Lent is a challenge for me. I don’t like fish, and you can have pizza just so many times! Of course there’s mac and cheese, and other meatless meals, but somehow I am not in to mood to make them!
Counting tonight 4 more weeks of meatless Fridays.
Thank goodness St. Patrick’s Day doesn’t fall on Friday, or all the observers of Lent would be crying in their GREEN beer because they couldn’t have their corned beef!
Speaking of green, if you missed Wed. nights 7th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Blog Crawl, you can see it here!
42 beautiful entries, tables and recipes, don’t miss it!
I’ll be up to my elbows in flour for Soda Bread this weekend.
Loaf style or round…
Spread with some Kerry Gold butter or jam, it is a favorite here.
Irish Soda Bread....Kathleen
4 C flour
1 t salt
4 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
3/4 C sugar
2 t caraway seed
1 C raisins
1 egg
1 t vanilla (optional)
2 C buttermilk
a splash or orange juice, don’t worry, it will be fine! 
1/4 stick of soft butter
Sift dry ingredients. Mix in the seeds and raisins. Add buttermilk, oj, vanilla and mix.
Add beaten eggs and soft butter, mix
Put into 2 greased loaf pans, or 1 10 in round. Slit the top with a knife.
Bake at 350 about 30 to 35 for loaf pans, 50 for round.
Brush with butter or milk 10 min before removing from oven.
Check center to see if done, do not over bake..
You can even make it in a Bundt pan!
Here’s my contribution for a meatless meal, very easy!
Pasta , Spinach Cheese and Tomato Bake
Cook your favorite pasta, I used bow ties.
Toss cooked pasta in a bit of olive oil, pepper and grated cheese.
Line the bottom of a greased pan/casserole dish with the al dente pasta.
Cook your fresh spinach. I just throw mine in a pan on low, salt, pepper and a dash of conf sugar. cover the pan, checking to make sure you are just steaming the spinach briefly.
Place that on top of the pasta, sprinkle with freshly grated cheese and some garlic powder, or fresh minced if you prefer.
Pour some half and half over the top.
Now a layer of mozzarella, then top with seasoned sliced tomatoes. Again, sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese and freshly grated pepper.
Bake till warmed through, and at the end broil for a few mins. till the cheese browns.
If you are not doing meatless some bacon crumbled on top is good too!
Serve with some warm crusty bread.
Thanks for stopping by!
I am joining ML West for Foodie Friday.
