Mom's Soda Bread Tea Towel

 

I had planned on doing all the competitions Spoonflower set for the month of April. For two reasons, because it was the Easter break and I had time off from my teaching work and two my mom would have been 70 this month she died this year at the start of January, so it is an upsetting month for us, she believed you should do positive things to be happy, so that's the main reason I set myself this task. I though there was 4 competitions set for April one each week but there was 5 and it is very apt that the last competition from Spoonflower this month is "Moms recipe tea towels" the brief was "No matter where you live in the world, nothing spells comfort like a home cooked meal from your mom or grandmother. Celebrate the important culinary women in your life this Mother's Day by designing a lovely recipe just like mom used to make. Recipes should fit a fat quarter-yard of our Linen-Cotton Canvas fabric. Entries will be previewed at the scale of a fat quarter (27" x 18")"
So the image up top is my entry "Mom's recipes - soda bread tea towel" with yes my moms soda bread recipe. is on it. She made this all the time often making extra to give to friends.  I have this recipe also on my foodie blog if you fancy making it :) My mom liked her fancy tea towels I am sure she would have been so happy to see the recipe on one.
To vote or just look at any of the entries in this week competition click on the link below, please remember to make sure you go all the way down to the bottom of the page and hit submit when you do vote so it is counted (you don't need to sign up to vote)
http://www.spoonflower.com/contest_voters_temp/new?contest_id=245

My friend the Bread Maker

I got time to make some bread today, something I really like doing. Fresh bread smells and tastes so good. When I say I made the bread I had help from my friend the bread maker (I made Soy & linseed bread). My friend does all the hard work kneading the dough for me and does not complain.

I used to make a lot of bread before by hand, but I have arthritis so kneading the dough, while relaxing couses a lot of pain. The bread maker is excellent (and kneads the dough better than me anyway) bread with no hand pain :)

I don't let the dough cook in the bread maker I prefer to put the dough on a baking tray. Make a nice shape, add my pattern, let rise than bake in the oven. I find it makes a much lighter loaf. Plus I can pretend I make it all my self :)