Fresh Strawberry Bread {a recipe}

Strawberry season is rolling in around here.  Fresh local berries for super cheap means lots of baking for this house.  This is my favorite bread, well my pumpkin bread is pretty close, but this tops it I think.  I have a hubbs with a wicked sweet tooth so I toss a bit of chocolate chips in there.  Not part of the recipe though.  I also half this recipe to make one loaf unless I am gifting, then I make the two.  And of course things can be substituted to make this healthier.. ie. wheat flour, apple sauce, egg whites.

FRESH STRAWBERRY BREAD

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh strawberries -  Overripe strawberries are very good for this.  And keep the slices big so you have good chunks of berries in your loaf. I also recommend stirring by hand, not with a mixer to keep the strawberries chunky.
3 1/8 cups all purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon - this can be halved. It is very cinnamon-y but I like it like that.
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs beaten
1 1/4 cups chopped pecans - optional. walnuts are also good.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour 9x5 loaf pans.
2. Slice strawberries and place in mediums sized bowl.  Sprinkle lightly with sugar. Set aside.
3. Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda in large bowl.  Mix well.  
4. Stir oil and eggs into strawberries.  Add strawberry mixture into flour mixture and stir until dry ingredients are just moistened.  Stir in pecans.  Divide batter into pans.
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes (this can take longer.  mine usually takes 1 hr 30 min) or until tester comes out clean.  Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.