Taste and Create... Apple Cheddar Loaf!

I can't believe I forgot about this until Carol [thank you, by the way] reminded me on my previous blog post!! After that, I'd been so busy with college, I'm only barely making the deadline [as always, hooray for the time difference]

I'd signed up for Taste & Create, figuring I needed a few challenges coming my way! With T&C, you can never predict who you're going to be paired with, so its interesting in that it takes me out of the chocolate rut! And how!

I went to Carol's blog, No Reason Needed, that's not a food blog per se, but great nonetheless! So ofcourse, I was a little worried! While I could have gone with the safe bet - cookies [there are many recipes for cookies on her blog], I chose to stick with my new mantra of experimenting, and the Apple Cheddar Loaf seemed perfect!

I was apprehensive at first, but after reading her post about how everyone loved it, and after her re-assuring me that it tasted great over a few e-mails, I finally set out to bake the loaf today morning!

While I can't say it was the best thing I've ever eaten, it was certainly different! Not exactly for my tastes [I'm one the in-your-face sweets kind]. But Mom sure loved it! One loaf is almost over, in about 3 hours, and I'm going to add a simple icing sugar glaze on top of the second one tomorrow, so that I'll be able to enjoy it. And for all those of you concerned about the aspect of cheese, you can barely taste it! It just adds a delicious texture! All the spices add an amazingly deep layer. I'm sure this recipe is workable! Next time, I'd up the apple content, and add more sugar! Should be perfectt!!





For the recipe, head on over to Carol's blog, or look below for the recipe as I made it -

Apple Cheddar Loaf
Adapted from No Reason Needed

1/2 cup [113 g] soft butter
3/4 cup [180 g] sugar - I'd use 1 entire cup
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup [120 g] all purpose flour
1 cup [170 g] whole-wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 c. peeled, cored, and chopped tart apple
3/4 cup [about 140 g] shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped walnuts/pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Grease and flour a 9" x 5" loaf pan. - I used two mini loaf tins.
3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, one at a time and beat until light.
5. Beat in milk.
   
6. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together.
7. Fold into creamed mixture.
8. Fold in cheese, apple, and nuts.
9. Pour into prepared pans. [batter will be thick]
   

Bake for 1 hour (I took 55 mins).





The cheese, apple, nutmeg, cinnamon all really work well in this recipe, in a way I never thought possible! I'm going to make this again, soon! I loved taking part in this event, and have learnt that baking, as well as blogging about it, is not something I can do at the last possible minute. Bring on next month!!

Update : Nutella makes everythingg better!!! Lol, I now LOVE the loaf :P

Healthy Banana Oat Bread for Mother's Day

First off, happy mother's day to all the mothers out there. I have been blessed in that I have not one, but two mothers, i.e. my grandmother. She's the sweetest soul there is, and yesterday I thought of baking something they would both like. My mom is tired of all the rich, decadent, fattening things I keep baking. My grandmom, on the other hand, loves them [actually anything I make], but the has the tiniest appetite EVER! If I were to give her something of the sort I usually bake, it would stay in her home for weeks!
So as a kind of balance, I chose a healthy banana bread. My favorite chocolate chip cookies use a minuscule amount of oats as an ingredient, so as a result I always have a LOT of it at home, going to waste. Since this recipe used oats, that was a big plus, and it would satisfy my mom, who's always nagging me to use them up.

Healthy Banana Oat Bread
Adapted from All recipes.
Makes 2 mini-loaf tins

1 cup sugar
7 tbsp oil
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup bananas [about 2 large]
1 cup oats
1/2 c milk [can use skim]
2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat well at medium speed of a mixer. Combine banana, oats, and milk; add to sugar mixture, beating well. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir with a whisk. Add to sugar mixture; beat just until moist. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.



Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

The bread was yummy, it didn't taste healthy at all :). It had a nice texture, soft, but nor crumbly, and would be a perfect accompaniment with tea/coffee. Or you can eat it in my favourite way, slightly toasted, and then used as a sandwich with nutella and more bananas :) Yumm.. Try it, you'll love it too.

Update : This is best eaten after a day. Right after baking, it seemed a little dry, something that I couldn't eat without something to go along with it. The bread moistens, I think that's because of the oats, but I can't be sure. It tasted sooo good the next day, even I could eat it plain, and I usually keep away from things that aren't rich, buttery or chocolatey :)