St. Patty's Day

I guess I am feeling like sharing again, and the boys aren't up yet so I might get to finish a whole post in one sitting...ready, set, go!

One of my favorite traditions every year is celebrating St. Patty's Day. It is something that we did with MomMom (Dad's mom who is with Jesus now) and now we are sure not to miss it when March comes around. MomMom's maiden name was Kelly - how much Irisher (I know - not a word) do you get? So Jenn and I are like at least 25% or something like that. We don't always get to celebrate on actual St. Patty's Day because of the scheduling of a lot of people, so this year we ate our traditional meal (corned beef, cabbage, veggies, and soda bread) on Thursday night, the 18th. Yummy as usual...thanks Mom! But just another reason to be with family is the reason that love this holiday - that and it reminds me of MomMom, who I think about at least once every day. Jenn and I called her "sunshine" and that's exactly who she was - even on the cloudiest of days! We miss you MomMom.
So I made the soda bread and I wanted to share the recipe, because this is the one that I am going to keep using. It's not beautiful when it's done, in fact it should be called Irish Homely Bread, but there wasn't any left when the meal was over and it was a big honkin' loaf!

1/2 cup currants (I used raisins)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp fine salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Lightly butter a baking sheet. Put the currants/raisins and cover with hot water. Soak for 15 minutes and drain.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cake flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter and, using your hands, work it into the flour mixture, until it is about the size of small peas. Stir in the currants/raisins.
Add the buttermilk and stir with a spatula, just until the flour is moistened and comes together in a shaggy dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead lightly until just smooth, about 1 minute. Form the dough into a ball and place on the center of the prepard baking sheet.
Using a sharp knife cut a 1/4-inch-deep "X" into the top of the dough to let the fairies out (I know it's weird, but that's what the recipe says! I guess the irish were pretty supersticious). Bake until well browned and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped lightly with your knuckles, about 1 hour.
Transfer the bread to a rack and let cool completely before serving.

(I didn't have enough time to let it cool or cook all the way for that matter. I took it out about 10 minutes before the timer went off and it was a little doughy on the inside. It was also warm when we ate it and we all thought it was better doughy and warm. So that's the way I'm gonna make it from now on!)