Bread by Guido

Steve Downing is new to KAXE and yesterday was his first time to have treats for staff meeting. He went above and beyond the call of duty. I mean really, I don't think anyone else has ever worn their own apron. Nice job Guido! Here's the recipe:

Irish Soda Bread

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins

1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients well. Mix egg, honey and buttermilk, then add to dry ingredients and mix. Knead on dusted bread board for 5 minutes. If too dry, add buttermilk; too wet, add flour. Shape into round flat loaf and make two parallel 1/2-inch-deep cuts along top of loaf. Place on greased pan (cookie sheet). Bake @ 375 for 30 minutes. Cool for awhile---then consume, fast.

Ross Williams also sent along a recipe for Irish Soda Bread

Grandma McGowan's Irish Soda Bread

Caraway (optional)
4 C flour
4 t Baking Powder
1 t Baking Soda
1 t Salt
3 T Sugar
At least 1/2 C raisins
6-8 T Butter

2 C Buttermilk
1 egg

Bake in a 11 inch cast iron skillet
Preheat oven to 350 degrees with skillet in the oven

Mix ...dry ingerdients in a bowl
Cut in butter and add raisins
Stir

In separate bowl:
Beat egg
Add buttermilk
Stir

Pour liquid into dry and stri with fork til the dry stuff is absorbed and very sticky
Flour counter top and dump ingredients onto it
Knead 45-60 seconds max
Form Dough into a ball

Take skillet from oven and wipe with canola oil
Flour the pan
Place dough in pan and press out to sides (about 1 1/2 inches thick)
Make a big cross hatch in the top with a knife

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes
Test with tooth pick
Cool on a rack until you can't stand it any longer

Serve plain w butter; butter and jam; and especially with some good tea

Potato Wild Rice Soup

By Jennifer Poenix

Today we celebrated Heidi Holtan's birthday with delicious potluck lunch. As you may have read previously on this blog, I love potlucks.

Stephanie made pasta and sauce, Penny made a white cake with strawberries and wonderful cream cheese frosting, Mark brought bread, Katie brought a pistachio salad, Dan provided beverages, and Scott brought ice cream. I made soup. It seems to be the theme of this blog lately (because January is National Soup Month), so I hope you don't mind if I continue the theme.

I've made this soup quite a lot at home and a few times for KAXE stuff. People tell me they like it, but I can't take much credit for it. It's so simple. Some might say it's cheating, but not me! Here is what you need:

4 cans of cream of potato soup
1 or 2 cans of wild rice (I use the Canoe brand. It's the only brand I know of.)
Approx. 1 quart of half and half
Bacon (optional - I buy Hormel bacon pieces that come in a jar)
Shredded cheese (also optional, but seriously, you should use it)

Drain the rice. Mix it with the soup. Add enough half and half to get the consistency that you want. You can add the bacon if you want, however, if you are serving vegetarians, leave it out, and it can be added as a topping. I think the cheese works better as a topping too.

You can cook this on the stove until it gets hot, or use a crock pot. You'll want to heat for about 3 hours on low, or about 1 hour on high. Enjoy!