It’s hard to believe that St. Patrick’s Day is next week already.  I look forward to St. Patty’s Day every year because one, it holds a very special memory for me and two, hello corned beef, cabbage and Irish soda bread.  Yeah, I’m looking forward to getting my eat on!

If you enjoy preparing your own dishes on St. Patrick’s Day, here is a great recipe for Irish Soda Bread.  If you’ve never had Irish Soda Bread, go….go to the store now, get the ingredients and get baking!

Ingredients

1/2 C white sugar
4 C all-purpose flour….divided
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3 C raisins
1 Tbsp caraway seeds (optional)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 C buttermilk
1 C sour cream

Directions

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
-Grease  a 9 inch round baking or cake pan.

-In a mixing bowl, combine flour (reserve 1 tablespoon), sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, raisins (optional) , and caraway seeds (optional)

-In a smaller bowl, blend eggs, buttermilk, and sour cream.
-Stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture just until flour is moistened.

-Knead dough in bowl about 10 to 12 strokes.
-Dough will be sticky.

-Place the dough in the prepared pan and pat down.
-Cut a 4 x 3/4 inch deep slit in the top of the bread.
-Dust with 1 Tbsp flour.

-Bake in preheated oven for 65 to 75 minutes.
-Let cool and turn bread out onto a wire rack.