Mabon Apple Bread...

[MacMorrighan]

I just thought I'd share a recipe that I created for an Autumn Equinox feast this year:

* 3-4 peeled and shredded apples
* 2 eggs
* 1/4 Cup vegetable oil
* 1/4 buttermilk [substitute: 1tsp. vinegar + enough milk for 1/4 Cup; allow to rest for 5 minutes prior to use.]
* 1/2 Cup sugar or 1/4 Cup honey
* 1 tsp. each pure vanilla extract (Don't you dare use that immitation crap!), and ground cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp. each ground nutmeg, salt, baking soda, and baking powder
* About 1/8 tsp. ground cardamon
* 6 ounces chopped walnuts
* 2 Cups flour, plus 2-3 heaped Tble. flour
* 2 handfuls (palmfuls) Quakers' Oats
* 1/4 Cup brown sugar
* 2-3 Tble. butter

Blend together the following: apples, vegetable oil, butter milk, sugar or honey, vanilla extract, eggs, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and 2 large handfuls of walnuts (reserve the remainder for the topping). Gently add the flour and oats to the mixture. Stir just until combined. Pour inro a greased and floured loaf pan.

Topping: Cut the butter into a mixture of 2-3 Tble flour, the remaining spices, 1/4 Cup brown sugar, and the remaining walnuts. Evenly sprinkle ontop of the batter and bake for 1 hour in an oven that's been pre-heated to 350-degrees F. However, if you use a glass loaf pan, you may wish to turn down the heat somewhat about 15 minutes before the bread is ready, because glass conducts and holds heat extremely well; you don't want it to burn, after all!