Banana-Cranberry Quick Bread

Well, it's the end of the month again, which in our house means we can see the bottom of our pantry and fridge shelves! We still have a week to go though, since we shop strictly once a month due to distance and budget.

Our eggs, bread, and fresh fruit are almost gone, BUT I had a banana and some leftover cranberries in the freezer and just enough flour to get my brain thinking creatively. So this evening I made what I hope will be a delicious snack and breakfast loaf (that doesn't taste as cheap as it was!) to help us coast into our week before our next shopping trip.

This is adapted from my mom's original A - Z Loaf. This recipe is golden. I use it literally for every quick bread I make. 

Banana-Cranberry Quick Bread

Ingredients:

2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1/3 c. oil
1 stick (8 Tbsp.) margarine, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 ripe or overripe banana
1 c. cranberries
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a regular bread loaf pan.

Simmer the cranberries on medium high heat with 1 cup of water in a small saucepan. When they are tender to the touch, pull the pan off the heat. Set aside.

Cream the margarine and sugar with the vanilla extract in a large bowl. Add the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, egg, and oil. Mix with a hand or stand mixer on high until well incorporated. Add the cinnamon, banana, lemon zest, lemon juice and cranberries.

Mix again on a low setting until the cranberries give just a tinge of color to the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake for an hour and twenty minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

The berries bake up so sweet, the crust is slightly chewy, and the lemon zest gives the perfect complimentary flavor.

My view for the evening. 

Enjoy with life, even when the pantry's empty.