During this stressful time of social distancing, self-imposed house arrest, and possible feelings of grief over the future, I want to remind everyone that there are some really easy and delicious recipes on this site. And if there was ever a time to spend some quality time in your kitchen, it’s now. And if there is any food combination that absolutely smacks of home and hearth it’s soup and bread.

I am not going to list all of the soups and bread/muffin/roll recipes that appear on my blog. All you have to do is search under “soup” or “bread” and all will be revealed. But I do want to encourage you to spend time in your kitchen. And if you have children, this is an absolutely perfect time to provide your kids with some rudimentary cooking skills.

However, I have enclosed one recipe for any of you who like me are currently unable to find yeast at your local grocery store or on-line. Luckily I still had a bit in my fridge, so on recommendation from my dear friend Vicki, I mixed up a sourdough starter which is currently residing in my fridge. (And yes the recipe for sourdough starter is already on this blog.) Now I am researching sourdough bread recipes that do not require additional yeast. Will keep you posted. Along with more bread recipes that don’t include yeast at all.

But back to todays’ recipe. I made this soda bread yesterday. It’s stinkin’ easy to prepare and really tasty. And even though you might not have the cheeses mentioned in the recipe on hand, you could use any cheese that can be grated. OK, maybe not Velveeta. But you would want to save your Velveeta for mac and cheese anyway! (Another kid pleaser!)

So build some soup for your family. And of course, some of this delicious and easy to prepare bread.  

And if you live on Camano Island or the Stanwood area and have a large family, I have a couple of pans of BAKED PUTTANESCA WITH BÉCHAMEL SAUCE in my freezer I am willing to give away. The casseroles are in disposable pans and big enough to serve 12 or so hungry people. They were prepared for a before concert meal in January. So no way could they be contaminated. And since we won’t be entertaining large groups of people in the near future, I really don’t want to see them go to waste. But please read the recipe on this site before you make a decision. The ingredients might not be right for your family. These are meatless casseroles, but believe me, they are really tasty. So first come, etc. etc. My email address is: apcarr08@wavemail.com. Peace, love, and good health to all.

PARMESAN AND BLACK PEPPER SODA BREAD  

• 2 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading (I use unbleached all-purpose flour)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to sprinkle
• ¾ c. grated Parmesan, Pecorino-Romano, or Asiago cheese
• 1 c. buttermilk or buttermilk substitute (see “how to” below)
• 3 T. melted butter, divided (I use unsalted butter)

 In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and pepper together. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter together. Add to flour mixture; mix just until combined. Sprinkle the top with a bit of additional flour, then carefully turn the dough so it is coated on all sides with flour. Then knead it a few times just to bring the dough together. Shape the dough into a 6-inch domed round. Place the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Using a serrated knife, score the top of the round into 8 pieces. The cuts should be quite deep. Brush the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Lightly sprinkle with just a grind or two of pepper.

Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 30-35 minutes or until nicely browned and the internal temperature reaches 210 degrees. (I use my instant-read thermometer to take the breads temperature.) Remove from oven and set aside to cool before cutting into wedges and serving.

Please note: If you are a rosemary lover, you could add 1-2 teaspoons of chopped fresh rosemary to the flour mixture. Yum!

BUTTERMILK SUBSTITUTION

To replace 1 cup of buttermilk, pour 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar in a 1 cup measurer. Pour enough milk (preferably whole milk) to reach the 1 cup mark. Stir and allow to sit for about 5 minutes.