Irish Soda Bread

Prep time: 10 minutes          Bake time: 40 minutes          Total time: 50 minutes

About:

I am of Irish descent, and I suppose one night I felt like paying homage to my ancestors. It may not win a beauty contest, but this Irish Soda Bread is filling and tastes great (especially when drizzled with honey). It calls for very few ingredients and serves as a great side to any meal, especially soups. I served this with roasted potatoes and pinto beans (one of my favorite meals). So if you like a good, hearty, rustic bread, give this recipe a chance.

Ingredients:

Non-stick cooking spray

4 cups flour

1  1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1  1/4 teaspoon salt

1  1/2 cup milk

1  1/4 tablespoon vinegar

Note: You may use buttermilk instead of combining milk and vinegar; it would make things easier, but I never have buttermilk on hand so I use a substitute. I can’t tell a difference.

Preparation:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. While the oven is heating up, start by pouring the milk into a bowl and stirring in the vinegar. Stir well and let this sit for at least 5 minutes.
2. While the milk is sitting, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl.
3. Once the milk has been sitting for about 5 minutes, stir the milk and vinegar mixture into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients. You may use a mixer, but I just use a good wooden spoon to stir everything together until it is blended.
4. Once the oven has preheated, spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and form it into a large ball. Flatten it a little, but not too much. You don’t want flat bread, you still want a nice, rounded shape. Once you have shaped it, cut a cross into the top of the dough.
5. Place into the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven, serve, and enjoy!

Raisin Banana Bread

Prep Time: 10 minutes        Cook Time: 65-70 minutes       Total Time: 75-80 minutes

Ingredients:

2 or 3 ripe bananas                        1 beaten egg or egg substitute

1/2 cup melted butter                  1  1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup sugar                                     1 teaspoon baking soda

1  1/2 cup all purpose flour        1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 – 1/3 cup raisins                       A dash of ground cinnamon

Non-stick cooking spray

Preparation:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 and spray a 4×8-inch loaf pan with non-cook cooking spray.

2. While the oven is preheating, mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl with a fork (you can use your hands if you’re feeling feisty and have a desire to get sticky). Mash the bananas until they have a smooth consistency.

3. Once the bananas are smooth, add the melted butter into the bowl. Stir well.

4. Add the salt, baking soda, beaten egg, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon (however much you like), flour and raisins into the banana and butter mixture. Use however many raisins suit your taste. Also, it is easier to do this step one ingredient at a time to prevent making a huge mess. Stir all of the ingredients well.

5. Pour the mixture into the greased loaf pan.

6. Once the oven is preheated, place the loaf pan into the oven and let it bake for 65-70 minutes.

Hint: After about 65 minutes, you can test to see if the raisin banana bread is done by inserting a toothpick into the loaf. If it comes out without much bread goo on it, then your loaf is ready to remove from the oven. 

 7. As soon as your raisin banana bread is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool before serving.

8. Enjoy!