Tag: Comfort Food

Irish Bread Recipe – Blog post

Everyone needs a great Irish Bread Recipe and this is a GREAT one. Bread can be an intimidating thing to make but Irish Bread is an easy place to start. No yeast or rising to deal with. My family asks for this Irish Bread Recipe all year round and it is wonderful for breakfast and after school snacks… anytime of the day. Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day so this recipe is a tasty way to celebrate the holiday and your new found Irish identity.

“May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, may good luck pursue each morning and night”

-Unknown

I have tried many Irish Bread recipes over the years. I will say my favorite Irish Bread is from our local pub, The Chieftain Pub in Plainville, MA. At dinner service you get a basket of bread when you sit down, it is heavenly. I have tried to get them to teach it to me, but in true Irish fashion, there is no recipe. Just a little bit of this and a little bit of that. My grandmother’s recipe, which was also fantastic has been lost with time which makes me sad. But I am happy with the one that I have come up with. This recipe is a mix of many other recipes I have tried over the years. I would say there are two tips for this recipe, one is soaking the raisins in hot water to plump them up. It is a game changer and two is sprinkling sugar on the top to get that sweet crunchy topping.

If you are interested in more foodie content, please check out the Recipes page of my blog Sunday Chefs for more tried and true family recipes and restaurant reviews.

Irish Bread Recipe

Everyone needs a good Irish Bread Recipe
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Equipment Method

Equipment

  • 4 1/2 cups White Flour
  • 1 1/4 cups Sugar
  • 1 tsp. Baking Soda
  • 2 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
  • 1/2 cup Softened Butter
  • 1 Large Egg Room temperature
  • 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
  • 2 cups Buttermilk
  • 2 or 3 cups Raisins

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. This makes two Irish Breads for me and I use 9 inch glass plates.
  3. Spray the pie plates with cooking spray or coat with butter.
  4. Combine all the dry ingredients and sift or whisk them until combined well.
  5. While you are preparing all this. Soak the raisins in very hot water for about 10 minutes. This plumps them up.
  6. Drain them and coat in white sugar or flour so they don't sink to the bottom of the bread.
  7. I have found that using your hands to mix this works the best. It is messy but it works.
  8. Add the butter and combine well.
  9. Add the raisins and combine well, make sure all the raisins are separated and coated well in the flour mixture.
  10. Add all the wet ingredients (heavy cream, buttermilk, and the egg and stir until well incorporated.
  11. Pour the mixture into the pie plates and cut a cross in the top (tradition) and sprinkle the top with sugar for a sweet crunchy top.
  12. Bake for at least an hour until a knife or toothpick comes out clean.
How to Make the Best Chicken Wings: Tips and Tricks

Showstopper Chicken Wings

Having showstopper chicken wings is a statement that makes you a favorite at the cookout. This chicken wings recipe is not difficult but does has some steps. Cooking low and slow can take all day, but it is worth it. This recipe is easily adaptable, so you can take this basic recipe and make it your own.

Nothing brings people together like good food.

-Unknown

I remember the first time I tried to make chicken wings I was so nervous. Chicken wings were not something that I would normally eat, so making them was very intimidating. My husband however, loves chicken wings and I love to cook so I thought I would give it a shot. It took numerous tries to get them right, but my family is always thrilled when I decide to make them. These showstopper chicken wings have become a tradition in our house for Superbowl Sunday. We make Jambalaya, Showstopper Chicken Wings and The Easiest Homemade Barbecue Sauce. We are very superstitious about our football, so these three things are always on the menu for the Superbowl.

The barbecue sauce comes together very quickly, but I suggest when you do make it, double the recipe and freeze some for later. Another great thing about this recipe is that it is very allergy friendly. In this house, we just love a recipe that is peanut free, tree nut free and gluten free! I find chicken wings hard to find. They have become very expensive and come in small packages, so you end up buy quite a few packages. My new go to is buying large packages of them at Costco. I just stick them in freezer and with the frozen barbecue sauce I can whip these up any time.

If you are interested in more, check out the Recipes page of my blog Sunday Chefs.

A showstopper chicken wing recipe makes you the favorite at the party.

Showstopper Chicken Wings

A showstopper chicken wing is a statement that makes you the favorite person at the party.
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Course: Appetizer, dinner, lunch, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 lbs Chicken Wings chicken legs, wingettes, or chicken wings
  • Adobo Seasoning
  • Red Wine Vinegar
  • Barbecue Sauce

Method
 

  1. Add chicken wings to a large pot of water.
  2. Add at least 1 cup of red wine vinegar.
  3. Bring to a boil until a bubbly film forms on the top of the water.
  4. Be careful not to cook too long. You just want to get partially cook them.
  5. Put partially cooked chicken wings on a cooking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray and with a rack or parchment paper.
  6. Generously season the wings on both sides with Adobo seasoning or a combination of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika.
  7. Cook low and slow (250°) for at least two hours.
  8. At this point, I usually add my homemade barbecue sauce and continue cooking in the oven or air-fry them for a few minutes.

Notes

This recipe is measured by feeling more than exact amounts. It is a general framework that can be easily adapted. Any sauce would work well, but my homemade barbecue sauce is our personal favorite. My homemade barbecue sauce recipe is located in the recipe section of http://www.sundaychefs.com 
Everyone needs a great Pasta Bolognese Recipe in the arsenal and this is the one! It's easy and the whole family will love it.

Bolognese Sauce Recipe – A Great Sunday Dinner

This Bolognese Sauce Recipe is perfect for Sunday dinner. Everyone needs a great Bolognese Recipe in their rotation and this one cannot be beat. I was craving a great Sunday Dinner, so I called my brother-in-law Ron for this recipe and he graciously shared it. It was actually my late father’s recipe, which I did not know. It does not get any better than that. I love nothing more than to make the recipes of the people I love. Food is love and memories and this checked all those boxes. My dad was a great cook and so is my brother-in-law, so this was a great Sunday Dinner.

When I started this recipe today, I could not find ground pork anywhere in the stores. I decided to use pork chops because I knew I could cook it low and slow to the point where the pork chops would shred. Great idea! This will be my new go-to method.

As you can see by my switching out the ground pork for pork chops, Bolognese Sauce is a very adaptable recipe. We leave out the carrots, because we have food allergies and use gluten free pasta for those of us who are gluten free. My new favorite gluten free pasta is Rummo. It is hard to find in stores, but worth it if you can find it. Red wine or white wine is fine. I prefer the red wine, but I have used the white and it was still fabulous.

I have started this recipe in a pot and transferred to a crock pot to finish cooking, but I am a big fan of the dutch oven cooking all day in the oven. Both ways are fabulous and all depend on how much time you have. Check out my other pages here on my Recipes page of my blog Sunday Chefs.

Sundays are for sauce and a great Bolognese Sauce cannot be beat.

-Lisa Leahy

Lisa Leahy

Bolognese Sauce – A Great Sunday Dinner

Sundays are for Sauce and a great Bolognese Sauce cannot be beat.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: dinner, lunch
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup Olive Oil
  • 1 lb. Meat (version of pork and beef) I use 1/2 80/20 Ground Beef and 1/2 lb. of ground pork or pork chops.
  • 4 Garlic Cloves Minced
  • 1 small Onion Chopped
  • 1 Carrot (Optional) – diced We leave this out as we have food allergies and it is still wonderful.
  • 1 Tbsp. Dried Basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil, lightly packed.
  • 1 Tbsp. Dried Oregano
  • 2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1/4 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
  • 1 small can Tomato Paste
  • 1 1/4 cup Red or White Wine I prefer the red wine but have used the white and it is very good with version also.
  • 1 28 oz. can San Marzano tomatoes or Ground Peeled Tomatoes I prefer San Marzano but I use whatever I have on hand.
  • 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
  • 1 lb. Pasta I prefer substantial pasta like Pappardelle or Rigatoni.
  • 1/2 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan

Method
 

  1. Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy skillet or pot (I prefer my Dutch Oven for this) over medium – high heat.
  2. If using pork chops brown them and put them aside. Add the ground beef (and ground pork if that is your version). Cook until the meat is no longer pink (about 6 minutes), breaking it up as you go.
  3. I prefer to drain some of the fat off if there is a lot.
  4. Stir in the onion and sauté for a few minutes until soft and then add the garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and the dried basil if that is what you are using.
  5. Add the tomato paste and stir until well combined. Add the wine and cook for a few minutes more.
  6. Add the large can of tomatoes, about 1/2 tbsp. of salt and a tsp. of black pepper.
  7. If I am using pork chops instead of ground pork, this is where I would add them back in. Cutting them into smaller pieces before I do.
  8. If using the all-ground meat version, I would bring to a boil and then lower the temperature, and simmer for ten minutes.
  9. If using the version with the pork chops, I would bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. This version I cook for a long time, a few hours until the pork breaks down and is easily shredded. It takes a long time but is worth it.
  10. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to directions.
  11. While the pasta cooks, add the cream, nutmeg, remaining wine and simmer for another 8-10 minutes.
  12. For a nice presentation, combine sauce with pasta and parmesan cheese and toss well in a large serving bowl. Add some parsley or fresh basil for a pretty presentation.

Beef Cubes in Sherry – Comfort Food Meal

Do you enjoy comfort food? Looking for a warm, comforting meal on a cold, rainy day? Then this Beef Cubes in Sherry over egg noodles recipe is the perfect choice. I was not a big meat eater back then (still not so much) but that gravy over the egg noodles alone is amazing. Putting it in the crock pot makes this meal even more appealing. It has been cooking all day and it is cold, rainy, and thundering out and this stew-like meal is going to be perfect.

 The stove is the shrine where I convene with my ancestors

-Unknown

With the price of groceries lately, this is a very economical meal. The stew beef has been very expensive lately, so I bought a London Broil steak that was on sale and it worked wonderfully. You need to be flexible these days. You can also use the store-bought Cooking Sherry instead of the original alcoholic version and it will still be wonderful. Leftovers the next day are just as excellent. With cold weather coming, comfort food is on the menu everyday if I have anything to say about it.

This was one of my late mother’s favorite meals to make and she made this all the time when I was a child. I’ve been thinking about her today, so off to the store I went. Because if you know me, you know that food is memories for me. I get emotional eating a meal that someone I love has made for me. I will leave these recipes here for my daughters and hopefully, they will make them someday for the people they love and think of me and those that came before me. 

This recipe would be great over rice or mashed potatoes. It can also be made gluten free, if you buy the gluten free option of the soup. The key is to cook it low and slow for a long time. So the crock pot is perfect for this, but a Dutch oven would work also.

If you are interested in more, check out the Recipes page of my blog Sunday Chefs.

Do you enjoy comfort food? Looking for a warm, comforting meal on a cold, rainy day? Then this Beef Cubes in Sherry over egg noodles recipe is the perfect choice.

Beef Cubes in Sherry

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, British, spanish
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp. Shortening I suppose butter, avocado oil or canola oil would work fine also.
  • 2 lbs. Stew Beef Cubed
  • 1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
  • 1 cup Sherry Wine Cooking version (non-alcoholic) will work here also.
  • 1 15oz can Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
  • 8 oz. Package of white mushrooms sliced
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
  • 1 lb. Bag of Egg Noodles Prepared

Method
 

  1. Heat shortening in a heavy pot or frying pan if you are using a crock pot.
  2. Brown the beef cubes on all sides.
  3. This is where you can transfer to the crock pot or leave in the heavy pot.
  4. Add remaining ingredients in order given and stir well. Cover pot and simmer mixture for at least an hour.
  5. Alternative: Add to crockpot and heat on low for 4-6 hours.
  6. Serve over egg noodles.

Spaghetti & Meatballs with Sausages

I do not claim to be Italian but this Irish/Scottish Mom makes a pretty good Sunday Gravy or Sauce, however you would like to call it. It will never be as good as my childhood neighbor, Mrs. DiScipio’s Gravy. Anything she made was amazing. Once a year she would make a homemade tomato sauce from tomatoes from her garden. On Friday nights she would make pizza with that sauce. I dream about that pizza. But the whole point of this blog is to share our family recipes with my children. Because food is love.

It has taken many years but I have finally figured out the meatballs. Adding the pork mixture from the sausages to the ground beef mixture was a game changer. Whenever I made the meatballs before, you never knew how they would come out.

My kids love this recipe and it is a good staple recipe for a great Sunday Dinner.

The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.

-Julia Child

Spaghetti & Meatlballs with Sausages

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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 4 hours
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 lbs. 80/20 Ground Beef Can add pork or veal too
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup Bread crumbs homemade, italian style or even Gluten Free
  • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese or romano Or any combination of the two
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp. Chopped parsley
  • 1 15 oz Can of Tomato Paste
  • 3 Cans of warm water
  • 2-3 32 oz Ground Peeled Tomatoes I use Pastene
  • 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 3 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup Wine I use white, but red is great too
  • 1 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 tbsp dried basil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1.2 tbsp dried parsley
  • Salt & Pepper to Taste
  • 1 tbsp sugar

Method
 

Meatballs
  1. In a large bowl, break up the ground beef.
  2. Take one or two of the sausages that you are planning to put in to the sauce and slice the casing off. Break apart the sausage meat and add it to the ground beef mixture.
  3. Add the eggs, bread crumbs, cheese and parsley. Gently mix. DO NOT OVERMIX.
  4. I use a cookie scoop so all the meatballs are the same size, but you don't have to.
  5. Get a bowl of warm water to keep your hands and the scoop wet. Gently form the balls and put on a greased cookie sheet with a rack.
  6. Poke holes in the remaining sausage and add them to the rack also. Cook in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes, flipping after 20 minutes.
  7. ALTERNATIVE: My mother just put the meatballs and sausage directly into the sauce to cook there completely. They were always very good. It will just take longer too cook. I have also cooked the meatballs and sausages in a cast iron skillet, this works well too.
Tomato Sauce
  1. In a large, heavy pot, over medium heat, saute' the garlic in the olive oil.
  2. When the garlic becomes translucent add the wine and red pepper flakes. Cook for a few minutes.
  3. Add the tomato paste and three cans of warm water. I like to use a whisk here as it helps to mix the paste. When the mixture is smooth, bring to a boil, add the bay leaf and the cans of Ground Peeled Tomatoes. Add the rest of the spices and sugar. Bring to a boil and then reduce mixture to a simmer.
  4. When the meatballs and sausages are done, add them to the sauce and simmer for at least two hours.
  5. This is always better the next day.
  6. Serve with your favorite crusty bread and a salad.

Notes

Allergy Information:  Nut Free, Tree Nut Free. This recipe is easily adaptable to suit your allergy needs. I use Gluten Free breadcrumbs. You could leave the cheese out of the meatball mixture.