Banana Holiday Bread
This recipe is from the National Peanut Board – Read more.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, room temperature
2 1/3 cups sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups coarsely mashed bananas (about 3-4)

Combine flours, peanuts, wheat germ, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.
Beat eggs in large bowl.  Add sugar; beat until creamy.  Add peanut butter, oil and vanilla; beat well.  Add banana, beat 1 minute.  Stir in dry ingredients until blended.
Spray two 9X5X3-inch loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.  Divide batter equally between pans; tap on counter to settle batter.
Bake at 375°F 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans 10 minutes.
Turn out onto rack; cool completely.  Slice when cool. - Makes 2 loaves
Nutrition Per Serving: 277 calories, 13g fat (2g sat.), 35mg cholesterol, 228mg sodium, 36g carbohydrate, 7g protein.

Boiled Cake
Because it is of simple ingredients, this cake is a good ‘ol camp standby. It stays fresh and moist for a week…that is, if it don’t get eaten right away.  Good with evening coffee or a snack. The recipe puts a little twist on cooking in a Dutch oven. A very fillin’ and soul satisfyin’ Dutch oven recipe is perfect for a traditional southwestern Holiday celebration, an is by Ed Keenan, author of nature and the southwest.  Read more.

2 C. Water
2 C. Sugar
1 lb. Raisins
1 t. Salt
2 t. Ground Cinnamon
2 t. Ground Clove
½ C. Shortening
1 15 oz canned Pumpkin
2 t. Baking Soda

Mix first 7 ingredients in a 3-quart saucepan:
Hand mix, this batter is very heavy.
Bring to a low boil for 5 minutes.
Let cool to room temperature.
Stir in: 1 15 oz can of Pumpkin & 2 t Baking Soda 3 C Flour.
1 C chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
(Above 5,000 feet altitude: add 1 1/4 t Baking Soda & 2 1/2 T flour)
Grease a 12 or 14” Dutch oven well. Place a 10 oz Campbell’s soup can or smaller diameter like a tomato paste can, (with the top and bottom cut out) in the middle. This makes a tube pan. Mix ingredients well and pour around the can. (Or, of course, one can use a bunt pan or tube pan in an oven.)
Bake at 350F for 1 hour. Cool, slice and serve. This cake is very heavy so it keeps well in camp and on the trail.

Christmas Coffee Cake
This recipe is by Fern Story, from 'Homemade Cooking Good 'Nuff for Sharing', a cookbook published by the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum. Nestled on 55 acres of rolling farm ground in Vista, California; the museum preserves the early days of the American farm and rural community. Read more.

5 Cups Flour
2 Packages Granular Yeast
3/4 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Warm Water
1/3 Cup Shortening
1/3 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Tbsp. Orange Juice
1 tsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Flour
1 tsp. Salt

Dissolve yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon of flour in the warm water. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Mix sugar, salt and shortening, and stir well. Add eggs, 2 cups flour, milk, and orange juice, and stir well.
Add yeast mixture and mix well. Add 2 1/2 to 3 cups of flour. Mix and turn out on floured surface and knead well for about 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl and let rise in a warm place until it doubles (about an hour).
Punch down and let rise again until about double the size. Turn out on floured surface, divide into 2 parts, and let rest for 5 minutes. Roll out each half to fit a 10"x14" pan. Let rise for 10 minutes, then press the edge gently against the sides and edges of the pan. Add topping and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until light brown.

Eggnog Rum Cake
This recipe is by Betty Gill, and is from 'Homemade Cooking Good 'Nuff for Sharing', a cookbook published by the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum. Nestled on 55 acres of rolling farm ground in Vista, California; the museum preserves the early days of the American farm and rural community. Read more.

1 pkg. white cake mix (Duncan Hines)
1 ½ cup eggnog (dairy or canned)
2 eggs
1/8 tsp nutmeg
¼ cup melted margarine
½ tsp. run or rum flavoring
2 Tbsp. margarine
½ cup sliced almonds

Blend cake mix with eggnog, eggs, nutmeg, melted margarine, rum. Beat just long enough to make a smooth batter; use 2 tablespoons margarine to butter tube or Bundt pan. Press almonds into buttered pan sides and bottom. Pour batter carefully into pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes. Cool completely before removing from pan.

Lady Baltimore Cake
This traditional Christmas cake is from Teresa Johnson.

¾ cup shortening
2 cups sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon lemon extract
3 cups sifted cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
½ cup water
6 stiff-beaten egg whites

Stir the shortening to soften.  Gradually add sugar, and cream together until light and fluffy.  Add extracts.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together 3 times; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk and water, a small amount at a time. 
Beat after each addition until smooth.  Fold in egg whites.
Bake in 2 paper-lined 9x9x13/4-inch pans in moderate oven (350 degrees) about 30 minutes.
Put layers together with Lady Baltimore Filling; frost with  2/3 recipe for Seven-minute Frosting tinted a delicate pink.

Filling:  To remaining 1/3 of Seven minute Frosting, add ¼ cup each chopped figs, seeded raisins, candied cherries, and chopped pecans.

Seven Minute Frosting:
1 ½ cups sugar
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
In top of double boiler, combine all ingredients except vanilla.  Place over rapidly boiling water (water should not touch bottom of pan), beating on high speed until mixture stands in peaks, about 7 minutes (don’t overcook).  Remove from heat, add vanilla.  Continue beating until frosting holds deep swirls (about 2 minutes).   

Rosca de Reyes (Kings’ Bread Ring)
A Mexican tradition celebrating the end of the Christmas season, this Rosca de Reyes is served on January 6^th, on Three Kings’ Day.

2 packages active dry yeast.
½ cup hot water
½ cup scalded milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
2 tsp. salt
4 cups flour
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups chopped dried/candied fruits (cherries, citrus etc.)
Melted butter
Sugar Icing

Soften yeast in hot water.
In a large bowl, add sugar, shortening, and salt. Pour hot milk over mixture, and stir until all dissolves.
Cool, then mix in a cup of flour, eggs, and yeast, mixing into a stiff dough, adding more flour if necessary.
Mix in 1 ½ cups of dried or candied fruit mix.
Knead dough on a floured surface, until smooth, then, roll into a long rope.
Curl the dough into a ring, attaching the ends together.
Place the ring onto a greased cookie sheet. Traditionally, a small china doll is pushed into the dough.
Brush the dough with melted butter, then, cover with a cloth.
Put it in a warm place and let it rise twice its original size – should take about 1 ½ hours.
Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown (about half an hour).
Cool on a rack and decorate with leftover candied fruit and sugar icing.
Sugar Icing: Mix 1 1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar, 4 tsp. water, ½ tsp vanilla.

Spicy Date Loaf
This is a spicy loaf is from Basket Creations and More LLC, the retail distributor for Bard Date Company in Yuma, Arizona. They offer superb quality Medjool Dates and delicious date products, and custom gift baskets for all ages and all occasions. Read more.

1 1/2 Cups Boiling Coffee
1 1/2 Cups Cut Dates
3 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Chopped Nuts
1 Cup Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cup Shortening
2 Eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Salt
  Pour coffee over dates and set aside. Cream sugars and shortening well. Add unbeaten eggs, one at a time.
  Sift dry ingredients and add alternately with date mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Add nuts and vanilla.
  Bake in a 14x10" greased and floured pan, and 350 degrees, for 40-45 minutes.
Serve with whipped dream, or frost with a browned butter frosting.

Texas Fudge Cake
Definitely not for the diet conscious, this cake recipe by Mary Lou Ward, is featured in the Amado Territory Ranch Inn's Cookbook. Amado Territory Ranch is a popular Southern Arizona destination featuring a charming western-themed Bed & Breakfast Inn, fine dining, art and shopping, birding and more. Read more.

Bring to a boil: ½ lb. butter, 4 Tbsp. cocoa, and 1 cup water
Pour over: 2 cups flour, and 2 cups sugar.
Add: 2 eggs, 1 tsp. baking soda mixed with ½ cup milk and 1 tsp. vanilla
Bake: In a 9 x 13 inch cake pan or drop cookie sheet, for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Five minutes before cake is done, prepare icing:
Bring to a boil: 1 stick butter, 6 Tbsp. milk, and 4 Tbsp. cocoa
Pour over: 1 lb. powdered sugar, ½ cup chopped pecans
Mix and spread over cake as soon as it is removed from the oven.