Friday's Fav Foods***Holiday Loaf Breads

As we head into the holiday season, many of us will be spending some extra time in the kitchen making big meals, desserts, and holiday treats. One thing that I like to make this time of year are dessert breads. They are also great as gifts. I like to buy the disposable mini-loaf pans and make up several batches. After the loaves are cooled, wrap in cellophane bunching the loose ends together at the top, and tie with a ribbon and add a gift tag. Easy, fast, inexpensive, and you can make ahead and freeze if you need to.

Here are two of my favorites:

CRANBERRY - ORANGE NUT BREAD

The early settlers learned to cook with cranberries from the Indians of the Cape Cod area, who added cranberries and nuts to their corn breads. Cakes of dried venison and cranberries, called pemmican, were a mainstay of the Indian diet.

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 c. butter, softened

Juice and grated peel of 1 orange

1 egg

1 c. cranberries, chopped

1/2 c. chopped nuts
Heat oven to 350°F.
Grease bottom of loaf pan, 9 x 5 x 3 inches. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Stir in butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in orange peel (about 1 tablespoon), the juice of 1 orange and 1 egg. Stir only until the flour is moistened. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Spread evenly in pan.
Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes.
Loosen edges of loaf with spatula; remove from pan. Let stand at least 8 hours before slicing.
If using self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt. Reduce baking soda to 1/4 teaspoon.

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LEMON LOAF

6 tbsp. shortening

2 eggs, well beaten

1 c. white sugar

1 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. milk

Grated rind of 1 lemon
GLAZE:
1/3 c. sugar dissolved in juice of 1 lemon

Cream shortening, add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs and mix well. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and add alternating with milk. Stir in grated rind. Pour into greased loaf pan lined with foil and greased again. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Pour on glaze while loaf is still hot. Makes 1 loaf.