Irish Soda Bread

I love St. Patrick’s Day! I love that people wear green. I love that I am Irish so I can wear one of those “Kiss Me I’m Irish” t-shirts and it’s true (I’ve actually never worn one of those shirts though). I love whiskey (really only Fireball, something Stephanie and I both like). But perhaps most importantly, I love St. Patrick’s Day because I love corned beef. Seriously, I look forward to every March 17 because I know that for dinner I will be having corned beef and cabbage with carrots and red potatoes. Yes, I even like the cabbage.

I didn’t always like corned beef. In fact, growing up, I hated it. It was until my mom made it in high school by boiling it first and then broiling it in the oven with a brown sugar/mustard glaze. Oh my gosh, so good!

Last year I was in LA and away from family but I still made a corned beef meal for some friends and even tried making homemade Irish Soda Bread. I remember it being a smidge bland and super dense… but incredibly delicious the next morning toasted with strawberry jam. I decided to make it again this year and I am so glad I did. It was so tasty and by far, the easiest thing I have ever made!

I found this traditional Irish Soda Bread recipe in a Fine Cooking magazine from the airport. (Whenever I fly, I always like to buy either a new book or a cooking magazine. Sometimes I splurge and buy both!) What I liked most about this recipe is that it only has 4 ingredients, takes less than an hour from start to finish, and has no raisins or nuts or anything! I can’t stand bread, or any baked good for that reason, with raisins. This bread is an “I will definitely be making this again and soon” kind of bread. It’s seriously that good! Happy St. Patrick’s Day -Kelly