A few weeks ago I ran across a recipe for Cranberry Walnut Bread in an online San Francisco Chronicle article and thought it would be the perfect thing to bake for office gifts. So today, after going to the Farmers’ Market for my weekly fruit and veggie shopping, including oranges and walnuts for the bread, I put on some classical music and started gathering up my ingredients; fresh cranberries, oranges, buttermilk, wheat and unbleached flours, sugar, walnuts and spices. I chopped, measured and mixed and soon I had six little pans ready for the oven.
Thirty-five minutes later I had six beautiful little loaves of bread.
The only modifications I made were to add the zest from one orange and to use Turbanado raw sugar with the spices and nuts for the topping. I like the crunchy texture of the Turbanado sugar. The only thing I would do next time is add more chopped nuts to the topping mixture. I think it would look better. For those of you who are, or have folks who are, allergic to walnuts I think pecans would be a terrific substitute.
The recipe easily made six mini loaves.
One of the comments on the Chronicle article said this bread was really nice toasted and buttered. Humm, I might just have to try some for breakfast tomorrow since I have one loaf that isn’t marked as a gift.
Did you bake or make gifts this year? If so, what did you make?
Anniespickns's Blog 
Hi Faith,
Wow you guys are going all out. Wished I lived closer I’d come over to be the taste tester.
If you click on the green words “recipe for . . . . ” the recipe will come up on the Chronicle web page.
If you try it let me know how you like it. Always nice to get different opinions.
Have a wonderful holiday!
Hi Annie! This sounds and looks like a wonderful recipe, any possibility you might share it with us? My daughter and I have made a few things so far, we bake for our local family and family that isn’t so local. This week we have made and are making Lemon Poppy Seed Bread, Chocolate covered Peanut Butter Ritz’, Pumpkin Bread, Christmas cookies (3 different kinds), Pecan Bark, Sugar and Spice Nuts (yummy!), Christmas Bars, Peppermint Brownies and I have one request for Divinity. Not sure about that one, I’ve never made it before. Oh and I got a scrumptious recipe from one of my Amish friends for Pumpkin Fudge that I’m anxious to make too.