Luck of the Irish: Soda Bread

 

Top o' the mornin' to you!

I have shamrocks and leprechauns out at home as St. Patrick's Day approaches on March 17. When the kids were little, we always changed table and mantel decor and did little crafts for the holidays. And even though I just do it for myself these days, I still pull out each seasonal tub and make the holiday transitions. (Randy doesn't really care ... as long as he doesn't have to do it.)

It made me think about a quick bread recipe I used to make with my 4-H cooking kids - Irish Soda Bread. It was a fun March meeting for beginning cooks. There's no yeast involved, and there's a tasty product in a fraction of the time. At this point, I don't remember where I got the original recipe.

The bread is best served warm. I continued the Irish theme by serving it with baked potatoes topped with Goop. The potatoes are Irish ... the Goop not so much. It's way better than it sounds. But a fun family St. Patrick's Day dinner would be a baked potato bar with lots of different toppings to suit every taste. Serve a fresh green salad on the side to complete the meal.

Even though the bread is best still warm, Randy will vouch for it later in the day, too, spread with a little cherry jam we got as a Christmas gift.

If you have kids or grandkids who need a weekend kitchen project, Irish Soda Bread is a good one to try. (It is supposed to be chilly and rainy this weekend around here, so a kitchen project sounds good.)

Other fun St. Patrick Day ideas, especially for kids:

• Take 2 refrigerated biscuits per child and tear each in half. Place three of the pieces together to form a shamrock and use the other one to roll into a stem. Sprinkle with green sugar and bake.
• Another easy green treat: Combine equal parts cream cheese and marshmallow cream. Tint green and serve as dip for green apples.
• Gold Cookies (for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!): Take two Ritz crackers. Put peanut butter between them. Dip them in melted butterscotch chips. Place on waxed paper until set up.
• Substitute Lucky Charms for some (or all) of the cereal in your Rice Krispie treats.

Here's hoping you find some St. Patrick's Day "Luck o' the Irish" at the end of your rainbow ... or in your kitchen. (There are some more ideas and links after the Irish Soda Bread recipe.)

Irish Soda Bread

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup cold butter (no substitutes)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk**
1/2 cup currants, raisins or dried cranberries

Note: The original recipe called for currants or raisins. I used dried cranberries this time.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients except buttermilk and dried fruit in large bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in dried fruit. Add buttermilk and stir until just moistened.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead gently 10 times. Shape into ball. Place on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Pat into 6-inch circle. Cut 1/2-inch deep "X" in top of dough with sharp knife.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Recipe note: If you don't have buttermilk, substitute 4 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to equal 1 1/4 cups. Let stand 10 minutes before using.

Here are some other St. Patty's Day foods I've shared here in the past:

Good As Gold Snack Mix

Kinley and Brooke helped me make these Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies when they were visiting a year ago:

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made those same cookies for the Core meal I delivered to the church this week. I figured they might enjoy a little holiday-themed treat, too!

For a main dish with an Irish twist, try Reuben Crescent Bake. (Well, at least, it's got corned beef and cabbage. I don't think it's very Irish.)

 Reuben Crescent Bake

For cabbage minus the corned beef, try this slaw recipe:

Slaw Salad 

May your troubles be less and your blessings be more
And nothing but happiness come through your door.