Ingredients

• 1-1/3  cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2  cup whole wheat pastry flour or whole wheat flour
• 1/4  cup flax seed meal or toasted wheat germ
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 2  cups shredded pears
• 1/2  cup sugar
• 1/2  cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3  cup cooking oil
• 1/4  cup buttermilk or sour milk
• 1/4  cup honey
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2  cup shredded white cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one 9x5x3-inch loaf pan or two 7 x 3 1/2x2-inch loaf pans; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, flax seed meal, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine pears, sugar, egg product, oil, buttermilk, honey, and vanilla. Add pear mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in cheese. Spoon batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes (45 to 50 minutes for the smaller pans) or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing. (In photo, the loaf pan is used as a serving container.) Makes 16 servings.

Cinnamon, Chocolate, and Pear Quick Bread: Prepare as directed, except stir 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon into the flour mixture and substitute 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces for the cheese.

Fig, Ginger, and Pear Quick Bread: Prepare as directed, except stir 1-1/2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel and 1 teaspoon ground ginger into the flour mixture and substitute 1/2 cup finely snipped dried figs for the cheese.

Blue Cheese, Pecan, and Pear Quick Bread: Prepare as directed, except substitute 1/4 cup finely crumbled blue cheese and 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans for the white cheddar cheese.