Emerald Isle Soda Bread
submitted by Beth Kiesel
- 6 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 3 tsp. baking powder
- 1-1/2 tsp. salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp. caraway seeds
- 1/2 lb. raisins
- 1 quart of buttermilk (or 6 Tbsp. lemon juice + milk to make 1 quart; let sit 5 minutes)
- Mix all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Mix in caraway seeds and raisins.
- Mix in buttermilk, using a wooden spoon. This dough is sticky - DO NOT USE AN ELECTRIC MIXER!
- Divide batter into three buttered cake pans.
- Flour a knife and cut a cross into the tops of each (may have to do after 10 minutes baking time).
- Bake at 325 for 30-40 minutes. The top should not be allowed to get brown.
This bread is eaten at anytime of the day and is especially good in the morning for breakfast, with a cup of Irish tea. It must be allowed to cool slightly before cutting and is always served with lightly salted butter.
Emerald Isle Colcannon
submitted by Beth Kiesel, from Cooking the Irish Way
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 3 cups cabbage, kale, or leeks OR 4 green onions, washed and finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp. onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup water
- 4 potatoes, peeled, washed, and cubed
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- Boil potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes.
- Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.
- Saute vegetables for about 5 minutes.
- Add water, cover, and simmer on med-low until tender, for about 20 minutes. Note: I skipped this step.
- Drain potatoes and mash well with potato masher while adding milk.
- Drain vegetables and add to potatoes. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and blend well.
Traditionally eaten on Halloween (the eve of All-Saints Day, the Irish new year), colcannon is made with creamed potatoes and either leeks, kale, or cabbage, depending on the region of the country that the recipe comes from. Colcannon comes with a tradition: several tokens are hidden in the colcannon, such as a gold ring, a sixpence (similar to a dime), a thimble, or a button. Superstition has it that if you get the ring you will be married within the year, and if you get the sixpence you will become wealthy. If you get the thimble or the button, you'll remain unmarried.
Emerald Isle Tea
submitted by Beth Kiesel
- Fill tea kettle with fresh water and bring to a boil.
- "Warm the pot" by pouring about 1/2 cup of boiling water to tea-pot. After a minute or so, toss out this water and wipe the inside of the pot with a tea-towel.
- Add loose tea: 1 teaspoon per cup plus one "for the pot." Note: estimate two cups of tea per person.
- Pour boiling water over tea in pot.
- Allow to steep for approximately 5 minutes. Cover with a tea-cozy if you have one, or use a tea towel to wrap the pot.
- Add cream to your cup now, if you're using it.
- Use a tea-strainer to pour the tea into each cup. Add sugar or honey if desired.
In Ireland, afternoon tea can be a light snack between lunch and dinner, or it can be the main evening meal. Soda bread, scones, and barm brack are popular foods eaten at tea time.
Lenten Pretzels
submitted by Beth Kiesel
- Grease two baking sheets and sprinkle them with coarse salt.
- In a large bowl, dissolve 1 packet dry yeast in 2 tablespoons warm water.
- Add 1 1/3 cup warm water and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Note: needs more water than this!
- Work in 5 cups flour and knead to a smooth ball.
- Continue kneading 10 minutes.
- Divide dough into 24 equal pieces.
- Roll each into a 14 inch strand and twist into a pretzel shape.
- Heat oven to 475*F.
- Fill a large skillet with water, adding 1 tablespoon baking soda for each cup water. Bring to a simmer.
- With a spatula, lower a pretzel into the simmering water; cook 30 seconds.
- Transfer to a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.
- Repeat with each pretzel.
- Bake 8 minutes until golden.
Pretzels are a traditional Lenten food. In the ancient Roman Empire, monks made special bread during Lent to give to the poor that came to the monastery door. They baked the bread using no dairy products, for these were forbidden for Christians to consume during Lent, and they twisted the bread into the shape of praying arms. (In those days, the faithful prayed with their arms across their chest.) To remind them of the Lenten spirit of prayer, they called the bread "little arms" (bracellae) or in German, "pretzel.". Now eaten throughout the year, the pretzel is symbolic of the Lenten spirit of fasting. In our home, we serve a pretzel on every plate at dinner during Lent. Try making these delicious pretzels with a group of children - you will never forget the experience!
Maple Rice Pudding
submitted by Maureen Hewins
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked white long grain rice (NOT instant)
- 1 1/3 cups milk (2% or whole)
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 T softened butter
- 1 T sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Combine all ingredients well.
- Pour into greased 8 x 8 baking dish.
- Bake 50 minutes or until set.
- Makes 6 servings
My daughter and I participated in a maple tree tapping event at Bear Branch Nature Center and this is a delicious recipe we got from them. The handout had other maple recipes on it as well, however, there was no source given for any of the recipes. This is so delicious and warm on a cold winter day that we have already made it twice! True comfort food!
Yummy Quick & Easy Banana Bread!
submitted by Amanda & Elizabeth Dumm
- 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed (we used 3)
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (we didn't have vanilla extract, so we used 1/2 tsp hazelnut and 1/2 tsp lemon ... it was good!)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- Preheat oven to 350F. Don't need a mixer for this one! Just mix BUTTER and MASHED BANANAS with wooden spoon in large mixing bowl. Mix in SUGAR, EGG, VANILLA. Sprinkle BAKING SODA and SALT over mixture and mix in. Add FLOUR last, mix. Pour mixture into buttered 4 x 8 inch loaf pan.
Bake 1 hour. Cool on rack. Remove from pan, slice, serve and enjoy!