Cinnamon Raisin Bread

You may have noticed that off to the right hand side I've started posting my birthday wish list. I will be adding some items over the next week so it's complete by the first of the month. I know you all are eager to start shopping for my birthday! LOL. It's just like the Christmas list so you can click on the image to find out more about the item.

Yesterday I said, if Evan wasn't off school for President's day then he would have been off for a snow day. Well, our weekend got extended a little bit more this morning when the phone rang at 5.40am. It was school calling saying no school today. I figured we must have gotten a lot of snow and was afraid to look outside. I did though and to my surprise just a dusting of snow. Most schools were closed, and I'm guessing it was due to roads not cleared still and the ice. Evan got to sleep in, and we all hibernated inside today in our sweats. It was nice to have an extra day to our already long weekend. Now it will be back to school tomorrow, and I'm going to be all messed up on my days.

Now that I have my KitchenAid, I feel like I should be putting it to use. So yesterday I made some homemade cinnamon raisin bread. My friend Jess posted the recipe on Facebook a couple weeks ago and I've been meaning to make it ever since. I finally got around to it yesterday, and it turned out awesome. Very easy and very yummy! The recipe is from Taste of Home, and I highly recommend it. I enjoyed it for breakfast this morning with my coffee. I told Jess if I ever got around to making it, I'd bring her some. The recipe makes two loaves so I took her down some last night and she liked it too. Here's the recipe for your baking pleasure!

Photo: Courtesy of Taste of Home

CINNAMON RAISIN BREAD

Ingredients:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar, divided
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup raisins
  
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1-1/2 cups sugar, soda and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in raisins. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar; set aside.
• Spoon half of the batter into two greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans. Sprinkle with half of the reserved cinnamon-sugar; repeat layers. Cut through batter with a knife to swirl.
• Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves (12 slices each).

Note: I would add a little more raisins next time. Greg and I both thought it could use a little more. Also, the recipe even included the nutritional facts so I've included them for you below!

Nutrition Facts: 1 slice equals 204 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 18 mg cholesterol, 231 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.