Irish Soda Bread, Irish Boxties, Colcannon, Mashed Potato Casserole, Onion Soup, Lamb Barley Soup, Irish Cream, Irish Fix and Irish Coffee l Don't Tell Me About St. Patrick by Margaret Ullrich

St. Patrick’s Day is on Tuesday.
Thursday, officially the first day of Spring, is also the feast of St. Joseph.
Do you ever wonder how St. Patrick and St. Joseph feel about their feast days always happening in Lent?
I mean, a feast is a feast, and that calls for a feast, not bread and water.
So here are a few dishes that should be okay either way.


I'm posting the Irish Soda Bread recipe that I clipped from The New York Daily News over sixty years ago. It is easy to make, doesn’t need special ingredients, and goes well with a corned beef and cabbage dinner, or anything else.  


Irish Cakes, known as Boxties, were created in the mid-nineteenth century when Ireland was being hit by the Great Famine, which was caused by a mildew that attacked potato crops. The poor potato crop led to the great migration of Irish to North America.
Boxty comes from the Irish aran bocht tí (poorhouse bread).
Yes, it’s always about food.


Irish coffee also has a bit of history.
San Francisco Chronicle columnist Stanton Delaplane was served one during a stop at Ireland’s Shannon Airport bar in 1952. Bartender Joe Sheridan had created the drink during World War II to greet weary American travellers arriving in the wee hours of the morning.
Irish people drank whiskey in tea, but Sheridan knew the Americans preferred coffee.
A smart businessman, Sheridan knew the customer was always right.

When Delaplane returned to San Francisco, he passed the recipe on to barman Jack Koeppler at the Buena Vista Cafe. Soon all of America learned of this drink. And the rest, as they say, is history. Irish coffee is always best served with a toast:

May you always have
Walls for the winds,
A roof for the rain,
Tea beside the fire,
Laughter to cheer you,
Those you love near you,
And all your heart might desire!

Hints:

You can make a buttermilk substitute for baking.
Combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar with 1 cup milk.
Let it sit for 2 minutes, stir and use.

About the Boxties…
Add a pinch of pepper, garlic or other spices - whatever you wish.

For breakfast you can butter each boxty and serve hot with or without sugar.
You can also serve crisp bacon with them and drizzle maple syrup over them.
You could top them with smoked salmon and crème fraîche.
Or serve them with wilted spinach and a poached egg.
You can use boxty as a pizza base with tomato and cheese.
You can also serve a boxty as a wrap for fajitas.
They also freeze well.

You could cook the batter like a dumpling (called hurleys) or bake it like a loaf.


About the Colcannon…
An old Irish Halloween tradition is to serve it with a ring and a thimble, or small coins, hidden in the dish. Do warn your guests before they tuck into their veggies.

If you have leftover shredded cabbage, heat a knob of butter and cook it for 5 minutes.
It should still be just a little crunchy.


About the Onion Soup…
You could use one pound each of red onions, sweet onions and yellow onions.
Or whatever assortment you have.
The soup can be prepared, cooled, then refrigerated up to 2 days.
When ready to serve, bring it to a boil, ladle into the bowls and continue.

If you want to omit the dry sherry, increase the beef broth to 7 1/4 cups.


About the Lamb Barley Soup…
If you have a lamb leg or chops dinner, save the bones. Place them in a large pot, cover with water, add a diced onion or two with a few bay leaves, and simmer for a few hours.
You can add an envelope of onion soup mix and a teaspoon or two of chilli powder.
Let the broth cool and then strain it.
Pick any meat off the bones and add the bits to the broth.

If you haven’t had lamb since last Easter, use broth or water.
Ground beef will work with beef or vegetable broth.
Ground chicken or turkey is good with chicken or vegetable broth.


About the Irish Cream…
Some people use coconut extract instead of the almond extract.
Always whip your heavy cream without sugar right before serving.

 

          Irish Soda Bread
          
Grease a cookie pan.         
Preheat oven to 375º  F        

Combine in a large bowl
3 Cups flour
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
                                                               1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir in
1/2 Cup currants or raisins
1 1/3 Cups buttermilk

Gently knead the dough on a floured board.
Shape into a round loaf and place on the prepared pan.
Cut a cross on top of the loaf.
Bake 45 minutes.

Place in a small bowl
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons hot water

Remove loaf from oven and brush with sugar glaze.
Return to oven and bake another 10 minutes.

 

          Irish Boxties

Makes 10 boxties
 
Peel
1 pound potatoes
Quarter half of the peeled potatoes and place them in a medium pot.
Boil prepared potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Drain all of the water from the potatoes and mash them.

While the potatoes are cooking, grate the remaining half of the potatoes into a large bowl.
Toss the grated potatoes with
1 1/2 Cups flour
Stir in the mashed potatoes.
Add
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Combine
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/4 Cups buttermilk
Add to the potato mixture.
Mix well for 2 to 3 minutes.

Grease the skillet with either butter or oil.
Heat over medium heat.
Pour ladlefuls of the batter into the pan.
Spread them out into circles about 1/2 inch thick.
When the first side is golden brown, flip them to cook the other side.
Remove the cooked boxties and repeat with the remaining batter.
Serve hot with butter and honey.


                        Colcannon

Mince
3 green onions

Peel and quarter
2 pounds russet potatoes
Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

While the potatoes are boiling, shred
3 - 4 Cups cabbage
Blanch in boiling salted water for 2 - 3 minutes.
Drain and set aside.
Drain the potatoes, return to pot, and mash them.
Beat in
2/3 - 3/4 Cup light cream or milk
Add enough to make them smooth.
Place the pan over low heat.
Stir in
1/4 Cup butter or margarine
the blanched cabbage
the minced onion
Beat together until well blended.
Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if desired.
Serve hot.
Spoon out a portion to make a small indentation on top of each serving.
Add a pat of butter or margarine in the indentation.
Don’t mash it in, but dip a forkful of the potatoes into the melted butter.

 

          Mashed Potato Casserole

Serves 12

Peel and cube
5 large russet potatoes

Shred 6 Cups green cabbage

Boil prepared potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, place the shredded green cabbage in another pot of boiling salted water (about an inch). Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 6 minutes.
Drain and set aside.

When the potatoes are tender, drain and return the potatoes to the pot.
Place over low heat and shake, uncovered, for about 30 seconds to evaporate excess moisture. Remove from heat and mash the potatoes.

Add to the potatoes
4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into pieces
1 teaspoon salt
Mash until smooth.

Grease a large baking dish.
Preheated oven to 425º F

Fold in
1/2 Cup green onions, thinly sliced
the cooked cabbage
Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Spread mixture in the greased baking dish.

Top with
1 Cup old cheddar cheese, grated
Bake casserole, uncovered, for 30 to 50 minutes.

 

          Onion Soup

Cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into thin slices
3 pounds onions
 
Place in a dutch oven
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Heat over medium heat and add
the sliced onions
Stirring frequently, cook 10 minutes. Lower the heat and, stirring occasionally, cook 40 minutes until the onions are golden brown.
Add
2 teaspoons thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 Cup dry sherry
Cook and stir on medium high heat 1 minute.
Add
7 Cups beef broth
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tablespoon vinegar
2 bay leaves
Stirring occasionally, bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the bay leaves.

While the soup is simmering, toast
16 French bread or baguette slices (1/2 inch thick)

Heat the broiler.
Ladle soup into 8 ovenproof bowls.
Top with
the toasted bread slices
1 1/2 to 2 Cups shredded Swiss cheese
Broil, 4 inches from heat, 3 to 5  minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.
Serve with a mixed green salad and crusty rolls or bread.


                        Lamb Barley Soup

Finely chop
2 medium onions
4 medium carrots
 
Place in a large pot
1 pound ground lamb  
the chopped onion
Heat over medium-high heat and stir until the meat is evenly browned and the onions are translucent. Discard any excess grease.
Stir in
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
6 Cups lamb broth
1 can condensed tomato soup
the chopped carrots  
1 Cup barley 
1 1/2 teaspoons rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika  
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Cover and simmer over medium heat for 45 minutes.

            Irish Cream

Place in a blender
1 cup heavy cream
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 2/3 Cups Irish whiskey
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
2 Tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
Blend for 20 to 30 seconds.
Pour into a jar that has a tight lid.
Store in the refrigerator for 8 hours.
Shake well before serving.
Serve over cracked ice.
Add
a dollop of whipped cream (optional)

                        Irish Fix

Place in a chilled highball glass
1 teaspoon simple sugar syrup
2 ounces Irish whiskey
1/2 ounce lemon juice
Fill with cracked ice and stir well.
Garnish with
1 thin lime slice
1 thin orange slice
Float on top
2 teaspoons Irish Mist (a honey liqueur)

        Irish Coffee

Place in a small saucepan
12 ounces brewed coffee
4 teaspoons sugar
Stirring occasionally, set over low heat until the mixture is hot but not boiling.

Pour 6 ounces hot coffee into each of two 8-ounce heatproof glasses or mugs.
Add to each serving
1 1⁄2 ounces Irish whiskey
Top with whipped cream.
                                                        Garnish with mint leaves (optional)
Enjoy while it is piping hot.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!


                                                          ~~~

Years ago I wrote for and told my stories on the CKUW radio show ‘2000 & Counting’.
Here’s one I wrote for St. Patrick’s Day…

Remember how we were all gaga about the dawning of the Age of Aquarius?  

I mean, even if you didn't know enough Astrology to know your own sign - let alone what house you were mooning - you couldn't avoid Hair, the song, play or movie.  And everybody saw the 5th Dimension on The Ed Sullivan Show.  Remember how they just stood there, swaying and singing When the moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter aligns with Mars, then peace will guide the planets and love will fill the stars?  

Ok, Janet Jackson it wasn't.

So who are Aquarians? 
Kim Novak, Vanessa Redgrave, Jeanne Moreau, Mia Farrow, Carmen Miranda and, the comeback king, John Travolta.  We're talking a major sign here.

Some people poo poo all this but I think we'd better start paying attention.  This is a new millennium and cosmic forces are just itching to find any teeny tiny hole where they can get a toehold to shake things up on dear old planet earth.  

No kidding.


Take St. Patrick's Day.  I'm from New York where St. Patrick's was like Christmas.  Everybody - no matter where they came from - sat down to a corned beef and cabbage dinner on March 17. 
Hey, nobody was dumb enough to not notice all the Irish cops, carrying billy clubs, pounding down Fifth Avenue in the St. Patrick's Day Parade.  

Trust me, you didn't want to make a New York cop mad.

For decades I used an Irish Soda Bread recipe that I'd clipped from The New York Daily News.  
Then, like everybody else, I discovered Martha.  Ok, she's Polish, but she had a humdinger of a recipe.  I watched her teach it to some Irish lady who said, Faith and beggorah!  'Tis better than me own sainted Mum's recipe. 

When I heard the 'Tis word, I was hooked.  

I downloaded the recipe from Martha's website and everything went tickety boo.
Until Martha got convicted.
Well, that shook everybody up.  
Her stock took a tumble and you could've shot a cannon through the department store aisles where her household items were gathering dust.  
Frugal housewives were clipping Martha Stewart labels from towels and sheets.  

With visions of mad cops marching in my head, I thought it wouldn't be kosher to whip up a loaf of Martha's Irish Soda Bread.  
Back to the computer.

There's lots of stuff about Ireland on the internet.  
Did you know that corned beef is not the national dish?  It was eaten as a last resort during hard times.  
Irish coffee was the invention of the Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco.  
When Irish Eyes are Smiling is an American song.  
And many Irish people consider green to be an unlucky color.
    
Finally I found The Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe and double clicked.  

Now how was I supposed to know the cosmic forces that click would unleash?  
Before you could say Faith and beggorah, my computer started to glow, I heard a banshee wail and my printer took on a life of its own printing sheets of I didn't know what.  

Odd characters strolled around my room.  They looked like a touring company of The Lord of Rings.  Some were chanting, some were crying and some were doing tai chi.  

This was not a good thing.
     
Enough was enough.  I pressed the option and command keys, made the sign of the cross and punched the escape key.  
It worked.  
iMac 1, Druids 0.
The pages were all over the floor.  
Seems somebody is holding a cosmic grudge.  

According to legend, St. Patrick put a curse on venomous snakes in Ireland.  Then he drove all the snakes into the sea.  
Well, according to my visiting Hobbits, the snakes were a popular tourist attraction, their version of Manitoba's Narcisse Wildlife Management Area.  

You've heard of Narcisse, where thousands of red-sided garter snakes emerge from the limestone sinkholes in late April and tangle in a mating ritual for three weeks.  Ok, it's not Disneyland, but tourists come and spend and that's always a good thing.  
Why wreck a nice little cottage industry?  
Why, indeed.  
I guess history rewrites by the winner is not a new thing.

Oh, among the pages was a recipe for traditional Irish Soda Bread.  
I don't think I'll try it.  
No, the corned beef and cabbage is enough.  
I don't need the bread.  

Hmm... the Atkins diet, which cuts out bread, is sure popular in the Age of Aquarius.  

Coincidence?  
I think not.

Soups: Parmesan Pasta l Stracciatella l Stracciatella Soup with Spinach and Pasta l Orzo Spinach l Lentil Orzo l Mediterranean Orzo l Creamy Meatball l Leftover Pork and Potato l Seafood Soup (Zuppa di Pesce)

We were having mild weather - for Winnipeg - during the past months.
But since mid January it has been back to normal.
Translation: COLD.
Salads and quick meals just won’t satisfy.

Nope… it’s time to make pots of soup.
Lots of Soup.

Mediterranean soups have something for every taste, schedule and budget.
Stracciatella Soups are light and can be put together quickly.
The leftover meat soup makes good use of a roast and helps the budget.

The Seafood Soup, also known as Zuppa di Pesce, is a filling meal that is usually made for Christmas Eve, the Feast of the Seven Fishes.
The traditional fish choices include baccalà (salt cod), shrimp, clams, mussels, squid, scallops, smelts or sardines, eel and lobster or crab.
Zuppa di Pesce includes five of the above.
Add another two items from the list and you’re all set for Christmas Eve.

You’d also be ready for a cold night anytime.


Hints:

Parmesan rind has long been used to give extra flavour to soups.
If you buy Parmesan by the piece cut the leftover rind into 3 inch pieces, bag them, and store in the freezer.
You can also use a rind from other hard, aged cheeses like Pecorino Romano or Asiago.
A tablespoonful or two of Worcestershire Sauce could replace the rind.
If you want to make it totally vegan, use a spoonful of nutritional yeast instead of the rind.


About the Parmesan Pasta Soup…
This would also be good with a can of sliced mushrooms added.
This soup’s leftovers thicken. Add broth or milk when you're warming leftovers.


About the Stracciatella Soup…
You could stir in some finely chopped spinach before adding the eggs.

Ma usually served a light soup, such as this, as the first course for a Sunday meal. Ma believed that, if she took the edge off everyone’s appetite, there’d be more leftovers.


About the Orzo Soups…
The orzo will absorb the broth overnight. Just add stock or water when you're warming leftovers.


About the Creamy Meatball Soup …
You can make the meatballs in advance and freeze them. Allow 4 hours, or overnight, to thaw before preparing the soup.

Use any size can of diced tomatoes, depending on how thick you want your soup.
Instead of the spinach, you can garnish the soup with grated Parmesan or fresh parsley or basil.


About the Leftover Pork and Potato Soup…
You can use any leftover meat and any vegetables, fresh, frozen or canned.
If you’d like the soup to be a bit spicier, add sage, thyme or basil to taste.


About the Seafood Soup…
This soup is more like a stew. The traditional Italian recipe has been adapted to make use of fish available in North America. The only rule is to add each seafood at the right time so that nothing overcooks.
Squid needs a long, gentle simmer to turn tender.
Cod cooks more quickly, but holds its shape well in the broth.
Shrimp cooks quickly and goes in last.
Clams and mussels are steamed separately so that you can remove each as soon as it opens.

If you don’t have passata use tomato purée. You can also use tomato paste (which is thicker) or crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce.
The tomato base can be made a day ahead. Refrigerate it in an airtight container, then pour into a Dutch oven and simmer before proceeding with the recipe.

Sautéing shrimp shells in oil gives the oil a stronger seafood flavour.
Don’t worry about it if you don’t want to do it, or have shelled shrimp.

 

Parmesan Pasta Soup

4–5 servings

Finely dice
1 small onion
3 garlic cloves

Place in a dutch oven
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Heat over medium heat.
Add the diced onion.
Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add
the diced garlic cloves
1 teaspoon thyme
Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add
4 Cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
Bring to a boil and add
1 1/2 Cups small shell pasta
Cook until just tender, about 8 – 10 minutes.
Lower the heat and gently stir in
1 Cup milk or half-and-half
1 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
While it simmers, stir until the cheese melts and the soup turns creamy.
Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot, garnished with
fresh parsley, chopped
extra Parmesan cheese


                                                               Stracciatella Soup

4–6 servings

Place in a small bowl
3 large eggs
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (or 1/2 Tablespoon dried)
A pinch of nutmeg
Whisk together.

Place in a dutch oven
8 Cups chicken or vegetable stock
Bring it to a gentle boil over medium high heat.
Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium low.
While stirring the broth in a circle, slowly pour in the egg mixture.
After all the egg mixture has been added, stop stirring and let it simmer for 1 minute.
Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot with extra Parmesan cheese.


                                                               Stracciatella Soup with Spinach and Pasta

4–6 servings

Thinly slice
4 scallions (green tops only)

Place in a small bowl
5 large eggs
A pinch of nutmeg
Whisk together.

Place in a dutch oven
8 Cups chicken or vegetable stock
Bring to a boil.
Add
1 Cup ditalini or other tiny shape pasta
Cook until al dente, about 8 – 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Lower heat to a gentle simmer.
While stirring the broth in a circle, slowly pour in the egg mixture.
After all the egg mixture has been added, stop stirring and let it simmer for 1 minute.
Add
a pinch of salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (or 1/2 Tablespoon dried)
the sliced scallions
5 ounces fresh baby spinach
Simmer just until spinach wilts, about 1 – 2 minutes.
Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.


                                                               Orzo Spinach Soup

6  servings

Finely dice
1 small white onion
1 Cup carrots
1 Cup celery
6 garlic cloves

Place in a dutch oven
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Heat over medium high heat.
Add
diced onion, carrots, and celery
Sauté for 5 – 7 minutes, until softened.
Add
diced garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Add
6 to 8 Cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 (14 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 1/2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
Bring to a gentle simmer.
Stir in
1 Cup orzo
Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until just al dente, about 8 – 10 minutes.
Add in
2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach or kale
Simmer until wilted.
Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Serve hot, garnished with
Grated Parmesan cheese
Chopped fresh basil
 

Lentil Orzo Soup

4-5 servings

Finely dice
1 onion
2 celery stalks
2 carrots
2 garlic cloves

Place in a dutch oven
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Heat over medium high heat.
Add
diced onion, carrots, and celery
Sauté for 5 – 7 minutes, until softened.
Add diced garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
Add
6 Cups vegetable broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
Bring to a gentle simmer.
Stir in
1 Cup red lentils
Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.
Stir in
1/2 Cup orzo
Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until just al dente, about 8 – 10 minutes.
Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Serve hot, sprinkled with
Chopped fresh parsley


                                                               Mediterranean Orzo Soup

4 servings

Finely chop
1 medium yellow onion
1 large carrot
2 ribs celery
3 garlic cloves
1 1/2 Cups curly kale, stems removed

Quarter
6 ounces cherry tomatoes

Place in a dutch oven
3 Tablespoons olive oil
Heat over medium heat.
Add
diced onion, carrot, and celery.
Sauté for about 5 minutes until soft.
Add diced garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
Add
5 Cups vegetable or chicken stock
3 inches Parmesan rind (optional)
the quartered cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
Bring to a gentle simmer then stir in
3/4 Cup orzo
Cook for 6 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking.
Stir in
the chopped kale
Cook until kale is wilted, then discard Parmesan rind.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
If the soup thickens too much add stock or water.
Serve hot with
a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Chopped fresh basil
Grated Parmesan cheese

Creamy Meatball Soup

6–8 servings

For the meatballs: place in a bowl
1 pound ground beef (or mix with turkey or chicken or pork)
1/4 Cup breadcrumbs
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 Tablespoon dried parsley (optional)
Combine gently and roll into 1 inch balls.
Set aside.

Dice
1 small onion
2 celery stalks

Place in a dutch oven
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Heat over medium heat.
Place a few meatballs in the pot and stir to brown the balls.
Remove balls to a plate and repeat with remaining balls until done.
Set aside.

Place in the same pot
diced onions and celery
Sauté over medium heat until soft, about 4 minutes.
Add
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
4 Cups chicken or beef broth
1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano or basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Stir well, then add the browned meatballs. Simmer gently for 15 minutes.
Stir in
1 Cup elbow macaroni or pasta
Simmer until tender, about 8 –1 0 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Lower heat and stir in
1/2 Cup heavy cream
1/2 Cup grated Parmesan
Let it warm through, about 3 minutes.
Add for garnish (optional)
1 Cup fresh spinach, chopped
Stir just until wilted.
Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.


                                                               Leftover Pork and Potato Soup

6–8 servings

Dice
2 onions
4 celery ribs
4 large carrots
4 medium potatoes

Cut into cubes 1/2 inch or smaller
2 Cups leftover pork

Place in a dutch oven
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Heat over medium heat and add
diced onions, celery and carrots
Cook on medium until the onions just start to turn translucent.
Add
1 can mushrooms, undrained
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
Cook until the vegetables start to become soft.
Add
diced potatoes
2/3 Cup barley
2 900 mL containers chicken stock (or 2 quarts homemade)
2 Cups water
the cubed pork
1/2 Cup frozen green beans
1/2 Cup frozen corn
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Simmer, cooking until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Seafood Soup

6–8 servings

Place in a bowl of salted cold water
1 pound littleneck clams
Let stand for 30 minutes. Lift out clams. If there is no sand in the bowl, they're ready to be scrubbed and used.
If there is sand, remove the clams, drain and rinse the bowl, fill with fresh salted water, and return clams for 30 minutes. Repeat this process until the water is free of sand.

Peel and devein
8 ounces large shrimp
Place shrimp in a bowl and reserve the shells in another bowl.

Sliced crosswise into 1/2 inch thick rings, leaving the tentacles whole
1 pound squid
Pat dry.

Cut into 2 inch by 1 inch pieces
1 pound skinless cod fillet, 3/4 to 1 inch thick

Scrub and debeard
8 ounces mussels

Finely chop
1/2 medium yellow onion
1 bulb fennel (Save the fronds for garnishing)
4 medium garlic cloves

Place in a dutch oven
1/4 Cup olive oil
Heat over medium high heat.
Add
the shrimp shells
Cook, stirring frequently, until shells begin to brown.
Using a slotted spoon remove and discard shells.
Add
Chopped onion and fennel
1/4 teaspoon salt
Stirring occasionally, cook until beginning to brown, 7 - 9 minutes.
Stir in
Chopped garlic
1 teaspoon oregano
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Cook about 1 minute.
Stir in
3/4 cup white wine
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Cook until wine is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes.
Stir in
1 8 ounce bottle clam juice
1 24.5 ounce bottle tomato passata
Stirring occasionally, simmer until reduced by about half, about 20 minutes.
Reduce heat to low, place prepared squid in pot, cover, and gently simmer for 15 minutes.

While the squid is cooking, place in a 12 inch skillet
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 Cup dry white wine
the cleaned littleneck clams
Bring to a boil, covered, over high heat. Steam until clams just open, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove clams to a plate.
Add to the skillet
the prepared mussels
Cover and cook over high heat until mussels have opened, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove to same plate.

Place prepared cod in tomato sauce in dutch oven, cover, and simmer 8 minutes.
Add and push the peeled shrimp into the sauce. Cook, covered, 2 minutes.
Remove from heat.
add the opened clams and mussels and the cooking broth to the tomato sauce and simmer to warm through.
Stir in
1/4 Cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide seafood among bowls, making sure each contains a bit of everything.
Ladle broth over seafood and drizzle each with olive oil.
Garnish with fennel fronds, if desired, and serve with crusty bread.

It could also be served over linguine. 

Breads: Cinnamon Donut, Cinnamon Swirl Donut, Lemon Blueberry Loaf, Starbucks Lemon Loaf, Lemon Loaf, Lemon Cottage Loaf / Christmas Baking by Margaret Ullrich

Okay… we’re dashing down the icy Christmas highway.
It’s all going to hit the fan in seven days.


Unless you’ve managed to find something as life changing and important as the Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle from Jean Shepherd’s A Christmas Story, everyone’s main focus is going to be on what you are going to feed them.

Think about about all the most important Christmas movie scenes:
The Cratchit’s family dinner - the one with Tim’s big ‘God bless us, everyone’ scene - in each and every version of A Christmas Carol
The lime jello with cat food that accompanied the Griswold’s overcooked turkey that exploded in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Nora racing to get the last can of Mel's Hickory Honey Ham in Christmas with the Kranks
The reaction the whole neighbourhood had when Nora confessed that she couldn’t get the ham and they would have to feast on smoked trout

No doubt about it.
Your meal will have an audience who will be taking note and recording every little detail of your dinner, from soup to nuts.
Most likely they’ll also be posting pictures on Facebook.
No pressure.

Come to think of it, food played an important part in A Christmas Story.
Remember when, after the excitement from unwrapping the gifts was over, the Bumpus’s hound dogs broke into the Parkers’ home and devoured their turkey?
Destroying their chance of having turkey leftovers in all its tradition forms.
The last memory Ralphie had of that Christmas was the Chinese turkey they were introduced to in the Chinese restaurant.
THE. LAST. MEMORY.

Yes, food is THAT important.

If you haven’t baked a fruitcake, all’s not lost.
These breads don’t need to age.
They can serve as a brunch or as a dessert.

Well, it’s a start.


Hints:

If you do not have buttermilk add a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to one cup milk and let sit five minutes. Stir and use.

About the Cinnamon Donut Bread…
For seasonal twists use pumpkin pie spice or cardamom instead of cinnamon.

This loaf is ideal for breakfast, snacks, or an after dinner dessert.
Wrapped, this loaf stays moist for up to three days. it can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.


About the Starbucks Lemon Loaf (Copycat)…
For a brighter flavour use more lemon zest and a touch less extract.
Don’t overmix when you add the dry ingredients. Small lumps are okay.
Avoid overbaking for the moistest texture.
Store in airtight container to store at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Wrap cooled loaf tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge before serving.


About the Lemon Cottage Loaf…
Two lemons will be enough for both the juice and zest needed.

Start with one tablespoon juice, cream and sugar for the icing. Add more sugar if the icing is too thin, because you want the icing thick, but still pourable.
Add 1/2 teaspoon more of liquid if it’s too thick.

When the bread is completely cooled, and the icing is hardened store in an airtight container. You can store it at room temperature for 4 to 5 days.
Don’t store the lemon loaf cake in the fridge or it will dry it out quicker.
This lemon loaf can also be frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw at room temperature.

 

                      Cinnamon Donut Bread

Preheat oven to 350° F
Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.

For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Stir together.

 

For the Donut Bread:
Place in a medium bowl
2 large eggs
1 Cup buttermilk
1/2 Cup unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Stir together.

Place in a large bowl
2 Cups flour
3/4 Cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Stir together.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.
Stir gently until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack.
Brush the top with
1/4 Cup unsalted butter, melted
Sprinkle over the top the cinnamon sugar topping.
Slice and serve warm or at room temperature with butter or honey.


                                      Cinnamon Swirl Donut Bread

Preheat oven to 350° F
Grease an 8x4-inch loaf pan.

For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
Place in a large plate.
1/4 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Stir together and set aside.

For the Donut Bread:
Place in a small bowl
1 1/2 Cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Stir together.

Place in a large mixer bowl
1/2 Cup butter, softened
1 Cup sugar
Beat together until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
Add
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 Cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
Mix until smooth.

Add half of the flour mixture to the bowl. Stir just to blend.
Then add
1/4 Cup milk
Blend together, then add
Add the remaining flour mixture. Stir just to blend.
Then add
1/4 Cup milk
Stir just to blend.

Remove 1 Cup of the batter and place in a small bowl.
Stir in
1 Tablespoon molasses
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Pour half of the original batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Cover with the cinnamon / molasses batter.
Pour the remaining original batter on top.
Using a butter knife, swirl the layers together a bit.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Remove pan from oven, place on a wire rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Run a knife around the edge, remove the bread from the pan, and transfer bread to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Make sure the loaf is cooled completely before adding topping. Otherwise, it will be too soft and could break when you try to lift and dip it.

Brush the top and sides of the loaf with
1/4 Cup unsalted butter, melted
Dip the top and sides of the loaf into the sugar mixture.
Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

                      Lemon Blueberry Loaf

Preheat oven to 350° F
Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Place in a small bowl
1 Cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 Tablespoon flour
Toss together and set aside.
Place in a medium bowl
1 2/3 Cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
                                                      Stir together.

Place in a measuring cup
1/2 Cup milk
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Stir together.

Place in a large mixer bowl
1/2 Cup butter, softened
1 Cup sugar
Cream until fluffy.
Add, one at a time,
2 large eggs
Beat well after each addition.
Add alternately, making 3 dry and 2 liquid additions
the flour mixture
the milk mixture
Fold in
the floured blueberries

Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
Run a knife around the edge, remove the bread from the pan, and transfer bread to a wire rack to finish cooling.

For the Lemon Syrup:
Place in a small saucepan
2 to 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Cup confectioner’s sugar
Stirring constantly, cook over low heat until it thickens slightly.
Pour over the cooled bread and allow to cool completely before cutting.
 

           Starbucks Lemon Loaf (Copycat)

Preheat oven to 350° F
Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
Set aside.

Place in a large mixer bowl
1 Cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 Cup sour cream
Beat until smooth.
While mixing on low speed, gradually add
1/2 Cup vegetable oil
Zest of 1 large lemon
2 Tablespoons lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Beat to combine.
Stir in
1 1/2 Cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Stir until just combined.

Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. If browning too much, tent with foil during the last 10 to 15 minutes.
Allow the loaf to cool completely in the pan.
Transfer bread to a wire rack to finish cooling completely before glazing.

For the Glaze:
Place in a medium bowl
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon milk
Stir together, then gradually add
1 Cup confectioner’s sugar (more if needed for consistency)
Beat until smooth.
Drizzle over cooled loaf.
Let set, then slice and serve.


                                      Lemon Loaf (Starbucks Copycat)

Preheat oven to 350° F
With a pencil, trace the bottom of the pan on a piece of waxed paper and cut out with scissors. Line the bottom of a 9x5-inch loaf pan with a piece of waxed paper. Spray the pan and paper with non-stick baking spray.
Set aside.

Place in a medium bowl
1 1/2 Cups flour
1 (3.4 oz. package) instant lemon pudding mix
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Stir to combine.

Place in a large mixer bowl
3 large eggs
1 Cup sugar
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon lemon extract
1/3 Cup lemon juice
1/2 Cup oil
3/4 Cup plain Greek yogurt
Blend until evenly combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredients, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until just combined.
Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Remove pan from oven, place on a wire rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Run a knife around the edge, invert and remove bread from the pan, then remove the waxed paper from the bottom.
Transfer bread to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

For the Frosting:
Place in a small mixer bowl
3 Tablespoons butter, softened
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Beat to combine.
Gradually add
1 1/2 Cups confectioner’s sugar
Beat until smooth and creamy.
Evenly spread the frosting over the top of the loaf.
Refrigerate to let frosting set completely before slicing.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

                                       Lemon Cottage Loaf

Preheat oven to 350° F
Grease an 8 inch square baking pan.

Place in a medium bowl
1 1/2 Cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Stir to combine and set aside.

Place in a large mixer bowl
1/2 Cup butter, softened
Cream until smooth.
Add
1 Cup sugar
Mix for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as it mixes.
While mixing on low, add one at a time
3 large eggs
Add
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Stir until just combined.
Add in half the dry ingredients mixing until just combined.
Add
1/4 Cup buttermilk
Blend in, then slowly mix in the remaining flour mixture.
Add
1/4 Cup buttermilk
Blend in.
Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top evenly with a spatula.
Bake for about 45 to 55 minutes until a toothpick can come out clean.
Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack.
Let cool in the pan for 1 hour, then carefully remove loaf to continue cooling on the wire rack.
When the loaf is completely cooled, prepare the icing.

For the Icing:
Place in a small mixer bowl
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon heavy cream
Stir to combine.
Gradually add
1 Cup confectioner’s sugar
Beat until smooth and creamy.
Add more powdered sugar if the glaze seems too thin.

Pour glaze over the loaf. Let the glaze set completely before slicing and serving.
Slice and serve.

                                                        ~~~

I also wrote the following essay about Christmas traditions for our CKUW radio show ‘2000 & Counting’.
Over the years our listeners asked for some seasonal stories to be repeated.
They seemed to like being reminded that we were all in the same holiday boat, a communal ship which made us feel like we were all sinking fast.

Ah… Christmas shopping, holiday customs, holiday baking…
Why do we do it?

I don't know about you, but as far as I'm concerned, there are two questions no one should ever ask a woman. 



The first is "How old are you?"

The second is "Have you done your holiday baking yet?”



Why is it that, when the thermometer falls, we're supposed to bake?  
Does the Queen whip up a fruitcake before writing her speech?


I don't think so.  



Holiday baking has been with us an awfully long time. 
Did you know that ginger was popular in Greece over 5,000 years ago? The Egyptians were eating gingerbread when the great pyramid of Cheops was just a brick and a prayer. I wonder what their gingerbread men looked like.


A few years after Egypt's building boom, an English King and his hunting party got lost in a blizzard on Christmas Eve. Well, they were clever lads full of English pluck, so they threw everything they had - meat, flour, sugar, apples, ale and brandy - into a bag and cooked it. Wallah!! Plum pudding. The Iron Chef would've been proud.  



On Christmas Day in 1666, Samuel Pepys wrote in his diary that he had risen earlier than his wife Who was desirous to sleep having sat up till four this morning seeing her maids make mince pies. 

I really admire Mrs. P. She just sat and watched her maids do the work, yet her husband felt guilty about her workload. How did she get him to suffer like that?



Some Christmas carols seem a little too focused on food. For example:

            Now bring us some figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer!

            We won't go until we get some, so bring it out here.
Those were somebody's friends? Somebody should've called the cops.


Holiday baking has followed us into modern times. The 1970s was the decade of old time family television shows like The Waltons and memoir books. 
Have you ever browsed through a memoir book? They reminded us of times like this...


Evenings when a cold blustery wind howled outside were perfect for sorting through recipes. They were cozy times. The children were sitting at the oak table helping Mama chop fruit and raisins. Papa was cracking and shelling nuts and crushing fresh spices in the grinder.

Isn't that sweet? Sentences like that convinced me that if we did things just like people did before television was invented, the world would be a kinder, gentler place.



We'll never know. Paul told me, in no uncertain terms, that he was too busy to grind nuts for a cake he didn't even want. 
Alright. Scratch Paul grinding his nuts. I bought ground nuts.


Step two... the batter had to be mixed. Back to that memoir...

When all the fruits were in, Grandmother called, 'Come, stir the batter!' 
We all took turns giving it a stir - clockwise for good luck - and made a wish.



I made a batter, threw in the fruits and called out, "Come, stir the batter!"



Carl pointed to the electric mixer sitting on the counter and said that he was staying on the eighth level of his computer game, The Temple of Ra. He also told me, in no uncertain terms, that he was too busy to stir batter for a cake he didn't even want.



I stirred the batter, clockwise.


Don't ask what I wished.



It's been downhill ever since. Do you know about the charming Swedish custom of hiding a whole almond in a serving bowl of rice pudding? The lucky person who finds the almond has to get married or do the dishes. Either my husband or my son - the fink never confessed - managed to swallow the almond every time.



I tried the German version - whoever finds the almond receives a marzipan pig. By then Paul and Carl had their own tradition: swallowing the almond. I felt so guilty looking at that poor rejected pig. 
I started my own tradition and ate him... along with the cake.



 
There's a Christmas carol that goes
Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat...


Well, the goose isn't the only one.

Easy Homemade No-knead Bread and French Bread / A Christmas Bargain! by Margaret Ullrich

 

My last post had bread pudding recipes and they reminded me about the recent warnings concerning ultraprocessed foods.

Most regular packaged breads are considered to be ultraprocessed foods since they are usually made with added emulsifiers and gluten to extend their shelf life.


Don’t panic.
There are other foods that are worse than bread.
But, if you’d like to go back to basic bread - the kind that actually goes stale and hard after a few days - it can be done.
There is a very popular recipe that has been around for a few years.
It’s easy and will give your budget a boost.

Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery in New York City has become famous for his no-knead artisan bread recipe.
Lahey's bread is made from flour, yeast, salt, and water.
That’s it.
It was one of the THE breads to make when everyone was baking during Covid.


Hints:

About the Jim Lahey’s No-Knead Bread…
Instant or ‘rapid rise’ yeast is yeast that has been crushed into finer granules that enable it to dissolve more quickly.
Since it doesn’t need to be dissolved in warm water, you don’t have to proof it.
If you cannot find instant yeast, substitute active dry yeast proof and continue.

If the room is cool the dough will rise more slowly. As long as 24 hours may be necessary.
The cornmeal helps to prevent the dough from sticking and adds a little texture to the bread. You can use wheat bran or more flour instead of the cornmeal.

The bread must cool on a rack for at least an hour to allow the crust to set and the interior to finish baking.
Leftovers can be stored in a plastic bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.


About the Scored No-Knead Bread with Variations…
Bread flour will give a chewier texture, while whole wheat flour will give a nuttier flavour. You may need to adjust the water slightly.
Before the first rise you can fold in herbs, garlic, olives, or seeds for variety.

Store in a paper bag or wrapped in a clean kitchen towel to maintain its crust.
Plastic bags can make the crust soft.

Serve with soups or stews or for sandwiches.
Or garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a simple appetizer.


About the Quicker No Knead Bread…
Shaping the dough into a round loaf on a piece of parchment paper makes it easier to load and unload the bread from the oven. Shape the loaf into a tight round to get a higher rise.


About the No Knead Artisan French Bread…
This loaf can also be baked uncovered on a preheated baking sheet. To have enough moisture while baking, place a metal baking pan with boiling water in a corner of the oven to produce a chewy crust outside with big holes and a soft texture inside.

                                                       Jim Lahey’s No-Knead Bread

Place in a large bowl
3 Cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Stir together.
Add
1 1/3 Cups lukewarm water
Mix with a spoon until you have a shaggy, sticky dough. This should take 30 seconds.
Cover the bowl set it aside to rest, about 72° F room temperature, for at least 12 hours; 18 hours is better. 

Generously flour your work surface and lightly flour your hands.
Use a rubber spatula to turn the dough onto the surface.
Gently and quickly lift the edges of the dough in toward the centre, folding the dough over onto itself. Nudge and tuck in the edges of the dough to make it round. 

Generously coat a cotton towel with cornmeal, wheat bran or flour.
Place the dough, seam side down, on the towel and dust the surface with a little more cornmeal, wheat bran or flour.
Cover the dough with another cotton towel and let it rise for about 2 hours.
The dough will be double in size and will hold the impression of your fingertip when you poke it lightly.
If the dough readily springs back, let it rise for another 15 minutes.


A half hour before the dough is done with its second rise, place the oven rack to the lower third position.
Preheat the oven to 450° F
Place a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot and its lid (whether cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in the oven.


When the dough is done with its second rise, carefully take the pot from the oven and remove the lid. 
Uncover the dough, lift it up and quickly but gently turn it over into the pot, seam side up, being very careful not to touch the pot.
Cover pot with its lid and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and bake 15 to 30 minutes more, until the loaf is beautifully browned.

Using heatproof spatula or pot holders, lift bread out of the pot and place it on a rack.
Don’t slice it until it has cooled at least 60 minutes.


                                                       No-Knead Bread with Variations

Place in a large bowl
1 1/4 Cups lukewarm water, about 70° F
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
Gently stir together with wooden spoon, then add
2 Cups flour
Mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. 
Add
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 Cup flour
Stir together until all flour is combined and it forms a shaggy ball of dough.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 18 to 24 hours.

Sprinkle onto bottom of an oven-safe pot or Dutch oven
3 Tablespoons cornmeal

Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it.
Carefully scrape dough out of bowl onto work surface.
Grab edges of dough, pull them up, fold into centre, then push them down.
The dough should form a ball with a little seam on top.
Set ball seam side down into prepared pot and cover.

Allow dough to rise while oven preheats to 450º F

When oven is hot, brush top of dough with
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Score the dough a few times with a sharp knife.
Sprinkle top with
Flaky sea salt or kosher salt
   
Cover pot and bake 35 minutes.
Remove lid and bake 25 minutes, until golden brown.
Remove loaf from pot and let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes (1 to 2 hours is better) before slicing.


                                                       Easy No-Knead Bread

Place in a large bowl
3 1/4 Cups flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon instant yeast
Stir to combine, then make a well in the centre.
Add
1 1/2 Cups warm water
Using a wooden spoon, stir until a wet, sticky dough forms, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size and surface is dotted with bubbles, about 6 to 8 hours.

Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it.
Fold dough over itself 3 to 4 times, turning after each fold.
Gently shape dough into a round.
Cover the dough with a dishtowel and allow it to rest at room temperature until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

About 15 minutes after covering the dough, preheat the oven to 450° F
Place a 4-qt Dutch oven, covered, in the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove pot from the oven, remove lid, and place dough into the Dutch oven.
Using a sharp knife, make a few shallow cuts on the top.
Cover and place in the oven and bake 30 minutes.
Remove cover and continue baking about 15 minutes until golden brown.
Let cool 60 minutes on a wire rack.


                                                       Quicker No-Knead Bread

Place in a large bowl
3 Cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
Stir to combine and make a well in the centre.
Add
1 1/2 Cups lukewarm water
Stir until it forms a shaggy dough.
Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel.
Set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size and bubbly, 6 to 8 hours. 

Lightly flour a piece of parchment paper.
Turn the dough out onto it, folding it over on itself at least once.
Quickly shape the dough into a round ball.
Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 1 hour or more, until doubled in size. 

About 15 minutes after covering the dough, preheat the oven to 450° F
Place a 4-qt Dutch oven, covered, in the oven for 30 minutes.

Remove pot from the oven and remove lid.
Using the parchment paper, carefully transfer the loaf, still on the paper, to the Dutch oven.
Make a slash on the top of the dough with a sharp knife so that the bread can expand while baking. 
Place the lid on the pot and put it in the oven.
Bake covered for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and bake for 15 minutes more.
Remove pot from the oven and transfer the bread to a wire rack.
Let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing the bread.


                                                       No-Knead French Bread

Place in a large bowl
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast granulated yeast
2 1/2 Cup lukewarm water
Add
3 1/2 Cups flour
1 Tablespoon salt
Cover and let sit for 8 to 24 hours.

Flour a work surface with
1 Cup flour
Scrape the dough out and toss gently in the flour for no more than 3 to 4 minutes, keeping any air bubbles that have formed.
Wrap dough in a very well floured towel and let sit for 1 to 2 hours.

About 30 minutes before baking, put a covered cast iron pot in the oven and heat at 450º F
After 30 minutes remove from the oven, dump the bread in, cover and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid, lower the heat to 400º F, and bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
Cool on a rack at least 30 minutes.


                                                       No-Knead Bread Recipe from Yeast Packet

Place in a large bowl
1 1/2 Cups warm milk or water
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
Add
3 1/2 Cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons oil
Stir until combined.
Cover and let rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Shape as needed, for bread, pizza, cinnamon rolls, or dinner rolls, then place in greased pans.
Let dough rise for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 375º F

Bake 30 to 60 minutes until item is golden brown.

                                                                            ~~~~

Back in 2002 I wrote an essay for the CKUW radio show ‘2000 & Counting' about getting Christmas gifts.
Goodness, that was twenty-three years ago, and a month before Christmas.
It was a meant as a light piece, filled with hints.
Many of our listeners were seniors or college students, folks known for having to stretch their dollars.
Christmas shopping hasn’t changed all that much.  Darn!!

If you’re not finished with your shopping this is definitely crunch time!


Okay… listen up!  There are four weeks left until Christmas.  That means gifts.  I know, I know, it's more blessed to give than to receive.  But, unless you have ways of shopping that you'd like to keep secret, giving gifts means money.  

It's a little late to start a Christmas gift account at your bank and the utility companies really lose that Ho Ho Ho spirit if you try to skip paying their bills. 
 
If the charge cards are already maxed out - or you just want to keep your nearest and dearest on a cash and carry basis - gift getting is going to take a little effort.  

Desperate times call for desperate measures.  As we're all stuck with holidays - oh, lucky us - I'll tell you some of my desperate measures.

    
Live off your hump.  You know what I mean.  Things like the 18 cans of tuna you have left from the time you bought 20 cans so you could get 50 bonus airmiles.  Now's the time to crack those babies open.  I know the family hates tuna.  That's why there are 18 little cans of fishies swimming around your pantry.  Well, the family would hate a Giftless Christmas even more.  Think about it.  Lousy dinners happen to everybody.  But the family Grinch who comes up giftless at Christmas gets blabbed about throughout the neighbourhood and the generations.  You don't want to be remembered by your great great grandchildren as Granny Grinchie.

Try creative cooking.  Pretend you're on the TV show Iron Chef.  You've just been given a tube of ground beef, a bag of marshmallows, a jar of salsa, a bottle of raspberry vinegar, a carton of frozen spinach, a jar of maraschino cherries and a box of rice-a-roni.  Think only a nut throws odd things together?  How do you think raspberry vinegar was invented?  If the family gets snarky, tell them you found the recipe in a magazine - Drop names.  Martha is always good - and if they can't appreciate all the effort you put into making dinner interesting… Well!  You know the speech.  Remember, guilt, when the other person has it, is a good thing.

Go ethnic.  Granny's recipes don't have to be saved for Folklorama.  God bless ancestors.  Go to an ethnic restaurant and get a load of the prices they charge for a plate of pasta fagioli (that's noodles and beans).  Grandma would die laughing if she saw those prices.  Starch and beans got millions of people through tough times.  Go thou and eat likewise.
  
Beans aren't good enough?  Go past the recognizable cuts and shop the mystery meats.  Put enough spices on them and the family won't know what hit them.  I once made spaghetti and meatballs using animal organs only a mother could love.  Guess what?  Hubby had invited a friend.  Well, the buddy was getting a free meal, so I followed the Cook’s Golden Rule: Don't apologize and don't explain.  The buddy said it was delicious, like the meatballs they serve at the Bay.  Hmmm…  I notice the Bay is still in business.  There's more than one way to skin a cat.   
  
Shop your house.  No kidding.  Grab a bag and stroll through your house.  Look for things somebody foisted… uh… gave to you.  Well, why should you be stuck with it until you're six feet under?  Unless it was made by your preschooler - don't even think it, they DO remember - you're free to pass it on to someone else.  Just don't give it to the person who gave it to you.
   
Pack your own.  Ever notice the little overpriced goodies the stores stuff into baskets and bowls?  One current gift item is a box of pasta, a tin of sauce, some cheese and some wooden spoons nestled within a large bowl.  Are you too stupid to do the same thing?  I didn’t think so.  It's one way to get rid of some of those extra airmiles purchases.  Let somebody else eat the tuna.  


Still thinking about the folks in the flyers looking wildly happy over a toaster? 
Toss the flyers.  Those models were paid big bucks.  Stores want you to buy.  A stress free family holiday is not their goal.  If they had their way you'd replace everything and pay 50% interest.
     
Remember how the best presents were things that showed that someone cared?  Maybe somebody hunted down an out-of-print book by your favorite author. 
The gadgets that looked amazing seem strange on December 26.  
     

While you're shopping, get yourself some treats. 
I have a friend who picks up a bag of pfeffernusse cookies every year.  When she feels like all she's doing is giving, giving, giving, she pops a pfeffernusse and gives herself an old time Christmas.  It doesn't take much.     

God bless us, everyone.

Bread Pudding, with and without sauce / Christmas is Baa-aack!!! by Margaret Ullrich

Well, here we are, the first Sunday of Advent.
I know what you’re thinking… 

We just got through Thanksgiving, there are bowls of leftovers crammed in the fridge and now we have to plan for and work through more holiday crap?
Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.

We’ve done it before. We can do it again.

The bills for the last holiday are going to be on the statement coming in the next few days and it ain’t gonna be pretty.
Time to cut corners where we can.

Bread puddings are a great two-fer, when it comes to desserts.
They use up the bread that’s hard enough to dent walls and the rest of the ingredients are usually on hand.
If anybody starts pining for a fancy cake, give him THE LOOK, and start yelling about all you have to do to get all the Christmas chores done.

We’ve done it before. We can do it again.


Hints:

About the Bread and Butter Pudding #2…
This recipe is excellent for using leftover breads. Try rolls, raisin bread or biscuits.
Want to add raisins or chocolate chips? Add 1/4 Cup to the egg mixture. 
You can use a larger pan and double the recipe.
Brown sugar instead of white is also good.


About the Bread Pudding with Banana-Pecan Rum Sauce…
This works best with bread that is  a few days old.

If you want to add 1/4 Cup dried currants, separate them so that there won’t be clumps. Pour the bread mixture into the casserole in three batches, sprinkling a third of the currants over each.

Refrigerate the pudding for at least 3 hours to serve chilled with whipped cream sweetened with maple syrup.
It's also delicious at room temperature and served with vanilla custard sauce.


About the Tres Leches Bread Pudding…
For a bit of variety you can add banana slices, marshmallows or raisins.  
If you prefer a crusty top remove pudding from the oven 10 minutes before it is done, and sprinkle over the top a mixture of
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Cup oatmeal
Return to oven to complete baking.


                            Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce



Lightly grease a deep 2-quart baking dish.


Preheat oven to 350° F

Cube enough to make 4 Cups

white bread

Place cubes in baking dish.
Place in preheated oven for 10 minutes.


While cubes are browning, place in medium pot
2 Cups milk
1/4 Cup butter, cubed
Place over medium heat and stir until butter is melted.
Remove pan of bread from oven and pour milk / butter mixture over cubes.
Sprinkle over the cubes
1⁄2 Cup raisins
Let sit 10 minutes.
Stir in 

2 large eggs, lightly beaten 

1⁄2 Cup sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg

Blend well to combine thoroughly.
Cover and bake for 50 minutes.

While the pudding is baking prepare the Vanilla Sauce


Place in a medium saucepan
1⁄2 Cup butter
1⁄2 Cup sugar

1⁄2 Cup brown sugar

1⁄2 Cup heavy cream

Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Remove saucepan from heat and stir in 

1 Tablespoon vanilla 


Let pudding stand at least 10 minutes before serving with sauce.

Serve warm or at room temperature.



                            Bread and Butter Pudding


Grease well a 9 x 9 baking pan. 

Have on hand
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 Cup raisins

Remove the crusts from
8 slices of bread
Butter the slices, using a total of about 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter.
Cut each slice in half to form two triangles.
Place 8 of the bread triangles with the butter side up in the prepared pan.
Sprinkle half of the cinnamon and the raisins over the bread layer.

Place another layer of bread slices on top.
Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon and the raisins over the bread layer.

Place in a medium bowl
2 large eggs
1/4 Cup sugar
Stir together and set aside.

Place in a small pot
1 1⁄2 Cups milk
1/4 Cup heavy cream
Over medium heat, stir together until combined.
Add about 1/4 Cup to the egg mixture and stir well.
Pour the warmed egg mixture into the milk mixture, remove from heat and stir to combine well.
Pour the custard mixture over the bread and let rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350° F

Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven, let cool, sprinkle with sugar to garnish and serve.

                            Bread and Butter Pudding #2

Grease well a 1 1/2-quart casserole.

Place in a small pot
2 1/2 Cups milk
Scald, remove from heat, set aside and allow to cool.

Have on hand
8 slices of French bread, each 1/2 inch thick
Butter one side of each slice, using a total of about 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter.
Place the bread slices, buttered sides up, in the prepared casserole.
Sprinkle with
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Place in a medium bowl
3 large eggs
Slightly beat, then add
2/3 Cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
Stir together, then add the cooled scalded milk.
Pour over bread.

Preheat oven to 350° F

Place casserole in a large pan.
Add enough very hot water to the pan to go up the sides about 1 inch.
Cover casserole loosely with aluminum foil.
Bake 20 minutes, then remove foil.
Continue baking 40 minutes longer, until a knife inserted 1 inch from edge of casserole comes out clean. (Cover with foil if top is getting too brown.)

Take pan out of the oven and remove the casserole.
Sprinkle pudding with confectioner’s sugar (optional)
Serve warm.
Store leftovers, covered, in refrigerator.


                            Bread Pudding with Banana-Pecan Rum Sauce

Grease well a 2 1/2-quart casserole.

Combine in a small bowl
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Have
8 ounces of sliced white bread
Butter one side of each slice, using about a teaspoon unsalted butter on each.
Sprinkle the sugar / cinnamon evenly over the buttered bread.
Stack the bread and cut into cubes, 16 squares per slice.

Place in a large bowl
4 large eggs
1/3 Cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 Cups milk
4 teaspoons rum (or 2 teaspoons extract)
2 teaspoons vanilla
Stir together to combine.
Add buttered bread cubes, mixing gently.
Pour mixture into the prepared casserole and let stand for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350° F

Bake for 45 minutes, until golden and a knife inserted in centre comes out clean.
Place dish on rack and cool 20 minutes to serve with either ice cream or sauce.

While the pudding is baking prepare the Banana-Pecan Rum Sauce

Slice into 1/4-inch rounds
2 medium bananas
Set aside.


Place in a small skillet
1/2 Cup chopped pecans
Stirring constantly over low heat, toast the pecans for a few minutes.
Remove nuts to a small bowl.
Add to the skillet
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Melt over medium heat.
Add
1/4 Cup dark brown sugar
Cook, stirring, for about a minute.
Add
2 to 4 Tablespoons rum (or 1 to 2 Tablespoons extract)
1/16 teaspoon salt
the sliced bananas
Stirring occasionally, simmer for 2 minutes.
Spoon over warm bread pudding.


                            Custardy Bread Pudding

Grease well a 1 1/2-quart casserole.

Place in a small pot
2 Cups milk
Scald, remove from heat, set aside and allow to cool.

Cube enough to make
2 Cups
 white bread

Place cubes in prepared baking dish.

Place in a large bowl
3 large eggs
Beat well, then add
the cooled scalded milk
1/2 Cup sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 to 1/2 Cup raisins (optional)
Stir together to combine.
Pour mixture over the bread cubes and combine lightly.

Preheat oven to 350° F

Place casserole in a large pan.
Add enough very hot water to the pan to go up the sides about 1 to 2 inches.
Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until a knife inserted into the centre of casserole comes out clean.
Serve warm.


                            Tres Leches Bread Pudding

Grease well a 9x13 inch (3-quart) glass baking pan.

Cut into 1-inch cubes

1 loaf (12 oz) French bread

Place in a large bowl
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 Cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 egg yolks
Beat with wire whisk.
Stir in bread cubes.
Pour mixture into baking dish.

Preheat oven to 350° F

Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and centre is set.
Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.
Sprinkle with chocolate shavings (optional)

                               ~~~~

Back in 2004 I wrote this for the CKUW radio show ‘2000 & Counting’. 
Christmas stress and chores haven’t changed.  Darn!!

 

     Whenever I wonder if God is a man or a woman - which I admit isn't often - all I have to do is remember the ho-ho-ho good time women have during the holidays.

     Yep.. God is a man.
He sits there and just expects holidays to happen.  They happened last year, right?  No problem.  He just sat and wallah!  Christmas.

     Okay, ladies, we know it takes more than sitting.  Remember that cheery little commercial in which we heard Nat King Cole singing about Mrs. Santa Claus?  We saw a woman frantically throwing toys into a cart with one hand, keeping a toddler from jumping out of the cart with another hand and clutching a preschooler with another hand.  Of course she had three hands.  She was a Mom.

     Admit it.  We don't have holidays because we like them.  They're part of our culture, our tradition, our civilization.  Yeah.  So's cleaning the toilet.  There are books with sentimental nonsense, like:
    Evenings when blustery winds howled were cozy times, perfect for sorting recipes.  The children were helping Mama at the oak table chopping fruit and raisins.  Papa was happily crushing nuts and fresh spices in the grinder.

     Yeah.  Those people had cabin fever.  Sorting recipes?  Didn't they have any favourites?  Children chopping raisins?  Sure.  Yank a gameboy out of a kid's hands, give him a big sharp knife and you'll both end up on the 6 o'clock news.  Papa crushing his nuts in a what?  I don't think so.

     Remember how we thought technology would make life easier?  How we'd have four day work weeks and loads of leisure?  Uh huh.  Technology means that even if you're in a public washroom, you - and a dozen other women who had to answer nature's call - can't escape your cellphone playing Up a Lazy River.  Work is feast or famine - either you've nailed three part time jobs into a raft which you hope will carry you to your golden years when your ship will come in (if the pension plan doesn't go belly up) or you've been downsized.  Again.

     And now the holidays are back.

     Okay, grab a pen and paper, sit down and think this through.  Why are you doing this?  Some say Jesus is the reason for the season.  Okay, that's a start.  If He's the only reason you're doing The Season it should be a lot less hectic.  Remember God became human.  Humans can't become God.  So get rid of the crap that’s crept into the creche.

    What's important to you and your family?  Not to the neighbours, not to Granny and definitely not to the stores.  If you want to create pleasant memories set your own priorities.  Don't let urgent things like making fancy decorations keep you from important things like spending time together.  If anyone tries to talk you into doing something a little extra, just say no.  
 
     Back to those memoirs.  Maybe chopping and crushing was their idea of a crackerjack good time.  But if your kids are going to make a beeline for the Oreoes, why stay up till midnight making sugar cookies in strange shapes that can't be dunked into a glass of milk?  I know.  It's tradition.  So, delegate.  Bang open some tubes of cookie dough and let the kids get creative while you take pictures.  They'll actually eat those cookies.

     Invited someone who thinks store bought food is just not fit for the holidays?  Stock up now, destroy the wrappings, toss your cookies into bread bags and freeze them.  Remember how in the 60s we distressed furniture?  When it's 'show time' pop the cookies into the oven for nice burnt edges.  Muck up the cake's icing so it'll look like you really tried.  The snob will respect your efforts and eat, none the wiser.  Just make things look like they weren't made by a professional.

    Speaking of professional, avoid The Stewart.  If you must watch Martha, remember: It's TV.  She's paid to be a pain.  You've seen blooper shows.  Trust me.  Martha bloopers.  She bakes 20 cakes and shows the best one.  Look at the credits.  She has an army doing the work.  She isn't trying to make all this crap when she's bone tired after putting in a 12 hour day and everyone's asleep.  When you watch one of those autopsy shows like CSI do you get an urge to carve up a cadaver, too?  

     Do you have a friend who's another Martha?  Whoopee for her.  Like Mama done told you, if your friend jumped off a bridge would you do it, too?  There has to be something your friend hates to do.  Now's a good time to swap your expertise for hers.  Yes, you are good at something.  She bakes, you wrap.  See?    
     
     Ever feel that if you don't do everything the family's been doing since the Dark Ages, the holidays will be ruined forever, it will be all your fault and the family will never recover?  According to Doctor Bush, a psychologist, Guilt feelings are a messy mixture of insecurity, self-doubt, self-condemnation, self-judgment, anxiety and fear.  It's a whole mishmash of stuff.

     Dump the guilt.  Make a list of all the things you think you have to do, including making that mystery relish that's been in the family since the Black Death.  After dinner, before everyone runs off, read the list.  If something gets big smiles, it's a keeper.  If you say 'Relish' and people make barfing sounds, scratch it.  If your family's too polite or you've invited out of town relatives just think about the past year.  If you were still trying to unload that relish with the Easter ham, lose the recipe.  
    
     Office Parties were dandy back when men held the same job for decades, 'The Wives' were drooling to dress up and 'Meet those exciting people you work with' and the kids could be packed off to Granny's.  Now both spouses have parties - guess what, they're always on the same night - 'The Wives' and 'The Husbands' don't want to meet The Idiots you're always complaining about, Granny's on a cruise and the Goth babysitter looks like Dracula.  You see your co-workers enough.  They'll save you a copy of the secretary's xeroxed butt.

     Cards used to be nice and simple.  They had pretty pictures and a cheery message.  All you had to do was sign and send.  Then some fool got creative and started printing up long bragging letters.  Do your friends a favour.  Don't write The Letter.      

     Being tempted by seeing everybody in the flyers looking wildly happy?  Want your family to go nuts, too?  Guess what.  The folks in the flyers are models who were paid big bucks to grin like idiots and jump around like that.  Stores want you to buy stuff.  That's their only goal.  Helping you have a nice holiday is not their problem.  If they had their way you'd replace everything every year.

     Remember how the best presents were items that showed someone knew what you really liked?  Maybe somebody hunted down a book by your favourite author.  Those gimmicky things that looked impressive seem downright strange on December 26th.  Do your family a favour and toss those flyers.  

     Do get yourself some little treats.  I have a friend who picks up a few bags of pfeffernusse cookies every November.  Whenever she feels like all she's doing is giving, giving, giving, she pops a pfeffernusse and gives herself an old time Christmas.  It doesn't take much.  

     God bless us, everyone.