Irish Soda Bread

 

I want to be a bread baker, but I'm a complete novice and a bit yeast challenged.  So I tried my hand at yeast free Irish Soda Bread to go with some Irish stew.  It turned out fabulous!  I brushed on buttermilk before I put it in the oven and got the best, crunchiest crust.  Just perfect for dipping in a hot bowl of stew.

 

This will totally become a regular, especially for the fall and winter.  It's considered a quick bread since it lacks yeast and depends on the baking soda to make it rise.  I am totally going to look for more quick bread recipes.  I'm a bit impatient, which is probably why I have a problem with yeast breads...Either way, this is a great bread!

 

 

Irish Soda Bread

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.  Make a well in the dry ingredients and add buttermilk.  Mix.  If necessary add more buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time until a soft dough forms.  Turn onto lightly floured surface.  Knead 5 or 6 times.  Form into a ball.  Place on baking pan.  Cut an "X" into the top of the bread.  Brush with buttermilk.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.  Bread will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Serve with a delicious slathering of butter.  :)

Skillet Cornbread

There are certain foods that remind me of certain people.  Homemade ice cream, sweetened condensed milk and cream of wheat remind me of my Grandpa.  Beans and cornbread remind me of my Nana.  That woman could make some cast iron corn bread...oh my goodness...We're talking bacon grease heated in the skillet and then the gritty cornmeal batter poured in.  Every bit of sizzling goodness, I'm telling you.  Pair that with some butter beans that have been cooking all day - shut your mouth.

 

I've been wanting my own cast iron cookware and after eyeing the selection at HEB, I have purchased a cast iron dutch oven with red enamel and a matching skillet.  They also have the cutest mini dutch ovens.  When my husband's not looking I will start stock piling  those as well :)

 

 

Well, tonight I threw out the classic Corn Kit cornbread and made some from scratch.  I didn't have an old metal Folger's coffee can full of bacon grease like my Nana used to so I used butter.  It gave the cornbread a delicious buttery, crunchy crust so I didn't have to smear butter on the inside.  Tonight I served it with some dirty rice, spinach, lima beans, sweet tea and my zydeco playlist.

 

 

 

Look at those crunchy golden edges.  I might have to go grab the last slice from downstairs.



 

 

Skillet Cornbread

1 Tbsp butter or bacon grease
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 cups cornmeal
1 tsp baking soda
(I use self rising cornmeal so I skipped the baking soda)

Preheat oven to 450.  Place butter or bacon grease into cast iron skillet.  Place skillet in oven.  In a medium bowl, combine eggs and buttermilk.  Mix with a fork.  In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, salt, sugar and baking soda if needed.  Stir liquid mixture into the dry mixture.  Combine until mixed well and moist.  Remove skillet from oven.  Swirl skillet to coat the pan.  pour the batter into the hot skillet.  Return to oven.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until browned and pulling away from the skillet sides. 

I had some melted butter left over that I had brushed the top crust of the cherry pie I made for dessert so I poured that over the warmed cornbread.  Delicious.