And since the oven was on...

I continued to bake.  I didn't get the chance to make shepherds pie or anything else Irish for St Patricks Day last week so I decided to make it tonight.  While the oven was hot, I went ahead and made some Irish Soda Bread...best bread ever!  I went ahead and cut a chunk out of it for breakfast.  A little butter, and a slather of blackberry preserves on warm soda bread?  Yes, please!

Here is the recipe for my Irish Soda Bread:
INGREDIENTS 4 cup Flour
4 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup softened Butter
1/4 cup melted Butter
1 1/4 cup Buttermilk
1 Egg

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 375.
Grease a baking sheet.
Mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Add 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup buttermilk and egg to dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Flour work surface.
Turn out dough and knead briefly.
Shape dough into a round shape and place on prepared sheet.
Whisk together 1/4 cup melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk.
Brush loaf with buttermilk mixture.
Cut an X in the top of the loaf.
Bake 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Brush with buttermilk mixture every 15 minutes or so while baking.