Autumn Pear Mini Loaves

  The Taste of Home Baking Book had a different recipe for quick bread made with pears than the recipe I used in 2011. This called for cold butter cut into the dry ingredients. That and the use of pears decided me to try it.

  It takes a small amount more of time to get ready and we thought we liked the recipe using salad oil better, but this makes a good loaf of quick bread and will not last long at our house. I baked mine in a 8 by 4 x 2 inch pan for 50 minutes making one loaf instead of two.

Autumn Pear Mini Loaves

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ cup cold butter

2 eggs

¼ cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup finely chopped peeled ripe pears

  In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. In a small bowl, beat the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; stir into crumb mixture just until moistened. (this takes a little doing as there is not much liquid). Fold in pears

  Spoon into two greased 5-¾ inch x 3 inch x 2 inch loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 35 - 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to a wire rack to completely.