Best wishes to all for happy holidays – and many thanks to our colleagues who are spending the holidays in the hospital, caring for others.

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Cranberry bread on Christmas morning is a special part of the holiday for my family.  This is really delicious bread and makes a great gift, too.  Enjoy!

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl:

• 2 cups  flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Combine in a Pyrex measuring cup:

• 2 Tblsp melted butter
• Juice and grated rind of one large orange

Fill with boiling water to make 3/4 cup then add to dry ingredients

Add

• 1 egg
• 1 cup nuts (chopped walnuts)
• 1 cup raw cranberries (cut in half)

Bake in a 2 lb loaf pan (325° for metal pan, 300° for glass pan) for ~ 1 hour (or a muffin tin if you prefer)

Test with toothpick to know when they are done

If you want to make a larger recipe to make enough to give others, the easiest way is to multiply by 9 which gives you this ingredient list (the directions are the same as above)

• 1   5 lb bag  flour
• 1   4 lb bag sugar
• 1 1/2 tblsp salt
• 4 1/2 tblsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tblsp baking soda
• 1 1/8 cup melted butter  (2.25 sticks)
• Juice and grated rind of nine large oranges
• 9 egg
• 9 cup nuts (chopped walnuts) = 3 lbs
• 9 cup raw cranberries (cut in half) = 3 12 oz bags