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Home made Christmas Gifts

Breads

One of the nicest gifts you can give is homemade bread! Waking up Christmas morning cutting into a warm slice of home made bread, a nice hot cup of coffee. And you didn't have to do any work! What could be better?

Suggestion 1 Suggestion 2
  1. bread of choice
  2. loaf pan
  3. recipe
  4. serving plate
  5. serrated knife
  6. gift box
  1. bread of choice
  2. pan you baked it in
  3. recipe
  4. apron
  5. oven mitts

Instructions

Bake the breads. (Recipes below I've included 2 of my favorites, but you can make your favorite or if you know the recipients favorite make that one.)
Print or type instructions on a recipe card, and include it in the box with the bread.
Place all articles inside basket or Christmas box.
Decorate the basket there is two ways you can do this
1. Take Christmas ribbon and wrap the handle of the basket with it. Place a dot of hot glue at one end and keep wrapping the ribbon around the handle, until you reach the other end of the handle, and place another dot of hot glue to secure ribbon. Put a big bow either in the middle of the handle or where the handle starts on the side of the basket.
2. After placing all the articles in the basket, completely cover the basket with Christmas cellophane, gather together at the top, tie with Christmas twine and place a big bow.
Both are very pretty.

If using a Christmas box, make sure it's a pretty one with a lid, and tie a wide ribbon around it and a big bow in the middle.
You can mix and match from both suggestions.
Cranberry-Nut Loaf
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine; room temperature
  • 1 small unpeeled orange; seeded and diced
  • 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 large egg; beaten
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 by 5 by 3 inch loaf pan or a 8 inch tube pan. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until coarse crumbs form. In a food processor or blender, process orange pieces until almost smooth. Pour into a glass measuring cup and add boiling water to make 1 cup. Transfer to a medium bowl and mix with cranberries, sugar and egg. Add fruit mixture to flour mixture all at once and stir just until blended. Fold in walnuts and spoon into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour. Cool bread in pan on a rack 5 minutes before removing.

Yield 1 nine inch loaf
Preparation Time: 35 minutes
Baking Time: 1 hour

Banana Loaf   
  • 2 cups all purpose flour 
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 
  • 1 teaspoon salt 
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
  • 1/3 cup butter or shortening 
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar 
  • 2 eggs 
  • 1 cup mashed ripe banana 
  • 1/2 cup chopped nutmeats 
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange rind 

Stir flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda together. Cream butter; gradually add brown sugar and cream together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Add dry ingredients alternately with the bananas, a small amount at a time, beating after each addition only until smooth. Fold in nutmeats and rind. Bake in a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, at 350°F for 45 -50 minutes or until done. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Cool on rack. Store 6 hours or overnight before cutting.

This is a great make ahead bread

 
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