Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

4 Cups Flour

1 tsp Baking Power

1 tsp Salt

1 1/2 Cups Buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 F. Grease,spray or line your baking pan with baking paper.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large deep bowl. Stir in 1 cup of the buttermilk, mixing well until the dough is firm and can be gathered into a ball shape. If it is too dry add up to 1/2 cup more buttermilk.

Don't overwork the dough. Shape the dough into a flat round loaf shape, about 8" in size. Place the loaf on the baking sheet and score the top with a large 'X'. Bake for about 45 minutes. The top should be golden and the loaf should sound hollow when you rap on the bottom with your knuckles. Serve this hot with a delicious bowl of Irish Stew.

Egg & Spinach Gratin

This delicious Jacques Pepin recipe is easy to prepare and makes a beautiful presentation.

It's delicious as is, but you might want to try it with different cheeses!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 1 bunch of fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup grated Swiss Cheese
• 1/4 grated Parmesan Cheese
• salt & pepper
• fresh nutmeg
• 2 TBSP butter

Sauce Ingredients

• 1/2 cup milk or cream
• 1 TBSP Flour & 1 TBSP Butter

Instructions

Bring 4 cups of water to the boil and reduce heat so water is at a heavy simmer. Pierce the wide end of each egg with a pin and immediately gently drop into the simmering water.  Cook eggs for 5 minutes. You are aiming for a soft boiled egg.

When time is up drain eggs and crack the shells gently against the side of the pot. Put eggs into a bowl of ice water to cool.

While eggs are cooking, start the sauce. Into a small saucepan on medium heat melt 1 TBSP butter and the flour. Cook for about one minute, but don't let it brown too much. Add the milk/cream while stirring constantly to make a thick sauce.

Wash and drain spinach. Cook for 2-3 minutes in a covered skillet. Squeeze out any excess water. Add 2 TBSP of butter to skillet and saute spinach for another 2-3 minutes. Add salt and pepper.

Transfer to oven proof gratin/serving dish.

Peel the eggs and transfer to the bed of spinach. Sprinkle eggs with the Swiss cheese and nutmeg. Pour the sauce over each egg. It should be quite thick and coat the eggs well. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese and put the dish under a broiler for about 10 minutes or until the cheese melts and turns golden.

Serve immediately with a crusty bread and Champagne, Prosecco or a dry white wine.

Ham & Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Prepare a yummy breakfast ahead of time for your family and friends. This delicious brunch casserole will serve about six people. You could easily substitute ground beef, or bacon for the ham. Try variations with this easy crowd pleaser.

  

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 10 slices of cubed day old bread 
• 1/2 cup of pickled hot peppers
• 1/2 lb of pre-cooked ham steak (available at most supermarkets)
• 1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese (or Gruyere, or another favourite)
• 6 large eggs
• 2 Cups of milk (whole, skim or 2%)
• 1 (or two) Tbsp grainy Dijon mustard (or your preference)
• 1/4 tsp. each of Salt & Pepper

Instructions

1. Spray a 9" X 13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Combine bread, peppers, hand and cheese in a large bowl, mix well then transfer to the baking dish, distributing evenly.

3. Using the same bowl whisk eggs, add milk, mustard, salt and pepper.

4. Pour the liquid over the bread mixture and ensure everything is covered evenly.

5. Cover and refrigerate overnight or bake right away. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

6. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake uncovered until a tester comes out clean. About 45 minutes.

*Ovens temperatures may vary.