This is the recipe for the Irish Soda Bread made famous at the Lowell Folk Festival in Lowell MA. Every year it is sold at the Irish food booth along with other Irish dishes. It's a little different from most and makes more of a cake like bread and uses sour cream as the acid, but it still goes perfectly with corned beef and cabbage on St Patricks Day. it also makes a wonderful bread to serve with tea, especially if it's warm. My family prefers to eat the bread warm with dinner or with tea, coffee or hot cocoa. It warms up well in a microwave. The recipe was printed in the Lowell Sun newspaper 10 years ago, coutesy of the creator of the recipe, Mary Noon. I've been making it since 1997, serve it with dinner, as a desert warm with butter and some Jam, and a friend's daughter has served it with ice cream on top. A very adaptable Irish Soda Bread, sweet, but not really sweet, very moist, not dry. How sweet it tastes seems to be how and what it is served with. MARY NOON'S IRISH SODA BREAD 2 1/2 cups sifted flour 2 teaspoons baking powder (not level) 1 teaspoon salt (not level) 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (not level) 1/4 cup margarine or shortening 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg beaten 1 pint sour cream 1/2 cup raisins caraway seeds if you like. original recipe does not call for them because her family doesn't like them, nor does mine. Preheat oven to 375. butter an 8 inch round cake pan or use cooking spray to coat. Sift flour, baking poweder, salt and baking soda together and set aside. Cream shortening or margarine and sugar. Add egg and sour cream and mix well. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Fold in raisins. dough will be very sticky. Put dough into 8 inch pan, make a cross in the dough and bake for 50 minutes. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake another 10 minutes. Let cool some in pan before removing. Serve warm or cold. My changes. I use mazola unsalted stick margarine instead of shortening and leave out the salt. I find it tastes better without any added salt. I always serve the bread warm, fresh out of the oven and cooled a bit before serving. wrap leftovers if any in aluminum foil and then slip into a ziploc bag to store. Reheat sliced in microwave on a plate with a cover vented just a little until it is as warm as you want it.

PASSOVER BROWNIES 8 oz. semisweet or bittersweet bar chocolate, chopped 1/2 C canola oil 1 C sugar 1/4 t salt 3 large eggs 3/4 C matzo cake meal Melt chocolate and oil together in medium saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool to room temp. By hand, use wooden spoon to stir sugar and salt into chocolate mixture until combined. Beat eggs until foamy, then add to chocolate mixture and stir until totally incorporated. Add cake meal and gently stir 2-3 minutes. Batter will be thick. Let rest for 5 minutes, to soften up cake meal. Line 8" baking pan with foil, grease foil. Stir batter briefly, then spread into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, do not overbake. Cool on wire rack in pan. Passover-friendly Chocolate Mousse Cake (JM Hirsch NYT 3-29-06) Serves 10 Nonstick cooking spray (I used a little margarine) 1 T ground almonds, plus more for the pan 10 ½ oz. dark chocolate (I used semi-sweet) 1 ¼ sticks unsalted butter (I used margarine) 1 ½ c sugar pinch of salt 5 large eggs confectioners sugar (optional, even when it isnt Pesach!) Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray or grease an 8- or 9-inch spring form pan, then dust it with ground almonds, shaking off any excess. [Dont worry if some of the almond "dust" gets on the top of the cake it looks really good that way.] In a double boiler set over barely simmering water, melt the chocolate, butter, sugar, and salt, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and 1 T ground almonds. Fold the egg mixture into the chocolate and stir until thickened, several minutes (I put it on a lowish speed on the mixer and left it there 10 minutes). Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake 45 minutes, or until the top is set and begins to crack. Remove the side of the pan and let the cake cool completely. Dust with confectioners sugar if desired. MATZOH BAKLAVA 6 sheets matzoh For syrup 2 cups sugar 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon rose water For assembly 1 cup walnuts, chopped 1 cup shelled raw unsalted natural pistachios, chopped 1 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted margarine or butter, melted Briefly pass each sheet of matzoh under cold running water until wet on all sides. Layer sheets between damp paper towels and let stand until somewhat pliable but not soggy or falling apart, about 2 hours. While matzoh is softening, make syrup In small saucepan over moderately high heat, stir together 1 cup water and sugar. Bring to boil, then lower heat to moderate and cook, uncovered, until syrupy and thick, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, honey, and rose water and simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool, then chill until ready to use. Assemble dessert Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir together walnuts, pistachios, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom. Separate out 1/6 of nut mixture and reserve for topping cooked baklava. Transfer 1 sheet matzoh to counter. Press rolling pin once over sheet from one end to other to flatten. Rotate 90 degrees and repeat. Transfer to 8-inch-square pan and brush with melted margarine. Sprinkle with 1/5 of unreserved nut mixture. Roll out second sheet of matzoh and transfer to pan. Brush with margarine and sprinkle with nut mixture. Repeat with remaining matzoh sheets and remaining nut mixture, ending with matzoh sheet brushed with margarine on top. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and immediately pour chilled syrup over. Sprinkle with reserved nut mixture. Let cool, then cover and let stand at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. (Do not chill.) Cut into small squares or diamonds and serve. Makes 8 to 10 servings. Epicurious March 2007 Chef Einat Admony (Adapted by Nancy Davidson) Restaurant Taim Double Citrus Sponge Cake This moist perfect for passover cake is subtly flavored with lemon and orange peel. The cake is especially light and fluffy because egg whites and yolks are beaten separately, then folded together. 1 cup unsalted matzoh meal 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar 9 large eggs, separated 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon peel 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel 1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar (optional) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In food processor or blender, grind matzoh meal with salt and 2 tablespoons sugar until very fine (consistency will resemble flour). In large bowl,, with mixer at high speed, beat egg yolks with 1/3 cup sugar until thick and lemon colored and mixture forms ribbons when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl. Beat in lemon and orange peels. Fold in matzoh meal mixture until well blended. Set yolk mixture aside (mixture will stiffen upon standing). Wash and dry beaters. In another large bowl, with clean beaters and with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually sprinkle in remaining 2/3 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, until sugar has dissolved and whites stand in stiff peaks when beaters are lifted. Do not overbeat. With rubber spatula, stire about 1/4 of beaten whites into yolk mixture to loosen. Fold in remaining whites, 1/3 at a time, just until blended. spoon batter into ungreased 10 inch tube pan with removable bottom. With metal spatula, cut though batter to break large air bubbles. Bake until top springs back when lightly touched with fingers, 40 minutes. Invert cake in pan on metal funnel or bottle; cool completely in pan. Run thin knife around cake to loosen from side and center tube of pan; lift tube to separate cake from Pan side. Invert cake onto cake plate, slide knife under cake to separate from bottom of pan. Remove cake from pan and if you like, sprinkle with confectioners sugar. Passover Banana Almond Torte (recipezaar) 12 servings 1¾ hours 40 min prep 7 large eggs, separated, at room temperature 1-1/3 cups sugar 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon fresh grated orange rind 4 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/3 cups) 1 cup matzo cake meal 1 cup coarsely grated blanched almonds 1 pinch salt 1. Set oven rack at middle of oven; preheat oven to 325 degrees F. 2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat egg yolks until thick and pale, add sugar gradually, beating. Beat until very thick. 3. Beat in lemon juice and rind. Add remaining ingredients (EXCEPT egg whites). Beat until combined well. 4. In a separate bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites until they just hold stiff peaks. 5. Stir 1 cup of the beaten egg whites into the banana mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites gently but thoroughly. 6. Pour into an ungreased 9 inch tube pan (3 ½ inches deep) with a removable bottom. Bake about 55 to 60 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. 7. Invert pan onto a bottle neck, let torte cool upside down. 8. Run a knife around edge of pan; remove side of pan. Run a knife under bottom of torte to release it. 9. Transfer carefully with two spatulas to a serving plate. Matzo Crêpes Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups whole milk 1 1/3 cups matzo meal 4 large eggs 1/4 cup vegetable oil plus additional for brushing skillet Blend milk, matzo meal, eggs, oil, and salt in a blender until smooth. Let batter stand 30 minutes. Stir batter before using. Lightly brush a 10-inch nonstick skillet with oil and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Holding skillet off heat, pour in 1/3 cup batter, immediately tilting and rotating skillet to coat bottom. (If batter sets before skillet is coated, reduce heat slightly for next crêpe.) Return skillet to heat and cook crêpe until top is set and edge and bottom are golden, about 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat and loosen edge of crêpe with a flexible heatproof spatula. Quickly invert skillet over a plate to release crêpe. Make 11 more crêpes in same manner, brushing skillet lightly with oil for each and stacking crêpes on plate as cooked.

When I first started cooking, I didn't know that baking soda and baking powder were two different things. I thought they were interchangeable terms. The one I always had on hand was baking powder, so that's what I used whenever I made a particular recipe for chocolate chip cookies that actually called for baking soda. Everyone loved my chocolate chip cookies. I didn't learn the error of my ways until years later. You may be fine. It probably depends a lot on the particular recipe. I'm also curious to know how they turn out.

KILLER CUPCAKES (makes 20-22) Cupcakes: 4 squares (4 oz) semisweet chocolate 1 tsp vanilla 2 sticks butter 4 eggs 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 cup flour Preheat oven to 350°. Line standard muffin tins w/paper cupcake liners. In the top part of a double boiler over simmering water, melt the chocolate w/the vanilla & butter. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until thick & add the sugar. Beat in the flour. Fold in the butter-chocolate mixture. Spoon into the prepared tins, filling the cups 2/3 full. Filling: 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup sugar 1 egg, beaten Dash of salt 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips Mix the cream cheese, sugar, egg & salt until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop a rounded teaspoon of filling onto the top of each cupcake. Bake 30 minutes.~~ San Francisco Encore MARLEN'S RASPBERRY LOVE MUFFINS 2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 heaping cup white chocolate chips 1 stick softened butter 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 Tablespoon finely grated orange zest 1/2 cup milk 2 cups fresh or unsweetened frozen raspberries Sift flour with baking powder and mix in the white chocolate chips; set aside. With an electric mixer, beat softened butter with sugar until light and fluffy, add vanilla and orange zest. Mix in dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with milk. Fold in raspberries. Do not overmix. Spoon into greased muffin tins and bake at 375 degrees F. for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from tins.~~ These are REALLY popular: MARLEN'S CHUBBY HUBBY COOKIES 2 cups butter or margarine, softened 1 cup sugar 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed 2 large eggs 2 Tablespoon vanilla extract 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda Pinch of salt 1 12 oz pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 12 oz pkg peanut butter chips 1 cup salted peanuts 2 cups crushed pretzels* Preheat oven to 350* degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Blend into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate and peanut butter chips, peanuts and pretzels. Drop by heaping tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. bake 10-13 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned and centers are still soft. Do not overbake. Cool one minute on cookie sheet. Cool completely on wire racks. Store tightly in covered container. Source: Bob Zotto, Bruker AXS Cookbook Note from Marlen: The pretzels should be about the size of the chocolate chips, not pulverized. You want to taste bits of pretzel as you munch. This is a crunchy cookie. I use a food processor and just pulse until the desired size is achieved.~~ TOFFEE BARS (3 dozen - freezes well) 2 cups flour 1 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 3 sticks butter (don't use margarine for this) 1 cup pecans, chopped One 6 oz pkg semisweet chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350°. Mix the flour & 1 cup of the brown sugar; cut in 1 stick of the butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Press into the bottom of a 13x9" ungreased baking pan. Sprinkle w/the pecans. Bring to a boil the remaining 2 sticks butter & 3/4 cu of brown sugar. Boil exactly 1 minute (after the mixture comes to a boil), stirring constantly. Pour over the pressed mixture & bake exactly 20 minutes. Let sit 1 minute; then sprinkle w/chocolate chips. When completely softened, spread the chocolate with a spatula. Chill thoroughly; return to oom temperature before cutting.~~Georgia on my Menu