Apple Pie Streusel Bread

THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO APPRECIATING THE EDUCATORS AND TEACHERS IN OUR LIVES.

This has an embarrassing amount nothing to do with the fact that I’ve just started teaching an undergraduate course.

Have you ever had a teacher you respected to the core?

Like an apple core–you know, strong, sturdy, and full of so many little seeds of great ideas?

Now that I’m a full-fledged apple-core teacher of sorts, I’ve also crowned myself queen of magnificent metaphors. Because apparently everything I says actually has weight now, or at least so I’ve gathered from the fact that every ounce of word vomit that spews forth from my lips is written down by a dozen zealous pen-wielding university undergrads.

Funflour Fact #7: Did you know that (according to www.fotps.org) the average teacher…a) Spends an average of $443 per year of their own money to meet the needs of their students, and b) spend an average of 50 hours per week on all teaching duties, including non-compensated school-related activities such as grading papers, bus duty and club advising? 

Teachers have been on my mind a lot lately. Just last week, I graded my first full batch of papers and nearly flew off my rocker at the sheer amount of work that goes into such a seemingly “simple” task.

Probably the only thing we got right about our teachers when we were still little bright-eyed brats was that they basically live in their classrooms. I’m stuck in my office at 9 PM as I type this, but I guess that’s about the same thing. And until I started teaching this fall term, I never really–I mean really–appreciated how much our teachers have done and continue to do for us.

Just this morning, I attempted to channel massive levels of anxiety into productive writing energy for nearly half of my students, whose second paper is due this week. We had quite a few tightly-wound strings and lots of near-hyperventilation moments.

Wallflour Power: Don’t wait until it’s too late–show somebody important in your life that you care by making something special for them when there’s no official “occasion.” (This apple pie streusel bread could be a great start!)  

I will be keeping my paper bag handy at my desk from here on out…right next to the Costco-sized packs of tissue boxes.

I will also need to keep a loaf of this apple pie bread around, because apparently it is a total balm for the soul. So I was told…after my friends inhaled it in one round. On second thought, maybe I’ll just save some for myself so that they’ll actually have a sane instructor when they come to talk to me.

Lots of people can point at the education debate and say that teachers don’t do their jobs, that the government “supports” education when the legislation and history says otherwise, and all sorts of crazy stuff. If you’ve ever been in a teacher’s shoes, though, you’ll know just how dedicated these people are.

So this is a post in honor of all you teachers out there–dear teeches, we appreciate you!!

Here’s one for all the appreciated teachers in your life: apple pie bread, everyone. Print this, and show a teacher how much you appreciate them today!

(This post was also part of the October Improv challenge at Frugal Antics–blog hop!)

Which teacher in your life has made the most lasting impression on you, and why?

get the InLinkz code

Apple Pie Streusel Bread

Yield: 1 loaf

Slightly adapted from My Baking Addiction

 

Ingredients:

For the Batter

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups peeled apples, diced (approximately 3-4 medium apples)
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans OR graham crackers, lightly crushed (not too finely) into small pieces
• 1/2 cup raisins

For the Streusel Topping

• 1/4 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, cream butter or margarine until fluffy. Add sugars; blend until well-combined and creamy. Add buttermilk and baking powder; mix until combined. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until thoroughly incorporated.
2. Gradually add flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, and mix until just incorporated. Fold in apples, pecans or graham crackers, and raisins. Spoon into a prepared greased 9×5″ loaf pan.
3. For the streusel: In a medium bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, oats, and pecans. Cut in butter or margarine until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Spoon evenly on top of batter. Bake entire bread for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted all the way through comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack, and cut when completely cooled.
4. The final (and most important!) step: serve this to a teacher or instructor in your life whom you appreciate!