Orange-Walnut Bread

Who here loves banana bread? I sure do. But I get sick of bananas pretty fast. And citrus is soooo in season right now. Bright, juicy, spirit-lifting citrus... EVERYWHERE. Aren't you loving it?

But what to do with it all? There's the usual standby of, you know, just eating it, but that gets old after a while too. And it would be such a shame to let citrus season pass without enjoying the wide range of its flavoring possibilities. So why not make some tasty bread with all that lovely orange goodness?

Like this bread. It's super tasty! Like banana bread kicked up a notch... except, you know, minus the bananas. Soft and dense with a subtle sweetness, a slight crunch from the earthy walnuts, and beautiful orange-y notes that sing, "Good morning, sunshine!" It's the perfect complement to your morning cup of coffee or glass of milk... a seriously sweet way to start your day. And it's seriously too good to pass up this citrus season. Trust me!

Cranberry-Orange Pinwheels

Phew... what a crazy week it's been since I last talked to you! It seems like Christmas is always super-busy, no matter how much pre-planning goes into it. But despite the craziness, I had one of the best Christmases in recent memory this year.

As I mentioned before, I did a whole lot of baking in the week prior to Christmas. I'm not sure where all of my ambition came from - trying to keep up with my fellow food bloggers perhaps! - but this year I decided that I wanted to contribute something homemade to each holiday gathering I could. I always hate walking into a party empty handed, and with all the cooking and baking I've been doing it just didn't seem right to bring anything store-bought. But why four kinds of cookies? Surely one or two would have sufficed. Haha... who knows... call me crazy, but it sounded like fun.

In this year's cookie bin: returning acts Coconut Macaroons and Raspberry Thumbprints, as well as newcomers Chocolate Crinkles and these tasty and pretty treats, Cranberry-Orange Pinwheels.

Lightly crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, these little gems are perfect for pairing with tea (or coffee or hot chocolate or apple cider...). With the sweetness and consistency of shortbread, these cookies are just sweet enough to curb a craving without sending you into sugar-overload, and they're light enough that even a few won't fill you up. Just a hint of orange in the cookie, combined with the nutty cranberry-pecan swirl, gives an instant feeling of Christmas. Plus they look festive, with that pretty little red swirl in the middle.