Wild Rice and Cranberry Bread

 

The weather is getting colder.  The holidays approaching.  Excellent time to bake bread.  Friend Kathy and I had stopped in Jump Ropeville for breakfast this summer and had some wild rice/cranberry bread.  I'd asked if I could take a loaf home but was told they sold it only by the slice.  Good time to try making it.  Found a recipe on-line.  While the wild rice cooked I assembled the other ingredients.  Decided to add chopped walnuts even though this recipe didn't call for them.  Combined everything and kneaded it for 10 minutes until the dough was springy and my upper arms felt they had a workout.   Left it to rise for a couple of hours and went over to Neighbor Anita's for a cup of coffee.  Had to laugh when she said she had also cooked wild rice today because she planned on making wild rice/cranberry muffins tomorrow.  "Great minds think alike!" she proclaimed.   Back home I cut the dough into four pieces and put them in small loaf pans.  Another rise period and time to bake.  Unlike the sweet bread I usually bake, all I needed to do was rap lightly on the top and listen for a hollow sound to know they were done.  The outcome looked perfect and, w/ a pat of cold butter melting atop a slice, was delicious.  Wrapped the other three loafs and consigned them to the freezer.  Will have one for Thanksgiving, one for Christmas, and one to share - if I can keep from eating them before hand.