Rhubarb Pear Bread

You can't tell by the weather around here, but spring has supposedly sprung.  Time for spring produce such as artichokes, asparagus, strawberries, and my favorite, rhubarb are starting to show up in the grocery store and at farmer's markets.  

Fun fact about rhubarb -  the leaves of the stalk are poisonous, make sure to get rid of them before cooking if you grow rhubarb in your garden. 

I've professed my love of rhubarb before, and my tendency to hoard it.  I wanted to try rhubarb in a quick bread, and throw in pears, a fruit that I love the flavor of but can't get over the texture.  This bread was great!  Pear flavor without the grittiness of fresh pears, the tart notes of rhubarb.  Good thing the recipe makes two loaves...

Pear-Rhubarb Quick Bread
         Adapted from Betty Crocker
1.5 c. finely chopped rhubarb (about half a pound)
1.5 c. chopped peeled pears
1.5 c. sugar
0.5 c. plain yogurt (I really like the Yoplait Greek Yogurt for the additional protein)
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
3 c. AP Flour
3.5 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon 

• Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease  bottoms of two 8x4 inch loaf pans. 
• Combine rhubarb, pears, sugar, yogurt, vanilla and eggs in a medium bowl.  Stir in dry ingredients.  Pour batter into pans. 
• Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes and then transfer loaves to a cooling rack.