With the holidays fast approaching, quick bread recipes are great to keep handy in your recipe box. Since they require no yeast or rising time, they are easy to make and almost foolproof.
Packed with carrots, pineapple, and nuts, Lisa Boger’s (Winston-Salem, NC) Mardi Gras Bread isn’t only for Mardi Gras. It’s so tasty and makes your kitchen smell so good, you’ll want this moist, nutty bread year-round.
Ali Osborne (Lucasville, OH) came across Lisa’s recipe when she had an abundance of carrots and it’s been very popular with her son and friends ever since.
“My son was visiting and when he left I noticed the bread was gone,” Ali shared. “He thought it was so good, he had hidden it and taken it home.”
The spices are perfect in Lisa’s recipe and the nuts add just the right amount of crunch. Serve with honey butter as Lisa suggests and you’ll find your guests stealing a slice (or a loaf) too.
Nutty and super moist, Genny Miller’s (Nampa, ID) Yummy Banana Nut Bread is out of this world. It’s her family’s all-time favorite banana nut bread and after one bite I could see why.
What makes it so moist is the addition of cream cheese to the batter. It’s a great recipe if you have extra ripe bananas in the kitchen. Top with a simple glaze or even a smear of cream cheese Genny suggests and you have a wonderful breakfast or afternoon snack.
Thanks to the nutmeg and cinnamon, baking Lisa Beasley’s (Jasper, AL) Deb’s Famous Sweet Potato Bread really evokes the aromas of the holiday season. Sweet potatoes are delicious however you serve them, but they’re especially good in this recipe.
The mashed sweet potatoes make the bread very moist and light. Cinnamon and nutmeg add just the right amount of spice. Next time you bake sweet potatoes, I highly suggest roasting a couple of extra potatoes to make Lisa’s recipe.
“I had some canned pumpkin in the freezer,” shared Thea Pappalardo (Queens Village, NY). “I needed part of it for something else and wanted to use up what was left.” What did she come up with? Her delicious Cranberry Pumpkin Bread.
This pumpkin bread isn’t overly sweet and has just the right amount of the fall seasonings to make this extra yummy. Freshly grated nutmeg makes the bread really special. The cranberries and walnuts are a little extra bonus. It’s just enough to make one spectacular loaf of bread.
“This recipe has been a big favorite at my house,” says Carol L. (Viroqua, WI) of her Cranberry Banana Tea Loaf. “For many Christmases, we’ve made loaves as presents.” Carol always gets rave reviews with this recipe, and I bet you will too.
This delicious and moist banana bread will make a wonderful gift during the holidays … if you don’t eat it all first. I loved the cranberry/banana combination. The cranberries add a pop of flavor you don’t always get with a banana bread.
Not only do quick breads come together in a snap, they freeze wonderfully. Then, with minimal effort on your part, you’ll be prepared for unexpected guests or the need for a last minute holiday gift. Happy Pinching!