An Internet recipe search of English Muffin Bread, or Irish Soda Bread uncovers many versions of this favorite, but none as perfect as the version I made while living in Ogden, Utah in the 1980s. So I went on a search to uncover that particular recipe, which I had lost in my move from Utah to California so many years ago. All I knew was, it was in a cookbook put out by the Junior League of Salt Lake City, or Ogden, Utah. I did my research and found it on amazon.com. Utah Dining Car, a paper bound cookbook, put out by the Junior League of Ogden , published and copywritten in 1984. There is some fun history with this cook book. We lived in a friendly community, and everybody loved a party. And whenever you threw a party, everybody automatically brought an hors d’oeuvres or side dish of some sort. Our get togethers were legendary, the food was so good. When I was finally given the cookbook as a Christmas gift, I saw that all the side dishes and appetizers that arrived at my parties were all in this cookbook. It is with fond memories that I give you my best recipe for English Muffin Bread:

English Muffin Bread

Yield: 2 loaves

Or 4 mini loaves

Ingredients:

4 ½ cups flour

¼ tsp baking soda

1 TBS sugar

2 tsp salt

2 packages of active, dry yeast, or 4 ½ tsp

2 cups milk

½ cup water

Directions:

Mix 4 cups of flour, baking soda, sugar, salt and yeast in a mixing bowl. Heat the milk and water to 110 – 120 degrees, using a thermometer. Pour the milk mixture over the dry ingredients, stirring constantly. Add the remaining flour, stirring until the mixture is sticky. Spoon the mixture into greased loaf pans. Let rise for 45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 – 45 minutes. Remove from pans immediately.

 

By Ellen Walsh