Irish Soda Bread

 
St. Patrick's Day makes me think of corned beef, cabbage and irish soda bread.  The "traditional" irish soda bread uses flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk.  Since most people probably don't keep buttermilk kicking around in their fridge, I substituted regular milk in its place. I adapted a recipe that I found in the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook. Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Ingredients:
 
2 cups white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large egg (beaten)
3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In large bowl, put flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.  "Cut" in butter with two knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Add the egg and milk.  Combine with large spoon just until moistened.  On a slightly floured surface, knead the mixture about 15 times.  The mixture will be  kind of sticky, so you might want to flour your hands a little also.  On an ungreased cookie sheet, shape dough into a 8-inch-round loaf.  Cut a 4-inch "X", 1/4 inch deep, on the top of the loaf with a knife. Bake for 30 minutes until golden and is done in the center.  Remove from cookie sheet immediately and let cool on rack.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Not much intimidates me in this world, but making soup used to!  The only kind I used to make on a semi-regular basis was chicken noodle and  it was way too bland.  I've discovered just in the past couple of years, that soup is one of the easiest things in the world to make!  A favorite in our house is chicken tortilla soup.

The cooking time from beginning to end is about a half hour.  It is easy to put together and only requires a handful of ingredients.  You can make this soup as spicy as you want depending on the salsa you use.  My husband and daughter like things a little more spicy, I on the other hand like a lower level of spice.  This soup is also easy on the wallet.  When boneless/skinless chicken is on sale, tuck a few packs in the freezer.  Chicken broth, salsa and a bag of frozen corn can all be bought as generic.  Since I'm on a low-sodium diet, I look for chicken broth that says  "less sodium" or "lower sodium" on the can.  Canned soups have so much sodium in them, that's why I really love to make my own!!
 
Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds boneless/skinless chicken breasts
16-ounce jar of salsa (your choice of flavor)
6  cups water
14-ounce can chicken broth
1 cup corn (frozen)


Toppings:

Shredded cheddar cheese (four ounces)
Tortilla chips (crushed)


Directions:

Coat bottom of large stockpot with two tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil.  Cut boneless/skinless chicken breasts into bite-size pieces and put into stockpot.  Cook on medium heat until no longer pink in the center (about 10-15 minutes).  Remove from heat and drain off fat.  Add the jar of salsa and water.  Add chicken broth and corn.  Return to stove, cover with lid and cook on low to medium heat about 10-15 more minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with a handful of shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips.  Serves 4.

Smooth and Creamy Mashed Potatoes

My favorite kind of potatoes used to be french fries.  Since I discovered an ingredient to make mashed potatoes really creamy and smooth, my new favorite kind of potatoes are mashed!  To make them from scratch doesn't require too much time or effort.  The "secret" ingredient  is cream cheese!  Most mashed potatoes I've had in the past didn't have a whole lot of flavor unless you put a ton of gravy all over it.   Now that you know what the "mystery" ingredient is, the next time you make mashed potatoes your family will be wondering what you added to make it so delicious!  Keep them guessing -  (it will be our little "secret").

Ingredients:

6 large or 8 medium russet potatoes (peeled and cut in half)
2/3 cup milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine (slightly softened)
3 tablespoons cream cheese (slightly softened)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Place peeled and cut potatoes in large pot and cover with water.  Cook until potatoes are fork tender (about 20 minutes).  Remove from heat, drain water and set aside.  In microwaveable bowl, put the milk and butter or margarine.  Heat in microwave about 45 seconds. Remove from microwave and put into pot with potatoes.  Add the cream cheese, salt and pepper. Mash by hand with large spoon or use electric beater and cream together until fluffy. Serves 4-6 people.

Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Since being diagnosed with a heart condition in November 2011, I have been trying really hard to make more of my recipes "heart healthy."  I have started experimenting with using whole wheat flour when I bake and find that I really enjoy the flavor.  The hubby has been telling me for years that whole wheat is better for my health.  I'm glad I finally listened to him!! The recipe below has a combination of whole wheat and white flours with the addition of old fashioned oats.  Bananas are packed with potassium and fiber, so these muffins are pretty darn healthy!!!! They are really yummy right out of the oven or microwaved about 20-30 seconds.

Ingredients:

3 medium sized bananas
1 cup white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
5 tablespoons margarine (softened)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup old fashioned oats

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place paper liners into a 12-muffin  baking tin.  Set aside.  Mash bananas in large bowl with fork.  Add the remaining ingredients except the oats.  Using a large spoon, mix by hand or use electric mixer until smooth.  Add the oats until well combined.  Fill the liners equally with the batter and bake for 20-25 minutes until  lightly brown or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on baking rack about 10 minutes. This recipe can also be made into banana oatmeal bread.  Using a standard size loaf pan, spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Pour batter into loaf pan.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake about 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the bread is medium brown in color.  Cool on rack about 15 minutes, remove from pan and let cool.

Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

When you're at the grocery store do you ever pull open the doors in the ice cream section and look around at all the expensive ice cream desserts??  I have been known to do it on more than one occasion.  A favorite (and less expensive) ice cream dessert that I have served my own family and guests are "cookie ice cream sandwiches."  I have used store bought cookies and cookies I have made myself.  A dozen cookies make six sandwiches. You take a tablespoon of your favorite ice cream  and two cookies. Put the ice cream between the two cookies and squeeze gently. Eat immediately, before the ice cream melts or do what I like to do.  I make them up ahead of time and freeze until ready to eat.  The next time your kids have their friends over let them make these.  They will think think you are the coolest (and most clever) mom ever!

Easy Valentine's Day Dessert

Instead of going to the store and buying an expensive Valentine's Day dessert, if you have a package of cake mix (18.25 ounces), two 16-ounce cans of frosting, a square cake pan and a circle cake pan you can make this super simple Valentine's Day cake!  Lightly grease with cooking spray, either a 8 x 8 inch or  9 x 9 inch square cake pan and a 8 x 8 inch or 9 x 9 inch circle cake pan.  In large bowl, prepare your favorite cake mix according to the directions on the package.  Put half of the batter in the square pan and half in the circle pan. Bake the amount of time suggested and then cool completely on a wire rack before removing from the pans. Using a serrated knife cut the circle cake in half.  Angle the square cake as below.

Frost with your favorite flavor of frosting.  Chocolate cake with vanilla frosting is a favorite in our house, so that's the kind of cake I made.

Feel free to be creative by adding candy hearts, sprinkles, M&M's or whatever else you want. You could even tint the frosting pink with a little food coloring. Get the kids to help too! Making a heart-shaped cake is pretty easy and you don't even need a special "heart" pan.  I caught my 7-year old trying to pull this cake out of the fridge for breakfast this morning!

Wacky Cake/Depression Cake

A few weeks ago one of the local newspapers where I live were asking for home cooks to send in their favorite "nostalgic" recipes.  Given that I have over 100 cookbooks (and counting) I busily got to work looking for my favorites.  The more I thought about it, the dessert recipe I remembered  the most from my childhood was a cake called, "Wacky Cake."  My mom would make the cake for our family because it was quick, easy and always delicious! When I called my mom to see if she could locate the recipe, she said she couldn't find it. The ingredients in Wacky Cake and a cake called, "Depression Cake" are pretty much identical.  You don't use eggs, butter/margarine or milk, because back in the Depression Era those ingredients could be hard to come by.  I adapted the Depression Cake recipe to make it like the Wacky Cake I remember from my childhood. I found the recipe in a cookbook put out by the American Slovenian Catholic Union, which my in-laws were members of. What are some favorite recipes from your childhood??

Ingredients:

1¾ cup white flour

¾ cup white sugar

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon white vinegar

¼ cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup cold water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease an 8x8 inch square pan.  In medium size bowl, add dry ingredients in the order given. Combine with spoon until well mixed.  With bottom of spoon press lightly into the dry ingredient mixture to make 3 small “holes.”  In one hole, put the vinegar, in the second  hole  put the oil and in the third hole  put the vanilla extract.  Pour the cold water over all the ingredients and mix thoroughly by hand (do not use electric mixer).  Pour into prepared  pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted  in the middle comes out clean.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.