Bread, Pastry

3 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup oil
1½ cups raisins
1 cup milk (low fat is OK)
2 tablespoon cinnamon mixed with same amount of confectioner's sugar (optional)

Heat oven to 350º. Mix dry ingredients (except cinnamon) and raisins together; add milk and oil and knead all together, until the dough is smooth. Flatten the dough, and add the cinnamon mixture and knead for a bit longer. Bake at 350º for 70 minutes until golden brown.

Irish Soda Bread (Jane Grice's)

4 cups flour
3 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoon butter
Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in butter with pastry blender or with 2 knives, scissors fashion.

Add to dry mixture:
1½ cups dark raisins
1 tablespoon caraway seeds

Add to dry mixture and mix until well moistened:
2 eggs slightly beaten (reserve 1 tablespoon)
1½ cups buttermilk

Turn out on floured board and knead a few times (mixture will be sticky). Shape into a ball and place in well-greased 2 quart round casserole. In center of ball, cut a 4" cross½" deep. Brush with reserved egg.

Bake at 350º for 1 hour 20 minutes. Remove from casserole and cool completely.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

3 cups flour
1 package dry yeast (1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup oil
1½ cups raisins
¾ cup warm low fat milk (about 110ºF)
2 tablespoons cinnamon mixed with same amount of confectioner's sugar (optional)

Heat oven to 375º. Mix 1 tablespoon of the sugar, the salt and the yeast with the warm milk, let sit till bubbly. Mix dry ingredients (except cinnamon) and raisins together; add milk and oil and knead all together, until the dough is smooth, about 10 minutes. Put in a covered bowl in a warm place-let it rise until it's almost doubled in volume, about½ to 1 hour. Punch the dough down and knead for another 10 minutes. Flatten the dough, and sprinkle part of the cinnamon mixture on top. Fold in half and flatten again. Continue until all of the cinnamon mixture is folded in. Put dough in a bread pan and it let sit in a warm place until it's almost doubled again. Bake at 375º for 40 minutes until golden brown.