CHERRY LOAF

My husband decided to volunteer to do taxes for the military at Fort Leavenworth this year. I think (hope) he will enjoy it. It will be something to help take his mind off the cold days we will have this winter.

This week he is busy "learning the ropes" so it feels strange having him gone all day. I actually got quite a bit done yesterday...washed three loads of clothes, started cleaning/organizing the laundry room, cleaned up a couple of old candle jars (will do a post on that tomorrow....it is so easy), got a well-deserved haircut and mailed a baby gift to a friend in GA. I also watched a couple of Hallmark movies that I recorded and had never gotten around to watching. (Still have 3 or 4 more to watch....but I have the rest of the week.) I even found time to meet Janice at the Y to walk two miles around the "track". Dinner was in the crock pot.....pinto beans with ham. Just had to make the cornbread after my husband got home.

Friday night while we were at Bob Evans waiting for our dinner, my husband decided to check his emails. I got excited when he read an email about the class this week. It said they would furnish donuts and coffee but if anyone wanted to bring anything to share, it would be welcomed. I am always looking for a reason to bake.

Since our order was taking longer than expected, the waitress brought us a plate with some of their breads. The one on top was a slice of cherry bread. It looked too pretty to eat. It was delicious but also very sweet. Seeing it, reminded me of the other recipe I had copied down from my granddaughter Hallie's recipes (Usborne 30 Easy Things to Cook & Eat) back in July. The other recipe for OATMEAL SQUARES turned out really good. They can be made gluten-free and dairy-free.  Anyway I told my husband I would make the Cherry Loaf Sunday afternoon so he could take it on Monday.  

CHERRY LOAF

5       oz. maraschino cherries
1-3/4 cup self-rising flour
3/4    cup sugar
3/4    cup butter/margarine, softened (1-1/2 sticks)
1/2    cup finely chopped almonds
3       eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a loaf pan (8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-5/8 ") with cooking spray.

(The jar of maraschino cherries that I had was a 10-oz jar.  I emptied the jar and counted the cherries....30 cherries. So I used 15 of them and considered that 5 - oz. I also washed them before I cut them.)  Cut cherries into quarters.  Rinse under warm running water, drain, and dry with paper towels.

Sift flour...

Add sugar, margarine, and almonds to flour...

Break eggs into cup....

And add them to mixture...stirring with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy...

Gently stir in cherries...

Spoon and spread evenly into loaf pan...

Bake for 1 hr or until it is golden brown. (I tested mine with a toothpick inserted in the center.)

Cool for 5 minutes (I waited about 20 minutes.) Turn onto wire rack...

Cut when cool...