Apricot-Cheese Loaves

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 3 tablespoons firmly brown sugar packed
• 0.3 cup butter melted
• 1 cup apricots dried finely chopped
• 2 large eggs 
• 2.5 cups flour all-purpose
• 0.8 cup granulated sugar 
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 0.3 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• 1 cup milk 
• 0.8 cup pecans finely chopped
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 0.5 lb sharp cheddar cheese shredded

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• knife
• loaf pan

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix 2 1/2 cups flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
2. Add nuts, cheese, and apricots and mix well.
3. In a medium bowl, beat eggs, milk, and 1/3 cup melted butter to blend.
4. Add mixture to dry ingredients and stir to moisten evenly.
5. Butter and flour two 4 1/2- by 8 1/2-inch loaf pans; scrape batter equally into pans. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
6. Sprinkle evenly over batter in pans.
7. Bake in a 350 oven until bread is well browned, springs back when lightly pressed in the center, and begins to pull from pan sides, 30 to 35 minutes.
8. Let stand in pans on a rack for about 10 minutes. Run a thin-bladed knife between bread and pan sides. Invert loaves onto rack and set upright to cool.
9. Serve warm or cool.