Nut Bread (original Betty Crocker)

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose* flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon orange peel, plus 1 teaspoon grated orange peel (grated)
• 1 cup chopped nuts (pecan, walnut)

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 350°.
• 2 grease bottom only of loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches, or 2 loaf pans, 8½x4½x2 ½ inches.
• 3 mix all ingredients; beat 30 seconds.
• 4 pour into pan(s).
• 5 bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 9-inch loaf 55 to 65 minutes, 8-inch loaves 55-60 minutes; cool slightly.
• 6 loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove from pan.
• 7 cool completely before slicing.
• 8 to store, wrap and refrigerate no longer than 1 week.
• 9 *if using self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt.
• 10 apricot nut bread: mix 1 cup finely cut-up dried apricots.
• 11 banana nut bread: decrease milk to 1/3 cup and omit orange peel. mix in 1 ¼ cup mashed bananas (1 to 3 medium). bake 9-inch loaf 65 to 70 minutes.
• 12 cranberry-cheese nut bread: decrease nuts to 1/2 cup. stir in 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces) and 1 cup cranberries, cut into halves. bake 9-inch loaf 65 to 70 minutes.
• 13 date nut bread: omit milk. mix 1 1/2 cups boiling water and 1 1/2 cups cut-up dates; cool. stir into the batter.
• 14 whole wheat raisin bread: substitute 2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour for the all-purpose flour and honey for the brown sugar. mix in 1 cup raisins.