I was recently asked by our local paper to be featured in its Grits and Grace  special that appears each week.  The columnist had heard that I have a love for all things Irish, especially authentic (or not so much) Irish foods.  Apparently, she was aware that I had previously cooked Irish dishes with my students at this time of the year following their study of  Nory Ryan’s Song by Patricia Reilly Giff.  For a variety of reasons, I had not included that in my plans this year.  So, I begged off and told her that I would commit to it next year so long as the focus of the piece was on the students, not the teacher:)  We’ll see.  I really miss getting to do those fun things with them.

I’m featuring some of those Irish dishes that my students have made on my menu plan for this week.  If I can do these with a classroom of seventh graders, anybody can make them! 

Monday:  Irish Potato Brown Bread (recipe follows), Irish Stew (posted Wednesday).

Tuesday:  Crockpot Corned Beef and Cabbage,  Chocolate Stout Cake

Wednesday:  HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY! Dance and Date Night (We haven’t learned the Irish Jig.  Sorry.  But my Assistant Principal and former teaching partner, Dian, can and has agreed to perform for my students.  Go Dian!)

Today’s student recipe: colcannon

Thursday:  Seared Salmon with Raisin and Caper Butter, Colcannon croquettes

Friday:  Travelling to see the Perfect Ones.  Friday’s recipe:  Chocolate Stout Cake

Saturday: Perfect Boy and Perfect Girl get to pick:)

Sunday: Travel Day

   While this is juvenile fiction, I encourage you to read it and the two that follow:  Maggie’s Door and Water Street.

Nory Ryan’s Song takes place during the Irish Potato Famine of the 1840s and tells of the villagers of Maiden Bay as they face the catastrophes of starvation and poverty during the potato blight.  It is also a story of a young girl’s courage and loyalty to her family and friends.  I cried the first time that I read it.  My students always seem to enjoy it, and several of them are already reading the sequels.

IRISH POTATO BROWN BREAD (Bread maker)

1 1/2 pound loaf

1 1/4 cups water
3 Tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
2 Tablespoons honey
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup bread flour
1/4 cup instant potato flakes
1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons gluten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

2 pound loaf

1 2/3 cups water
4 Tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
3 Tablespoons honey
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1/3 cup instant potato flakes
2 Tablespoons gluten
2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 1 Tablespoon bread machine yeast

Place all ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions.  Set crust on medium and program for the whole wheat cycle; press Start (do not use delay timer).

When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack.  Let cool to room temperature before slicing.

Note:  Whole grain dough should be sticky to the touch; do not add extra flour.

Recipe courtesy of: The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook (Hensperger)

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