In just 4 days, the old Irish holiday will be here. What foods will you be making? I have never had much of anything Irish, so I am thinking of trying my hand at a corned beef recipe or even attempting to create a delicious Irish pub recipe. In any circumstance, I will definitely be serving this Irish Soda Bread alongside whatever I decide to fix.
This bread is so unbelievably moist and sweet, and oh-so delicious!
- 4 to 4½ cups flour
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 Tbsp butter, cubed
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1¾ cups buttermilk
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Whisk together the 4 cups of flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.
- Using a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour, mixing until it resembles a coarse meal
- Gently stir in the raisins.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour the beaten egg and buttermilk into the well, and combine with a wooden spoon until the dough is too stiff to stir.
- Dust your hands with flour, then gently knead the dough- just enough to form a rough ball.
- If the dough is too sticky to work with, add in a little more flour.
- NOTE: Do not over-knead! Your bread could become tough if you over-work it.
- The dough will be a little sticky, like biscuit dough.
- Transfer the dough to a floured baking sheet or a baking stone (unfloured) and shape into a round loaf. Using a serrated knife, score top of dough about an inch and a half deep in an “X” shape.
- Bake until the bread is golden and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 35-45 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a long, wooden skewer into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean, it’s done.
- To keep your bread from getting too dark, be sure and tent it during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Serve your bread warm with a healthy size portion of corn beef and roasted veggies.
What will you be fixing for St. Patrick’s Day this year?
I love making homemade pizza from scratch. There is just something about having pizza and knowing that you have made it. It’s a fun way to get your kids in the kitchen cooking and to spend some quality time chatting about what is going on in their lives. Making pizza is one of my daughter’s favorite times together.
We started making homemade pizza one afternoon for a homeschool lesson. We were finishing a series on home ec and our last and final food was pizza. Since that time we have made several different pizza versions. One of our favorite pizza versions is BBQ Chicken Pizza. It is SO good! My personal favorite pizza is a Cheeseburger Pizza. Yes– it tastes just like a burger, but in pizza form. It is SO freaking delicious!
No pizza is good though if the crust is not just as good. This recipe here is my very favorite and I use it for all my pizza recipes. It is a no fail crust and will have you making delicious pizzas in no time flat!
- 2½ cups of bread flour
- 1 package of dry yeast
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup of warm water
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Honey for drizzling
- cornmeal for dusting
- In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour, yeast and salt. Stir in water and oil into the mixture.
- Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on a floured surface until elastic — about 4-6 minutes.
- Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Lightly oil the pizza pan and sprinkle with cornmeal.
- Divide the dough into 2 parts and roll out to desired thickness.
- Drizzle the dough with a small amount of honey for your liking
- Top with pizza toppings.
- Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20-30 minutes depending on the thickness of your crust.
What will be your first pizza recipe that you create?
I made a new recipe this past week. I usually make regular blueberry muffins, but this time I wanted to try my hand at Blueberry Oatmeal muffins using Better Oats Oatmeal packs.
I think my treat was a success 
- ⅔ cup wholewheat flour
- 2 packs of Mmm Blueberry Muffin Better Oats Oatmeal
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 2 large eggs, separated
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 3 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, Better Oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and sugar.
- Create a well in the dry ingredients and add the egg yolks, milk and oil.
- Mix everything gently until a wet batter forms.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
- Fold the egg whites into the muffin batter until everything is mixed evenly.
- Divide the muffin mix into individual paper cases and place in an oven for
- minutes at 400°F.
I used the Mmm…Muffin Better Oats Blueberry flavor to make these delicious muffins. I was really surprised how moist these turned out. The oatmeal is like the old fashioned type, yummy and hearty. In fact, in each packet you will find
- Thick and hearty texture
- Made with real blueberries
- 30 grams of whole grains per serving
- 220 mg of ALA Omega-3 per serving
- Excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A & E
- Good source of Fiber
I am a long time oatmeal eater, so when I discovered the Better Oats brand, I realized how much healthier and better for me this version is, than the one I was eating. There are a ton of flavors to choose from! I am sure that even the pickiest eater in your family will love Better Oats.
Better Oats instant oatmeal comes in many delicious varieties– 23 flavors in fact, including RAW Pure & Simple, Pomegranate and MMM… Muffins Blueberry Muffin. Kids love Better Oats because it’s fun and delicious, and parents love it because it is not only nutritious, but also convenient. Better Oats uses up to 35 percent less packaging than traditional instant oatmeal boxes (so there’s more room on the pantry shelf), and the pouch doubles as a measuring cup!
Made with 100% whole grain oats and flax seeds, this complete line offers a simple and healthy option when it comes to instant oatmeal. But it’s not only a great breakfast (or lunch… or snack…) but also a better ingredient to spice up a cookie or other baked goods.
You’ve got to try Better Oats. If you’ve been settling for ordinary oatmeal, then you’re in for a treat because Better Oats is just… better! Try it and see for yourself.
Visit the Better Oats website!
and be sure to follow the Better Oats Facebook page and their You Tube Channel so you can stay up to date on new flavors, and more. Right now, you can snag a $1.00 off coupon if you like the Facebook page
This sponsorship is brought to you by Foodie Blogroll who I have partnered with for this promotion.
We love bread at our house. It is like the main event of any meal. One of our favorite types of bread are the yeast rolls you can buy at the store. Using those and following this recipe from the Sister Schubert’s website, you will produce the YUMMIEST bread on the face of this planet. Herbed Garlic and Cheese Yeast Rolls will compliment any dinner — pasta, chicken, and more!
- 1 (15 ounce) package Sister Schubert’s Dinner Yeast Rolls
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian herb blend
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine olive oil, garlic, herb blend, parsley, salt and pepper in a bowl. Brush each Sister Schubert Roll with oil mixture. Sprinkle each roll with Parmesan cheese and transfer all to prepared pan. Bake 8 to 12 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Serve warm.
What is your favorite type of bread recipe?
Last week when we had a Mexican Fiesta, I tried my hand at making homemade churros. If you are not familiar with what a churro is, it’s basically like a Spanish Donut. You fry it and then roll it in a cinnamon sugar mix and it makes the most amazing and fluffy sweet treat you could ever imagine. Many people serve them with a chocolate dipping sauce.
- 1 cup water
- 1½ tablespoons sugar
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1 cup self-rising flour
- 2 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
- Peanut oil, for frying
- 2 tablespoons of cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- Make the dough by heating water, sugar and salt in saucepan over medium heat until hot.
- Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously for 1 minute on the heat to dry the mixture out.
- Remove from heat and transfer the dough to a stand mixer bowl; mix on low speed until there is no longer steam escaping from the dough.
- With the mixer running on medium, add the eggs, 1 at a time, incorporating completely until a shiny, smooth texture forms before adding the next egg, and then the egg yolk. Scrape down the mixer bowl with a rubber spatula between each addition. Transfer the dough to a piping bag.
- Pour oil into a large heavy bottomed pot to a depth of 4 inches; heat over medium-high heat to 375 degrees F.
- To fry the churros, carefully squeeze the dough from the piping bag directly over the oil in 3 to 4-inch lengths, cutting the dough at the tip with a butter knife and gently dropping them into the oil.
- Turn frequently with tongs until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
- Work in batches to prevent overcrowding the pan and allowing the oil to reheat to 375 degrees F between each batch.
- Drain the churros on a paper towels and then toss in the cinnamon sugar to coat while still warm.
Last year I made a delicious Healthy Chicken Salad using cucumbers and dill that reminded me of a greek dish of some sort. I have been trying since then to create a pita recipe that will put that recipe over the top. The day I made that, I wrapped it in a tortilla, but I really wanted to do Pita bread.
I can finally say that I am successful
Making your own homemade pita bread is not hard at all. In fact, it tastes SO much better than store bought. You will want to fill these pockets with just about everything, so get to cooking your own!
Homemade pitas are super easy to make and will save you a ton of money at the grocery store.
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 packet yeast (2-1/4 tsp)
- 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups water, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, add the yeast in with the flour, salt, and honey. Add the olive oil and 1 1/4 cup water and using the dough attachment, mix together on low speed. All of the ingredients should form a ball. If some of the flour will not stick to the ball, add more water.
- Once all of the ingredients form a ball, mix it at low speed for 10 minutes on speed 2.
- When you are done kneading the dough, place it in a bowl that has been lightly coated with oil. Form a ball out of the dough and place it into the bowl, rolling the ball of dough around in the bowl so that it has a light coat of oil on all sides.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and set aside to rise until it has doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes.
- When it has doubled in size, punch the dough down and divide it into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, cover the balls with a damp kitchen towel, and let them rest for 20 minutes.
- While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. If you have a baking stone, put it in the oven to preheat as well. If you do not have a baking stone, turn a cookie sheet upside down and place it on the middle rack of the oven while you are preheating the oven. This will be the surface on which you bake your pitas.
- After the dough has relaxed for 20 minutes, spread a light coating of flour on a work surface and place one of the balls of dough there. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on top of the dough and use a rolling pin or your hands to stretch and flatten the dough. You should be able to roll it out to between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick - 6 inches in diameter. If the dough does not stretch sufficiently you can cover it with the damp towel and let it rest 5 to 10 minutes before trying again.
- Place discs on a lightly greased baking sheet or on your stone and let rise, uncovered, until barely doubled in thickness, about 30-45 minutes.
- Open the oven and place as many pitas as you can fit on the hot baking surface. They should be baked through and puffy after 3 minutes. If you want your pitas to be crispy and brown you can bake them for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, but it isn’t necessary.
Making homemade bread has become one of my favorite things to do. There is just something about yeast permeating the entire house with the smell of freshly baked bread.
Yeast rolls are no exception. I used to buy the frozen ones from the store all the time until I realized how ridiculously easy they were to make, so I quit buying them pre-made and started making them fresh.
It makes a WORLD of difference — let me tell you!
You will want to go make a batch of these as soon as you are done reading. They go great with some fried chicken, mashed potatoes and homemade mac and cheese — a southern meal for a southern gal
The most perfect and delicious yeast rolls of all time!
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 cup warm water (105°-115° F)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 4 cups bread flour, separated
- vegetable cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer using your paddle attachment, combine the yeast and warm water. Add the honey, oil, salt, and egg and mix well. Add 3 cups of the bread flour and mix until the dough comes together. It will be a bit sticky. With the mixer on low speed, add the remaining 1 cup flour and mix until it is incorporated into the dough. Now remove the paddle attachment and switch to the dough hook, and continue kneading on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
- Form the dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles in bulk, about 2 hours (I usually do this in my oven)
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 30 seconds. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Punch the dough down and divide into 12 equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball and place into a round, lightly greased baking dish, spacing evenly. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 20 minutes. Mix together the melted butter and honey, and brush lightly over the tops of the rolls. Bake at 400° for 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.
This post is linked to: Just another Meatless Monday, My Meatless Mondays, Motivate Me Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, Melt In Your Mouth Monday, Mangia Mondays, Muffin Mondays, and Hunk of Meat Monday.
This month for the Crazy Cooking Challenge, we were given the food ingredient of blueberries and making muffins. I decided to see exactly what I could find that would be a healthier version since Kayla and I are working on trying to eat a little better.
I found the perfect recipe for me at The Craving Chronicles. Filled with blueberrys, whole grains, and applesauce make for a moist and delicious muffin
I had a few extra strawberries laying around that I needed to use too, so I added them as well. If you want to talk about a yummy and delicious muffin that is full of flavor AND good for you too? This is it!
Here’s the recipe that I made. You will definitely want to make these.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 1/4 cups oats
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 tbsp corn oil
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup blueberries
- 14 cup of strawberries, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray. If you plan on eating them straight out of the oven, give the liners a spritz of cooking spray so the muffins won’t stick.
- In a large bowl whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Combine applesauce, buttermilk, sugar, oil and egg in a medium bowl. Add the applesauce, stirring until just moist. Batter will be really thick so do not over mix. Carefully fold in blueberries and strawberries.
- Spoon the batter into muffin cups. Bake at 375°F for 16-18 minutes.
This month for the Improv Cooking Challenge we had 2 ingredients to pair together — sour cream and lemons. There are so many different avenues you can run with this one! You can go savory or you can go sweet. I chose sweet and made Sour Cream and Lemon Muffins.
The sour cream in these muffins make them absolutely scrumptious and moist! In fact, these muffins when I make them never last long in my house!
The recipe that I use to make these come from one of my favorite blogs — One Perfect Bite. The one thing that I do differently is that I add poppy seeds because I love them and that extra bite they give my muffins!
You will love how moist and delicious these muffins turn out!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract 0r 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 heaping tablespoon of poppyseeds
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream and vanilla and lemon extracts.
- Combine flour, salt, poppy seeds, and baking soda; add to creamed mixture just until moistened.
- Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.
- Combine the glaze ingredients; drizzle over muffins. Serve warm.
I found this yummy recipe for Pear Bread on the Internet at All Recipes. I needed a recipe to be able use up the pears from my tree. It was so overloaded that the branches were trying to break! Here is the yummy recipe Hope you enjoy!
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2 cups peeled shredded pears
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Make a well in the center of the bowl.
- In a separate bowl combine the oil, eggs, sugar, grated pears, pecans, and vanilla. Blend well. Add to well of dry ingredients. Stir until just moistened. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8x5x3 inch loaf pans.
- Bake in a preheated 325 degree F oven for one hour and 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack before removing from the loaf pans.
Hi! I am Jen--a wife to the most amazing man ever and a homeschool mom to one teenager. I just graduated my oldest.
I have been blogging since 2007. I love to watch movies, spend time in the kitchen, crochet, dance, drink coffee, and lay on the beach. Between recipes, reviews, and hilarious life story moments you'll find many helpful posts on this blog. Welcome, pull up a chair and stay for a while!
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