Welcome to the kitchen.

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Buttermilk Cheese

– 4 ½ cups fresh whole milk

– 3 tablespoons buttermilk

– ½ teaspoon rennet

– ⅓ cup heavy cream

– 2 pounds strawberries, sliced

– sugar to taste and for sprinkling

In a large bowl, mix milk, buttermilk and rennet. Cover loosely with a cheesecloth and let stand in a warm place until solid. 

Drain off liquid by placing a strainer lined with cheesecloth over another strainer. Pour the contents of the bowl into the cheesecloth and leave to strain; this will take about 12 hours, so it’s best to leave it overnight. Turn the cheese solids into another bowl and mix in the cream and sugar. 

In a serving dish, layer the cheese and strawberries. Sprinkle each layer with sugar. Top with a layer of cheese and decorate with whole berries.

Recipe Source: “Celtic Folklore Cooking” by Joanna Asala

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Milk, Egg and Cheese Pottage

– 6 hard-boiled eggs, separated

– 3 cups whole milk

– ¾ cup bread crumbs

– 1 teaspoon ground almonds

– pinch of sugar

– ¼ teaspoon cumin

– ¼ teaspoon saffron

– ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

– ¾ cup semi-soft cheese, grated

Mash the egg yolks and beat together with milk, bread crumbs, ground almonds, sugar, cumin, saffron, and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Add the egg whites, chopped, and the grated cheese. Stir for a few minutes and then serve hot with slices of fresh bread.

Recipe Source: “Celtic Folklore Cooking” by Joanna Asala

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Honey Butter

– ½ cup butter, cut into small pieces

– ¼ cup honey

– ½ teaspoon lemon zest

Soften butter to room temperature. Stir in honey and lemon zest. Serve with soda bread and glasses of milk.

Recipe Source: “Celtic Folklore Cooking” by Joanna Asala

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Herbal Butter

– 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

– 4 to 6 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, flowers, or seeds, OR 4 to 6 teaspoons dried herbs

– juice and grated zest of 1 lemon

– salt and pepper to taste, or dry mustard or paprika for a zesty flavor

Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Chop the herbs and flowers very fine or pulverize the seeds and blend them into the butter. Spoon onto a sheet of waxed paper and roll it up so that the butter is almost ½ inch in diameter. Refrigerate until ready and cut into slices. 

Recipe Source: “Celtic Folklore Cooking” by Joanna Asala

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Oat Bread

– 2 ½ cups oatmeal, ground fine

– 2 cups fresh buttermilk

– 2 ½ cups flour

– ½ teaspoon salt

– 1 teaspoon baking soda

Steep the oatmeal in the buttermilk overnight. The next day, sift the flour, salt, and baking soda together. Stir into the oatmeal mixture. More milk may be added if necessary, but the dough should not be too wet. Put into heavily-greased 9x5x2 ½-inch loaf pan, turning once to coat all sides. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 1 to 1 ½ hours. Serve hot with pats of sweet butter.

Recipe Source: “Celtic Folklore Cooking” by Joanna Asala

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Honey Wheat Bread

– 2 ½ cups wheat flour

– 1 teaspoon baking soda

– ½ teaspoon salt
– 1 teaspoon baking powder

– ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

– ½ cup light honey

– ¼ cup vegetable oil

– 1 ½ cups buttermilk

– ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

– 1 tablespoon grated orange rind

Mix all ingredients together, beating until well blended. Pour into a greased and floured 9×5-inch loaf pan. Let stand 20 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 45 to 60 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack and cool.

Recipe Source: “Celtic Folklore Cooking” by Joanna Asala

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Cornbread with Honey

– 1 ½ cups cornmeal

– ½ cup flour

– 2 teaspoons sugar

– 2 teaspoons baking powder

– ½ teaspoon baking soda

– 1 teaspoon salt

– 1 ½ cups buttermilk

– ¼ cup vegetable oil

– 2 eggs

– 2 tablespoons butter, melted

– 2 tablespoons honey

– dash of cinnamon (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. In a small bowl, beat the buttermilk, oil, and eggs. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients; mix thoroughly. Pour the batter into a greased 8x8x2-inch baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes.

While the cornbread bakes, blend the butter, honey, and cinnamon. Baste the top of the bread with the butter mixture during the final 5 minutes of baking. Serve hot or cold.

Makes about 12 good-sized pieces.

(Note: You can add ¼ teaspoon ginger and 1 teaspoon vanilla into the bread for extra flavor.)

Recipe Source: “A Kitchen Witch’s Cookbook” by Patricia Telesco

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Buttermilk Coffee Cake

– 2 ½ cups flour

– ½ teaspoon salt

– 1 teaspoon nutmeg

– 1 teaspoon cinnamon

– 1 cup brown sugar

– 1 cup sugar

– 2 eggs

– ¾ cup oil

– 1 cup buttermilk (or stir 1 tablespoon vinegar into 1 cup milk)

– 1 teaspoon baking soda

– 6 pats buttered, quartered

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together flour, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and brown sugar in a bowl and set aside. Reserve ½ cup of this mixture. 

Beat together sugar, eggs, oil, buttermilk and baking soda. Add to the flour mixture and pour into a 9×13-inch greased pan. Top with the reserved dry mixture. Dot with small pats of butter. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Recipe Source: “It’s About Thyme” by Tulsa Herb Society

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Country Breakfast Quiche

– 3 cups frozen hash browns, thawed and squeezed dry

– ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

– 2 tablespoons melted butter, divided

– 1 teaspoon mixed dried herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, onion powder, and/or paprika)

– ½ teaspoon salt, divided

– 4 eggs

– 1 ½ cups half-and-half

– 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

– ¼ teaspoon pepper

– 1 cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese

– 4 ounces cooked ham, sausage or chopped bacon

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch quiche pan or deep-dish pan with cooking spray. Combine hash browns, Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon of the butter, dried herbs and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Press into bottom and up sides of pan. Bake 20 minutes or until hash browns are set; cool 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. 

Meanwhile, whisk eggs, half-and-half, flour, remaining 1 tablespoon butter, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Sprinkle cheese and meat over crust. Pour in egg mixture. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until puffed and golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Center will be slightly soft. Cool 10 minutes before slicing. 

Makes about 8 servings.

Recipe Source: “It’s About Thyme” by Tulsa Herb Society

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