Cranberry-Orange Nut Bread

This recipe is a Christmas favorite in the Fenton family, but it would be good any time of the year that you can get your hands of fresh cranberries. The recipe hails from an old copy of Betty Crocker’s Christmas Cookbook, which is the source for quite a few of my mother's holiday baked goods. She notes that sometimes she doubles the recipe, which then fits in five small loaf pans. I made a batch just before Christmas, and just thawed the remaining frozen bread, lightly toasted with or without butter, it's a lovely morning treat.
 
Cranberry-Orange Nut Bread
From Betty Crocker’s Christmas Cookbook

2 cups flour   
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp baking soda
¼ cup softened butter
1 Tb. grated orange peel
¾ cup orange juice
1 egg
1 cup chopped cranberries
½ cup chopped walnuts

1. Heat oven to 350, and grease the bottom of a 9x5 loaf pan.
2. Mix together the dry ingredients and then stir in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.
3. Stir in the orange peel, orange juice, and egg just until all of the flour is moistened.
4. Stir in the chopped cranberries and walnuts and pour (or spread) into the baking pan.
5. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Loosen the side of the loaf from pan and remove from pan. Cool before slicing.