NORMAL CHEF: New Year’s Neighbor Loaves

Happy New Year, everyone. Another new year is upon us and everyone is rushing to make their resolutions.

I for one say “no” to them. We hardly ever stick to them, so I say lets start a new tradition. This is one that I am looking forward to doing. We are becoming such a social networking society, but have forgotten about being a present social person, and I think that it is sad. My husband and I have good relationships with our neighbors, and friends and try to make time for them.

After the car accident that I got into on Halloween, I for one am going to make it a tradition to get together with people more often instead of saying “sure one of these days.” So I started with having coffee with my neighbor Loret — nothing extreme, just some coffee and banana bread and cranberry bread. I made the loaves small, and even sent her home with a wrapped loaf of each one. It was quite enjoyable. So try it yourself a new tradition, whatever your choice may be.

To all of you, may you have a happy and healthy new year, and I hope for all of you that you remember to find what makes you happy and do it.

Cranberry Bread:

2c. all purpose flour                  
3/4 c granulated sugar
1 1/2t baking powder                  
3/4t salt
1/2t baking soda                        
1/4c margarine/butter softened
1T grated orange peel                
3/4c orange juice
1 egg                                        
1c cranberries, chopped
1/2c chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom of loaf pan, or you can use smaller pans. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Stir in margarine until crumbly. Stir in orange peel, orange juice, and egg just until moistened. Stir in cranberries,and nuts. Scoop into pan or pans depending on what size you want to do. Bake 45-55 minutes for large loaves, 20-25 for smaller ones. Insert a toothpick in the center of bread, if it comes out clean it is done.

Banana Bread:

1c sugar                                  
1/2c shortening
2 mashed bananas                    
2 eggs
1/2t salt                                    
1t baking soda
2c all purpose flour                      

Mash bananas and set aside. Combine all dry ingredients, mix in sugar until crumbly, stir in eggs and bananas. Scoop into greased pans and follow same baking directions as listed above

Natilie Cavnar is a cooking fanatic who loves to try new recipes, and create some of her own, ask her what you want at thenormalchef@gmail.com.