For What Ails You

Since College, I've associated strawberry bread with the ultimate comfort food. There was a restaurant in town "What's Cooking" that made it, and we always took some home after our parents visited. I hadn't had it in years - until my Auntie Barb had some sent to me after Olivia was born, what a treat. I decided to make some for Ryan's parents, it seemed like a good thing to have on hand at the hospital.

Ryan is doing better. He's been taken off the ventilator, and his hemoglobin numbers are steady. He's got a long road ahead of him - but we're thrilled to hear of the most recent improvements. Just today he whispered a request for a corn dog!

INGREDIENTS
2 cups fresh strawberries
3 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans.
Slice strawberries, and place in medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle lightly with sugar, and set aside while preparing bread mixture.
Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda in large bowl: mix well. Blend oil and eggs into strawberries. Add strawberry mixture to flour mixture, blending until dry ingredients are just moistened. Stir in pecans. Divide batter into pans.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until tester inserted comes out clean. Let cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn loaves out, and cool completely.