Replace your pop-tarts with this great blend of fruit and nuts in a wheat bread

By Donnelly Clare

Homemade breads can be quite satisfying. If you know what you’re doing, kneading out yeast dough and baking a loaf to a golden treasure is a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. But you can also bake up something just as satisfying even if you don’t have a lot of time, and it can provide a great- and quick- breakfast the morning after.  

You will need:

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup granulated sugar

8 ounces sour cream

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup diced strawberries

½ medium banana, diced

1 cup chopped pecans

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon orange extract

2 cups self rising soft winter wheat flour

Using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light in texture and pale yellow in appearance. Add vanilla and orange extracts and mix.

Stir together sour cream and baking soda in a  bowl. Set aside. If the mixture expands, you will know that your baking soda is active.  If it doesn’t expand, discard your baking soda and make a trip to the store.

Mix together strawberries, banana and pecans.  Set aside.

Add a small amount, about 1/3 or less, of the flour to the creamed butter mixture in the mixing bowl. Pulse until flour is mixed in.  Mix in half the sour cream mixture.  Continue alternating until flour and sour cream are mixed into the dough.

Gently fold in fruits and nuts.

Spread dough evenly in a 9×5 inch loaf pan that has been prepared with a non-stick baking spray.

Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove and glaze.