Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

Top of the Morning to You….well how about evening to you.

Are you wearing your green today?

Have you been pinched?

I hope everyone is doing great on this fine Irish Holiday!

I wanted to tell you more about my corn beef experiment today. It looks like it will have to wait a couple of days.

I guess I should back track and fill you in on what I am talking about.

When I went to buy a corn beef to roast for St. Pat’s day, I found you had two choices to choose from.  I guess I never paid attention before. So, I decided to buy one of each cut. I bought a point cut one and a flat cut ones. I roasted the point cut in an enamel cast iron dutch oven. I put the flat cut one in a crock pot.  We ate most of the point cut corn beef last night for dinner and the corn beef tasted so good and so tender. Bliss on a fork. I wanted to get the flat cut one out of the crock pot and show you it today. I also wanted to taste it to see if I could tell any difference.

Well…..blarney….it aint gonna happen.

I just ran out of time.

It is all safe and snug in the fridge for tomorrow night for dinner.

But…..

Today I did have time to make some Irish Soda Bread.

It is already baked, ready to heat up to go with the corn beef, potatoes and cabbage for tomorrow nights dinner.

It is missing a big slice out of it though.

Know why?

I ate it warm, right out of the oven, with honey…

Oh Baby….was it good too.

See that piece right in the middle with the honey dripping off of it?

I ate it, hehe……

Sometimes the cook needs to eat first.

Right?

If you have left over corn beef and want to make a very filling, quick bread, to go with it, this recipe does the trick.

I had it ready to go in the oven in about 10 minutes, and it was out of the oven in 50 minutes, and it was in my tum tum in about 5 minutes. (I would have been quicker but it took me 4 minutes to find the honey)

The oatmeal in this recipe, adds  rustic richness you and your loved ones are sure to love.

It does not have to an Irish holiday to bake it either. It will taste good on any day of the month, I promise.

Give it a try!

Becky

Here is your step by step instructions.

Here is what you will need, except I forgot to put the butter in the picture…Sorry! Also I used my powdered buttermilk, that I add to water to, to make the buttermilk. You can use regular buttermilk or substitute buttermik, by taking one cup of milk and add 1 tablesoon of vinegar to it and letting it set for about 5 minutes before using.

         

Measure out the flour and the oatmeal and put them in a bowl. I was going to use my hand held mixer today for this recipe, but if you have a standing mixer that will work great too.

    

Add your sugar and your baking soda.

     

Add the salt and the butter.

    

Pour in the butter milk. (I used powdered buttermilk mixed with water) Add two eggs. Oldest Grand Girl is helping me with the eggs.

    

Mix the dough together, being careful not to over mix because it will make your dough tough. Turn out onto a counter or pastry board and knead the dough two or three time, forming a nice circle of dough.

Place the dough on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking liner. Cut an X in the dough and sprinkle with oatmeal. Put it in a preheated 375 degree oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. (Mine took 50)

You will want to take a cake tester or a toothpick to make sure it cooked in the middle. The bread will sound hollow when it is baked through.

Here it is right out of the oven.

Now, all you need is a knife and some honey…or butter….or soup….or corn beef….or just eat it by itself.

It is hearty and filling and delicious and the best part…EASY.

Enjoy!

Here is the recipe:

Irish Soda Bread

Adapted from One Hundred Dollars A Month website

Ingredients:

4 cups of flour

1 cup of old fashion or steel cut oats

5 tablespoons of sugar

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 and 1/2 teaspoons of salt

1 and 1/2 cup of buttermilk (I used my powdered buttermilk)

6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, soften

2 eggs

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl stir together the dry ingredients. Add the buttermilk, soften butter and eggs. With an electric mixer, mix together. Be careful not to over mix or it will make the dough tough.

Place dough on a floured surface (pastry board or counter) and knead 2 to three time, making a nice circle of dough.

Place the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet.

Cut an X on top of the dough. Sprinkle with oats.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven until the dough is baked through.

Enjoy!