Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Yummy Wednesday - Irish Brown Soda Bread

Ever since we went to Ireland a year ago, I've been looking for a good Brown Soda Bread recipe.  When we were there, I devoured the stuff at breakfast, lunch, and dinner!  Couldn't get enough.  But every recipe I've tried hasn't been the same...  and I was really hoping not to have to rely on packaged mixes...  So I had all but given up.

Until this week!  My "Cooking Light" magazine came - with a whole section about St. Patty's Day Foods.  And Wa-la!  Irish Brown Soda Bread.  I looked through the recipe, realized I had all the ingredients, and before I even finished paging through the rest of the magazine - had the loaf in the oven!

It's really good.  If you've never had Brown Soda Bread before, let me warn you - it's not sweet, it's not savory.  It's hearty, a little dense, healthy, and has steel-cut oats in it which adds a little crunch now and then.  It's very plain - but wonderful with a little butter and jam, or cheese, or really, just about anything else!
If you make it, I'd love to hear your thoughts!  And, if you are a Irish Brown Soda Bread connesuir - I'd love to hear how this ranks in your book (and if you have other recipes you love!).

Irish Brown Soda Bread
(From Cooking Light Magazine)

You'll need:
Cooking spray
11.25 oz whole wheat flour (about 2.5 cups)
2.25 oz all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup steel-cut oats (such as McCann's)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp wheat germ
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten

To Make:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Coat a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.  Line the pan with parchment paper, and coat with cooking spray.
Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife.  Combine flours and steel-cut oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Combine buttermilk and egg; add to flour mixture.  Stir until just combined.
Spoon the mixture into prepared pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Invert bread onto a wire rack; cool completely.  Remove parchment; slice bread into 12 slices.

Enjoy!

Things I am thankful for today:

1.  Still no TV in the mornings!
2.  My lotion on clearance at Target!  ( I loaded up!)
3.  Amanda's "Happy Birthday" message yesterday (a month early)- too funny!
4.  An easier week.  I'm feeling caught up!
5.  The hubby's hard work cleaning the bathrooms - really well!
6.  Lenten dinner at church - fun people and lots of laughter!
7.  Playing games with Jacob, his dad, and his grandma - Jenga, Uno, Bingo, Would You Rather...  it was a busy night!
8.  Getting to bed early again - I think I'm getting used to this!
9.  Cadbury eggs.
10.  Ice cold milk.  Yum.

3 comments:

Jill said...

thanks ;)

Jill said...

I think my grandma had a recipe I made once for a sweet soda bread with currants. It was good - but different from the brown soda bread in Ireland. Can't wait to make this over the weekend!

Mom said...

Made the bread today!! Much better than any other soda bread I've tried! I like it with a little marmalade though.

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