Christmas Treats from Mini Bread Loaf Pans

 For the Christmas holiday, I occasionally make fun bread baskets using different types of loaves in miniature versions to give away.  Although sometimes I do the traditional cookie buckets, I like to offer an assortment of loaf flavors when holidays are rushed.  Making the different bread loaves  require less preparation - especially if you choose to use a mix instead of "from scratch" recipe.  I also like to make sure each loaf is a different flavor, color, or shape.  This way people can easily tell the difference in loavrd the get to pick from.  Most min-loaves are considered two servings, so they work great to give to inviduals or couples.  

Examples of big bread baskets I have made included 4-flavor combinations for people I worked with to choose two they preferred from the basket. In the past, I have offered: eggnog bread (or banana) using a snowman-shape pan, strawberry bread (or pumpkin or gingerbread) in rectangle pan, zucchini bread (or apple) in a tree-shaped pan, and orange-cranberry bread (or fruit with raisins or chocolate chip) in a bundt pan to represent a wreath.  I wrapped the shapes in colored cling wrap: red for rectangle, clear for snowman, then used geen for tree and wreath.  

Tioa for making mini loaves:  

• For most recipes, you can adjust the cooking time by reducing it by 1/4 for mini loaf pans or use the time listed for cupcakes/muffins.  
• Be sure to grease and flour any pans you use so the loaves will come out easily.  If using shaped pans that may be hard to cover well, you may try a baking spray that mixes the four and oil by shaking the can before spraying.
• Do not top or glaze mini loaves, since it would cause sticking when you put them in cling wrap for stacking and storing.  
• If you plan to make several different types over different days/nights, freeze the wraped loaves in freezer bags to keep them resh.  Then thaw the ones you are giving away by setting them out the night before the day you plan to deliver them.
• If you are not bothering to do special shapes, consider using decorative mini-bakng dishes that you can give as part of the gift.  Or consider little disposable loaf pans so you do not have to worry with removing loaves from pans.