It's One Lucky Friday

Dear Readers.

This is your lucky weekend. Ever Ready has baked and cooked a few Irish-themed foods so you are ready for St. Patrick's Day.  

Bailey's Butterscotch Brownies

Recipe adapted from tastykitchen.com

Ingredients:
For the brownies

• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2/3 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules (I used espresso powder)
• 1/3 cup Baileys (or other similar brand) Irish Cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 oz. 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate bar chopped (I used 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate but a Semi-Sweet Chocolate bar would also work) in small pieces,
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 and line an 8×8 baking pan with aluminum foil and allow the foil to hang over 2 opposite edges. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
• In the bowl mix the eggs to break them up. Add in the sugar, coffee granules or espresso powder, Baileys, and vanilla. Beat for 6 minutes.
• Place the butter in a small saucepan, Add broken pieces of chocolate and melt on low, whisking a few times. Remove from heat and stir in the cocoa powder.
• Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, whisk the flour mixture in and gently mix. Fold in the butterscotch chips.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and bake brownies in the preheated oven for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool pan on a wire rack. Remove brownies from the foil when cooled. The top part will be a little crackly but all is good with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

Irish Salad 

Cook's Notes: 

This is an original creation as I was trying to replicate a salad with Irish colors of green and gold.  I made a honey poppy seed dressing for the salad. 

You can increase ingredients depending on how many servings you need. This salad served 4. Avocados brown quickly so make sure to slice right before serving.

Salad Ingredients: 

• 4 cups mixed greens
• 3 cuties (orange segments)
• 1 large avocado
• 1 medium-sized cucumber 
• Options include dried cranberries for color and seasoned croutons  

Honey Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

Cook's Notes: Always use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor.

 Ingredients

• Juice of 1 ½ lemons (about ⅓ cup )
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey (use maple syrup for vegan)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Directions:

• In a blender add the lemon juice, Dijon, honey, minced garlic, and sea salt. Blend on low and then slowly add in the oil. The dressing will turn creamy. Whisk in the poppy seeds.
• This dressing will keep well in your fridge for at least a week. Store it in a jar and shake before using.

Irish Soda Bread Muffins

Cook's Notes: These muffins are a fun twist on a beloved Irish staple. Instead of the classic round loaf, this sweeter version is baked in a muffin pan studded with Irish Whiskey soaked raisins and sprinkled with crunchy coarse sugar. 

The recipe is from cafesucrefarine.com and makes 12 muffins. 

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons butter (I use salted)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour You can also use 1½ cups of all-purpose flour combined with ¾ cup of whole wheat or white whole wheat flour.
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt (I use Morton)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1 cup raisins or currants
• 4 tablespoons Irish Whiskey
• Coarse sugar ( I used Wilton sparkling sugar found at Michael or Joann)  

Directions: 

• Measure out whiskey in a small cup and add raisins or currants. Soak for 15 minutes. Drain and discard any liquid.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. 
• In a microwave-safe bowl melt the butter on high power for 60b seconds. Add the buttermilk and stir well then add the egg and whisk in vanilla. 
• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and currants (or raisins).
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk mixture. It will seem like too much flour, at first. Keep mixing, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl just until all of the flour is incorporated. Don’t over-mix!
• Divide the dough among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle each with a scant ½ teaspoon of course sugar. Bake for 18  minutes until the muffins are nicely domed and light golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes then remove muffins from the pan to a cooling rack.
• Serve warm or at room temperature. Serve them plain, or with butter and/or jam.
  

And don't forget the Irish Stew

Recipe previously posted.

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2024/03/irish-stew.html

OH HAPPY DAY!