Mom's Irish Soda Bread

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups unsifted all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 Cup Currents (softened in warm sherry)
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Tablespoon butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.

Using solid shortening (Crisco), grease the surface of a small baking sheet. Set aside until bread is shaped. Assemble all the ingredients for the soda bread. (Make the bread the same day you plan to serve it).

Put flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a sifter; sift over a large bowl. Add softened butter and cut into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or fork until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Add currents and toss thoroughly.

Pour buttermilk into the mixture all at once. Gently toss the mixture until all the ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix. Using hands gently gather mixture together and press firmly into a ball.

Put dough on a lightly floured pastry cloth or board and knead gently with the palms of your hands until dough is smooth. (About 1 minute). Shape into a smooth round ball and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Using hands, flatten ball into a circle that is about 7 inches in diameter. The dough will be about 1 1/2 inches thick. Press a large floured knife across the center of the loaf and cut about half way through the dough. Repeat at right angle to divide the loaf into quarters. YOU DO NOT CUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE LOAF!

Bake bread for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom and sides with a wooden spoon.

Remove to a wire rack to cool. Brush the top with melted butter and later dust with flour.

Skillet Chicken with Roasted Carrots

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1 cup baby carrots
• 5 small red potatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeds removed
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 3/4 cup unsalted chicken stock
• 1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes or until golden brown. Turn and cook 2 minutes. Remove chicken from pan. Place carrots and potatoes, cut side down, in pan; sprinkle with thyme. Place pan in oven; bake at 425°F for 10 minutes. Return chicken to pan; top with lemon slices. Bake at 425°F for 12 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Place chicken and vegetables on a plate.

Combine 1/2 cup milk, flour and lemon zest in a bowl. Return pan to medium-high heat (do not wipe out pan). Add flour mixture, remaining 1 cup milk and stock to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 3 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken and vegetables to pan. Sprinkle with parsley.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 1 chicken breast, about 3/4 cup vegetables, and 1/2 cup sauce

Per serving: Calories: 377; Total Fat: 9g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 111mg; Sodium: 401mg; Carbohydrate: 30g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 46g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 593mg; Iron: 18%; Vitamin A: 73%; Vitamin C: 30%; Calcium: 16% 

Garlicky Bacon and Spinach Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon of olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
4 cups baby spinach leaves
4 cups baby arugula
4 center cut bacon slices
8 (1 ounce) rustic Italian bread slices
2 ounces (1/2 cup) of shredded mozzarella cheese
2 ounces fontina cheese shredded about (1/2 cup)

Directions:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil and swirl to coat. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute, add the spinach and arugula and stir until wilted. Remove spinach and garlic from pan. Cook the bacon in the pan.Then remove bacon.

Top 4 bread slices evenly with cheese, bacon pieces, spinach mixture, and the remaining 4 bread slices.

Heat pan over medium heat. Add sand which espouses to drippings in pan; weigh down with a plate, cook for 2 minutes on each side.

Cauliflower PIzza (crust)

Ingredients:
1 small head of cauliflower (cut into florets) or purchase cauliflower rice which is finely diced cauliflower commonly used to make mashed cauliflower or fried rice (with the cauliflower)
1 teaspoon of Italian season
1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan
2 cups of grated mozzarella (divided)
1 large egg
1/4 pizza sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 - I also have a pizza stone in the oven but you could do this on a pan.


If working with the head of cauliflower, place florets in food processor and pulse to consistency of rice. You should have approximately 3 cups of processed cauliflower. If using the cauliflower rice (Costco) measure approximately 3 cups and place in a microwave safe bowl. Cover and microwave for 5 minutes on high. When cool enough to handle place the cauliflower in some dish towels and squeeze as much water out of the cauliflower as possible.

Add the egg, salt, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, some pepper and 1 cup of the mozzarella and mix well.

Place a piece of parchment paper on a pizza peel and pat the mixture into an approximate 12-14 inch round.
Place pizza onto pizza stone and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven add pizza sauce and remaining one cup of mozzarella and other toppings.
Place back in over for 10 more minutes.
Remove, cut and serve

Based on recipe from FoodNetwork - Ree Drumond