Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:
4 to 4 + 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 Tbsp. butter
1 large egg, beaten
1 + 3/4 cups buttermilk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Using your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles course meal. Make a well into the dough, add egg and buttermilk and mix with a wooden spoon until it is too tough to stir. Flour your hands and knead the dough just until it sticks together as a rough ball (a little like shortcake dough). If the dough is too wet to do this, add a little more flour.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and continue to knead just until the flour is moistened. Shaggy is good, the more you knead the dough, the tougher the bread will be. Shape into a round loaf and score and X through the top (just up to the edges). Place loaf on a lightly greased baking sheet or cast-iron skillet and bake at 425 degrees for 35-45 minutes.  The loaf will sound hollow when it is done. Cool slightly a bit on the baking sheet and serve warm with butter and honey.

Difficulty: medium
Time to Make: about an hour (including baking time)
Recipe Origin: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/irish_soda_bread/

Applesauce Muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 + 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla, and applesauce and mix well. Blend in the remaining ingredients. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full with the mix and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Cool slightly and remove from pan. Makes about 24 muffins. Suitable for freezing too.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: http://www.thekitchenismyplayground.com/2015/10/family-favorite-applesauce-muffins.html