Happy spring! Warm and pleasant greetings to all. We hope you are enjoying the beginning of spring.
We enjoyed days outside and being out and about. Seeing and greeting others with smiles of hope was a mutual pleasure. Blessings more on the weekend to enjoy a visit with my brother Charles and daughter Angela from Gallatin, Tennessee.
We did have the Irish Soda Bread for St. Patrick’s Day. The bread was delicious! This bread won’t fail if you follow the directions and baking instructions. It’s an easy and quick bread.
If you have never made Irish bread, it would be a good recipe to try. Young bakers would like this for a start with quick bread making. I also added raisins for flavor and texture. Do you soak raisins before baking? Soaking enhances the flavor of the raisins and baked product. The moisture in the batter stays just right. Soaking in water is the most common choice of liquid, but for extra flavor you can use other liquids as juices, even vinegar. Pour off liquid before mixing. Now, I allowed the raisins to soak overnight with just enough water to hydrate with liquid to pour off. Raisins need soaking for at least 30 minutes before adding into batter. I measured raisins before hydrating.
The AARP bimonthly magazines are always filled with interesting and informal topics. The latest edition, I immediately recognized one of the four chefs who gave their take on a fave comfort dish, sharing their version of a delicious classic, mac and cheese. Chef Jennifer Hill Booker, owner of Bauhaus Biergarten, Springdale, Ar-kansas, is the eldest daughter of neighbor, Ms. Lavern Hill Leigh, and the granddaughter of the late Ms. Bessie Scurlock. We have known Jennifer (and her two sisters) since she was a youngster, coming to Charleston to visit her grandmother every summer. The girls always stopped by to visit us.
Chef Jennifer is the newest contributor to the food and dining section of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper. Check her out on chefjenniferhillbooker.com.
We are so proud of all the accomplishments and contributions she makes during her business, travels and special events. She’s such a nice young woman and loved by her family, friends and business co-workers, too.
Easter greetings and blessings to all. We pray for a season of peace and hope at this time.
Our sincere thoughts and prayers for individuals and families who may be experiencing sorrow, ill health or other difficult challenges. Let us continue praying.
Enjoy life today.
