Cranberry-Nut Cornbread

I haven't tried this recipe yet, but it would make a nice side dish, or even a snack. I plan on making it at Christmas time, when fresh cranberries are plentiful in the market. NOTE: I am writing the preparation directions exactly as written in this recipe, but you may want to try using the method Baby Kato uses in his Kato's Cornbread, which describes soaking the cornmeal in the milk first to eliminate the grittiness some people don't like in their cornbread.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Yields: 14 slices

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3⁄4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1  cup sugar
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  egg, lightly beaten
• 1  cup low-fat milk
• 1⁄4 cup  vegetable oil
• 1  teaspoon  finely shredded lemon peel
• 1⁄3 cup  chopped pistachio nuts or 1⁄3 cup pecans, toasted
• 1  cup  chopped fresh cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat the bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides of a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan, or two 7 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 2-inch loaf pans with cooking spray such as Pam; set aside. In a large bowl stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl combine the egg, milk, oil and lemon peel. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Fold in nuts and cranberries. Spoon batter into prepared pans(s).
3. Bake 55 to 60 minutes for the large loaf pan, or 45 to 50 minutes for the smaller loaf pans, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan(s) on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
4. Remove from pan(s). Cool completely on wire rack.