Recipe(tried): Cold Weather Menu... Tortellini and Spinach Soup, Irish Soda Bread, Cranberry Streusel Coffee Cake

Brrr Everyone...

I'm sure it is much colder somewhere in the U.S than here, like Chicago or Boise, Idaho,....but it is cold here. It will be at "freezing" tonight so that means cover your plants and bring in the animals. It also calls for warm comforting soup and bread.

One of my favorite cookbooks for cold weather cooking has become Sarah Leah Chase's Cold Weather Cooking. Her recipes are all old fashioned and warming and just plain delicious! This Tortellini and Spinach Soup, Irish Soda Bread and Cranberry Streusel Coffee Cake just go together. Lucky for me I had everything in my pantry and freezer. In cold weather you want something to warm your soul and lift your spirits.

The aroma of fresh baked bread will waft throughout your home as you bake this delicious loaf which is quite easy to make. As for lifting your spirits, the bread is filled with Scotch Whiskey-plumped golden raisins. Now that's a lift! Then later enjoy a slice of Cranberry Streusel Coffee Cake with a cup of coffee.

I plan to be close to the hearth and be warmed by the fire, perhaps pop a movie in or two if there's nothing on tv. Tomorrow I will post my Garbanzo Soup...looks like soup and other warming dishes are on the menu for this week....

Have a warm night and Happy Cooking! Gina

Tortellini and Spinach Soup
6-8 servings

2 T. olive oil
2 oz.. pancetta or bacon, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 med. onion, finely chopped
9 c. homemade chicken broth ( I used Superior Touch)
2 t. Italian dried seasonings
9 oz. best quality cheese tortellini
1 can 28 oz. crushed tomatoes packed in puree
8 oz. fresh spinach, rinsed well, stemmed and coarsley chopped
1 c. fresh grated parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in stock pot, add the pancetta or bacon, garlic and onion and cook til golden brown about 10-15 minutes.
Add the chicken stock and Italian herbs. Bring to a boil and stir in the tortellini. Simmer uncovered till tortellini is cooked about 10-12 min. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and simmer another 5 min. Add the spinach and cook til just wilted about 3 min. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Irish Soda Bread
makes one large loaf

1 c. golden raisins
3 T. Scotch Whiskey
2 c. flour
2 c. whole wheat flour
1/3 c. packed light brown sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 1/4 t. salt
2 large eggs
1 3/4 c. buttermilk
3 T. butter, melted
1 T. caraway seeds

At least one hour before making the bread, toss the rasiins with the whiskey to plump them and soften them.
Preheat oven to 375. Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the flours, sugar, baking soda, powder, and salt. In a smaller bowl whisk together the buttermilk, eggs and melted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir with a wooden spoon until moistened. Stir in the plumped raisins and the caraway seeds.
Shape the dough into a large round loaf on the prepared baking pan. Slash a deep X across the top of the bread with a sharp knife or razor. Bake until broiwn and crusty, 45-50 minutes. Serve hot from the oven or at room temperature.

Cranberry Streusel Coffee Cake
serves 10-12

Coffee Cake:

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, room temp.
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 T. grated orange zest
2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. sour cream
2 1/2 c. whole fresh cranberries

Streuesel Topping:
3/4 C. packed light brown sugar
1/2 C. flour
2 T. cinnamon
4 t. (1/2 STICK) butter
1/2 C. coarsely chopped walnuts

Oven at 350. Butter and lightly flour a 13/9-inch baking pan. Crfeam the butter and sugar til fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and zest. Mix the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt together. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternating with the sour cream to make a smooth and thick batter. Spread the batter evenly over the prepared pan and sprinkle the cranberries over. Prepare the topping by tossing the sugar, flour and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Toss til it is crumbly by cutting in the butter with two knives or pastry blender. Stir in the nuts and sprinkle this streusel evenly over the cranberries. Bake 45 min. till knife inserted in middle comes out clean. Cut into squares, serve warm with ice cream or at room temperature.