Recipe | Traditional Irish Brown Soda Bread

It's about that time ... and green "things" are popping up all over my house, my desktop, even making a respectable showing on our music devices. Yes, we love St. Patrick's Day in my house and we're proud to connect to many Irish bloodlines.

Of all the varied meals and recipes I traditionally serve on St. Patrick's Day, one of my son's favorite is Irish Soda Bread. And he's not alone. While I usually make a recipe he loves, it's roots hale more from America with its added raisins and currents than from old Ireland. This year, I'm going to change it up a bit and celebrate with a bit more Irish authenticity.

The first recorded recipe of Soda Bread came in November of 1836 from the London Farmer's Magazine, referencing an article found in County Down's Newry Telegraph of the same. It read:

A correspondent of the Newry Telegraph gives the following receipt for making "soda bread," stating that "there is no bread to be had equal to it for invigorating the body, promoting digestion, strengthening the stomach, and improving the state of the bowels." He says, "put a pound and a half of good wheaten meal into a large bowl, mix with it two teaspoonfuls of finely-powdered salt, then take a large teaspoonful of super-carbonate of soda,% dissolve it in half a teacupful of cold water, and add it to the meal; rub up all intimately together, then pour into the bowl as much very sour buttermilk as will make the whole into soft dough (it should be as soft as could possibly be handled, and the softer the better,) form it into a cake of about an inch thickness, and put it into a flat Dutch oven or frying-pan, with some metallic cover, such as an oven-lid or griddle, apply a moderate heat underneath for twenty minutes, then lay some clear live coals upon the lid, and keep it so for half an hour longer (the under heat being allowed to fall off gradually for the last fifteen minutes,) taking off the cover occasionally to see that it does not burn.

Below is my rustically simple yet authentic recipe I'll be making this year. And, for the sake of heritage, I bake it in a 10-inch cast iron skillet ... unfortunately, without the coals or fire. An oven will have to do. 

If you're of such a mind and love your own version, the New York Irish American Heritage Museum is hosting a contest for the "best" soda bread. Click here for entry information.

Traditional Irish Brown Soda Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups stone ground whole wheat flour
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Butter your 10-inch cast iron skillet and preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients and then add the buttermilk all at once. Stir until just combined. This will be a soft and sticky dough. Flour your hands and shape into a dome shaped loaf and place in skillet.

Before slipping the bread into a preheated oven, be sure to cut a cross shape, about 1/2-inch deep, with a sharp knife on the top of the loaf. St. Patrick himself was known to make this bread and while there are differing symbolisms attached to the sign of that cross, I choose to believe it symbolic of St. Patrick's faith.

Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until the cross has widened and the bread is golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Slice or wrap the loaf in a moist towel until ready to serve. Allow the loaf to completely cool before slicing.

Serve with quality butter and homemade preserves if you have them!

Recipe | Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

It's another evening meal consisting of comfort food in our house this week. Snow is blowing across much of our nation and it's that kind of weather that makes me just want to nestle in. And this is a dish that makes it even more comfortable to do just that.


Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Ingredients

1 lb package fettuccine
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 oz package fresh mushrooms, sliced
3-4 scallions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 head broccoli, washed and cut into tiny spears
1 16oz jar Light Alfredo sauce
1/4 cup grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese (I also sometimes like a soft goat cheese)


Step 1: Poach Chicken Breasts (or skip this step if you're using leftover roasted or rotisserie chicken).

Poached Chicken

1 15oz can reduced sodium chicken stock
1 can water
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 fresh thyme sprigs
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary or 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves, halved
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (usually 2)

Bring chicken stock and water to boil in large saucepan. Add thyme, rosemary, garlic, bay leaf, salt and pepper to stock. Place chicken breasts in liquid and return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to rest about 15 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup poaching liquid and discard the remaining. When chicken is cool enough to handle, tear into larger bite size pieces.

Step 2: Cook Pasta

Bring water in a stockpot to boil. Salt water and add Fettuccine. Follow directions on package for cooking pasta. In the last 2 minutes, add broccoli spears to the boiling pasta water.

Step 3: Prepare Sauce

In a large skillet (large enough to hold cooked pasta along with vegetables and sauce) saute onion, mushrooms and garlic in olive oil for 3-4 minutes or until tender. Add reserved poaching liquid and broccoli spears; cook an additional 3-4 minutes or until broccoli is crisp tender. Stir in chicken, Alfredo sauce, cheese and hot cooked pasta, stirring just until blended. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or just until thoroughly heated. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Serve immediately with freshly baked french bread and a green salad.

Recipe | Salmon Chowder

Spring is just around the corner, so they say, but the wind is howling today and the temperatures still feel frigid. I'm breaking out my most favorite winter comfort foods this week in preparation for a busy, busy week. I love to have this recipe on hand as it uses the canned Alaska salmon I always keep in my pantry.


Salmon Chowder

Ingredients

4 slices turkey bacon
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, minced
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup peeled and finely diced potato
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried dillweed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups non-fat or 2 percent milk
1 cup frozen or canned (drained) corn kernels
One 14-ounce can salmon
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)

Preparation

Spray cooking oil into dutch oven and cook turkey bacon until crispy. Remove from pot, crumble and set aside.

Melt butter in a dutch oven over medium heat; add onions, celery and carrots; saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add flour, stir until mixture is smooth. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth. Add garlic, potatoes, dillweed, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until broth is thick and bubbly and potatoes are fork tender, about twenty minutes. Stir frequently.

Add milk, corn, and salmon. Heat 5 more minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve with a little grated cheese on top and crumbled bacon.

Celebration | Mardi Gras Menu & Recipes

It's a week of celebration around our house. And I'm sure it is in yours as well. We began the week by celebrating Chinese New Year; tonight is Mardi Gras; tomorrow is Ash Wednesday; Thursday is Valentine's Day; the next day is my father's birthday and we end our week with a much anticipated week-long break from school.

While I've no interest in teaching my children the darker side of Mardi Gras, we do prepare Creole food and sweets on that day as a cultural experience. It's also a nice contrast to a teaching about Ash Wednesday, which is why the celebration came to be in the first place.

So, our menu tonight will be a bit scaled back and thanks to a couple of Weight Watchers recipes, I'll cheat a little on the calories and fat -- but we'll have the traditional flavors and fun of New Orleans.

Here are links to the recipes I'll be using for our menu tonight.

Mardi Gras Menu

Chicken Jambalaya
Skillet Cornbread
Green Tossed Salad

King Cake

Swinn-twa. (Louisiana Creole French).

Recipe | Valentine Strawberry Shortcakes

It's almost here, Valentine's Day that is. And while we'll have a bevy of sweets, mostly of the chocolate variety, I'm creating a dessert this year that at least hearkens toward the healthful. The cold and flu season that has swept the country this year has me thinking, Vitamin C, and Vitamin C and more Vitamin C. And strawberries certainly fits that criteria. One cup of sliced strawberries equals 149% of the recommended daily allowance for Vitamin C.

Plus ... and this is what really counts for the family. It's heart-shaped, it's red ... and delicious. Enjoy!


Strawberry Shortcake

Biscuits

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 beaten egg
2/3 cup milk

Strawberries

3 to 4 cups sliced strawberries
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Wash, hull and slice strawberries. Combine sugar with the strawberries and allow to sit to bring out their natural juices.

Sift together dry ingredients; cut in cold butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Combine egg and milk; add all at once to dry ingredients, stirring only to moisten.

Turn dough out on floured surface; knead gently for about 30 seconds. Pat or roll dough to a 1/2 inch. Cut 6 biscuits with a heart shaped 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter.

Bake on an ungreased basking sheet at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Split shortcakes; butter bottom layer. Fill with strawberries and top with whipped cream if desired. Serve warm.

Holiday | Chinese New Year 2013: Year of the Snake and Noodles

Today heralds Chinese New Year and the commencing of the Year of the Snake. MSN has dire predictions for this coming year. "We're looking at a year only a Slytherin could love, Chinese astrologers say. The Lunar New Year comes on Sunday, ushering in the Year of the Snake — and it's a year that traditional forecasters say could bring economic upheaval and geopolitical strife. They point to events in previous years of the snake as evidence, including the calamitous terror attacks of 2001 and the 1941 Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor."

If this is your year, as it is mine, and you are born in a Year of the Snake: here is a fun page of personality traits that some believe are characteristic of snake people. Smile.

For many years our family has trekked down to Seattle's China Town to observe the Dragon dance, one year the dragon even stopped and shook himself before my son. I'm told this action brings good luck to the recipient for the coming year. We'll take that!

This year, we are having a simple dinner at home and will of course serve Asian dishes. Keeping my family's tastes in mind, this year I'm choosing this recipe by Cooking Channel's Ching-he Huang of Chinese Food Made Easy fame as our main dish. Delicious!

Singapore-Style Noodles

Ingredients

2 tablespoons groundnut oil ( peanut)
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 red chile, seeded and finely chopped
5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons ground turmeric
3 1/2 ounces diced smoked bacon
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 handful julienned carrot strips
1 handful bean sprouts
3 1/2 ounces cooked chicken breast, shredded
9 ounces dried vermicelli rice noodles, pre-soaked in hot water for 10 minutes and drained
1 teaspoon crushed dried chiles
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon clear rice vinegar or cider vinegar
1 egg, beaten
Dash toasted sesame oil
2 spring onions (green), sliced lengthwise


Directions

Heat the groundnut oil in a wok, and when hot, stir-fry the ginger, chiles, mushrooms and turmeric for a few seconds. Add the bacon, and cook for less than 1 minute. Add the red bell pepper, carrots, and bean sprouts and cook for another minute, then add the cooked chicken, and stir well to combine.

Add the noodles, and stir-fry well, for 2 minutes, then season with the chiles, soy sauce, oyster sauce and vinegar. Stir to combine.

Add in the beaten egg, stirring gently until the egg is cooked through, less than 1 minute. Then, season with the sesame oil. Sprinkle over the spring onions, and serve immediately.

Cook's Note: You could also add 6 ounces raw Tiger prawns (shrimp), shelled, and deveined. Add them to the pan, and cook for 1 minute, or until they start to turn pink, right before you cook the bacon.

Source: Cooking Channel