Cast Iron Irish Soda Bread

I love handmade bread. I don't make it often enough. My aunt had a great recipe for Stoned Ground Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread. It's one of my favorite bread recipes. Here's another good Soda Bread recipe. It's make in a Cast Iron Skillet, that adds to the goodness and the homemade factor!


Cast Iron Irish Soda Bread.

4 C flour
3 TBS sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 C raisins ( I use 1 C golden and 1 C dark)
2 C buttermilk
1 large egg, beaten

Grease a 10" cast iron skillet generously with Crisco or any vegetable shortening

In a bowl, combine:
flour
sugar
baking soda
salt
Whisk gently to blend

Stir in raisins to coat well with the flour mixture

Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk and eggs.
Stir until a stiff dough is formed
Mix with floured hands at this stage
Remove the dough and mound it in to the skillet to form a round loaf

Lightly moisten hands with water and smooth the top
With a serrated knife dipped in flour, score the top with an X - 1/2 " deep

Bake for 1 hour at 375 degrees

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Southern Fruit Pie

I'm not sure of the origin of this recipe. I believe it's Mennonite/Amish. Raisin pie is one of my favorites when we visit my relatives in Kansas. I've mention before that it was one of my father in law's favorites too. I've had it for quite awhile.
I'm confused about the title because the only ingredients that are fruit, are the raisins and coconut.
However, it's really good, so I forgive the title. I could have renamed it, but it's a vintage recipe and I respect that. It's quite simple too!

1 C butter
2 C sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 C chopped pecans
1 C coconut
1 C raisins

Melt butter
Add sugar and mix well

Add remaining ingredients
Pour into a 9" unbaked pie shell
Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Chocolate Baked Doughnuts..... or Strawberry, or Lemon, or German Chocolate or ?

I know that many of my recipes are not the healthiest, but they sure are delicious. Maybe all things in moderation!
I have given up a lot of fried foods including fried doughnuts. I previously posted a recipe for Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts that are tasty . Here's a good recipe for Chocolate Baked Doughnuts. You can use any flavor of Cake Mix and any flavor of Frosting....... Strawberry/Strawberry ? Lemon/Lemon ? German Chocolate? German Chocolate... with a bit of Coconut after the Glaze.... The combinations are endless!

3/4 C Super Moist Devil's Food Cake Mix ( or use any flavor combination of Cake Mix and Frosting)
1 C Bisquick Mix
1/4 C Sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 C Milk
2 Eggs, beaten

2 Doughnut pans sprayed with a Vegetable Spray

Glaze..... sorry, I had to include this! So these aren't looking too healthy either, but just keep thinking about the flavor!
1/2 C Chocolate Frosting....... Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy.... and delicious, remember?
1 TBS + 1 tsp water........ the healthy part! We all need more water!

In a bowl:
Mix all dry ingredients
Blend in wet ingredients
Mix well

Fill wells 3/4 full
Bake at 325 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes
Cool in pan 10 minutes
Remove Doughnuts to a wire rack and cool completely

Glaze:
In a bowl:
Simple mix Frosting and water until smooth
Dip Doughnuts in the glaze.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Skillet Apples

Here's another version of Apples baked in a Cast Iron Skillet.

1 C butter, melted in a 10" Cast Iron Skillet or Pie tin
Peel and Slice 1 Jonagold Apple
Place Apple slices in a bowl with enough Brown Sugar to coat the slices well
Scatter the Apple Slices in the Pan

In a bowl, mix well:
1 C Heavy Cream
4 large Eggs, beaten
1 C flour, gradually added
Mix well

Pour the batter over the Apples

Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes
Serve topped with Vanilla Ice Cream or Whipped Cream

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Fluffy Fruit Pie

We had a dessert tonight with Cool Whip. When we were finished, I looked under the cardboard insert on the top of the Cool Whip tub.
Here's what I found:

Fluffy Fruit Pie:
1 can (21oz.) Cherry Pie filling, divided
1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust
1 package (8oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1 C cold Milk
1 package ( 4- serving size) Jell-O Lemon or Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding and Pie Filling
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip Extra Creamy Whipped Topping, thawed and divided
Whipped Cream for serving

Spread:
1/2 of the Cherry Pie Filling onto the bottom of the crust

Whisk Cream Cheese in a large bowl until creamy
Gradually add Milk, mixing until well blended
Stir in Pudding mix
Gently stir in 1/2 of the Cool Whip and spread over the Cherries
Spread the remaining Cool Whip on the top
Spread the remaining Cherries over the Cool Whip

Refrigerate for 3 hours or until set
Serve with a Dollop of additional Cool Whip or Whipped Cream on the top

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Pickled Beets

I hesitated to post this recipe because I didn't know if anyone else but me would pickle beets.
We went to our local farmer's market 2 weeks ago and I bought some beets. They were quite large and I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them.
I decided to pickle them and I'm glad I did. These are the best tasting beets I have ever eaten.

This is a Best of the Best Recipe.

There were about 4 - 5 beets in various sizes and a few were large. I peeled them and quartered some and made large slices with some of them. I recommend just buying some fresh beets at a farmer's market, if you can, make the brine and use all of it, making sure to cover the beets completely. I added some slices of onion to the jar too.

I peeled them and put them in a pot of boiling water. Boiled them for a few minutes, reduced the heat and simmered them for about 30 minutes, until tender yet still had some texture.

Brine:

In a saucepan:
2 C white vinegar
2 C water
2 C sugar
1 tsp allspice, whole or ground ( I used ground)
1 tsp clove, whole or ground ( I used whole)
1 TBS ground cinnamon
Whisk well to incorporate the cinnamon

Boil until sugar has completely melted
Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes
Remove and pour over beets and onions in jars ( I let the brine cool a bit before pouring it into the jars.

Refrigerate for 2 weeks

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Lee Bailey's Fettuccini Soufflé

Lee Bailey was a designer whose work was featured in most design magazines throughout the country.
He eventually had his own shop in Henry Bendel's in New York City.

Lee eventually wrote many Food and Entertaining Books.
In the mid 80's I had the opportunity to meet him. I have several of his books.

Here is one of my favorite Lee Bailey recipes.

Fettuccini Soufflé:

1/2 pound fresh fettuccini
1 1/3 C milk
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 C plus 3 TBS grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 pound Fontana Cheese, grated (1/2 C grated)
1/2 C ( 1 stick) butter, cut into small pieces
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 - 2 tsp. chopped Parsley
6 large Eggs, separated

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Butter a 1 1/2 - 2 quart Souffle Dish

Cook Fettuccini al dente , about 3 -4 minutes, in rapidly boiling salted water.
Drain

Bring milk to a boil while the pasta is cooking.
Mix drained Fettuccini with hot Milk, Garlic, 1/2 C Parmesan Cheese, Fontina and Butter.
Season with Salt and Pepper to taste.
Add Parsley, let cool for 30 minutes.

Add egg yolks to cooled Fettuccini mixture and blend.
Beat Egg Whites with a pinch of Salt until stiff.
Fold carefully into Fettuccini mixture.

Dust the inside of the buttered Souffle Dish with 3 TBS Parmesan Cheese.
Pour the mixture into the dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
During the last 5 minutes, increase the temperature to 425 degrees to form a crusty top.

Lee Bailey passed away in 2003.
I am pleased to have had the opportunity to know him!

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!