Bacon Cheddar Quick Bread with Dried Pears

Ingredients

• 1.8 cups all purpose flour 
• 5 slices bacon chopped
• 1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder 
• 1 cup coarsely cheddar cheese plus) extra-sharp grated
• 3 large eggs 
• 1 tablespoon sage fresh minced
• 0.3 teaspoon ground pepper black
• 0.3 cup olive oil extra-virgin
• 3.5 ounces moist pears dried finely chopped
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 0.3 cup walnuts toasted chopped
• 0.3 cup milk whole

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• knife
• whisk
• loaf pan
• aluminum foil

Directions

1. Position rack in center of ovenand preheat to 350°F. Generouslybutter 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch metalloaf pan. Cook bacon in largeskillet over medium heat untilcrisp.
2. Transfer bacon to papertowels to drain.
3. Combine bacon, all cheese,dried pears, walnuts, and sagein medium bowl.
4. Whisk flour,baking powder, salt, and blackpepper in large bowl to blend.
5. Whisk eggs, milk, and olive oilin another medium bowl toblend.
6. Pour egg mixture overflour mixture and stir just untildry ingredients are moistened.
7. Add bacon-cheese mixture andstir until incorporated (doughwill be very sticky).
8. Transferdough to prepared loaf pan;spread evenly.
9. Bake bread until golden ontop and slender knife insertedinto center of bread comes outclean, about 55 minutes. Coolbread in pan 5 minutes, thenturn out onto rack and coolcompletely. DO AHEAD: Canbe made 1 day ahead. Wrap inplastic, then foil, and store atroom temperature.