This is such a standby for me that I can (and have) made it in my sleep.

Basic Recipe:

2 cups flour (2 cups white or 1 cup white, 1 cup of whole wheat. Or 1 cup of white & one of barley flour.)

2 cups liquid : 1/4 cup oil, 1 egg, 1/2 cup molasses or honey, 1 cup or more of buttermilk

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

(1 t French baking spices* or cinnamon or nutmeg or allspice)

1/2 to 1 cup of mixed dried fruits, nuts & seeds.

Mix dry ingredients together, mix wet ingredients together, combine swiftly. Fold in nuts & fruits.

Place in greased 8x8 pan, bread loaf pan, deep pie pan, whatever else is about that size.

Bake at 350 for about 45 to 50 minutes.

*French Baking Spices: equal parts cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg & 1/2 part of cloves. I usually make up this handy spice mix in small batches: 4 t cinnamon, 4 t ground ginger, 4 t nutmeg, 2 t ground cloves & keep it in a jar.

VARIATIONS:

FLOUR: Two cups of flour is the rule.

Use 1 cup of whole wheat, 1 cup of white

Use 1 cup of barley flour instead of whole wheat; sweeten with honey. Good with sesame seeds.

Add 1 cup of sesame meal or sunflower meal or a combination thereof to flour.

LIQUID: this should stay at around 2 cups which includes the oil, egg & buttermilk & molasses or honey:

You can use plain milk or juice but it isn't as good unless you also add T dried buttermilk powder.

Eggs: Use two eggs instead of one for a more cake-like bread. Reduce amount of buttermilk so that the liquid is stil 2 cups.

Oil: use 1/3 cup rather than 1/4 for a richer bread. Butter doesn't do as well as oil in quick breads but for a buttery taste, rub the top of hot bread with a stick of butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. You can do this right before the bread is done & put it back in the oven for five minutes or so.

Sweetner: use 1/2 cup molasses or 1/2 cup honey or 1/2 cup apple sauce or other pureed fruit. If you use brown or white sugar, increase amount of buttermilk so the liquid remains around 2 cups.

SPICES: use up 2 t grated lemon peel instead of baking spices;

Add 1 t grated orange peel with spices

Use 1 t ground cardammon instead of baking spices, barley flour, honey & sesame.

Use 1/2 t cinnamon and 1 T ground ginger; sweeten with molasses. Throw in a handful of bakers ginger: chopped pieces of crystallized ginger. Or grate fresh ginger into a dish towel & wring out the juice into the liquid. Or put a hunk of ginger in a garlic press & press out the juice. Good served with cream cheese.

FRUITS & NUTS: Anywhere from 1/4 cup of nuts (walnuts or pecans) & 1/4 cup of fruit to a 3/4 cup of each, depending on your mood & what is in your cupboard.

With molasses: chopped dates; raisins (combination of golden & dark), baking spices.

With honey or sugar: dried apricots, dried cranberries, dried cherries, currants, dried mixed fruits.

Nuts & Seeds: walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, whatever you like.

Use your imagination.