Flashback and Foodie Friday ~ St. Patrick's Day Style

With St. Patrick's day around the corner and Michael Lee at Designs by Gollum hosting a little pre-St. Patty's day blog party, it only seems fitting that we should flashback to last year, when some internet buddies of mine had a little virtual Irish celebration. I remember having a hard time pulling together green items (of which there were few) to set my table. It was kind of a hodge podge..maybe Irish cottage? :-)



In my search around the house for green things, I "discovered" this cute little milk pitcher that belonged to my husband's Granny.



On the menu was corned beef, colcannon and Irish soda bread


A nice brew in a pilfered Bennigan's glass. Hey what can I say? It was my brother that did it..he's into cheap gifts....Larry are you out there?


And shamrock decorated cupcakes for dessert



Here's a recipe for the Irish Soda Bread muffins. I found it on Recipe Girl's blog, but she quotes her source as Mostly Muffins. These were tasty and moist.

IRISH SODA BREAD MUFFINS

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbs granulated sugar
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¼ cup butter
1 cup buttermilk (lowfat is fine)
1 large egg, beaten
¾ cup currants
½ tsp caraway seeds (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease small muffin tins or large muffin tins.

2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With pastry cutter or two knives used scissors fashion, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, stir together buttermilk and egg until blended. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Stir in currants and caraway seeds (if using).

3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake 20 to 25 minutes (longer for the larger muffins), or until cake tester inserted in center of one muffin comes out clean.

4. Remove muffin tin or tins to wire rack. Cool 5 minutes before removing muffins from cups; finish cooling on rack. Serve warm or cool completely and store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature.

Yield: 12 regular- sized muffins or 5 large
Recipe Source: Mostly Muffins

Of course I have to throw in a little garden flashback!