Recipe: Elenore’s Cranberry Bread

A mother of four children, three girls and one boy, Elenore was Andrew Hargis’ grandma on his mother’s side. Married in 1947, Elenore was the wife of a World War II cargo pilot turned local printer. On top of her love of bridge games and neat scotch, Elenore was blessed with a knack for cooking all things delicious.

“She was such an incredible cook,” Hargis recalls. “She was raised in Oklahoma City and came from a family with strong traditions, which included family recipes, and I was lucky enough to have her pass those down to my mom.”

Elenore’s Cranberry Bread recipe is a family favorite often made for special celebrations.

“We would eat it every Christmas morning before opening gifts,” Hargis says. “It’s warm and soft and sweet. I can smell it right now as I am describing it.”

While Hargis likes to eat the bread plain, his dad enjoys it slathered in butter.

“I [recently ran] a marathon in Memphis, and my mom sent my dad to meet me at the finish line with a loaf of cranberry bread,” he says. “I couldn’t have been more excited.”

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup granulated sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
2 tbsp oil
¾ cup mixture of orange juice, ¼ cup warm water, 2 tbsp of oil and 1 orange rind — this all together should equal ¾ cups and is eye-balled. (It is a family recipe, right?)
1 egg
1 cup nuts, dealer’s choice
1 cup cranberries, sliced

Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift dry ingredients together (flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda).

Pour orange juice, warm water and oil into a measuring cup — should equal ¾ cup.

Add to dry ingredients.

Add one egg, well-beaten, and mix.

Mix in nuts and cranberries.

Split mixture into two small greased loaf pans.

Bake for one hour at 350 degrees.


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