A vacancy in my house has been filled

I couldn't even begin to fill you in on all the stuff that happened during my blog break in one post.

But I'd love to tell you a bit about what and who was keeping me busy during those many months.

I will say this, it was interesting having a whole family move into our house.
It was actually kinda nice for my husband to have his daughter back here in the US after over a twenty year absence.
Now I won't lie to ya. I am giddy to have my house back and Bill and I love our space.

And we also love that our gas bill isn't huge anymore!!

My stepdaughter Barbara really is a lovely person. I'd like to think we became pretty close over the year + she was here. I found her to be a loving and attentive mother and wife. And we enjoyed an easy relationship agreeing early on who should do what and when in the house and I think made things run smoothly. And boy can this woman iron.

Her husband, George was gone working most of the time but God bless the man although very high strung which the opposite of me, we did have the same taste buds. When I got into the kitchen picky kids be darned or happy with mac n cheese and chicken nuggets,. He and I would always agree on food, how much spice, how much garlic, love of citrus,  what cheeses are the best and the wine, we even liked the same wine. And who doesn't like a man who is wonderfully respectful to your mother, he called her Ya-ya.

The boys, Nickolas and Andrea's, well I don't have to tell you they were adorable and just crawled into a space into my heart and my heart just aches with missing them since they've been gone. The are ten and fourteen and were my very special cookie maker and watcher of Supernatural buddies respectively. sigh....

Shortly after they moved out an orphan kitten showed up at our door. My heart just sang because this sad little fellow was looking for a home, isn't it lucky for him we had a vacancy?!

My friends, meet Eightball.

from my kitchen- Irish Soda Bread

St Patty's Day had always been a special day for our family, if there isn't a party then we'll usually find one or go to the parade or a street festival. This year, Bill, Mom and I are going down to Charlotte to my cousin Jeanmarie and  her husband Hans house for a  party. 


Did you all know that I was actually supposed to be born on St Patty's Day, but I came early? 


Anyway,  when I spoke to my cousin last night we agreed that my contribution to the party would be the Irish Soda bread. You know how I love to bake, and I have such a good recipe anyway, why wouldn't I? Hans will be cooking the corned beef and cabbage, Irish beers will be flowing as this adult only party. 


I'd decided to share my recipe for Irish Soda bread with all of you so that you can have it in advance of the holiday. Try it, you'll like it very much it's the best I've ever tried. 


And if your looking for the recipe for Corned Beef and Cabbage, go visit my friend Liz over at A NUT IN A NUTSHELL, since apparently great minds think alike!
celtic symbol attribution

      Irish Soda Bread

INGREDIENTS:

4 c sifted flour
1 1/2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 c sugar
1 c raisins (or cranberries for a nice change)
2 tbsp melted butter
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1 tbsp caraway seeds

DIRECTIONS:

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  since this batter is rather moist. (it may be necessary to add more flour). Don't forget to put the cross on top with a knife..

 Bake at 350 degrees for 1.25 hours.

from my kitchen- shepard's pie

My brother Gerard and I have an on going feud about an extremely important issue...for us Irish people, how we like our potatoes! He likes them whipped, I like them mashed. Whipped are WAY to creamy for my taste, kinda pasty if you ask me. You just can't properly make one of those neat little gravy pools in whipped potatoes, so what's the point I ask?

Mashed potatoes on the other hand are firm, they taste like they are one of the vegetables on the plate not soup! They are in my opinion mountains of white goodness with gravy or even plain of course plain's good I like them plain.

Are you a mashed or a whipped person?  We disagree all the time about lots of things like meatballs, you can read about it HERE so don't worry it's all in good fun, let us know!

I have another reason for going on and on about potatoes . Actually today I have this super fantastic recipe for Shepard's Pie. If you're familiar with Shepard's Pie you know one of the primary ingredients is "mashed" potatoes. And if you're ever wondered what to do with your left over spuds this is a it!

We had this very meal last night for dinner and it is yummy!

SHEPARD'S PIE  

Ingredients

o    1 tablespoon olive oil

o    1 teaspoon black pepper

o    1 1/4 lb ground beef

o    1 large onions, finely diced

o    3 -4 large carrots, finely diced

o    1/2 cup frozen peas

o    3 -4 sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped

o    2 tablespoons flour

o    2 tablespoon butter

o    3/4 cup red wine

o    2 tablespoons tomato paste

o    2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

o    1 cup beef stock

o    1 large quantity mashed potatoes ( 4 cups or more, fresh or leftover)

o    1 eggs, beaten

 

Directions

1.    Pre-heat oven to 200C/400°F.

2.    Sauté carrots in the olive oil until starting to get tender.

3.    Add in the onions and sauté for a minute or two then add the meat.

4.    Season with black pepper and thyme.

5.    Cook until browned then drain fat. I poured the mixture in a colander. 

6.    Add the butter to pan, melt then put meat back and peas to the meat mixture.

7.    Sprinkle with flour and stir through.

8.    Add tomato paste, wine and Worcestershire sauce.

9.    Let this reduce slightly then add the beef stock. Allow to reduce down until you have thick meaty gravy. Season to your taste.

10.  Remove from heat. Grease an oven proof dish (9x13 or an oval baker) pour in meat mixture.

11.  Spoon or pipe the mashed potatoes over top  then brush with egg.

12. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the potato is nice and browned on top.

do you talk with a fork?

Some of the most important conversations my husband and I ever had with our children were at the dinner table. Like most families our children were active growing up and time was precious. After school there was homework, school activities, sports and social lives but when it was time for dinner if we were home we were at the table as a family. Back in the day there weren't the added distraction of electronic devices being used  like there are today. I couldn't imagine if my five kids were younger and we had to deal were cell phones ringing all through our dinner time meal and I-Pads wars, ugh!

Now the kids are grown and when they come home the table is still at the center of the house. But truthfully we're not picky, it doesn't even have to be my table, it can be a family members table or the table of our favorite restaurant as long as we're together. And you know what? We talk, we share our lives, we laugh or share our concerns, we drink a bit of wine and eat good food. And the most important thing...... we communicate in person - fork in hand...... no electronics necessary.


What about dinner time at you house? Calm or crazy; dinner table daily or only in your dreams?

Linking up with Bits of Bee today.