Memories...

In honor of St Patrick's Day (and being of Irish descent) I baked an Irish Soda Bread today. I was lucky to have an Irish grandmother who used to bake this all the time, not just for St Patrick's Day. Her recipe died with her, and I searched and tasted for many years before I found this. A co-worker of mine brought his soda bread to the office one day and I nearly fainted. It was the same texture and taste that I had missed for many years. I do not cook many traditional Irish dishes. I am married to an Italian-American and much prefer their cuisine, but this soda bread holds a place in my heart and palate. (I will take it over panettone any day!)

Irish Soda Bread

4 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup butter

2 cups raisins

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 egg unbeaten

1 tsp baking soda

egg yolk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Grease a 2 quart casserole and line bottom with parchment. Mix flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in Cuisinart. Cut in butter and pulse until butter is incorporated into flour. In mixing bowl combine buttermilk, egg and baking soda with paddle attachment. Add flour mixture and raisins to bowl and mix until just moistened. On floured surface knead dough until smooth. Shape into ball and place in casserole. Cut cross in center of ball. Brush with egg yolk. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool before cutting.

Soup's on...

Even though there is a hint of spring in the air, there is a still a nip of winter! My husband spent the day doing some "spring" cleanup in the yard. I went to check on the progress several times, and each time the sunny day fooled me. It should have been warmer! Since we were both going to be home for lunch, I though it would be a good day for soup. I have been making this Cream of Potato Leek soup for about 20 years. It is one of the family favorites. It is very creamy and rich, and the potatoes give it real body. It is not fancy. it is not difficult, but it is messy (especially when you puree it in the blender in several batches). It's worth it. It also freezes nicely, and can be thinned out when re-heating with a little milk, if necessary.

Cream of Potato Leek Soup

6 cups chicken stock, canned or homemade (of course homemade tastes better!)

6 medium Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced

2 small onions, minced

4 bay leaves

4 leeks, white part only, rinsed thoroughly, sliced thinly

4 Tbsp. sweet butter

4 Tbsp. flour

2 cups half and half ( I have used other combinations of milk, evaporated milk, cream, etc. to

make 16 oz. Use what you have in the house)

2 dashes Worchestershire

4 dashes red pepper sauce

8 tsp kosher salt

Heat chicken stock and add diced potatoes. Cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender.

In saute pan melt 4 Tbsp butter and cook onion, bay leaves and leeks over medium heat until tender. Add flour and cook another 5 minutes. Cool the chicken stock and potatoes with 1 cup half and half. Add onion mixture to chicken stock and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add worchestershire, red pepper sauce and salt. Puree in batches in the blender using some of the remaining half and half in each batch, as needed. Return to pot and whisk all the batches to a smooth mixture. If is too thick, add more liquid (stock, milk, water) as needed.

Reheat on low and keep stirring. It will stick if left alone!

Garnish with snipped chives.

Mies en place

I have been reading and following bloggers of all types for months trying to decide if I could be interesting enough (to anyone other than myself) to write one. I often leave comments (usually upbeat), and then I check back in to see if they have been posted (I get a kick out of seeing my opinions in print!). This is my first entry on my own blog. I am not a professional writer, but I think I express myself well enough to give this a try.

My background is mother (of 4 adult children), wife, realtor, daughter, hobby chef and chief cook. When I say chief cook I mean that I cook for my family and myself every night plus I have hosted all the major holidays for my extended family for many years. I love to cook. Preparing the menu with both new and old recipes, blending the flavors and colors while working within the constraints of a "regular" kitchen is no easy feat. But I must do it well because everyone comes back! I love to read cookbooks. I have been following food shows since Julia Child, and I am always inspired by the professional chefs. When I stumble on an appealing recipe that I can adapt for a crowd (10+ people) I am in heaven. It gets filed for future use as Xmas, sail boat weekend, after theater, family weekend, etc.

Everyday meal prep can be ho hum. Sometimes it is the last thing you feel like doing after work. Today was one of those days. Only my husband and I were going to be around for dinner so I grilled a small piece of London broil. I have very good luck with London broil. I prick it all over with a fork (on both sides), then simply marinate it with store bought teriyaki sauce for a few hours. With a medium high heat, grill it 5-7 minutes on the first side depending on the thickness, then quarter turn it (for nice grill marks) and cook 4 more minutes. Flip it and cook 5 minutes on the 2nd side. Remove from grill and cover it with foil letting it rest for 5 minutes. Perfectly pink!!! I ended up eating alone. My husband was delayed at work. I could have had cheese, crackers and wine instead.