Raisin Soda Bread - Daring Bakers Challenge, February 2012

For this month's Daring Bakers Challenge, Lis of La Mia Cucina, asked us to bake Quick Breads. I m still in a great mood for baking even after the BM, My Oven still hot and running baby!!!! I tried baking Raisin Soda Bread from Joy of Baking. We loved it!!!  Seeing the top of bread brown and rising was a sheer bliss!!! Lets hop on to the recipe!!!!

Ingredients

3/4 Cup All Purpose flour

3/4 Cup Whole Wheat flour

1.5 tablespoons granulated white sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1.5 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces

1/2 Cup raisins, I used sun-Maid California raisins (or any dark raisin)

3/4 Cup buttermilk (soured milk)

Method

• Preheat oven to 190C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. 
• Cut the cold butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture, with a pastry blender or best, your hands, until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. 
• Stir in the raisins. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add most of the buttermilk. Using your hands,mix (adding more buttermilk if necessary) until you have a soft moist dough.
• Transfer to a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough into a round. Place the round on your prepared baking sheet and then, with a sharp knife, cut a 1/4 inch deep "X" across the top of the bread.

• Bake for about 40 - 50 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. You can also test that is fully baked by tapping the bottom of the bread - it should sound hollow. Remove from oven. 
• The bread tasted heavenly with a blob of butter on top. Loved the Raisins in every bite. 

Announcing Serve It Series - Serve It - Stir-Fried

The "Serve It" event had been on a break for the past two months. Some personal things were keeping Denny and I busy since the start of new year.
Finally we got back on track for the event. The previous Serve It - Sweet Baked received 53 yummy entries. Our blogger-friends sure made it lovely with varieties of baked sweet goodness celebrating the holiday season. 
This month's theme is Serve It -

Brandom announces 2 Million Cabinet milestone reached

In more than 2 million homes across America… are they in your home?

Local manufacturer, Brandom Cabinets passes a manufacturing milestone by delivering its 2 millionth cabinet.

Hillsboro, TX:  From humble beginnings as a workshop where students from Southern Adventists University could learn about the fundamentals of woodworking while earning money for their tuition, Brandom Cabinets has turned into an example of thriving manufacturing right here in America.  Brandom continues their legacy of providing hardwood kitchen and bath cabinetry; proving that “American Made” can not only compete in a very competitive market, but lead the way.

                         V.P. of Manufacturing, Tim Bear (pictured lower right) with assembly line staff.

Brandom’s recent delivery of their 2 millionth cabinet may have gone unnoticed by the rest of the busy kitchen and bath industry, but not the company leadership and employees that it takes to build quality cabinetry.  Manufacturing locally in Hillsboro, TX and shipping both nationwide and regionally in Texas, Brandom values the relationships of their many customers; some of which have been buying from Brandom for decades.  “The strengths of the company are many.” says Steve Pyle, company President.  “Having buyers in the market that have been loyal to Brandom for so many years is just one powerful part of the core strengths that Brandom has.  Pride and ownership starts with our leadership and extends to each and every employee we have on our team.  It’s the men and women we employ that deliver the day in and day out quality in the products we offer to the market.  We look forward to another 2 million cabinets to be put into homes across America… all being made right here in America.”

Brandom Cabinets is a medium-sized cabinet manufacturer that utilizes hardwoods in making kitchen and bathroom cabinets; as well as bookcases, office furniture and other accessories.  More than 100 company - wide employees work together to deliver one of the best values in the cabinetry business.  Their extensive product selection, custom options, finish colors, and packaging/shipping options make Brandom an excellent partner for builders, designers, and Dealers alike.  Learn more about this American manufacturer by visiting their website at www.brandom.com.