Irish Christmas Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
1/4 cup candied citron, chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins, chopped
1/4 cup almonds, blanched and chopped

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Grease two cookie sheets.
Set
aside.

In a small mixing bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar.
Beat in the eggs until well blended.
Add the flour and the Irish
whiskey, and beat the dough until smooth.
Add the fruit and nuts,
and mix well.
Drop cookie dough from a tablespoon onto the prepared
cookie sheets.

Bake each sheet of cookies for 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove the
cookies from the baking sheets with a spatula while still warm.
Place on wire rack to partially cool.

Store the cookies in an airtight container with a slice of white
bread to maintain their soft, fruity texture.

Braised Lamb

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 shoulder lamb chops, about 3/4 inch thick
2 cups beef bouillon
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Heat oil in skillet; cook lamb until browned on both sides.
Remove from pan.
Reserve drippings.
Add bouillon, horseradish,
flour and pepper to drippings; blend.
Cook over medium heat,
stirring constantly, until thickened.
Return lamb to sauce in
skillet.
Cover; simmer 40 minutes or until meat is tender.

Irish Potato Candy

1 small potato
Confectioners’ sugar
Peanut butter

Boil potato until tender.
Peel off skin and mash.
Add
confectioners’ sugar until a stiff dough is formed.
Roll out on a
sugared board until thin.
Spread with peanut butter to cover the
potato dough.
Roll up like a jellyroll.
Chill, then cut into thin
slices.

Irish Seafood Pie

Pastry
1 pound scallops
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chopped leek or scallions
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
Dash of pepper
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
Dry white wine
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

Prepare Pastry; wrap in plastic wrap.

If scallops are large, cut into 1-inch pieces.
Cook and stir
mushrooms and leek in 2 tablespoons of the butter in 10-inch
skillet over medium heat until mushrooms are light brown and liquid
is evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Remove from skillet.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in skillet
until hot.
Cook and stir scallops over medium heat until white, 4
to 5 minutes.
Remove with slotted spoon.
Drain liquid from skillet,
reserving 2 tablespoons.

Heat remaining 1/4 cup butter in skillet over low heat until
melted.
Stir in flour, salt, mustard and pepper.
Cook over low
heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly.
Remove from
heat; stir in half and half.
Add enough wine to reserved scallop
liquid to measure 1/3 cup; stir into half and half mixture.
Heat to
boiling, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 minute.
Stir in
mushroom mixture and scallops.
Pour into ungreased shallow 1
1/2-quart casserole.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Unwrap pastry and place on well-floured board.
Roll dough 1 inch
larger than top of casserole, using floured stockinet-covered
rolling pin.
Cut out designs with 1-inch cookie cutter.
Place
pastry over top of casserole; turn edges under and flute.
Mix egg
yolk and water; brush over pastry.
Bake until golden brown, about
25 minutes.
Serve with lemon wedges if desired.
Yields 4
servings.

Pastry
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

Cut shortening into flour and salt until particles are size of
small peas.
Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with
fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans sides of
bowl.
Gather pastry into a ball; shape into flattened round.

Irish Soda Bread

This is delicious served warm, spread with butter and jam, or
cooled.

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup raisins (optional)
3/4 cup buttermilk

Cut butter into flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and
salt until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
Stir in raisins and
enough buttermilk to make a soft dough.
Turn onto lightly floured
surface; knead until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.

Shape into round loaf, about 6 1/2 inches in diameter.
Place on
greased cookie sheet.
Cut an X about 1/4 through center of loaf
with floured knife.
Bake at 375 degrees F until golden brown, 35 to
45 minutes.

Brush with butter if desired.

Irish Soda Graham Bread

This bread is great toasted for breakfast, and it is an
excellent accompaniment to soup.

2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups graham flour
1 cup unbleached white flour, unsifted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine buttermilk and baking soda and blend in remaining
ingredients.
Pour into a well-buttered 9-inch loaf pan and place in
oven.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 55 to
60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out
clean.

Cool on a rack.