Festive breads for the holidays

Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching and I know many of you are making plans for family gatherings. Family traditions are a wonderful thing, and it would be even better if you would share them.

Please send in your favorite Thanksgiving recipes or family traditions so we can have a column full of great recipes and ideas. Send those to me at the e-mail address listed at the end of this column.

Quick breads are always fun to have alongside soups or salads. They're even good to have on hand as a snack or dessert with the addition of flavored butters or whipped topping.

Here's a few you might like to try with your fall menus.

Mini Pumpkin-Date Breads

These cute and spicy little breads -- wrapped festively -- are a great solution for a low-key holiday gift exchange at work. Bake now in foil pans, wrap tightly and freeze.

Makes 11 miniature loaves (5 slices each)

1 2/3 cups sugar

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup chopped dates

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of 11 miniature loaf pans, 4 1/2-by-2 3/4-by-1 1/4-inch. Mix sugar, oil, vanilla, eggs and pumpkin in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients except dates. Stir in dates. Divide batter among pans (about 1/2 cup each).

Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans, remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack.

Cool completely, about 1 hour, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up 10 days.

As a special touch for a crunchy praline topping, mix 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1/3 cup chopped pecans and 1 tablespoon softened butter or margarine until crumbly and sprinkle over the batter before baking.

Cranberry Praline Quick Bread

A brown sugar glaze adds a festive touch to these cranberry mini loaves.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sweetened, dried cranberries

1 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Glaze:

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 cup butter

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 2 tablespoons flour and cranberries in small bowl; toss to coat. Set aside.

Combine sugar, sour cream, butter, eggs and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low and add remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat just until moistened. Stir in cranberry mixture and 1/2 cup pecans by hand.

Spoon evenly into four greased and floured mini (5 1/2-by-3-inch) loaf pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and remove from pans.

Meanwhile, combine brown sugar and 1/3 cup butter in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil (3 to 4 minutes). Spoon glaze mixture over warm loaves. Immediately sprinkle with 1/4 cup pecans.

Recipe Tip: One greased 9-by-5-inch loaf pan can be used instead of the four mini loaf pans. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes.

Cappuccino-Chocolate Coffee Cake

1/3 cup flaked coconut

1/4 cup chopped nuts

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

2 cups original buttermilk baking mix

2/3 cup milk or water

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1 egg

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted

2 teaspoons powdered instant coffee (dry)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease square pan. Mix coconut, nuts, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon butter and set aside.

Beat remaining ingredients except chocolate chips and coffee on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 4 minutes. Pour into pan.

Stir together chocolate and coffee and spoon over batter. Sprinkle coconut mixture evenly over top. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve warm.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahansemissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.