Cranberry Nut Bread

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
plus 2 tablespoons mixed in with cranberries
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup shortening
¾ cup orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 egg, well beaten
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Combine orange juice and orange zest with egg. Pour all at once into dry ingredients, mixing just enough to dampen. Carefully fold in chopped nuts and cranberries.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Put greased wax paper in loaf pan (9” x 5” x 3”) and mold to sides. Spread dough in corners and sides slightly higher than center. Bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and let bread “rest” in pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pan, put on wire rack and remove waxed paper carefully. Cool completely.
Yields: 1 loaf

Recipe provided by Camille Deuben