St. Patrick's Day (week!)

Not too much sewing going on the past week hopefully I am going to change that by working on this week's Civil war block today. I may also try to put together some Halloween blocks. And if I am feeling really energetic I will sew the binding on one quilt that is languishing in the "almost done" pile!

(My grandfather's family from County Kerry. At this time, according the the Boston Globe, they were the largest Voting family in Boston. Women didn't yet have the vote...)

I also need to make some Irish bread for my Dh to bring to work tomorrow. My family has two Irish bread recipes. I posted the recipe of the one I use most often here on my blog last year at St. Patrick's Day. It is a large round bread with lots of caraway seeds and raisins. The second one, posted below, is sweeter. It also has raisin but no caraway seeds. This recipe came from Ellen Delaney, neighbors of my Mom's family in Dorchester. I am giving it to you the way it was given to me..."butter the size of an egg."

E. Delaney's Irish Bread
3 cups flour
4 Tablespoons baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
milk, as needed
butter the size of an egg (about 1/4 cup)
3/4 cup raisins
2 eggs, well beaten

glaze/frosting:
3 Tablespoons of powdered sugar
1-2 teaspoons water

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Break in butter with fingers. Add eggs. Add enough milk to make a stiff dough. Add raisins. Mix/knead well. Form ball and place in a well greased 8-inch skillet or heavy cake pan. Cut an x into the dough about 1/4 inch deep.

Bake at 360 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, take the break out of the pan and place on a cooling rack. Cover with a damp towel and let cool. Frost with the sugar and water glaze/frosting.