While many families created large, special Christmas breakfasts, the family of the little girl kept things simple. On Christmas morning after the stockings were opened on the mother and father's bed, the little girl hurried to get dressed for breakfast. Filling her plate with thick slices of Grandmother's cinnamon bread and nut bread, the girl sat down with a smile. Taking a large bite of the cinnamon bread, the sweet flavor filled her mouth and warmed her heart. This was Grandmother's special Christmas gift.
Slowly the years passed by and the little girl grew. But, though she was older, she still looked forward to that special box from Pennsylvania. Each Christmas, as she bit into her Christmas breakfast of cinnamon bread, she smiled. It was baked with love and she could taste it.
More years passed by and the little girl's sister learned to cook. One time, on a visit to Grandmother's, Sister got the recipe for those special Christmas breads. It wasn't many years later that the box from Pennsylvania no longer brought the bread for Sister had begun to make them. They tasted every bit as good as Grandmother's and the little girl, who wasn't so little any more, smiled. She knew it just wouldn't be Christmas without that special breakfast.
More years past by and one Christmas the little girl, who was now quite grown up and in her twenties, blinked back tears as they opened a box from Pennsylvania. In it were a few extra special Christmas gifts packed with care by an aunt. They were special things that had belonged to Grandmother who had gone to Heaven earlier that year. But, even though the little girl knew she would miss her Grandmother, she knew she'd never forget her. A few days later, as she ate her thick slices of Cinnamon bread, she could still feel Grandmother's love. It had become a part of the recipe and, though Grandmother hadn't made it and wouldn't ever make it again, it was still there. "It just wouldn't be Christmas without that bread," the little girl said more than once.
So, no matter who makes it, the Christmas gift of love is still tasted in this delicious Cinnamon bread, and I hope you can taste it too.
Cinnamon Bread
Peg Morris
1/2 cup oleo (or use half butter and half oil)
1 cup sugar
Add:
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
Add:
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
Cinnamon Mixture
2 tsp. flour
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon or more (Grandmother said, "I use 2.")
Put 1/2 or the batter in two small bread pans. Sprinkle 1/2 of the cinnamon mixture on top in pans. Add the rest of the batter and the other 1/2 of the Cinnamon mixture. Bake at 350 for 45 - 50 minutes. Enjoy! Enjoy!
This look delicious, Rebekah! I just might have to try that at Christmas time! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting, Heidi! I hope you enjoy the bread as much as I do. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds really yummy!!
ReplyDelete