Irish Soda Bread - Mrs. C's style (Guaranteed to not disappoint)

1 cup of golden raisins (plumped... put in bowl cover with hot water, microwave for 45 seconds, drain immediately and put on paper towel to cool and dry excess water) 

4 Cups Flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

4 tsp baking powder

1 pinch of baking soda

1/4 lb. room temperature butter

2 eggs room temperature

1-3/4 cups of buttermilk

The night before take out butter and eggs to come to room temperature.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

Sift together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.  Very important!

Cut in shortening (if you don't know what this is ... google it).

Mix together in separate bowl eggs and buttermilk.  Add to dry ingredients and mix - only enough to wet dry ingredients.  Add raisins.  

Bake in greased and floured cake pan or spring form pan for 1 hour.  Check with tester at 45 minutes to see if it comes out clean.

Chicken cordon bleu casserole

CHICKEN CORDON BLEU CASSEROLE

1 whole cooked chicken, bones removed, meat diced or shredded (rotisserie chicken is excellent, should have 5-6 cups)

1/2 pound very thinly sliced deli-style honey ham, rough chopped

1/4 pound thin sliced baby Swiss cheese

For the sauce:

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

3 1/4 cups milk

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon pepper

For the topping:

6 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed dried parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Set aside.

2 Put cooked shredded or diced chicken on the bottom of the baking dish. Rough chop the ham and scatter it over the top of the chicken. Lay the Swiss cheese on top of the ham.

3 To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large sauce pot over medium heat. When butter is melted, quickly stir in the flour to form a smooth roux. Do not brown! Once the roux is smooth and bubbly, slowly pour in the cold milk while stirring briskly to make a smooth sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Stir in the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, smoked paprika and white pepper. Bring sauce just back to a low boil and turn off heat. Pour sauce evenly over the casserole, being certain to get some of the sauce around the edges of the pan.

4 To make the topping: Melt the butter in the microwave in a medium sized microwaveable bowl. Heat it for 30 seconds at a time and stop once it’s melted. Take the bowl out of the microwave and stir in the panko bread crumbs, seasoning salt and crushed dried parsley. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

5 Bake casserole uncovered for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly throughout and topping has turned a light golden brown.

6 Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

Eye Round Pot Roast

 https://www.mrshappyhomemaker.com/foolproof-eye-of-round-roast/?fbclid=IwAR32SdropAZiVWOJHNs2bX5QkfzY4mk_aOZrCVw6qd0XkWrp4bZ8lO2eLnA