Apples Apricots and Walnuts

 “Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first September was crisp and golden as an apple.” 
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

 Tis' the season for Stellar Jays .

 And Neighbourhood cats peering in the door. Hello Spencer.

 And the grapes  ripening on the vines.  Almost ready for cider or wine.

 And fall baking. Apples and Walnuts and Apricots.

 APPLE APRICOT WALNUT LOAF easy peasy. Spray a loaf pan with veggie spray. If you want, you can double this recipe. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 1/2 cup soft butter or margarine, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, dash vanilla, 1/3 cup orange juice, (or cranberry juice)

 Grate unpeeled apples. The original recipe says 1 cup,but live a little dangerously do 2 cups!

 2 cups flour ( white or whole wheat), 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, pinch salt, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup chopped apricots. I throw in a hand of raisins or dried cranberries.

 Combine butter, sugar and egg. Beat until you can beat no more.

 “If I were God, it’d be a whole different story, dropping fruit at will. Let them eat apples.”  ― Trebor Healey, A Horse Named Sorrow

 Mix dry ingredients with the fruit. 

 Combine the dry with the wet ingredients. Just till combined. Overmixed will make it tough.

 Scrape into prepared loaf pan.

 Now comes the waiting part. Watch something riveting on tv. for about  60 minutes, give or take.

 Check with sharp knife to see if the centre is dry. If not, then add time.

 "We are born believing. A man bears beliefs as a tree bears apples." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

 Let cool about ten minutes in pan.  then go ahead and remove and sit on a bread board to cool completely.

 A very tender loaf, with a mild delicate apple flavour. the walnuts 
( pecans if you want) give it a great crunch. If you  don't like nuts add raisins or cranberries instead.

 "Don't get fancy. Have you cooked an apple pie? You don't know what you did wrong? Do this: Take two or three apples. Put them on a table. Study them."  - Paul Prudhomme