{Recipe} Irish Soda Bread *UPDATED*

*This post was originally posted in April 2015. I'm updating it to include the recipe and more photos.*

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I made Irish Soda Bread for our Irish Night celebration.

My go-to recipe is one for Irish Soda Bread Muffins but this year I wanted to try something different.

I found this recipe and thought it looked like it would be a good one.

 My only tweaks to the recipe were 1) I used skim milk instead of whole and 2) I didn't have wheat bran so I used oatmeal that I processed in my Vitamix.

 The bread has no added sugar (or any sweeteners) but it does get a bit of sweetness from the raisins.  The caraway seeds give it a slight nutty crunch with that hint of rye bread. I love caraway seeds!

It baked up beautifully and was delicious. I will definitely be making this one again!

*Edited to add recipe*

From Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups whole milk (any kind of milk is fine)

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (can sub lemon juice)

3 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2- 2 1/2 tsp coarse salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 ounces (4 TBS) cold butter, cut into small pieces

1 cup unprocessed wheat bran (blend oats or use ground flax seed as subs)

1/4 cup caraway seeds

1 cup raisins (I like to use golden)

Salted Irish Butter for serving (optional)

To make:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
• Add vinegar to milk and set aside for 5 minutes until thickened

• Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in large bowl
• Cut in butter with pastry cutter or two knives until it resembles course mea

• Add bran( or oatmeal), seeds and raisins (I added some dried cranberries because I didn't have enough raisins. I also used half oat flour/half ground flax seed in place of the bran). Stir to combine

• Add milk to flour mixture and stir until dough holds together and is still sticky

• Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a round dome shape, about 7 inches in diameter
• Transfer to prepared sheet and dust lightly with flour
• Cut an X in the top about 3/4" deep

• Bake, rotating half way through until golden brown (about 1 hour and 10 minutes) and testing pick comes out clean from center

(Mine got a little extra brown this time and only baked about 50 minutes. All ovens are different!)

 

• Let cool on wire rack

• Serve with softened Irish butter!  We still love it!

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{Recipe} Cinnamon Chip Scones

If you want your house to smell amazing and treat everyone to some sweet, tasty scones, I've got the recipe for you!  

The hardest part might be finding the cinnamon chips(I found mine at Walmart). If you can't find them, any baking chips will work!

I started with this recipe and made some adjustments based on the comments.

Recipe:

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup + 2 TBS sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup cold butter, cubed

1 cup buttermilk (*I made my own by adding 1 TBS lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to 1 cup milk. I used soy milk, but any milk is fine*)

1/2 package (10 oz) cinnamon chips (the original recipe calls for the whole bag)

2 TBS of butter, melted

1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

To make:

Preheat oven to 425ºF

• In large bowl combine flour, 1/3 cup of sugar, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Optional add in 1/2 tsp of cinnamon.  
• Cut in butter until mixture resembles course crumbs.
• Stir in buttermilk until just moistened.
• Fold in cinnamon chips.
• Turn onto a floured surface and knead until no longer sticky (about 10-12 times).
• Divide in half and press each half into a 7 " circle. 
• Brush with butter and sprinkle 2 TBS of sugar and (optional) 1/2 tsp of cinnamon.
• Cut each circle into 6 wedges.  Separate wedges and place on greased baking sheet (I used parchment paper).
• Bake at 425ºF for 10-13 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Serve warm. They freeze well.

Enjoy!!

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{Recipe} Easy Homemade English Muffins

Freshly made English muffins are such a treat and easier than you think to make.

Ingredients:

{Basic Dough}
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp active dry yeast
3/4 cup lukewarm water, divided
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil
***
1 TBS fine cornmeal

To make:

• Place flour in large mixing bowl, make a well in the middle and add yeast mixed with 1/4 cup water. Let rest for about 10 minutes. If yeast bubbles you know it's working.
• Add salt, oil and remaining 1/2 cup water and combine all ingredients (except cornmeal) with a large spoon. Knead to form dough.
• Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let sit in a warm spot for 1 1/2- 2 hours until dough doubles in size. (I turn my oven on warm for a few minutes then turn it off and put the bowl in the oven to let it rise).
• Once dough has doubled in size, divide into 8 equal pieces and form into balls. 
• Sprinkle cornmeal on parchment paper, place dough on top and press down, the flip and press  again.

• Heat a griddle or skillet on  low-to-medium and add English muffins. (Don't place too close together or they could stick to each other).
• Cook on each side about 5-10 minutes, adjusting heat as needed, until brown on the outside and cooked through.

• Use a fork to split them open, then toast to your desired crispness and perfection.

Enjoy with your favorite spread and/or butter. So good!  Store cooled muffins in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge. Can be frozen too!

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Most Popular Posts of 2020

It's become a tradition to compile my most popular posts from the previous year and I couldn't let this one go by.  2020 was a crazy year but there were still quite a few bright spots.  Here are my top 9.

{Our New Addition: Meet Apollo}

Like this little guy, Apollo.  He's gotten so big, I love seeing his little self back in August.

Look at him now!

 

{3 Ingredient No-Knead Bread}

Everyone was baking bread in 2020 and I tried my hand at this simple loaf. I need to make it again!

{Get Thrifty Thursday}

It was fun to get back thrifting after not being able to for so many months!

{Travel:NYC Birthday Weekend}

Spending the weekend in NYC and getting to see Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway for City Girl's birthday was definitely a highlight of our year!

{Recipe:Vegan Sunflower Seed Ranch Dressing}

This dressing quickly became one of my favorites and I guess you guys liked it too!

{Latest Aldi Finds}

You seem to like my little grocery hauls and it's been fun to discover more at Aldi.

{Entertaining:Book Club for the Giver of Stars}

This was the first and last time I entertained in my house last year.  I look forward to having people over again!

{Travel: Boston Visit}

We visited College Girl in Boston in February and had a really nice trip.  It was only a month later that we had to pick her up and move her home.

{DIY Crocheted Mask Helper/Ear Saver} 

Who knew this was a thing but it sure helped with the elastic ear straps!

What was your favorite?

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{Recipe} Cinnamon Raisin Protein French Toast

I had some cinnamon raisin bread that needed to be used up and was in the mood for French toast.  I wanted to make it a little more filling so I added some unflavored protein powder to the dipping mixture.  It made the house smell amazing while it was cooking. 

Ingredients:

1 cup dairy free milk

1 scoop protein powder

2 TBS ground flax seed

2  tsp vanilla

1-2 tsp cinnamon

4 slices cinnamon raisin bread

coconut oil for frying (optional)

To make:

• Combine non dairy milk, ground flax, protein powder, vanilla and cinnamon in a large shallow dish. 

• Whisk well to combine.

• Melt some coconut oil in a frying pan(optional).

• Dip bread in mixture making sure to coat both sides and place in heated pan.

• Cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes on each side.  

• Serve with maple syrup and enjoy!

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{Recipe} 3 Ingredient No-Knead Bread

I made this bread a few months ago but I hadn't done step by step photos until now.  With the stay at home order and bread limits at some stores-it's a good time to try your hand at bread making or if you just want a foolproof recipe.  (Sorry if you're not eating bread right now--come back later!)

 This could not be simpler and really only takes 3 ingredients to make (plus water).  Perfect quarantine bread!

 The only issue with this bread is that you have to plan for it. It has a really long rising time (8-24 hours) so you must plan ahead.  I found that if I mix up the dough the night before I need it, it doesn't feel like too much of a hardship and I'll have fresh bread the next day!

 Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour (I haven't tried it with any other kind of flour yet)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water (just warm from the tap)

 To make:

• Mix together ingredients in a large bowl.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 8-24 hours on the counter (no refrigeration necessary!).
• When you're ready to bake the bread. Preheat oven to 450ºF and place Dutch oven (or covered baker) in the oven to preheat as well.
• Form dough into a ball on parchment paper and let rest for 30 minutes while Dutch oven is preheating.
• Carefully add the rested dough on the parchment paper to the (HOT)  Dutch oven and bake covered for 30 minutes.
• Remove lid and bake an additional 15-20 minutes.

 Remove from the oven and look at your gorgeous loaf of bread!

 You'll feel so accomplished!

 Let it cool a little before you cut into it..unless you just can't wait!

 I like to check the center to make sure it's cooked all the way through.

It's delicious right out of the oven, toasted later or great for sandwiches (we had paninis last week!).

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{Recipe}Two Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins

I don't know if I can even call this a recipe but when I saw it on Pinterest here, I knew what I could do with all of that leftover cake mix I had from my daughter's Cupcake Wars party (more on that later).

Plus, I love anything pumpkin.

It was so ridiculously easy that I didn't even pin it myself.

The steps are quite complicated.  

Mix a yellow cake mix with a can of pumpkin puree. Boom!

I made the editorial decision to add yet another ingredient, you do what you will with it.

Scoop into muffin tins and bake as directed on the box for cupcakes.

Should make 24 muffins.

To me, they tasted more like a cake than a muffin and made the house smell so good.

They are low in fat and calories and are only 2 WW+ points each.

The perfectly quick muffin fix!

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