DRIED PLUM-AND-PORT BREAD This quick bread won our Test Kitchens' highest rating. It's great for dessert, a snack, or for breakfast. Prunes are actually dried plums; we use the latter name in our title because more people found it appealing. 2 cups chopped pitted prunes 1 3/4 cups port or other sweet red wine 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup whole-wheat or all-purpose flour 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs, lightly beaten Cooking spray 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar or granulated sugar

Combine prunes and port in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover and remove from heat; let stand 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine all-purpose flour and next 5 ingredients (all-purpose flour through cinnamon) in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture. Drain prunes in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid. Combine reserved liquid, oil and next 4 ingredients (oil through eggs); stir well with a whisk. Stir in prunes. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Serves 12.

1 Serving - 1 slice: Calories: 254 (Cal. from fat: 21%), Fat: 5.9g (Saturated: 1.2g), Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 222mg, Carbohydrate: 48g, Protein: 4.5g.

[Cooking Light, November 2000]