Irish Soda Bread
1 cup sugar
4 cups flour
2 tbs baking soda
1 tbs salt
2 cups raisins
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups sour cream
Mix all dry ingredients/set aside.
Mix all wet ingredients/set aside.
Coat hands and large mixing bowl with flour. Mix wet into dry by hand just till combined well. Add additional flour while hand mixing until dough resembles wet biscuit dough. Spread dough evenly into a pre-oiled 5×9 bread loaf pan.
Cut X patterns across top of loaf 1/4″ deep. Bake at 325 degrees until test done with pick in the center (approx. 1 hour)
Makes about 6-10 servings
Crock Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage
1 corned beef brisket (3-4 lbs)
- 16 pearl onions
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons pickling spice
- 2 lbs redskin potatoes, peeled and cut in half
- 3 large carrots, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 small head of cabbage, cut into wedges
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Place pearl onions in the bottom of a 6 qt. slow cooker. Top with corned beef and seasoning packet.
Pour water and chicken broth into slow cooker until it just about covers the corned beef. Add garlic, bay leaves and pickling spice. Cook on low 8-10 hours.
After the initial 3 hours, add potatoes and carrots to the slow cooker. Two hours before serving, add cabbage wedges to the slow cooker.
Remove corned beef from slow cooker and let rest 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with potatoes, carrots and cabbage.
Makes about 6 servings
Bacon & Baked Potato Soup
6-8 ounces Yukon gold or red skin potatoes
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups milk
1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup chicken broth
8 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained and crumbled
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
1/4 cup dairy sour cream
Bake in a 425 degree oven for 40 minutes or until tender; cool. Chop potatoes and set aside.
In a heavy large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and celery.
Cook and stir about 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in flour, thyme, salt and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir for 5 to 6 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Add potatoes, 1 cup of the cheese and the chicken broth, stir until cheese melts. Slightly mash potatoes with the back of a spoon or a potato masher.
For the topping, reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon. Stir the remaining bacon and 1 tablespoon of the green onion into soup. Heat through.
To serve, top each serving with reserved bacon, remaining 1/4 cup cheese, green onions and the sour cream.
Makes 6 servings.