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Say "Thank You" With a Home-Baked Gift

Ease Holiday Stress With Foolproof Baking Tips

The holiday entertaining season means a flurry of parties and get-togethers for many Americans. Along with the excitement of catching up with family, comes the stress of what to wear and what to bring. Whether the occasion is a festive brunch or casual dinner at a friend's home, a gift for the host is a perfect way to say "thank you."

Skip the traditional bottle of wine and bring a home-baked gift from the kitchen. It's a great way to add a personal touch and make your gift more memorable than something bought in a store. Also, home-baked gifts help personalize your thoughtful gesture and show how much you care.

Quick breads are an excellent baked good to give because they're simple and delicious. Quick breads don't require kneading or rising time because they're yeast-free, and most can be assembled in 10 - 15 minutes. There are a variety of quick bread recipes available like banana or pumpkin, to easily suit individual tastes.

To get started, follow the recipe directions and keep in mind a few baking techniques that will help ensure that your quick bread will come out perfect. Make the batter first, and then add "extra" ingredients such as nuts and fruit at the end. Also, quick breads should be mixed as little as possible to ensure a moist end product.

For the best-tasting quick breads, follow these additional foolproof baking tips provided by the baking experts at Baker's Joy®, the original non-stick baking spray with flour:

--  Mix It Up:  Forget the electric mixer when making quick bread.  Use a
    whisk and spatula.
--  Perfect Release:  Use a non-stick baking spray with flour, like
    Baker's Joy®, so your home-baked gifts come out of the pan, perfect every
    time.
--  Bake Evenly:  Baked goods bake more evenly in the center of your oven.
    When baking more than one item, place them in the center, leaving 1 inch
    between them.
--  It's Getting Hot In Here:  All ovens are not created equal.  Purchase
    an oven thermometer to be sure your temperature is accurate.
--  Cool It:  Cool quick breads on a wire rack.  It allows the bread to
    cool on all sides.
    

Wrapped Up In Joy

To add a personal touch to your edible gift, try the following creative and simple packaging ideas -- they are as easy as baking a quick bread.

--  A Gift Within A Gift:  Put baked goods on a holiday serving plate
    packaged as a gift.
--  Add Some Sparkle:  Get small gift bags and write seasonal messages on
    them with a silver paint pen for a festive look.
--  It's A Wrap:  Always seal your baked gifts in plastic or foil since
    they may not be opened right away.
--  Make It Personal:  Visit web sites like bakersjoy.com for free
    downloadable holiday gift tags that will help you personalize your home-
    baked gift.

    

This season, present your host or hostess a holiday Cranberry Orange Bread, wrapped with festive trimmings. This bread recipe is rich, flavorful, moist and a thoughtful way to say thank you.

Cranberry Orange Bread

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
Juice with from one orange combined w/ water to make 1 cup
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
Grated orange rind from 1 orange

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350° (160°C), spray 9"x5"x3" pan with Baker's Joy
2. Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg and juice mixture, mix well
3. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together; add to butter mixture
4. Fold in cranberries and grated orange to mixture
5. Pour in pan, bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven, let stand for 10 minutes
before removing from pan; cool on cake rack, slice.

This year, Baker's Joy is celebrating 25 years of making it easy for Americans to create home-baked goods that will release from the pan perfectly, every time. Baker's Joy spray can be found in the cooking oils section of most national grocery chains. Visit bakersjoy.com for gift-giving tips and delicious recipe ideas.

About Baker's Joy

Baker's Joy® is the Original No-Stick baking spray with flour, trusted by bakers across the country for nearly 25 years. Baker's Joy can be found in most national grocery chains and Wal-Mart® Supercenters.

Distributed by Market Wire