Small Token of Thanks!

Two Sunday's ago we finally had our Christmas gift exchange with our friends...yes, I know its a month too late, but with all of us having children and families and obligations; it just didn't happen until now. We have decided that since we all have children, and we are all in our thirties and pretty much have everything we need we would only do gift exchanges for the children. We all pick a child and then buy one present for them for $20. Seems like a good idea...and the kids love it. This year as a small thank you for our friends I also made some mini loafs of Banana and Cranberry/Mandarin bread. They turned out great, even though I was frazzled in the kitchen and forgot to put the butter in the Banana bread... D'oh! After I was finished I packaged them all up in brown paper bags with a touch of ribbon. They looked very simple but pretty. I think my friends enjoyed them (only one got back to me to say they enjoyed the bread) and I enjoyed making them which I guess is the best part. It seems these days baking is the one thing that Sophia and I can agree on doing together... we'll see what we come up with next.

Here are the recipes in case any of you would like to try them.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
Canadian Living Magazine 2002
2 cups (500 mL) all purpose flour
1/4 cup (50 mL) sugar
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
Pinch salt
1 cup (250 mL) chocolate chips
2 cups (500 mL) mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup (125 mL) butter , melted
1/4 cup (50 mL) milk
2 eggs In large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt ; add chocolate chips. In separate bowl, whisk together bananas, butter, milk and eggs; pour over flour mixture and stir just until blended. Spread in greased 9- x 5-inch (2 L) loaf pan. Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan on rack for 15 minutes. Turn out onto rack; let cool completely. (Make-ahead: Wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or overwrap with heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks.)





Cranberry Mandarin Bread

Change to: loaves US Metric

Lennie's Cranberry Mandarin Bread

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2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries (if using frozen, no need to thaw)
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
1 (10 ounce) can mandarin segments , 1/4 cup juice reserved

1. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt); add cranberries to flour mixture and stir so berries are somewhat coated in flour-- this helps prevent the cranberries from sinking to the bottom of the loaves when baking.
2. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and milk (I used lowfat milk) with a mixer on low, then beat in 1/4 cup juice reserved from tinned oranges, the oil, the extract and the orange zest.
4. Stir wet mixture into dry mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened; do not overmix.
5. Make sure tinned oranges are well drained, then stir into batter.
6. Divide batter between 4 mini loaf pans (you'll find they'll be about 3/4 full)
7. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes; a tester will come out clean.
8. Cool on rack in tins for about 15 minutes, then remove from tins and let sit on rack until completely cool.