Why you want to marry an Irish girl

Because we sing like angels, our eyes smile and…we make kick-ass Irish Soda Bread.

I got this recipe, btw, from my Italian mother in law!

Maria Lucia’s Irish Soda Bread

4 c sifted flour
1 1/2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 c sugar
1 c raisins
2 tblspns melted butter
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients. Mix butter, eggs and buttermilk. Stir into dry ingredients. Use a 2 qt pan (like a pyrex) because it works the best. Back at 350 degrees for 1.25 hours.

Another reason reason to marry an Irish girl: if the bananas go bad, we make banana bread!

My own recipe. Heh.

Anchoress’ Banana Tea Loaf

1 3/4 c sifted flour
2 3/4 tspns baking powder
1/2 tspn salt
1/3 c shortening
2/3 c sugar
2 eggs (or, 1 egg and 4 oz of apple sauce)
4 overripe bananas, mashed
1/2 c chopped black walnuts
1/4 c sugar and 2 tblspns cinnamon, combined.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Beat in shortening. Add sugar and eggs and mix by hand for about fifty turns. Blend in bananas. Add flour mixing until just blended. Turn into greased loaf pan. Sprinkle sugar/cinammon mixture all over the top and pat down a little bit with the back of a spoon. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.