Getting Our Irish On!

No, I'm not Irish...but I'm a sucker for holidays. I love making decorations with my kids. I love cooking and baking. I even love dressing up. Especially when there is a theme. For the past few weeks, my boys and I have been decorating shamrocks and hanging them around the house. We've been amassing St. Patrick's Day gear to wear to the parade tomorrow. And I've been saving up some calories for Irish Soda Bread. Mmmmmm...it's baking right now.

Are you looking for some last-minute crafts for your kiddos? How about a scavenger hunt around the house for a rainbow of colors left behind by your friendly neighborhood leprechaun - a red button, an orange sticker, a yellow feather, etc. Then, use the rainbow items along with a glue stick to decorate shamrocks. Green construction paper, foam sheets, even the inside of cereal boxes painted/colored green will do.

As I mentioned, my family is not Irish. But, my mom received this delicious, simple recipe from her Irish friend, Sally Ann. So it's legit. My four-year-old son and I just whipped up a batch this afternoon to bring to a St. Patty's Day party tomorrow.

Sally Ann's Irish Soda Bread

1. Mix together:     4 c. flour (I used whole wheat)

                              1 tsp. baking powder

                              1 tsp. salt

                              5 Tbsp. sugar (I used Sucanat)

                              Cut in 1 stick butter or margarine; set aside

2. In a separate bowl, mix:

                              1 1/3 c. buttermilk*

                              1 tsp. baking soda

                              1 egg + 1 egg yolk (reserve white)

                              1 c. raisins (optional)

3. Combine both bowls; knead dough until all dry ingredients are incorporated

4. Place dough in greased pie plate; brush top with reserved egg white

5. Bake at 350 F for 55 minutes. 

* If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can substitute sour milk. To make 1 1/3 cups of sour milk, pour 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar into a glass measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 1 1/3 cups total liquid; stir. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before using.

Oh, I don't know if this loaf will make it untouched until tomorrow. Will power, where art thou?

If you're looking for something to do in the Rochester area tomorrow, show your green spirit at the St. Patrick's Day Parade! The parade runs along East Avenue (beginning at Alexander Street) and Main Street (ending at Plymouth). The parade starts at 12:30 p.m. and the surrounding roads are blocked at 11:30 a.m. Depending on the weather, our plan is to arrive around 10:30 a.m. with our lawn chairs, blankets, snacks, and things for the kids to do. My boys are two- and four-years-old, so I'm thinking some green Play Doh, a few trucks and trains, coloring books with a few crayons and sticker sheets, and our iPhone apps as a last resort. Of course, we'll be wearing green along with some funky green hats, oversized green bow ties, green beads, St. Patrick's Day buttons, shamrock glow sticks, and a leprechaun headband for me. 

Have a great weekend and thanks for reading my debut post on ROCmomma!