Just Between Us

 

 

“Pain is inevitable suffering is optional”~Dalai Lama

Just between us…

It’s great to be home.

 

 

 

 

 as much as I loved my whirlwind trip to California😎 California

 

 

I sooooo longed returning…

 

 

to my sweet little cottage. by the sea

 

 

With Spring in the air along with…

 

 

daylight saving time…

 

 

all these projects had  been calling out to me…

 

 

 

 

👩‍🌾There is always work to do in the garden…🌺🌼🌸🌷

 

 

Oh and remember that hutch I wondered if I should paint white?

 

 

well…(I painted it!)

 

 

and it still needs just one last coat.😉

 

 

I had been excited about trying another fun new cooking recipe with Joe…

 

 

All that being said…ironically shortly after my return home…

 

 

I mysteriously pulled a muscle in my leg which again ironically kept me from doing any of those things until it healed. Which meant doing very little…

(okay to be really honest and just between us)

almost nothing…

other than…

rest…

relax…

take it easy.

 

 

Resting…

Relaxing…

Taking it easy.

Like I said…

( just between us)

It sure is great to be  home.😉

👨‍🍳👩‍🍳👨‍🍳👩‍🍳👨‍🍳👩‍🍳👨‍🍳👩‍🍳👨‍🍳👩‍🍳👨‍🍳👩‍🍳👨‍🍳👩‍🍳👨‍🍳👩‍🍳👩‍🍳👨‍🍳👩‍🍳👨‍🍳👩‍🍳👩‍🍳👨‍🍳👩‍🍳👨‍🍳👩‍🍳👨‍🍳👩‍🍳👨‍🍳👩‍🍳👨‍🍳👩‍🍳👨‍🍳👩‍🍳

 

 

Unfortunately all I contributed to this week’s recipe was the taste testing part…which btw was pretty darn easy and quite yummy! (Thanks Joe!) 👨‍🍳 I highly suggest this simple recipe for Saint Paddy’s Day especially if you want to be Irish for a moment or two.

🍀IRISH SODA BREAD🍀

4 – 4 1/2 cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 tablespoons butter

One cup currants or raisins (Joe used cranberries)

1 large egg slightly beaten

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

 

 

DIRECTIONS

 Preheat oven to  425°. Whisk together four cups of flour, the  sugar, salt, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl.

 

 

Work the butter into the flour, add currants or raisins. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.

 

 

Add beaten egg and buttermilk to well and mix with spoon until dough is too stiff  to stir. Dust hands with a little flour then gently knead dough  just long enough to form a rough ball. If  dough is too sticky to work with add a little more flour. (Do not over knead) Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a round loaf.

 

 

Dough will be a little sticky and quite shaggy. (sort of like biscuit dough) You want to work with it just so that the flour is just moistened and the dough just barely comes together. If you over~knead, the bread will end up tough.

 

 

Transfer dough to a large slightly greased cast-iron skillet or a baking sheet (it will flatten out of bit in the pan or on the baking sheet) Using the serrated knive score top of dough about an inch and a half deep in an “X”shape. The purpose of the scoring is to help heat get into the center of the dough while it cooks.  Transfer to oven and bake until bread is golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 35~45 minutes. Remove pan or sheet  from oven, let bread sit in the pan or on the sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool briefly. Serve bread warm, at room temperature, or sliced and toasted.

 

 

Of  course I think it is best when eaten warm and just baked.👩‍🍳👨‍🍳