VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 23, 2020 / Grande West Transportation Group Inc. (TSXV:BUS)(OTCQX:GWTNF) (FRA:6LG) ("Grande West" or the "Company"), a Canadian manufacturer of mid-sized multi-purpose transit vehicles for sale in Canada and the United States, announced today, financial results for the second quarter ending September 30, 2020.

Third Quarter Highlights

Bus, aftermarket parts and other revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2020 of $8,921,227 compared to $1,605,755 for the three months ended September 30, 2019
Net loss for the three months ended September 30, 2020 of $1,309,076 compared to net loss of $2,111,189 for the three months ended September 30, 2019
Adjusted EBITDA loss for the three months ended September 30, 2020 of $674,988 compared to an adjusted EBITDA loss of $1,768,084 for the three months ended September 30, 2019 (see "Non-GAAP Measures")
Deliveries of 20 Vicinity buses for the three months ended September 30, 2020 compared to nil for the three months ended September 30, 2019

Business Overview

Corporate Update
Grande West has delivered over 450 buses in the Canadian and US markets. The Company is the market leader in the mid-size bus category in Canada where it sells its Vicinity branded buses.

William Trainer, Grande West President and CEO, stated, "our focus for 2020 has been on ensuring ongoing liquidity by delivering on existing orders and product line expansion. Our new 28-foot medium-duty crossover bus, the Vicinity LT, is now available in electric propulsion ("EV") and gasoline versions for purchase and delivery in 2021. The EV design includes world-class technology partners hofer powertrain and LION Smart, which integrates a BMW battery system utilizing proven, existing automotive technology. The development and production of a mid-sized, low floor, fully electric transit bus with proven, readily available technology that can accommodate up to four wheelchair positions is a huge step forward for our Company and the transit industry. As for liquidity and deliveries, our 2020 financial result expectations were reduced after the onset of COVID-19. Our last published updated target of delivering 150 buses in 2020 was based on being able to deliver an order of approximately 90 buses before the end of the year. Delays due to COVID-19 at our suppliers and a lack of available shipping containers will shift a portion of this large order to being delivered in the first quarter of 2021. We will provide a corporate update on this order before the end of the year. Our operations remain healthy and we are currently looking to expand our Company through the building of a manufacturing plant in the U.S. The Company is gaining significant momentum and the outlook for Grande West growth remains very positive."

Recent Developments and Subsequent Events
In February of 2020, the Company announced that it received a new contract from its U.S. distributor, Atlanta-based Alliance Bus Group ("ABG") for new bus orders with a value of approximately $40M CAD. Grande West will deliver the Purpose-Built Vicinity Buses in the fourth quarter of 2020 and first quarter of 2021. The new buses will replace an old fleet currently operating throughout multiple locations in the USA with a world-class business and bus operator.

In October of 2020, the Company renewed its revolving credit facility agreement for a three-year term with a financial institution for a maximum amount of $20 million. The credit facility bears interest at a rate of 0.75% – 1% plus Canadian prime rate for loans denominated in Canadian dollars and 0.75% – 1% plus U.S. prime rate for loans denominated in U.S. dollars. Per the terms of the agreement, the Company must maintain a fixed charge coverage ratio if the Company borrows over 75% of the available facility.

In November of 2020, the Company announced a partnership with LION Smart GmbH to integrate BMW technology as its electric vehicle solution. The Contract between Grande West Transportation and Lion Smart includes engineering services covering software, mechanical and electrical adaptation, battery management and the integration of 400V BMW battery packs into the Vicinity LT EV. The demonstration Vicinity LT EV is scheduled for delivery to Grande West in the first quarter of 2021.

In November of 2020, the Company announced a partnership with hofer powertrain, a German drivetrain system supplier, to integrate the electric vehicle powertrain and management solution into its Vicinity EV buses. This partnership will allow Grande West to expedite Vicinity EV production to customers for 2021 deliveries.

In November of 2020, the Company closed a private placement for 8,659,118 units at a price of $1.00 per unit. Each unit is comprised of one common share of the Company and one-half of one share purchase warrant. Each warrant will allow the holder to acquire an additional common share of the Company at a price of $1.50 per share for a period of two years from the date of closing of the placement.

COVID-19 Update
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and global market volatility, the Company has activated robust business continuity plans to minimize disruptions to business and to adapt to evolving market conditions. The Company's top priority is the health and safety of its staff, customers, and the communities in which it operates. Grande West has taken appropriate precautions in this regard and has continued to deliver parts and services to meet its customers' needs. The Company is following the advice of health authorities in each jurisdiction where it operates. Grande West has implemented social distancing, team separation, and extensive work-from-home initiatives, as well as eliminated all non-essential travel.

Management is monitoring the situation very closely and is evaluating the impact the virus will have on the Company's delivery schedule. Some expected 2020 sales to private operators have been delayed as a result of the pandemic. Our last published updated target of delivering 150 buses in 2020 was based on being able to receive an order of approximately 90 buses from our manufacturer before the end of the year. Delays due to COVID-19 at our suppliers and a lack of available shipping containers will shift a portion of this large order to being delivered in the first quarter of 2021. The Company's manufacturing partner overseas is operating and currently producing to meet the Company's needs. Our U.S. manufacturing partner temporarily idled operations. This will slow down Buy America production deliveries until the facility is back online and operating at full capacity. Although deliveries out of the U.S. may be delayed, the purchase orders are firm and are still targeted to be delivered in 2020.

Our supply chain is currently able to provide us with the necessary components for production and aftermarket part sales but there is a risk of potential disruptions. Our aftermarket parts division will continue operating and servicing all our customers.

The Company remains well-positioned to serve its customers. As conditions evolve, Grande West will adjust plans to align with business continuity protocols and ensure employee, customer, and community health and safety are the highest priority. Credit lines remain active, allowing the Company access to capital, however Grande West recognizes that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and government or customer reactions could ultimately be materially disruptive.

Grande West is taking significant actions to control where it can, particularly surrounding costs and capital investments. The Company has started reductions with senior management, where salaries were reduced effective April 1, 2020. The Company has also implemented strict cost containment measures throughout the organization, including freezing recruiting activities and minimizing all discretionary costs. Grande West is taking proactive measures to actively control working capital and retain cash throughout the COVID-19 crisis.

The Canadian Government has implemented policies giving aid to businesses due to COVID-19, as a result the Company has received $543,654 in aid during the nine months ended September 30, 2020 which was recognized as a decrease in salary expenses.

William Trainer, President and CEO of Grande West stated, "We continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and we are responding swiftly and effectively to protect the interests of our stakeholders. I am confident that our skilled and loyal workforce, the diversification and strength of our business model, and our strong partner relationship will position us well to navigate the current environment."

Outlook
Management expects to maintain its strong market segment leadership position in Canada and continue to make progress in the U.S. with private operators and public transit agencies. The external pressures to "right-size" vehicles for its application and ridership levels along with the availability of funding in Canada and the U.S. create an ideal environment for Grande West to prosper. Once we are through the current COVID-19 pandemic, the outlook for Grande West, including significant growth in the U.S., remains very positive.

During 2017 and 2018, the Company achieved record revenues. We experienced a decline in the backlog during 2018 mainly due to lower order intake, which impacted 2019 results. Bid activity during 2019 was significantly higher than in 2018, which will translate into higher 2020 sales. We are maintaining our strong leadership position in our market segment in Canada and we continue to make progress in the U.S. market. During the first nine months of 2020 we completed and delivered six of our first Buy America orders and others are just completing production. We have received further Buy America orders for deliveries starting in 2021.

Approved funding for transit in the U.S. and Canada prior to the pandemic was high. Both countries have approved emergency funding for transit as a result of COVID-19. In Canada, dedicated funding of $1.8 billion for public transit has been included in the safe restart agreement among the federal, provincial, and territorial governments. In the U.S. the Federal government has awarded $25 billion in emergency funding grants to public transportation systems. $15.75 billion was also announced as part of the Heroes Act providing additional transit funding.

In the U.S. the Consolidated Appropriations Act was passed for 2020 and continues elevated funding levels with more than $13 billion allocated for public transportation and intercity passenger rail.

In Canada in 2017, the federal government allocated $21.1 billion over 11 years to transit construction, expansion and rehabilitation. The 2019 Liberal platform included a plan to enable procurement of 5,000 electric transit and school buses over the next five years.

The medium and long-term recovery of the Company's end markets from the COVID-19 pandemic are currently unknown but are expected to be dependent on government support, COVID-19 case rates, manufacturing and supply chain capabilities, travel restrictions and economic reopening activity. The Company has implemented a robust risk management process to ensure the health and safety of its employees and continued access to supply chain materials, but the ongoing nature of the pandemic may adversely impact results in the future.

Part of our strategic plan is to expand our product line by adding a 100% zero-emission electric propulsion system to our existing Vicinity bus models and adding the Vicinity LT bus model to our product lineup. The Vicinity electric bus will place Grande West in an excellent position to capture market share as the demand for zero-emissions buses grows. Our smaller LT bus model will provide Grande West access to the high-end cutaway bus market segment. Municipalities of all sizes across Canada and the U.S. along with private operators in multiple sectors are looking for a more robust low-floor accessible bus to replace their cutaways.

Aftermarket parts sales are expected to continue to increase as Vicinity bus fleets get older and new vehicles are placed into service.

Stock Options
The Company also announces that it has granted 200,000 incentive stock options to eligible Directors as part of their annual compensation package at an exercise price of $2.05 for a period of five years. The options vest immediately.

Grande West Vicinity Lightning Electric Vehicle
The Vicinity Lightning EV, the first electric bus for Grande West, is the newest model in the Grande West portfolio and is officially being introduced to the world. We are pleased to invite interested listeners to a presentation given by the Company at the quarterly conference call following our financial and corporate update on Tuesday, November 24.

Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis can be accessed at sedar.com

Conference Call
A conference call for analysts and interested listeners will be held on Tuesday, November 24 at 11:00 AM EST. The call-in number is (877) 407-0782 or (201) 689-8567, the webcast can be accessed at https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2233/38806 . A replay of the call will be available for 30 days at the webcast link or by calling (877) 481-4010 and entering PIN# 38806.

About Grande West Transportation Group
Grande West Transportation is a Canadian company that designs and engineers mid-size multi-purpose transit vehicles for public and commercial enterprises. Grande West utilizes world-class manufacturing partners to produce the Purpose-Built Vicinity bus available in clean diesel, gas, and CNG drive systems. The Vicinity Lightning EV with an electric propulsion drive system is available for 2021 deliveries.

The Company has been successful in supplying Canadian municipal transportation agencies and private operators with new buses. Grande West is compliant to Buy America certification, and with a strong distribution chain in the U.S., is actively pursuing opportunities in public and private transit fleet operations that would benefit from Grande West's vehicles.

www.grandewest.com

For investor relations, please contact:
Paradox Public Relations Inc.
Karl Mansour
Managing Director
Ph: (514) 341-0408 or 1-866-460-0408
IR@grandewest.com

Company contact:
Grande West Transportation
John LaGourgue
VP Corporate Development
Ph: 604-288-8043
IR@grandewest.com

Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds from the Private Placement, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Grande West's expectations include uncertainties relating to the receipt of final approval from the TSX-V; and other risk and uncertainties disclosed in Grande West's reports and documents filed with applicable securities regulatory authorities from time to time. Grande West's forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made. Grande West assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

SOURCE: Grande West Transportation Group

ReleaseID: 618083

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / November 23, 2020 / Gaucho Group Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB:VINO), a company with a growing collection of e-commerce and experiential luxury assets including Algodon Fine Wines, a high-end leather accessories label Gaucho – Buenos Aires, as well as substantial real estate holdings, today announces the addition of David Gilmour to its Board of Advisors. As an advisor, Mr. Gilmour will consult on Gaucho Group Holdings, Inc's consumer products, hospitality, and marketing, as the company endeavors to expand its global reach with the distribution of new health and wellness products to be launched in 2021.

Gaucho Group Holdings, Inc. feels Mr. Gilmour is an ideal fit for its advisory board due his shared values of product quality and philosophy, and his broad experience and successes; including having founded Fiji Water, the health & wellness products of Wakaya Perfection, as well as for cofounding with Peter Munk one of the largest gold companies in the world, Barrick Gold, and South Pacific Hotel Corporation, one of the largest hotel chains in the south pacific. Mr. Gilmour has also won multiple awards for his product packaging and designs.

In the wake of the global pandemic, the world is looking more at health and wellness than ever before. With this in mind, Mr. Gilmour has taken a keen interest in Gaucho Group Holdings, Inc's subsidiaries, including Algodon Wine Estates' (www.algodonwineestates.com) wine, wellness, culinary and sport resort and e-commerce products, as well as its focus on promoting healthier lifestyles, wellness and rejuvenation of the mind, body and spirt. Algodon Wine Estates' 4,138 acre (1674 ha) world-class vineyard and luxury real estate development is located in the rolling hills of the Sierra Pintada Mountains in San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina. The estate's 325 acres of vineyards, as well as its fruit orchards and olive groves, fed by the purest meltwater from the glacial Andes, produce exceptional fruit in a natural environment. These values are strongly aligned with Mr. Gilmour's own most recent venture of the pure, potent organic wellness products of Wakaya Perfection, LLC, a purveyor of high impact and high status nutritional products.

As a health and wellness advocate, Mr. Gilmour's Wakaya Perfection (www.wakaya.com) is a mission-driven wellness enterprise on the 2,200-acre island paradise of Wakaya in the Fiji archipelago which, due to its high-nutrient virgin volcanic soil, served as the brand's very first location in the cultivation of its exclusive formula. Volcanic soil is hailed for its purity and multi-faceted rejuvenating properties that can naturally enhance the quality of lives. The brand's production has since branched out to the main island of Fiji, as well as to Nicaragua, which possess the same high nutrient volcanic ash soil. The company continues to seek out the best volcanic ash soil in the world to continue cultivating products of the highest caliber and service global demand. Wakaya Perfection's product line includes hand-cultivated organic ginger, turmeric, teas, and sea salts, all indigenous to the island of Wakaya. Wakaya Perfection seeks to create the world's most powerful health and wellness commodities for the consumer of today seeking integrity in their product selection; from the quality of its source, to the soil it is grown in, and then on to the shelves. Wakaya Perfection products have been distributed through luxury hotels, resorts, fine-dining establishments and luxury department stores.

"I was pleased to accept the invitation to join the advisory board of Gaucho Group Holdings, Inc because after familiarizing myself with their various activities and assets, I've found they are engaged in areas that I have previously been involved and enjoyed developing and enhancing," says David Gilmour. "I look forward to working with Scott and his team while spiriting in a great future of growth together."

"We could not be more excited to have David join our Board of Advisors," says Scott Mathis, CEO & Chairman of Gaucho Group Holdings Inc. "We feel confident that with David's superb global, real-world experience, he will be a vital asset and advisor throughout our subsidiaries for his marketing, design, hospitality, and advice on the future of quality health and wellness products. We believe his guidance can have a profoundly positive impact on our businesses, and can perhaps be a catalyst to help Gaucho Group Holdings, Inc. grow exponentially in the years ahead. I am hopeful this step is the very first in what we envision to be a long and growing relationship of delivering quality health and wellness options to the world. On a personal note, I am very happy to learn from one of the world's great entrepreneurs. I could not be more excited about 2021 and beyond, and about returning to a new normal in a post Covid world."

About Wakaya Perfection

Wakaya Perfection was founded by David H. Gilmour, founder of FIJI Water, and health and wellness advocate. The naturally harvested organic ginger, turmeric, sea salt and more, indigenous to the island of Wakaya, is hand-cultivated in virgin volcanic soil solely for its purity and multi-faceted rejuvenating properties that naturally enhance the quality of lives. Wakaya Perfection products have been distributed both online and through luxury hotels, resorts, fine-dining establishments and luxury department stores and are now marketed by Wakaya Perfection Independent Business Ambassadors. Visit wakayaperfection.com to learn more.

For more information about Gaucho Group Holdings, Inc. visit www.gauchoholdings.com.

SOURCE: Gaucho Group Holdings, Inc.

ReleaseID: 617973

GIBRALTAR / ACCESSWIRE / November 23, 2020 / Gnosis, one of the earliest companies building on Ethereum, has announced the launch of GnosisDAO, the industry's first prediction market-driven collective. This will have the effect of progressively decentralizing Gnosis as a project using a native governance framework powered by their token economy, bringing governance to the coming internet of value.

Joined by the Gnosis Safe Multisig platform, the GnosisDAO will play an integral role in governing the Gnosis product suite, focused on creating decentralized products guided by the ‘value'-based approach of Futarchy, as defined by economics researcher Robin Hanson. The Gnosis ‘DAO of Value' will tap into the project's prediction market technology to transparently guide decisions on development, investments, and governance.

Prediction markets will be created using a new Gnosis Safe Multisig initially funded with 1,000 ETH and 20,000 GNO from the Gnosis treasury. Ultimately, GnosisDAO is to have effective control over 150K ETH and 8 Million GNO. In doing so, Gnosis intends to play a key role in the decentralization of technical and governance layers for products in the web3 ecosystem.

The team behind the venture has spent years developing the necessary technical building blocks to enable permissionless prediction markets, and has been instrumental in the success of platforms like Omen Prediction Markets. $1.24 million of DAI was placed in the Omen market predicting the outcome of the US presidential election.

Initially, GnosisDAO will take the form of a minimum viable futarchy network wherein proposals appear on theGnosis Forum, and GnosisDAO will fund prediction markets on final stage proposals. The prediction markets will provide DAO participants with an estimate of the potential price impact on GNO of a proposal, which can inform their decision-making. In addition to aligning development with the utilization of GNO, funding DAO prediction markets will progressively distribute the Gnosis treasury while potentially rewarding participants for signaling.

GnosisDAO will launch with several pending proposals in place including developing a SAFE governance token for the Gnosis Safe. In addition, members of the Gnosis community are invited to submit their own proposals. These could address such matters as the Ethereum Layer 2s Gnosis should utilize or a proposal for the exploration of yield farming.

The goal of GnosisDAO is to test the limits of what the world's first decentralized, permissionless, and prediction market-driven collective for resource allocation can do.

About Gnosis

Gnosis is the one of the first companies to build on Ethereum, having been founded in 2015 by Martin Köppelmann and Stefan George as part of ConsenSys, the globally leading Ethereum venture production studio. In April 2017, Gnosis raised funds and spun out of ConsenSys to become an independent company. Gnosis offers three leading product lines (prediction markets, DEXs, multisig platform) allowing users to securely create, trade, and hold crypto assets.

Contact for Gnosis:

Dan Edelstein
pr@marketacross.com
+972-545-464-238

SOURCE: Gnosis
 

ReleaseID: 617974

Implementation of Trintech's Cadency solution lands firm in top slot of the Office of Finance category

DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / November 23, 2020 / Trintech, a leading global provider of integrated Record to Report software solutions for the office of finance, announced today that its customer, ABB, a leading global engineering company, has been named the winner in the "Office of Finance" category of the 13th annual Ventana Research Digital Leadership Awards. ABB's win is attributed to its innovative use of Trintech's Cadency solution, standardizing its Record to Report process and generating increased efficiency across its global team.

"Technology is essential but achieving the most from technology requires leadership to implement change," notes Robert Kugel, Senior Vice President and Research Director at Ventana Research. "We gave ABB and Trintech our 2020 Digital Leadership award for having successfully tackled an ambitious close process digitization and standardization project in a decentralized worldwide organization."

In its 13th year, the Ventana Research Digital Leadership Awards program showcases "the leadership and use of business applications or technology that contribute significantly to improved efficiency, productivity and the performance of their organization." ABB partnered with Trintech and Capgemini to standardize the firm's Record to Report process, with a focus on balance sheet reconciliation, month-end closing and manual journal entries. With Trintech's Cadency solution, ABB realized greater efficiencies through streamlined policies designed to fit the needs of its specific compliance framework and more effectively manage live data to support its Record to Report process. Cadency has also provided ABB with scalability across the firm's global operations, centralizing core financial processes.

"Cadency has been instrumental in driving harmonization across our complex, multi-ERP environment," said Luca Condosta, Record to Report Group Finance Process Owner at ABB. "With the Cadency solution, we now have full visibility of our global closing and account reconciliation processes right at our fingertips."

About Trintech

Trintech Inc., a pioneer of Financial Corporate Performance Management (FCPM) software, combines unmatched technical and financial expertise to create innovative, cloud-based software solutions that deliver world-class financial operations and insights. From high volume transaction matching and streamlining daily operational reconciliations, to automating and managing balance sheet reconciliations, intercompany accounting, journal entries, disclosure reporting and bank fee analysis, to governance, risk and compliance – Trintech's portfolio of financial solutions, including Cadency® Platform, Adra® Suite, and targeted tools, ReconNET™, T-Recs®, and UPCS®, help manage all aspects of the financial close process. Over 3,500 clients worldwide – including the majority of the Fortune 100 – rely on the company's cloud-based software to continuously improve the efficiency, reliability, and strategic insights of their financial operations.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Trintech has offices located across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the Nordics, as well as strategic partners in South Africa, Latin America and the Asia Pacific. To learn more about Trintech, visit www.trintech.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

About ABB

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global engineering company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB's success is driven by 110,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com

Media Contact:

Kristina Pereira Tully
Vested
650-464-0080
trintech@fullyvested.com

SOURCE: Trintech, Inc.

ReleaseID: 617692

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / November 23, 2020 / The Zoracles development team has leveraged their innovative zero-knowledge range proofs to create a Zk-Snark for credit checks. Previously, the team released code for the derivatives market. That same function can be applied to creating on- chain credit checks by configuring Zoracles Protocol to retrieve an individual's credit score from the main reporting agencies.

Most blockchains present a challenge when it comes to protecting user privacy. Since all transactions are published on the ledger for anyone to read, there needs to be creative and innovative techniques such as zero-knowledge proofs to facilitate confidential transactions. Zoracles protocol enables confidential data to smart contracts with Zk-Snark technology and is extending that functionality to credit checks.

The implications of transmitting private credit scores on-chain should resonate with enterprises such as Credit Karma who have built a $7.1B business on providing credit scores and reports to consumers. Enterprises have struggled with adopting wider blockchain technologies due to the lack of privacy for their transactions. Zoracles Protocol plans to work with enterprises to ease the transition to blockchain with "Snarks as a Service."

The process to begin a Snark development request begins with acquiring a small governing position within the Zoracles Protocol. Enterprises will need a stake to procure the Zoracles development team to make an assessment of the functional requirements of the requester's business process. A scope of work is then created to map a custom Zk-Snark that will satisfy the business requirement for anonymity of blockchain data.

In the future, an enterprise will be able to acquire Zora that will be time-locked based on the Snark complexity. This ensures alignment between Zoracles governance and the "Snarks as a Service" client. Strategic partnerships of this variety will be instrumental in developing a portfolio of unique confidential DeFi use cases that can be utilized by various dApp protocols and enterprises.

Consumers will also benefit from confidential credit checks. Zoracles protocol roadmap includes developing a front-end tool to enable free credit checks without compromising one's credit history on the blockchain. The consumer will have the option of receiving their exact score or an assessment of "excellent, good, fair or bad credit."

The main suppliers of credit reports including Experian, Equifax and Trans Union may express interest in Zoracles Protocol "Snarks as a Service" as the trend to blockchain for enterprises expands with privacy technologies. According to MarketWatch, the global market for credit reporting is $15.17B in 2020 and will grow to $18.82B by 2026. This presents a sizeable opportunity for the Zoracles Protocol to provide innovation with cryptographic proofs that hide sensitive financial data.

Zoracles development team has open sourced their credit checking Zk-Snark solution which is very common in the blockchain space. This is one of the first real- world applications of their technology and may have widespread adoption if the trend from centralized finance to open financial networks continues to evolve.

The team is working with its second strategic partner to bring this Zk-Snark Credit Feature to Ethereum Mainnet by Q1 2021.

About Zoracles

Zoracles partners with DeFi projects using zero-knowledge proofs to provide confidential data to smart contracts. Their end-to-end solution entails VRFs to provide additional security measures for their "Snarks as a Service." Learn more by visiting Zoracles website https://zoracles.com .

Media Contact:

Company: Zoracles
Contact: Leonard
E-mail: leonard@zoracles.com
Telephone: +1 647 930 9319
Website: https://zoracles.com

SOURCE: Zoracles

ReleaseID: 617982

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 23, 2020 / CopperBank Resources Corp. ("CopperBank" or the "Company") (CSE:CBK) is pleased to report ongoing progress in generating future exploration targets at its 100% owned Copper Ridge Prospect, located approximately one mile (1.6 km) southwest of its 100% owned pre-feasibility level Contact Copper Project. These projects encompass a contiguous 5,935 acres of private property and Bureau of Land Management holdings located in northeast Elko County, Nevada.

History of the Copper Ridge Prospect Area

The Copper Ridge prospect area was acquired by the previous operator, Enexco International (Enexco), in a September 26, 2011 land acquisition deal from Allied Nevada Gold Corp. Before the land acquisition, no field work was performed by Enexco in the Copper Ridge Prospect area. During the summer of 2012 Enexco collected a total of 28 samples over an area of approximately 1,000 acres (400 hectares) from outcrops with copper oxide showings. Copper oxides chrysocolla, cuprite, and tenorite were found in most locations sampled along with mineral textures indicative of hydrothermal alteration. On August 27, 2012, Enexco reported significant copper assays from the 28 samples, returning copper grades up to 12.4 percent. These results can be viewed in the news section of the Company website, with a reference date of June 7, 2016.

CopperBank CEO comments: "The Copper Ridge area continues to be an impressive exploration project that could unlock significant shareholder value. Our team's long history in the Contact area, combined with Elko County's vast exploration and mining culture, enable us to form various scenarios towards important next steps for the Copper Ridge inclusive of further optimizations at the Contact project area. With improving investor sentiment towards copper, and especially exploration, we want to highlight the various blue sky exploration opportunities that complement our later-stage development projects."

Next Steps And Options For Advancing The Copper Ridge Prospect

The positive results from the historical surface sampling supports further investigation towards future exploration drilling programs at the Copper Ridge and adjacent prospects. Due to the depressed copper pricing environment since the 2011 land acquisition and 2012 sampling program, the Copper Ridge Prospect area has not been drilled tested by the Company and historic activity is limited to small prospect pits and mine workings. The targets at the Copper Ridge Prospect are similar to the tabular sheeted vein systems encountered at the Contact Copper Project's historical reserve area. Exploration success in this area could provide additional copper oxide material for the Contact Copper Project, which has potential to produce 49 million pounds per year of electrolytic copper cathode as outlined in the historical 2013 Pre-feasibility Study. This study can be found on the CopperBank website in the Contact Project area.

Qualified Person

Enexco's samples from the Copper Ridge Area surface sampling program were prepared and analyzed by SGS Minerals Services in Vancouver, Canada, an ISO/IEC 17025 certified laboratory under supervision by Enexco's Qualified Person, William Willoughby, PhD, PE. Dr. Willoughby is a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 and has approved the technical portions of this press release.

About CopperBank

CopperBank is a Canadian exploration mining company focused on energy related metal exploration in The United States of America. The Company trades on the Canadian Securities Exchange – CSE- under the symbol "CBK".

On behalf of CopperBank Resources Corp.

"Gianni Kovacevic"

Address: Suite 1500, 409 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 1T2
Tel: 604-889-0852
E-mail: gk@copperbankcorp.com
Website: www.copperbankcorp.com

Advisory Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information in this release constitutes forward looking statements or information ("forward-looking statements") under applicable securities laws and necessarily involves risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements included herein are made as of the date of this news release and, except as required by applicable law, CopperBank does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect management of CopperBank's expectations or beliefs regarding future events. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative of these terms or comparable terminology. Examples of forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Company's ongoing review of its existing portfolio, the involvement of CopperBank in any potential divestiture, spin-out, partnership or other transactions involving the Company's portfolio assets, and the ability of the Company to complete any such transactions, the ability of CopperBank to enter into transactions that will ultimately enhance shareholder value, and potential future work or activities in respect of the Pyramid project or the Contact project. Although CopperBank believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements have been based on factors and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate. Those factors and assumptions are based upon currently available information available to CopperBank. Forward-looking statements are based, in part, on assumptions and factors that may change or prove to be incorrect, thus causing actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking information. Such factors and assumptions include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to identify and complete one or more transactions involving the Company's portfolio assets that enhance shareholder value as part of management's ongoing review of strategic alternatives in the current market conditions. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the risk that the Company will not be able to identify and complete one or more transactions involving the Company's portfolio assets that enhance shareholder value as part of management's ongoing review of strategic alternatives in the current market conditions. Although CopperBank has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For more information on CopperBank and the risks and challenges of its businesses, investors should review the continuous disclosure filings that are available under CopperBank's profile at www.sedar.com.

SOURCE: CopperBank Resources Corp.

ReleaseID: 617990

Virtual Event to Provide High-Level Discussion and Educational Sessions for Third Party and Benefit Administrator Executive Leadership

ST. LOUIS, MO / ACCESSWIRE / November 23, 2020 /  The Health Care Administrators Association (HCAA), a leader in education, networking, resources and advocacy for the self-funding industry, today announced the speaker lineup for its 2021 Executive Forum to be held virtually February 8-10, 2021. The premier event will gather third party and benefit administrator executive leadership together for the first time virtually to focus on educational sessions across the theme of "Adapting, Responding and Reconnecting in the New Normal."

"On the heels of our first-ever virtual event in July 2020 – which was also our most attended conference to date – HCAA has been working hard to reimagine what the virtual conference experience can, and should, be for our membership and sponsors," said HCAA Chief Executive Officer Carol Berry, CSFS. "It's a monumental time within the self-funding industry as so many political forces are at work on the horizon. Although, we greatly look forward to the opportunity when we can safely gather in person for our events, we are confident this virtual Executive Forum will be a worthwhile and enjoyable event at a time when so many can be having virtual event fatigue."

The event will include three half-day sessions to include a series of high-level content areas across a broad range of topics within the current and future state of self-funding. Opening Day 1 of the conference sessions will begin with the keynote, "Just One Percent In: The Forces Shaping the Next Economy," from Nancy Giordano, Founder of Play Big Inc. as she discusses how we are standing on the front end of an astronomical shift in how the world will work. Her session will examine what is on the horizon and what opportunities we have for reinvention.

In addition to a number of networking sessions and receptions, Ernie Clevenger, president of CareHere, LLC and publisher of MyHealthGuide, will emcee the event, introducing an educational lineup of industry expert speakers covering the following general topics:

Why are Pharmaceutical Rebates Now Being Administered Out of Switzerland? – Rob Shelley, Founding Partner of Leaf Health
The Accelerating Drive Toward Health Care Value – Brian Klepper, Principal, Worksite Health Advisors, EVP, The Validation Institute
COVID-19: No More Excuses (Panel) – Rich Roge, President of Delta Health Systems and Brooks Goodison, President, Diversified Group
Are There Limits to Telehealth? Would you Consider Tele-surgery? – Dr. Nadine Hachach-Haram, BEM, Founder of Proximie
'Hobservations' – A Chat with Hobson Carroll – Hobson Carroll, President, MedRisk Actuarial Services, Inc. and Steve Rasnick, President, Self Insured Plans, a 90 Degree Benefits Company
From Battlefield to COVID-19 Emergency Room: Leadership Under Pressure – Dr. Sudip Bose, Bronze Star Recipient for Serving One of the Longest Combat Tours by a Physician since World War II; Leading Emergency Physician; and Nationally Recognized Media Health Correspondent
Finding the Silver Lining: How to Emerge from COVID-19 with an Improved Approach to Mental Health and Addiction – Sam Arsenault, Chief Quality Officer for Confidant Health
Election 2020…The Aftermath – Sal Nuzzo, CPN, The James Madison Institute

Also new to this event, will be Speaker Breakout Rooms where attendees can intimately gather for a "backstage" type conversation with each session's speakers following their session to ask individual or follow-up questions.

All HCAA members, as well as non-member TPAs, are invited to attend the 2021 Executive Forum. Early-bird registration discounts are available through December 15, 2020. For more information on registration, or to view the full schedule of session descriptions and speaker bios, visit the HCAA website.

About HCAA
The HCAA is the premier nonprofit trade association elevating third-party administrators (TPAs) and other stakeholders from across the self-funding industry. Throughout our 40-year history, we've remained committed to improving the quality, sustainability, and value of this essential sector on behalf of our members, while forging a path for tomorrow's health care benefit administrators.

Visit www.hcaa.org or connect with us at @HCAAinfo, HCAA LinkedIn or HCAA YouTube for more information.

Press contact
Dave Anderson
Anderson Interactive on behalf of HCAA
252.715.4767
dave@andersoni.com

SOURCE: Health Care Administrators Association (HCAA)

ReleaseID: 617822

FORT MYERS, FL / ACCESSWIRE / November 23, 2020 / FineMark Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") (OTCQX:FNBT), the parent company of FineMark National Bank & Trust, is pleased to announce that the Company has completed a private placement of $21.3 million in aggregate principal amount of fixed-to-floating rate subordinated notes due 2030 (the "Notes") to certain qualified institutional buyers and accredited investors.

The Notes have been structured to qualify as Tier 2 capital for regulatory capital purposes. The Notes are unsecured and have a ten-year term, maturing November 30, 2030, and will bear interest at a fixed annual rate of 4.25%, payable semi-annually in arrears, until November 30, 2025. From and including November 30, 2025, the interest rate will reset quarterly to an interest rate per annum equal to the then current three-month Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("Three-Month SOFR"), plus a spread of 400.6 basis points, payable quarterly in arrears, provided, however, that, in the event the Three-Month SOFR is less than zero, the Three-Month SOFR shall be deemed to be zero. As provided in the Notes, under specified conditions, the interest rate on the Notes during the Floating Rate Period may be determined based upon a rate other than Three-Month SOFR. The Company may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, on any interest payment date on or after November 30, 2025, or at any time in whole upon certain other specified events. The Notes received a BBB- rating from Kroll Bond Rating Agency.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds to refinance existing indebtedness, growth capital for FineMark National Bank & Trust and for other general corporate purposes.

FineMark Holdings, Inc. CFO Brian Eagleston stated "we are very pleased with the work completed by Commerce Street Capital and PNC FIG Advisory acting as joint-placement agents. Alston & Bird LLP served as legal counsel to the Company and Pillar+Aught served as legal counsel for the placement agents."

About the FineMark Holdings, Inc. and FineMark National Bank & Trust

FineMark Holdings, Inc. is the parent company of FineMark National Bank & Trust. Founded in 2007, FineMark National Bank & Trust is a nationally chartered bank, headquartered in Florida. Through its offices located in Florida, Arizona and South Carolina, FineMark offers a full range of financial services, including personal and business banking, lending services, trust and investment services. The Corporation's common stock trades on the OTCQX under the symbol FNBT. Investor information is available on the Corporation's website at www.finemarkbank.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify forward-looking statements by the use of the words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "assume," "outlook," "will," "should," and other expressions that predict or indicate future events and trends and which do not relate to historical matters. You should not rely on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond our control. These risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

Some of the factors that might cause these differences include: weakness in national, regional or international economic conditions or conditions affecting the banking or financial services industries or financial capital markets; volatility in national and international financial markets; reductions in net interest income resulting from interest rate volatility as well as changes in the balance and mix of loans and deposits; reductions in the market value or outflows of assets under administration; changes in the value of securities and other assets; reductions in loan demand; changes in loan collectability, default and charge-off rates; changes in the size and nature of our competition; changes in legislation or regulation and accounting principles, policies and guidelines; occurrences of cyber-attacks, hacking and identity theft; natural disasters; and changes in the assumptions used in making such forward-looking statements. Further, the adverse effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company, its customers and the communities where it operates may adversely affect the Company's business, results of operations and financial condition for an indefinite period of time. You should carefully review all of these factors and you should be aware that there might be other factors that could cause these differences.

These forward-looking statements were based on information, plans and estimates at the date of this report. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, new information, future events or other changes.

Contact:
Brian Eagleston
Chief Financial Officer
FineMark National Bank & Trust
239-461-5916
beagleston@finemarkbank.com

SOURCE: FineMark Holdings, Inc.

ReleaseID: 617996

MISSION, KS / ACCESSWIRE / November 23, 2020 / Holiday gatherings, even in a time when smaller groups are encouraged, take on special meaning for many families. Part of the joy comes from the food that's shared among loved ones from appetizers and sides to the main course.

This year, you can enjoy those meaningful moments with your closest family members and friends by putting together a menu that keeps smiles on faces from the first bite to the last. Start with your favorite among the nearly endless appetizer options that symbolize the season then enjoy a tender tri-tip alongside bacon-wrapped asparagus and a twist on classic, roasted potatoes.

Visit Culinary.net to find more holiday menu ideas.

Start Your Seasonal Celebration with Small Bites

While main courses, sides and desserts may be what holiday memories are made of, you can calm family members' and guests' appetites with an array of appetizers like these:

Meatballs
Stuffed mushrooms
Stuffed peppers
Sliced cheese
Sliced meats
Crackers
Spinach dip
Cheesy bread
Sliders
Little smokies
Fresh fruit and vegetables

A Simply Tasty Side

Many recipes commonly associated with the holidays are accompanied by lengthy ingredient lists or hours spent in the kitchen. However, all that time and effort doesn't have to be used on this year's side dish when you opt for a simple yet mouthwatering option.

You can feel good about what you're feeding your family this holiday season while saving prep time by serving this Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus made with Coleman Natural bacon, which contains no artificial ingredients or preservatives and is sourced from American family farms that humanely raise their animals with no antibiotics or added hormones. Whether it's served as a side dish or an appetizer, it calls for just a handful of everyday ingredients for a dish you can be proud of.

Visit ColemanNatural.com/Recipes for more seasonal recipe inspiration.

Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus

Servings: 10

20 asparagus stalks
10 slices Coleman Natural Hickory Smoked Bacon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Wrap 2 asparagus stalks with 1 slice bacon. Repeat with remaining asparagus and bacon. Place bundles on baking sheet. Drizzle asparagus ends with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake until asparagus is cooked through and bacon is crisp, about 20 minutes.

A Tender Holiday Tri-Tip

Centering your holiday meal around a flavorful cut of meat can make the celebration truly memorable, especially when it's cooked to perfection over the hot flame of a grill.

This year, take your family's main course to the next level with a Garlic Herb Tri-Tip lightly seasoned with garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper to let the naturally flavorful New Zealand grass-fed beef speak for itself. Because the animals roam and graze freely over lush green hills and pastures year-round, New Zealand grass-fed beef is leaner, more finely textured and tastes just as nature intended.

Find more recipes and holiday meal ideas at beefandlambnz.com.

Garlic Herb Tri-Tip

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Servings: 6

1 New Zealand grass-fed beef tri-tip (2 1/2-3 pounds)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme
3 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

Preheat grill to high heat.

Rub tri-tip with olive oil. Add minced garlic and use hands to evenly distribute.

Combine chopped thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; cover oiled tri-tip on both sides with spice blend.

Place tri-tip on hottest part of grill and sear 2-3 minutes.

Flip tri-tip and transfer to indirect heat. Continue grilling until internal temperature reaches 135 F for medium-rare.

Transfer meat to platter, cover with foil and let rest 10 minutes.

Slice across the grain and serve.

An Easy but Impressive Side

Every holiday meal comes with plenty of traditional and family-favorite dishes, and one of the most common on tables is potatoes. Whether they're roasted, mashed or anything in-between, they're among the most versatile options for the holidays.

This year, you can save time on seasonal favorites with Creamer potatoes from The Little Potato Company. They are ready to use, with no washing or peeling required, and they're small and consistent in size so they cook quickly.

Try them roasted, boiled, smashed or mashed whether you're making a quick weeknight dinner or getting a festive meal on the table. This holiday season, try these Little Hasselback Potatoes for a twist on the classic roasted variety. For an easy cooking hack, slice the potatoes on a wooden spoon to prevent cutting all the way through.

Visit littlepotatoes.com for more holiday recipe inspiration.

Little Hasselback Potatoes

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Servings: 8-12

1 bag (3 pounds) The Little Potato Company Holiday Blend
10 sprigs thyme, removed from stem
6 sprigs parsley, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Sour cream (optional)
Cooked bacon pieces (optional)
Green onion slices (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Lay wooden spoon flat on solid surface and place one potato in spoon. Using paring knife, slice 1/8-inch thick slices along length of each potato one at a time.

In bowl, toss potatoes, thyme, parsley, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Place potatoes on parchment-lined baking sheet, cut sides down. Bake 10 minutes, flip and bake 10 minutes, or until soft.

Serve with sour cream, bacon and green onion, if desired.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images (Holiday small bites)

Contact:

Michael French
mfrench@familyfeatures.com
1-888-824-3337
editors.familyfeatures.com

About Family Features Editorial Syndicate

A leading source for high-quality food, lifestyle and home and garden content, Family Features provides readers with topically and seasonally relevant tips, takeaways, information, recipes, videos, infographics and more. Find additional articles and information at Culinary.net and eLivingToday.com.

SOURCE: Family Features

ReleaseID: 617997

MISSION, KS / ACCESSWIRE / November 23, 2020 / With so many traditions and ways to celebrate the holiday season, the options are nearly endless for families looking to spend special moments together. One of the tastiest and most enjoyable activities you can engage in with family and friends is to team up and create sweet eats in the kitchen.

Whether you're a chocolate lover or prefer traditional seasonal flavors like peppermint and gingerbread, these tasty, dairy-inspired treats from Milk Means More provide heartwarming ways to tingle your taste buds while bringing everyone together.

Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding provides a sweet, fruity, hearty dessert while Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies combine chocolatey goodness with creamy cheesecake and peppermint. Or, for a classic holiday combination, you can turn to Gingerbread Cupcakes with Whipped Vanilla Buttercream.

Find more ways to celebrate the season with sweet eats at milkmeansmore.org.

Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies

Recipe courtesy of Sarah Bates of "The Chef Next Door" on behalf of Milk Means More

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Servings: 16

Nonstick cooking spray

Cheesecake Batter:

8 ounces low-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 eggs
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Brownie Batter:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping:

1/2 cup peppermint baking pieces

Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

To make cheesecake batter: Place cream cheese in bowl of stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add sugar and peppermint extract; beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and beat mixture until blended.

To make brownie batter: In medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder and salt until combined. In separate bowl, whisk sugar, oil, milk, eggs and vanilla until well combined. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until blended.

Pour brownie batter evenly into prepared pan. Carefully pour cheesecake batter over top, spreading evenly. Carefully swirl layers together using knife tip. Bake 20 minutes.

Sprinkle top of brownies with peppermint baking pieces and bake 10 minutes until brownies are set. Cool brownies completely in pan on wire rack before cutting into 16 squares.

Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding

Recipe courtesy of Kirsten Kubert of "Comfortably Domestic" on behalf of Milk Means More

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 65 minutes

Servings: 12

Pudding:

1 loaf Texas toast or day-old bread
1-2 tablespoons softened butter
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
6 eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 1/2 cups 2% milk
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse granulated sugar (optional)

Orange Custard Sauce:

3 egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest

To make pudding: Cut bread into bite-sized cubes. If bread is soft and fresh, place cubes on half sheet pan and let stand at room temperature overnight to dry out.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Grease 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking dish with softened butter. Place bread cubes in prepared baking pan. Scatter cranberries over bread.

Beat eggs with sugar, milk, orange zest, orange juice, melted butter, vanilla and cinnamon until well blended. Pour evenly over bread and cranberries to coat. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired. Bake 60-65 minutes, or until custard is set and edges of bread are browned.

To make orange custard sauce: In small saucepan, whisk egg yolks with sugar until lightened to pale yellow color, about 2 minutes. Stir half-and-half into mixture until combined. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, 15-20 minutes, or until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon. Stir orange zest into custard sauce.

Serve bread pudding with warm custard sauce over top.

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Whipped Vanilla Buttercream

Recipe courtesy of Megan Gundy of "What Megan's Making" on behalf of Milk Means More

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Servings: 20

Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons molasses
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Whipped Vanilla Buttercream:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
2-4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 pinch salt
cinnamon, for topping

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.

To make cupcakes: In medium bowl, whisk flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt.

In large bowl of stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add molasses and beat until incorporated. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined.

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center cupcake comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Let cupcakes cool 10 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

To make whipped vanilla buttercream: In large bowl of stand mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and, with mixer on low, slowly add in powdered sugar, cream and salt, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Once incorporated, whip frosting at least 3 minutes on medium-high or high speed. If frosting is too thick, gradually beat in additional cream. Pipe on top of cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Contact:

Michael French
mfrench@familyfeatures.com
1-888-824-3337
editors.familyfeatures.com

About Family Features Editorial Syndicate

A leading source for high-quality food, lifestyle and home and garden content, Family Features provides readers with topically and seasonally relevant tips, takeaways, information, recipes, videos, infographics and more. Find additional articles and information at Culinary.net and eLivingToday.com.

SOURCE: Family Features

ReleaseID: 617999