A Bucks County Thanksgiving - Cranberry Bread

This recipe is making a reappearance on my Thanksgiving menu. I haven't made it in quite a while and I miss it. I serve it with the appetizers and if there is any leftover, I put it in the dinner bread basket. It toasts up beautifully! So if, by some strange happenstance, not all of it is gobbled up on Thanksgiving, you will thoroughly enjoy it as toast the next morning. I am giving you a recipe for two loaves, believe me you will need two. But you can halve the recipe easily for one loaf. This is basically a giant loaf of scone. The process is similar to making scones or biscuits but you get this in loaf form. It's easy to put together and makes your house smell fabulous. I usually make it the day before and cover it tightly to keep it until appetizer time. I have also made it on Thanksgiving morning and I sneak a slice or two for breakfast. It tastes amazing when it's warm.

Cranberry Bread

yields 2 - 9x5x3 loaves

Preheat oven to 350 degres

4 cups good quality a.p. flour - I use Castle Valley Mill soft bolted wheat

2 cups sugar

3 tsp baking powder

2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup cold butter, diced

2 large eggs, beaten

2 tsp orange or lemon zest

1 1/2 cups cold orange juice with pulp

3 cups dried cranberries

3 cups fresh cranberries

In a large bowl add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in cold butter until mixture is crumbly. Add egg, zest and juice all at once. Stir until mixture just comes together and is evenly moist. Fold in cranberries gently. Spoon into loaf pans sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or util toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Enjoy!