Valentine's Day Cranberry Bread

~I took this picture around midnight while the loaves of cranberry nut bread were still hot. I haven't been feeling good and should have been resting but I HAD to bake! Blame it on NOBLE PIG and her recipe for Hungry Housewife's Banana Bread, 2/11/09. I so wanted to make and eat that banana bread, but alas, I have everything but ripe bananas and the supermarket had no ripe bananas, even ones hiding in the back of the produce section. So I bought bananas that should be ripe enough next week to make this fantastic looking and sounding bread. ~However, I did have some fantastic ingredients for cranberry bread. Not just any cranberries either, I had the cranberries left over from my home made cranberry liqueur. Chopped cranberries that have soaked in vodka and a few other ingredients for over 2 months!Cranberries soaked in citrus peel and vodka...now wouldn't it be a waste to throw those out to the chickens ? ( The chickens might disagree ) The picture above shows the freshly drained and bottled cranberry liqueur, along side the cranberries and the loaves of very tasty bread!I wish you could see how beautiful the rich red cranberry liqueur is when the sun shines through it. ~The liqueur was made to give as gifts along with a recipe for cake that requires the liqueur, however Barb, a friend, suggested the liqueur would be very good drizzled over cheesecake ! Sounds delicious Barb!

Cranberry Nut Bread ( loosely based on Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook recipe)

2 cups sifted all purpose flour 3/4 cup sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon soda 1 beaten egg ( farm fresh is best ! ) 1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange peel 3 / 4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice 2 Tablespoons oil 1 cup chopped and vodka soaked cranberries ( drained ) O.K., chopped fresh cranberries if you must 1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped walnuts Sift together dry ingredients. Combine egg,peels, oil and juice, add to the dry ingredients stirring til moistened. Fold in the nuts and cranberries. Bake in a 9X5X3 " loaf pan , 350 degrees for an hour or until done. Remove from the pan, cool wrap and store at least a day before eating. ( You can cheat though, just one buttered slice before putting it away for a day.) I made this cranberry bread in December and it was very, very good. It is so pretty and with the red cranberries throughout and drizzled on top, it makes a good quick bread for Valentine's Day. Interested in making cranberry liqueur ? Click here: Home made Cranberry Liqueur Blessings : abundant food, friends and family to share it with