Applesauce Nut Bread

At this time of year when the weather's getting cold and snowy outside, I remember days at grandma's house watching her bake all her wonderful holiday cookies, fudge, and other such treats. One job I often got was to crack walnuts for the nutmeats. It was, and still is in my humble opinion, too expensive buy the walnuts already shelled, so you bought a big bag of walnuts and used the nut cracker and picking tools to get at the nutmeats. And that was a good job for us grandkids. I thought of those wonderful times last night when I went to the grocery store and there was a big bin of walnuts. Grandma's tools for breaking them open sits in the back of my drawer in the kitchen for baking tools. Needless to say, I bought a big bag of nuts came home and brought out one of her recipes. I hope you enjoy it.

2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
3/4 cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 egg beaten
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tbsp. shortening, melted

Place all dry ingredients in sifter and sift together into bowl. Add egg, applesauce, and shortening and stir just until blended. Add coarsely broken nutmeats. Place in greased loaf pan, and bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Cool on rack.