Hi folks. Well I have a special treat for you today. I have an incredible guest post event going on today. I have none other than Dee from Deelicious Sweets here today. And for an added bonus I'll be guesting over at her blog. So we're blog swapping today. How cool is that?? I know right, this is going to be so much fun.
I'm giving you a little teaser here of what I made. You should hop over to Dee's to see the recipe and drool. But before you go, stay here and drool over Dee's Apple Cranberry Quick Bread. It's a feast for your eyes then your bellies. I look at it and am compelled to do the voice from Austin Powers "get in mah bellah"! Everything on her site makes me do that voice. I cannot help myself. Dee rocks my world. Now she is going to rock yours.
I'll start by telling you I met Dee virtually in the summer. She was so kind to me when I visited her site. Then she gave me an award at a time when I was considering quitting blogging. I was having some bad experiences and was feeling blue. She and me talked, a conversation I will never forget. She told me to stick with it and gave me a bit of advice that changed everything for me. She told me to "write like no one was reading". It was that ah ha moment. I had really enjoyed blogging when I first started and no one was actually reading. I had gotten caught up in "how to blog" later and it was making me miserable. I also had some bloggers be quite unkind to me. Once Dee gave me that advice I went back to writing in my voice and owned who I was and what my blog was all about. It changed everything for me. I am one of those people who really loves to cook. I mean really, really loves to cook. I can cook ten things a day and be perfectly happy. I also love blogging. The writing thrills me to no end. I enjoy the heck out of it. I think it shows in my blog. I really am that silly and happy when I am writing. I enjoy it immensely and am so glad I met Dee at the time I did. I might not still be here blogging if I had not met her. So that girl means a ton to me. Plus she is a rocking cool chick who is funny, sharp, talented and all kinds of bendy. I love her fo shizzle.
So here she is folks, the one and only, my BBFF and wind beneath my wings (I've always wanted to say that), give a big Lunatic welcome to Dee from Deelicious Sweets.
Hi there! I'm the Dee in front of Deelicious Sweets! Kim asked me a few weeks ago to guest post for her here on Cravings of a Lunatic and this girl was totally psyched but only if she agreed to do a guest post for me. You see, Kim has fantastic material at all times of the day, week and year, as you all well know. Why wouldn't I want her to do a guest post? So, go over there and check out her guest post. Wait!! Where are you going? Check out mine first and then go!
I could go on and on about Kim. I think she's the sweetest person in the whole wide world. I'm not really clear on exactly how we met. I do remember giving her a blog award and that seemed to be the day that we became instant BBFF's - Blogger Best Friends Forever.  She's just one of those people who you know you can always count on to be there when you need her. She makes my heart happy!
Okay, okay, enough about Kim. If you're a reader here at Craving's you already know how great Kim is and how she has beautiful blond hair. Oh and she's Canadian, eh. She probably says the word "about" like "aboot". I get my meat from a local guy who sells all organic, farm fed meats. He's from Canada and I always listen intently for his aboot's and eh's. I won't leave until I hear one or the other.
There are so many things that I wanted to share today. It was a really difficult decision. I have a ton of sweet blog material that I am so behind on and I can't wait to share it.  Hint, hint stop by my blog often!
So, what did I decide on, you ask? Well, I decided to share my Apple Cranberry Quick Bread!
It's perfect for the holidays and would make a perfect breakfast for those mornings you are on the go. Like, maybe, Thanksgiving day. This bread is packed so full of fruit that it's almost like a fruit cake but not really because it's a bread. Duh!
Thanks again for having me guest post over here, Kim! You are truly da bomb diggity and don't let anyone tell you differently! Happy holidays!
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable oil plus
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ cups tart apples peeled and diced - I used Granny Smiths
- â…“ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup chopped nuts- I used pistachio’s
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°; grease a 9″x5″x3″ loaf pan.
- Beat oil, eggs, and vanilla; combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, cloves,salt, baking soda and baking powder; beat into the egg mixture; stir in apples, cranberries and nuts.
- Pour into loaf pan and bake 60-70 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean; cool in pan for 10 minutes; remove loaf from pan and cool on wire rack.
Thanks so much to Dee for guesting here today. I know what I'll be making this week. It's not even Thanksgiving here in Canada but I think it's aboot time I joined you Americans in the festivities eh!
Tina
So cool that you traded spaces, did not realize that when I saw Kims guest post. This loaf does look moist and loaded with some of my favorite fruits!
Dried cranberries are so addictive. Delicious guest post!
Tina
x
Cheryl and Adam
Fall is our favorite season not only because of the colors, the upcoming holidays and soups and stews, but also because of the delicious sweet treats that crop up at this time of year. Dee's quickbread is another great recipe to add to the list, Apples and cranberries are so much the flavor of fall, can;t wait to give this a try.
Curry and Comfort
This is like that show trading spaces... trading blogs. Very cool. Loved the recipe for the bread Dee!! Kim that pizza looks outstanding. Mmmmm!
Kim Bee
@Tina- Dee's bread sure is a winner. I need to make some. Or steal hers.
@Cheryl and Adam- That is so true. I always look forward to apple season. It's just a fun time to bake. Thanks for stopping by to visit me and Dee. xx
@Curry and Comfort- Lol, it was so much fun to do. I want to steal Dee's bread and eat it for dessert with my pizza. Lol!
Kiri W.
Oooh, look's de(e)licious! I've never had an apple bread, but it sounds like I'm definitely missing out!
Dee at Deelicious Sweets
Yeah! You said "aboot" and "eh"! I knew I could get you to do it 🙂
Thanks to everyone who has visited and your glorious comments! We should totally start our own blog trading blogs!
Thanks Kim for having me over here and taking over your world! It's always fun to visit.
Christine's Pantry
Great guest post.
Shu Han
that's a lovely story AND a lovely looking cake!
anne
I love all those spices , fruits & nuts in that bread ! Yummmm 😀 & your pizza looks absolutely scrumptious ! Love that vibrant colors ;D
Lizzy
How fun, Kim! Two great dishes to drool over...and you really had me going...I thought I might get a slice of pizza out of this deal, but I'll just have to buckle down and make my own 😉 Off to read your guest post. Dee, your bread sounds amazing! Love anything apple....mmmmmmm.
mjskit
Love the stories of how you and Kim became BBFF! That's so cool! Great two posts and two wonderful recipes! Love both the pizza and the bread.
Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love.
A great swap between two of my favorite ladies! Love the recipes!
Anne@frommysweetheart
Great post you guys! Dee must be the "walmart greeter to the blogging world" because she was so kind and helpful to me when I first started blogging. You are both pretty amazing women in my book! Dee...the bread looks scrumptious. I am getting into fresh cranberries like never before this year. So looking forward to trying this! Now...heading over to Dee's place to check out Kim's stuff. I hope you're not going to make me cry again! Such a lovefest! But I love it! : )
Ann
....SO YOU'RE DEE! I've I'm a huge fan of Kim and her blog and we've discussed her "Aha" moment when she spoke to you! This recipe looks great and you have my eternal thanks for convincing her to keep up the good work! We didn't meet until afterwards!
Headed to your blog now!
Katherine Martinelli
You two are so cute! All this love just makes me smile. Dee, I'm so glad you were there for Kim and made it so she didn't stop blogging 🙂 I hate hearing about un-supportive bloggers and can't believe anyone was less than nice to you, Dee. Anywho... this looks delicious! I love quick breads!
movita beaucoup
Dear Kim and Dee,
I love you both.
Enough said.
Sincerely,
movita
The Mom Chef
I love the idea of blog swapping like that. It's so much more fun than just guest posting! Way to go.
That quick bread looks fantastic and may just cause me another trip to the grocery store so I can buy another bag of apples.
ping
Hello Dee, hello Kim! So nice to see how close folks can get just by blogging. I love bread, I love pizza. This is so perfect! I'm so torn to decide which to go to first ... wait, wait, don't fight .... BBFF remember?
Grubarazzi
I love the bread and the pizza!