Only two days to go by before I can eat me some Cranberry Nut Bread. Preferably with cream cheese on top, thank you very much. This bread was something that my grandmom on my Dad's side made each year around the holidays—one with nuts, one without, to please her picky family. It was moist and tart and sweet and she always sent us home with at least one extra loaf since she knew that we would gobble it up.

My mom has since lightened up the recipe—less oil, less sugar—for a more modern take on the bread, and I will likely sub in some whole wheat pastry flour for half of the all purpose flour when I make it on Wednesday such is my way. I love that it represents a thorough hybrid of three generations, and is still as good as I remember it being, whether I have it with my turkey, or the morning after for breakfast with a side of coffee.

Come to think of it, I would be a happy girl on Thursday with a few slices of this bread, some fresh cranberry sauce, something green, and a heaping serving of pie. And maybe some mashed potatoes and gravy thrown in for good measure.

Cranberry Nut Bread

1 orange
Boiling water
1/2 c chopped walnuts
2 tbsp butter
2 c all purpose flour
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 c sugar
1 c chopped fresh cranberries
1/2 tsp baking soda

1. Preheat oven 325 F. Butter a loaf pan or spray it with nonstick cooking spray (like the Canola variety from Spectrum Organics) and set aside.
2. Grate the rind of the orange and squeeze out juice into measuring cup. Add enough boiling water to make 3/4 cup. Add the orange rind and butter, stirring to melt the butter.
3. Beat the egg in another bowl and gradually add the sugar, beating well. Add remaining ingredients and orange mixture, blending well. Spoon into pan and bake 55-60 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

We like to serve it slightly chilled or at room temperature.

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