Orange Cranberry Bread

This is a delicious quick bread, perfect for this time of year.

In a mixer, beat on high 2-3 minutes:

6 T butter

2/3 C sugar

Gradually beat in:

2 eggs

In a different bowl, mix:

1 1/2 C flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Combine in another bowl:

1/4 C milk

1/4 C orange juice

Grated zest of one lemon

Grated zest of one orange

Now, add the dry mixture alternating with the liquid mixture on low speed to the butter mixture, just to combined.

Fold in:

2/3 C chopped pecans

1/3 C dried cranberries

Bake in a greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch pan (I just use my 9 x 5 bread loaf pan) for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Sausage Braid

First, let's pretend that I actually took this picture, and made such a perfect braid from refrigerated crescent dough, shall we?

Now, in the realm of reality: I found this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine a looong time ago. I have fond memories of making it for Toni Harris' shower after Josiah. I made one--and the entire world showed up for what I was expecting to be a tiny Providence shower! More is always better with this recipe.


Ingredients

* 12 ounces bulk pork sausage
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 1/4 cup chopped celery
* 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
* 2 tablespoons chopped green onion tops
* 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley (I've been known to use dried)
* 1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
* 1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions

* In a large skillet, cook the sausage, onion, celery, green pepper and garlic until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain. Add cream cheese, green onion and parsley. Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted; set aside.
* Unroll crescent dough on a greased baking sheet; seal perforations. Roll into a 12-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Spoon sausage mixture to within 3 in. of long sides and 1 in of ends. On each long side, cut 3/4-in.-wide strips 3 in. into center. Starting at one end, fold alternately strips at an angle, forming a braid.
* Brush dough with egg. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 8-10 servings.

(If, by chance, you should just happen to forget to soften your cream cheese, mixing it in with your hands works great and is really fast. Not that I've ever had any such experience...)