54 | bountiful bread basket
GIFT OF THE MAGI BREAD
(PICTURED ABOVE)
sandra bonow, lewiston, minnesota
I make this extra-special banana bread only once
a year to celebrate Christmas. It’s loaded with
scrumptious ingredients such as coconut,
mandarin oranges, dates, cherries, chocolate
chips and almonds.
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2
medium)
1 can ( 11 ounces) mandarin oranges,
drained
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup ( 6 ounces) semisweet chocolate
chips
2/3 cup sliced almonds, divided
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries
1/2 cup chopped dates
1 In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and
sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and
vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and
salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately
with bananas. Stir in the oranges, coconut,
chocolate chips, 1/2 cup almonds, cherries
and dates.
2 Pour into two greased 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in.
loaf pans. Sprinkle with remaining almonds.
Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a
toothpick inserted near the center comes
out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before
removing from pans to wire racks to
cool completely.
Yield: 2 loaves.
TWISTER CHEDDAR ROLLS
(PICTURED BELOW)
jane birch, edison, new jersey
As flaky as homemade puff pastry, these buttery
rolls bring compliments every time I serve them.
Because they start with convenient refrigerated
crescents, the mouth-watering treats couldn’t be
quicker or easier for busy holiday cooks!
2 tubes ( 8 ounces each) refrigerated
crescent rolls
1-1/2 cups ( 6 ounces) shredded cheddar
cheese
