Irish Soda Bread

It just wouldn't be St. Pat's around here without a traditional Irish meal of corned beef, cabbage, and Irish soda bread with Kerry Gold butter. This is best baked a day in advance, or the morning of, your meal.

• 4 c. white flour (can use whole wheat if you prefer- taste will be altered)
• 4 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. butter, softened
• 1 1/4 c. milk + 1/4 c. sour cream + 1 Tbsp. lemon juice (OR 1 c. buttermilk)- divided
• 1 egg
• 1/4 c. butter, melted
• Optional: raisins, cinnamon

If you are going to use raisins in this recipe, boil water, then add raisins until they plump. Cool, pat dry, dust with flour and cinnamon. Grease a large cookie sheet and preheat over to 375* F. Mix all dry ingredients, plus softened butter. Stir in buttermilk/homemade buttermilk and egg. Add raisins.

Turn out your dough on a floured surface and knead a little. Shape into a round loaf and place on prepared cookie sheet. Take the melted butter and combine with the 1/4 c. of remaining buttermilk. Coat the loaf with this and cut an "X" across the top of the loaf.

Bake approximately 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center removes cleanly. Once baked and removed, wrap in foil and keep wrapped until ready to serve with butter later or the next day.

Banana Bread/Muffins and Crumb Topping

Mmmmm…one of my favorites! I am making these muffins tonight for our Sunday school class tomorrow.

• 3-4 over-ripe bananas
• 1/3 c. melted butter (this is approx. 1/2 stick, melted)
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 c. flour

Get out your favorite mixing bowl and a good, old-fashioned wooden spoon. Mash the bananas in the bowl, add melted butter and stir. Then mix in sugar, then egg, then vanilla. Sprinkle mixture with salt, then baking soda. Slowly add flour, mixing while adding. Optional: once mixed, fold in walnuts (not black/English- too bitter).Oven should be pre-heated to 350* F. If making muffins, this will make 12 and should bake approximately 18-22 minutes. For the loaf, bake approx. 1 hour. Check with toothpick to see if they are done- should come out clean from center of muffin or loaf. Can also be topped with crumb topping (below):

Crumb Topping
Now you’ll need the mixer. Mix 1/2 stick of softened butter, 1/4 c. brown sugar (white will do fine too), and 1/2 c. flour. Mix until crumbly, sprinkle over muffins or loaf prior to baking.
If you try these, please let me know how they come out for you!