Recipes

KNR, p. 35 “Kerrian’s Irish Soda Bread”

 


Our travels in Ireland led us to quite a few B&Bs and at each and every one, they served soda bread with breakfast. We liked the versions with raisins, so when we returned to the USA, Sheila baked and I taste-tested until we agreed on this recipe. Most people have it only on St. Patrick’s Day, when they pretend to be Irish, but we enjoy it all year round. No yeast required.

Irish Soda Bread

Sheila Kerrian
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Bread
Cuisine Irish
Servings 6

Equipment

  • 1 Standing mixer with paddle

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups + 1 Tablespoon bread flour
  • 1/3 cup raisins
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 Tablespoon water

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, combine 4 cups flour, raisins, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes. 
  • In a stainless steel bowl, gently whisk the buttermilk and vegetable oil. Gradually add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients while mixing on low speed until the dough forms a ball, 30-40 seconds. Scrape the dough away from the paddle and turn the dough ball over. Mix on low speed for another 30 seconds.
  • Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Knead vigorously until smooth, about 2 minutes. Form the dough into round loaf. Pinch a small handful of dough & gently twist, careful not to tear the dough from the loaf. Place dough, pinched side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Whisk the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water, then lightly brush the mixture over the top of the loaf. Score the loaf by cutting a 1/4’’ deep ‘X’ into the top.
  • Bake the loaf in the preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes. The bread is done if a hollow sound is heard when the bottom is tapped with your finger.
  • Allow the bread to cool to room temperature before slicing.

 

Serve with butter or honey. Makes a very nice toast. Enjoy!

*Photo by Patti Phillips

 

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KNR, p. 305 “Quesadillas”

Professional sports seasons are several months long, what with pre-season, in-season, and playoff games to watch. If you have a favorite team, and whether your buddies agree or loudly disagree with your choice, weekends can involve lots of noisy gatherings. Whether parked in front of the TV or at a tailgate party, in our opinion it’s not possible to watch a game without great food.

When we’re in the mood for Mexican flavors, Quesadillas hit the spot. We keep the prep simple and pick up a cooked chicken at the store. The filling can be made ahead of time, then left in the fridge for a day until we’re ready to put the tortillas on the griddle or in a large frying pan.

This recipe is for two 10” quesadillas, with combined servings for 2-4 people.

Quesadillas

Sheila & Charlie Kerrian
Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican

Equipment

  • Large, flat bottom frying pan with lid
  • large bowl
  • Wide spatula

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
  • 1/2 cup Red Bell Pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup Green Bell Pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup Celery, diced
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic
  • 1 teaspoon Onion
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 2 cups Roast Chicken, shredded or diced
  • 1/4 cup Chilies
  • 1/2 cup Mayo
  • 4 extra large Flour Tortillas (10" burrito size)
  • 2 cups Shredded 4 Cheese Mix
  • 1 cup Black Beans, cooked

Instructions
 

  • Place vegetable oil in frying pan, on medium heat.
  • Add red bell pepper, green bell pepper, celery, garlic, onion, and sea salt and stir until well mixed.
  • Lower heat, cover and cook until celery translucent, about 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
  • Place diced/shredded chicken in large bowl, add cooked peppers, celery, chilies, and mayo and stir together.
  • Place one extra large tortilla in frying pan and turn heat to low medium.
  • Sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded cheese evenly over tortilla, leaving an inch all around the edge bare.
  • Divide chicken mix in half and place one half on top of cheese, spreading evenly, leaving an inch all around the edge bare.
  • Spread 1/2 cup black beans evenly on top of chicken mix.
  • Sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded cheese on top of black beans.
  • Place second tortilla on top.
  • Cover and let cook for about 3-4 minutes until bottom tortilla begins to brown and cheese begins to melt.
  • Using the wide spatula, carefully flip the entire quesadilla in order to brown the other side.
  • Cover again and continue to melt the cheese and brown the tortilla, another 3-4 minutes.
  • Uncover the quesadilla, slide onto a large plate and divide into four pieces.
  • Repeat the entire process to make the second quesadilla.
  • Serve with chips, salsa, guacamole, and whatever else you like to pair with your quesadillas.

Notes

The bottom tortilla may shrink while cooking, but so will the other tortilla when flipped. Cook each side the same amount of time and they will be the same size when done.
The photos show chicken as well as beef quesadillas.
Beef quesadilla ingredients: Eliminate the celery and the mayo from the chicken quesadilla list above and substitute a pound of browned ground beef for the roast chicken.
Beef quesadilla instructions: Exactly the same as the chicken quesadilla, minus the celery & mayo and using ground beef instead of the chicken.

Enjoy!

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KNR, p. 209 “The Kerrians’ Famous Guacamole”

 

2023 update: I posted this recipe before the Eagle’s 2018 SuperBowl win. Five years later, they’re back – in it to win it – and our cousin is rubbing it in. Again. Because our own teams didn’t come close. Again. The recipe still works, though, and we’ll have plenty on hand for the Big Game.


2018: This year’s SuperBowl brings with it a miracle in the family sports rivalry lore. Our favorite cousin’s team made it to the SuperBowl. The Eagles. The team that has been to the SuperBowl twice before, but not won. Sheila and I have to give lots of credit to a team that has come back from some fairly serious injuries to make it all the way to the Big Game. Neither of our teams made it, sad to say.

 

In honor of an Eagle season that has been hard fought, and because we love our cousin, we came up with a recipe for a snack that everybody loves – guacamole. Try it, and no matter which side you root for, enjoy the game!

 

Print
"The Kerrian's Great Guacamole"
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2 cups
 
Ingredients
  • 3 medium avocados - about one and half cups pulp
  • 1 medium tomato, diced, seeds removed – about 1/2 cup
  • 1/4 cup mild green chilies (Hatch)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
  1. Slice avocados in half, from one end to the other.
  2. Remove pits.
  3. Scoop out avocado pulp into medium sized bowl and roughly chop with fork into large chunks.
  4. Add diced tomato, green chilies, lime juice, and salt.
  5. Lightly toss together.

 

Serve with corn chips, taco chips, bagel chips, celery, or anything that scoops it up.

Enjoy!

 

*Update after the 2018 game: The Eagles won and our cousin is yelling a lot. I think he’s happy.  lolol


*2023: Fly Eagles, Fly!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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