Cranberry Bread

• 3 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 1/4 cup melted margarine or oil
• 1 1/3 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 to 1-1/2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen

This is Tommy’s favorite tea bread. To prepare it you will need to get out your favorite large mixing bowl. Measure the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into it. Mix the dry ingredients up with a fork or a whisk, to distribute the baking powder and salt evenly. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Crack in the eggs. Add the margarine, milk and vanilla. Combine all of these ingredients until the batter is well mixed, but still a little lumpy, sort of like muffin batter, but a little smoother. Dump in the cranberries. If they are frozen, don’t bother thawing them; they will thaw as they cook. Stir the batter well. Divide the mixture between two well oiled 8″ by 4″ loaf pans. 350 degrees for 45 minutes. You can tell they are done when a knife inserted into the center of the largest one, comes out clean. If they aren’t done, but are very brown on top, then reduce the heat and continue cooking until the centers are cooked through. Allow the bread to sit a few minutes before removing from the pan. Serve with cream cheese, or margarine, or even plain, as a snack or dessert. I often include thick slices in the kids lunches as a dessert. Very good with a tall glass of cold milk.

When cranberries are reduced to half price after the winter holidays, I stock up on bags of cranberries and store them in my freezer at home. Then we have cranberries all year long. When the Holidays come around again, I use the last of the frozen cranberries for the festivities. Then I restock my freezer supply at the end of December, and start the process all over again.

Ready for another frugal bread recipe? Try making these homemade hush puppies.