Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Making Christmas meaningful (a.k.a. "The Un-Grinchification of the Holidays"), day 2: Baking Cranberry Cream Cheese bread

I've said it before, and its no joke - I just plain SUCK in the kitchen.

I can cook OK, but I'd rather fold an entire day's worth of laundry than clean the top of the stove.
A few weeks ago I made some cream cheese fruit dip and Nick as well have made it. My counter was a mess and it looked nothing like it does when my friend makes it. (Hey Nikki - how ya doin' girl?) It has three ingredients.

But every once in awhile I surprise myself - I find something online or buy something at a bake sale and have to try the recipe.

A few years ago, I did just that - at a pot luck at work, someone brought in the most unbelievable bread and I asked for the recipe. It took a year, but I kept that recipe and made it myself. And it was good even when I made it.

Now I make this bread every year around the holidays. I made it last week for Thanksgiving.


cranberry cream cheese bread



CRANBERRY CREAM CHEESE BREAD*
8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
2 1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 c. whole cranberries**
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1) Rinse & drain cranberries.
2) Blend cream cheese, butter, sugar, vanilla & eggs - beat until creamy. (Hint: I put the cream cheese and butter in the micro for 30 seconds or so to make them soft enough to mix.)
3) Add 2 c. of the flower and the baking soda and beat well.
4) Combine the other 1/4 c. of flour with the cranberries, fold them and the walnuts into the batter.
5) Grease 2 large loaf pans and bake at 325 for 50 minutes.

*I totally made up the name for this bread. Ignore the fact that there is cream cheese and four eggs in it - calories don't count from mid-November til January 1st, anyway.
**If you buy an 8 oz bag of fresh cranberries you'll have some left over. Keep 'em. I have a decorating idea I'll be sharing later.

Past "Un-Grinching posts":

14 comments:

Lynne said...

That looks delicious! Way to be productive!
sewingmom

Kim said...

OH MY WORLD.. that looks AMAZING.. i may actually cook so I can try this..lol

Happy2bme said...

I thinnk I'm going to try that!! Thanks.

Burgh Baby said...

You have totally made my day with that recipe. Thanks!

mrs007 said...

I am going to make this and tell everyone it is fat free :) Ha! I am so evil

Anonymous said...

That combination sounds delicious. Thank you for this recipe!

maggie said...

Oh dear heaven on toast that looks absolutely divine!

Jean said...

Looks very yummy. Can't wait for your cranberry decorating idea- I am having a party this Saturday!

Mary Beth said...

Wow! That looks delicious. I had no idea that calories don't count from mid-November til January 1st...now, I can really let the fun begin!

Anglophile Football Fanatic said...

I'm also a suck in the kitchen. It's nice to meet a fellow undomestic!

InTheFastLane said...

That looks yummy. I may have to borrow it.

Tara R. said...

Thanks for sharing this recipe. It sounds great! I have the stuff to make this. Looks like I will be baking today.

Jennifer said...

This sounds and looks so good..I am making this one:P

Thanks for sharing!

Karen MEG said...

I totally do NOT believe that you suck in the kitchen. Otherwise how could you make THAT delish creation. Seriously. You rock.