How To make Cranberry Banana Bread

2 2/3 c Sugar
1 c Water
4 c Fresh cranberries
1 3/4 c Sifted flour
1/2 t Salt
2 t Baking powder
1/4 t Baking soda
1/3 c Butter,melted
2 Eggs,beaten
1/2 c Chopped walnuts
1 c Mashed banana
1/4 c Cranberry juice,reserved
-from cooked berries,option 2 T Granulated sugar,optional
2 T Grand Marnier,optional
From "The California Heritage Cookbook," the Junior League of Pasadena. In a large saucepan, bring 2 cups sugar and the water to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the berries and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes or until berries pop open. Cool. Drain the berries, reserving the juice and measuring 1 cup of berries for use in the bread. Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In a large bowl, combine 2/3 cup sugar, the butter, eggs, walnuts, banana and berries. Add the flour mixture to the berry mixture, stirring until blended. Pour the mixture into a greased and lightly floured 9x5x3: loaf pan. Bake in a preheated, 350'F. oven for 1 hour or until
a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For a topping (optional) combine the cranberry juice, 2 tablespoons sugar and the Grand Marnier in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until heated through. Poke a few holes in the baked loaf and pour on the topping. Cool 10 minutes in the pan. Turn the loaf out on a rack and cool completely. Wrap in foil and store one day before slicing. Makes 1 loaf. Nutritional analysis per serving: 360.4 calories; 8.6 grams total fat; (3.8 grams saturated fat); 4 grams protein; 22.4 grams carbohydrates; 71.7 milligrams cholesterol; 169.4 milligrams sodium.