I swear I have no idea what has come over me. I have been cranking out loaves in epic proportions. It's almost as if the loaf pans were on the counter and I just kept using them. Okay, that's really what happened.
I think I only have about fifty more recipes I want to try. I know....scary.
Anyway, I wanted a dense, cornbread-like-loaf that would go well with chili. This Cranberry-Cornmeal Quick Bread was perfect with lots of different textures from the cornmeal, cranberries and pecans. And right out of the oven, slathered in butter...it was so good.
Cranberry-Cornmeal Quick Bread
Adapted from Bon Appetit
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat white flour or regular whole wheat flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
3/4 cup chopped pecans plus more halves for garnish
3/4 cup dried cranberries (about 4 ounces)
In a large bowl whisk together both flours, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, butter, maple syrup, eggs and maple extract. Add this mixture to the flour mixture; stir just until blended. Stir in chopped pecans and dried cranberries.
Spoon batter into a 9 x 5 loaf pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray or lined with parchment paper. Arrange pecan halves in row down center of batter.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 60-70 minutes until the top is golden brown and a pairing knife inserted into center of bread comes out clean. Tent bread loosely with foil if browning too quickly.
Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Turn out onto rack to cool further.
Cathy is currently in the development stages of her vineyard and winery in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. She is a food writer for Davis Life Magazine and blogs daily about wine, food and everyday living. She lives with her husband and two sons. You can visit her at noblepig.com.