very {VERY} random blatherings..

OK so, here's how to determine if you are dog crazy:

1. You think every dog is a lap-dog.
     {uh, aren't they?}

2. You know every dog in your neighborhood on a first-name basis.
     { Hmmm..there's Clementine, Lola {the little black pug in the pink tutu who is Lulu's rival for Braxton's attention}  Big Bubba, and Thor..}

3. When your dog sits in the chair first - you find another place to sit.
      {yep..they were there first, right?}

4. You talk to your dog frequently...and always follow her advice.
      {Lulu's advice is usually more, uh, direct while Braxton's is a but more laid back}

Yep.  That would describe many of you I suppose..it does me and Mr. B for sure..

You know how I wanted to get a tattoo for my 60th?  Well..that didn't happen then..but this October I'll have the second anniversary of my 60-th, so I have decided {finally!} on what I want to get tattooed and where..

A blue-bird on my shoulder!  

You know, as in "Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay, My oh My What a Wonderful Day"..??

OK sing along with me...

{yes, I know he's not blue..use you imagination..}

Mister Bluebird's on my shoulder

It's the truth, it's actual

Ev'rything is satisfactual

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay

Wonderful feeling, wonderful day, yes sir!

Yessirreebob..that's what it will be.  Oh, I feel so much better now..

OK, enough about me..how's things in your little corner of the world?

Have a great rest of the month and remember, March 17th's just about here!  Get  out your Irish soda bread recipes...the following is from http://www.sodabread.us/Recipes/sodabreadrecipes.htm {except the photos of my materhal grandmothers..}

All recipes for traditional soda bread contain flour, baking soda, sour milk (buttermilk) and salt. That's it!!!


This was a daily bread that didn't keep long and had to be baked every few days. It was not a festive "cake" and did not contain whisky, candied fruit, caraway seeds, raisins (add raisins and it becomes "spotted dog" not to be confused with the pudding made with suet of the same name), or any other ingredient.

There are recipes for those types of cakes but they are not the traditional soda bread eaten by the Irish daily since the mid 19th century.

Here are a basic recipe. Note that measurements below are in American standards. (An Irish teaspoon is not the same as an American teaspoon measurement.)

Note for New Bakers: a fluid cup contains 8 ounces of liquid. A dry ingredient cup contains around 4 ounces by weight. Don't use a liquid measuring cup for dry ingredients. Tsp means Teaspoon.

{my Great-Grandmother..Bridget Rice - Keane}

Of course our great grandmothers just grabbed a handful of this and a pinch of that to make their bread. We modern bakers need help since we don't do it every day.

{my Grandmother - Kathleen Maude Keane-Sullivan}

4 cups (16 oz) of all purpose flour.


1 Teaspoon baking soda

1 Teaspoon salt

14 oz of buttermilk

Method:

Preheat the oven to 425 F. degrees. Lightly crease and flour a cake pan.

In a large bowl sieve and combine all the dry ingredients.

Add the buttermilk to form a sticky dough. Place on floured surface and lightly knead (too much allows the gas to escape)

Shape into a round flat shape in a round cake pan and cut a cross in the top of the dough.

Cover the pan with another pan and bake for 30 minutes (this simulates the bastible pot). Remove cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

The bottom of the bread will have a hollow sound when tapped so show it is done.

Cover the bread in a tea towel and lightly sprinkle water on the cloth to keep the bread moist.

Have fun!

-me