Yes, April is well upon us and I haven't posted the new Recipe of the Month (ROM) yet! I'm quickly reposting the March recipe and then saving it with the ROM tag, so you can always find it if you want (and really, you should want it - it's fab!) April's Asparagus will be next!

Yes, April is well upon us and I haven't posted the new Recipe of the Month (ROM) yet! I'm quickly reposting the March recipe and then saving it with the ROM tag, so you can always find it if you want (and really, you should want it - it's fab!) April's Asparagus will be next!

Aunty Val's Irish Soda Bread

Aunty O'Valerie. (Not exactly as pictured)

This bread is a breeze to make and is an absolute must-have with homemade soups and stews. I recently served it warm from the oven alongside vegetarian chili to my visiting nieces and it was a hit. The girls eagerly tore into it - (girls after my own heart *sigh*) - and wisely preferred it to a store bought olive bread also on offer (no surprise to me. Ahem.).

This is one of my dear Aunty O'Valerie's stand-by recipes and has become one of mine, too -  as have so many of her recipes. I offer it to you just in time for St. Patrick's Day!

2 c whole wheat flour


2 c white flour


1 tsp baking soda


1/2 tsp salt


2 c buttermilk


1 egg


1-2 Tbsp sugar


1/4 c oil (canola)

Sift dry ingredients together. Mix in wet. Shape dough into an oval on a greased baking sheet (the dough will be sticky so use flour on your hands). Slightly score the top. Bake at 300 degrees F for 1 hour in the middle of the oven.

This recipe can be successfully doubled - just be sure to use two baking sheets. 

Soda Bread (pretty much as pictured)

Recipe of the Month - February

This was the February Recipe of the Month which I will leave posted here for  a couple of days, and then it can be found under ROM in the tag cloud. In March, we'll celebrate bread...oh, yes!

Contented in the kitchen.

BROWN SUGAR AND YOGURT PANNA COTTA

This is one of my company faves. Easy to make and it has to be made early in order to set, so dessert is out of the way even before you start on any other dinner party details, and it never fails!

As Karen Barnaby says, who published this recipe in the Vancouver Sun, it doesn't require a lot of precise mixing, measuring or icing. I use almost any kind of fresh berry to garnish this with - and peaches are awesome, too - and I always drizzle a little balsamic reduction over the fresh fruit. It is light, creamy and a perfect ending to any dinner. And, yes, since you asked - I have been known to have it leftover for breakfast!

4 tablespoons (60 mL) water

21/2 teaspoons (12 mL) gelatin

11/2 cups (375 mL) whipping cream

1/2 cup (125 mL) brown sugar

11/2 cups (375 mL) plain yogurt

1 teaspoon (5 mL) pure vanilla extract

1 pint (500 mL) fresh sliced strawberries or other fruit for garnishing

Place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Let stand until softened.

Combine the cream and brown sugar in a large pot to prevent boiling over pot. Bring to a boil, add the gelatin and remove from the heat. Stir until the gelatin dissolves. Place the yogurt and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk in the cream mixture.

Pour evenly into 6, 4 to 5 ounce ramekins, dessert dishes or wine glasses. Place in the fridge and chill until set, approximately 4 hours. To serve if using the ramekins, place the ramekins in hot water for 30 seconds. Run a very thin knife around the inside of each and place a plate over the top. Turn upside down and vigorously shake the ramekin while holding the plate securely. The panna cotta will fall out on to the plate. (I rarely do this, I usually just serve it in the ramekin, fruit and balsamic on top, with a nice shiny spoon!) If you're using a wine glass or dessert dishes you don't have to remove the panna cotta. Garnish with the fruit.

Makes 6 servings

No pictures of this one, so you'll just have to imagine it, but imagine it DELICIOUS.

(PS - I think it looks like Mother and Jane are making panna cotta in the illustration. Bake, Jane, bake.)

Favourite Re-runs: Caramel Pecan Tart

This is a recipe I published some time ago, when I started my Recipes page. Today, messing around with my blog, I realized that the Recipe page is static - I don't now how to add additional recipes to it, so I am changing it into a Recipe of the Month (ROM) page and I will transfer the 'old' ROM to the main post when I change them up. That way, you won't miss one delicious morsel.

Caramel Pecan Tart

from Chez Piggy

Crust:

1/3c + 2T unsalted butter

1-1/4c flour

5T sugar

2 egg yolks

Filling:

2/3c packed brown sugar

1/4c unsalted butter

1/4c golden corn syrup

2c coarsely chopped toasted pecans

3T whipping cream

Preheat oven to 375 F. Crust: Line the bottom of a 9-inch tart pan with parchment paper (cut to fit). Cut butter into flour and sugar until it forms pea-sized chunks. Add egg yolks and mix until pastry just begins to cling together. Press into the bottom and sides of the tart pan, to 1/4 inch thickness. Prick crust all over with fork and bake for 12 minutes. Cool.

Filling: Combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat, stir in pecans and cream. Lightly press into cooled crust. Bake at 375 F for 12 minutes. Let cool. Serve in thin wedges (It is really rich, *swoon*).

I love to serve this topped with a dollop of whipped cream flavoured with almond extract. Mmmmmm.