IRISH SODA BREAD

This is a very easy bread to make. It is a good one for children to start on. It is one step up from "Mud Pies". You can use your hands for everything.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 cup whole-wheat graham flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 tablespoons cold butter, cut in small pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Whisk together the flours, soda, salt, baking powder in a large bowl. With your fingertips blend in butter until it resembles small peas. Add buttermilk all at once. Stir with a fork or your hands until mixture holds together.

2. In the bowl, pat the dough into a ball. Lift out dough to a flour covered surface. Knead one or two times. Don’t handle too much or bread will be tough. Form into a dome shaped loaf about 7 inches in diameter. Transfer to lined sheet.

3. Dust lightly with flour and cut a ¾ inch deep cross in the top, reaching almost all the way to the edges. (This, they believed, was so the bad spirits could escape.) Bake, rotating half way through, until deep golden brown, about one hour and 20 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

Note: Graham flour is coarser than most whole wheat flour. If you use whole wheat flour, substitute one half cup wheat bran for one half cup of the all-purpose flour. If you are using flour you grind, then just use 4 cups.

Potato Chip Crusted Chicken & Rice Casserole

Potato Chip Crusted Chicken and Rice Casserole


serves 4


1 1/2 cups rice (any kind will do)

3 cups water

4 chicken breasts, cubed and cooked with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder

1/2-cup plain yogurt

1/2-cup light mayo

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups regular potato chips, crushed




1. Add water and rice to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Put a lid on it and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 20 minutes. Set aside.


2. Mix yogurt, mayo, chicken soup, lemon juice, garlic and salt and pepper until creamy and smooth. Add chicken and rice and mix well. Scoop into individual ramekins or a baking pan and top with crushed potato chips. Put into a 350 degree oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.

Super Sloppy Joes

Ok, normally I'm not a fan of sloppy joes. But these are really good! I was sending this to my sister so I figured this could be my first post here too! No photos--sorry.


1 T. olive oil—once around the pan
1 ¼ lbs. ground beef—I use turkey
¼ cup brown sugar
2 ½ T. steak seasoning blend
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
2 T. tomato paste
Buns & pickles

Warm oil, add meat. Sprinkle brown sugar and steak seasoning over meat. When meat is browned, add onion and red pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Add vinegar, cook for 1 minute than add rest of ingredients. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve on warm or toasted buns.