raw
1/2 tsp Vietnamese Cinnamon- KT#4
small pinch nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×5×3-inch loaf pan. Grate up your apples.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Make a well.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream or yogurt, maple syrup, eggs, melted butter and vanilla extract.

4.  Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients well. Add the grated apples, chopped apples, flax seeds and chopped pecans. Combine just until mixed.

5. Scoop batter into prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with Topping mixture.

6. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

7. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes then invert onto a cooling rack to cool before cutting to enjoy.

 
Lastly, smother with pasture butter and sink into a bliss.

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Today's recipes where brought to you by, inspired or adapted from: Cooking for Seven

Baked Tortellini

I love homemade.  Everything homemade is ideal.  Who lives in a perfect ideal?  Who would want to?  Perfect ideal would be boring.  But sometimes dinner suffers somewhere in there.  Using these high quality, prepackaged and fresh ingredients make this a great alternative to making homemade tortellini on the fly.
I don't know if I will ever have enough time to make homemade tortellini!  I'm willing to admit that is something I will never make from scratch.  I will accept defeat for that, but who knows!  So maybe there should not be a white flag waving just yet.
This is an easy, healthy, delicious weeknight meal.  This comes together fast all in one dish.   Perfect for those busy nights in the middle of the week like tonight!

Spread. Layer. Sprinkle. Repeat. Eat!

Baked Tortellini
Print recipe here

2 - 20 oz. bags fresh or frozen tortellini

2 jars your favorite organic Tomato Basil pasta sauce (like Muir Glen or Newman's)

1 - 5 oz. package fresh spinach*

10 - pieces frozen breaded chicken tenders

1/2 C Parmesan cheese, shredded

1 C Mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 3 Qt casserole or glass dish with olive oil.
2. Spread 1 1/2 C pasta sauce (half of a jar) on bottom of the dish, lay 1/2 of spinach* down and pour 1 bag of tortellini.  Note: You can always sub for stuffed shells and ravioli too.

3. Spread 1 1/2 C pasta sauce, rest of spinach*, last bag of tortellini and another 1 1/2 C pasta sauce.

4. Place chicken tenders over top, sprinkle with Parmesan, pour last of pasta sauce over chicken and Parmesan.

5. Layer Mozzarella cheese, sprinkle Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes.

5. Bake for 45-60 minutes until cheese has turned golden and bubbly.

* Kitchen Technique #5- Spinach cooks down much more than you think it will. Even though it looks like a lot piled high now, it will not be when you take it out of the oven.

You know it is a winner when you hear "More please!"  Dish up, this dinner is loaded with protein, calcium, lutein, lycopene, Vitamin A & C, folic acid, omega 3's and much more.

Thanks for visiting me @

Today's recipes where brought to you by, inspired or adapted from: Me! Natasha @ Saved by the Egg Timer.