Cheddar Smoked Paprika Soda Bread #BreadBakers

Cheddar Smoked Paprika Soda Bread is cheesy good with a subtle smoky flavor that is great freshly sliced or toasted. Use it for sandwiches or to dip in a sunny side up fried egg yolk. So good! 

Smoked paprika is one of my favorite spices and I use it a lot when I am cooking vegetarian dishes, for a little extra flavor that I might have otherwise added with smoked bacon in a non-vegetarian recipe. It’s great in tomato sauce and chili for the same reason, even when those do have meat already. 

One of the few things my husband and I disagree on is smoked cheese. I’m a fan. He’s not. In this quick soda bread, the smoked paprika makes a nice background to the cheddar, a hint of smokiness that reminds me of smoked cheese. What’s funny is even the smoked cheese naysayer loves this bread. Go figure.

Cheddar Smoked Paprika Soda Bread

If you don’t have buttermilk but do have white vinegar and regular milk, make a buttermilk substitute by adding 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar to your measuring jug, then fill up to the volume needed with milk. Stir and set aside for about five minutes and you are ready to start mixing.

Ingredients

3 cups or 375g all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 cup or 57g unsalted butter, cut into pieces

4 oz or 113g extra sharp cheddar, finely grated 

1 1/4 cups or 296ml buttermilk

For glaze:

1 egg white

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Method

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and line a baking pan with baking parchment or a silicone liner.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and smoked paprika. 

With a pastry blender or a fork, cut the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles a coarse meal. 

Add the grated cheddar cheese a little at a time and stir well to combine. 

Pour in buttermilk and mix until dough comes together. 

Turn the dough out onto a heavily floured surface.

Knead the dough by folding it over and pressing it down four or five times. 

Shape the dough into a round loaf and place it on your prepared baking sheet. Whisk the smoked paprika into the egg white and brush the top of the loaf with the mixture.  

Use a lame or sharp knife to cut a large X into the top of the dough.  

Bake in your preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. 

Cool on a wire rack then slice to serve.

Enjoy!

It’s the second Tuesday of the month so it’s time for Bread Bakers and our theme is spiced savory recipes! Check out all the bread recipes we are sharing today. Many thanks to our host, Renu of Cook with Renu. 

• Cheddar Smoked Paprika Soda Bread by Food Lust People Love
• Copy Cat Domino's Zingy Paneer Parcel by Sneha's Recipe
• Everything Bagel Biscuits by Palatable Pastime
• Flourless Quinoa Vegetable Muffins by Cook with Renu
• Rosemary, Sage, and Wild Rice Levain by A Messy Kitchen
• Spicy Onion Buns by Ambrosia
• Spiced Up Potato, Turmeric, and Oat Bread by Magical Ingredients
• Sourdough Focaccia with Italian Herbs and Spices by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Sourdough Aloo Paratha by Zesty South Indian Kitchen
• Swedish Rye Bread (Limpa) by Karen's Kitchen Stories

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

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Bacon Corn Puddings

These individual bacon corn puddings are made with roasted corn and cornmeal to add a lot of extra corn flavor, along with the bacon and thyme. Delicious and light as a side dish or small main. 

When I first arrived back in the States a couple of years ago, I was excited to finally get a chance to shop at Trader Joe’s. I posted on Facebook that I’d love to hear about what my friends buy there so I could make a list of good things to try. 

My friend, Glenys, was the very first to respond: chargrilled corn, found in the freezer section. So much easier than doing it yourself, she said. I must say, she is absolutely right. The Trader Joe’s roasted corn is delightful and since it’s frozen, it's easy to keep on hand. If you want to use fresh corn for this and roast your own for this recipe though, go for it! 

(I know not everyone reading this will be able to see the post but for those of you who can, here’s the link: What Stacy’s friends buy at Trader Joe’s. My apologies to the rest of you.)

Bacon Corn Puddings

The original recipe that I adapted to make these lovely little puddings continued past the initial baking to decanting and then rebaking them with some cream poured on top. It also called for creamed corn so that wasn’t happening either. I have no idea how that would have tasted but I can tell you that these are lovely and light and delicious, despite falling a bit after they poofed up in the oven. 

Ingredients – for 4 individual puddings

1/2 small onion, diced

2 tablespoons butter, plus extra for buttering the ramekins

1 teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 cups or 200g roasted corn kernels (drained if canned)

1/4 cup or 30g bacon crumbles

2 tablespoons cornmeal

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2/3 cup or 160ml milk

1/3 or 80ml cup heavy cream

1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves picked

salt & pepper to taste

2 large eggs

Optional garnish:

2 tablespoons roasted corn, thawed

fresh thyme leaves

Method

Combine onion and butter and cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes.

Add the cornmeal, roasted corn, bacon crumbles and a pinch of salt and a couple of grinds of black pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes while stirring.

Whisk the cornstarch into the milk till its dissolved. 

Add the milk, cream, sugar and thyme to the pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until mixture comes to a low boil and thickens. When you drag a spoon through it, it should be thick enough not to run back together. 

Remove 3/4 cup (187.5g) of the corn mixture and blend with a hand mixer until smooth. 

Stir back into the corn mixture in the pot. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool. 

I put mine in a bowl at this point because as much as I love my little Le Creuset pots, they take ages to cool down. If your cooking pot is more cooperative, please don’t dirty another vessel. 

Meanwhile preheat your oven to 400°F or 200°C and butter four ramekins. To give you an idea of size, mine hold just shy of 1 1/4 cups or 295ml when filled to the top. 

Once the corn mixture is cool, whisk the eggs well and mix them into it. 

Place the ramekins in a deep baking pan then divide the corn mixture between them. 

Fill the pan with hot water halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake in your preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until puffy and golden on top. 

Top with some extra kernels of roasted corn and a few fresh thyme leaves for garnish. 

Serve warm. I decanted one for the photos but we ate the others straight out of the ramekins with a tomato and mozzarella salad on the side. Side dish or main? These bacon corn puddings work as either. 

Enjoy!  

It’s the second Monday of the month so that means my Baking Blogger friends are sharing recipes as well. Our theme, as you might guess from most of the titles below, is CORN. Many thanks to our organizer and host, Sue of Palatable Pastime. 

• Bacon Corn Puddings by Food Lust People Love
• Baked Corn Pudding by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Breakfast Strata with Corn and Chiles by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Corn and Pepper Medley Pierogi Casserole by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
• Oven Roasted Corn on the Cob by Sneha’s Recipe
• Street Corn Baked Empanadas by Magical Ingredients
• Taco Noodle Hot Dish by Palatable Pastime

Baking Bloggers is a friendly group of food bloggers who vote on a shared theme and then post recipes to fit that theme one the second Monday of each month. If you are a food blogger interested in joining in, inquire at our Baking Bloggers Facebook group. We'd be honored if you would join us in our baking adventures.

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Spicy Beer Shrimp Potatoes

Spicy Beer Shrimp Potatoes are flavorful main course, made with golden baby potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, Old Bay Seasoning and, of course, shrimp and beer!

Today, August 8th, is International Beer Day so I’m celebrating along with my Sunday FunDay friends. Our host, Rebekah encouraged us thusly: "Share your favorite recipes cooking or baking with beer - or if you don't like beer, cook or bake with your preferred alcohol!" I love the flexibility!

I have made MANY sweet and savory recipes using beer, like my Beer Cheddar Fondue, Spicy Cashew and Feta Beer Muffins, London Porter Cake, Oatmeal Stout Loaf and Beef and Guinness Pie, to name just a few. In short, we are fans of beer for both recipes and drinking.

One day I'll tell you about our youthful excursions down the Guadalupe River on innertubes when the rallying cry over the rapids was "At all costs, save the beer!" It was not uncommon to see a person completely underwater with a single arm visible, beer can held aloft. And we all survived. 

I’d already taken some shrimp out of the freezer to thaw for dinner so that was my jumping off point. Searching both "beer" and "shrimp" I found a ton of recipes online for beer shrimp, typically an appetizer, and thought, I can work with that! 

Spicy Beer Shrimp Potatoes

The addition of potatoes, parboiled then pan-fried till golden, turns what might have been an appetizer into a main course. My recipe is adapted from one on Rasa Malaysia. I served this with a tossed green salad and I recommend you do the same. Extra points if you also make my passion fruit vinaigrette or Amy's beer vinaigrette in the link list below to dress it with.

Ingredients

1 lb or 450g baby new potatoes

1 lb or 450g peeled and deveined shrimp

2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Roma tomatoes

1 cup or 240ml beer of your choice. I used Corona. (Because: International Beer Day!)

Optional for garnish:

Chopped green onions (or sub parsley - I just like the flavor the green onions add)

another light sprinkle of Old Bay Seasoning

Method

Parboil the potatoes in salted water until a pointy knife can poke into them easily but they still have a hard center, about five minutes from when they come to a boil. 

Rinse the shrimp with cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels and season with Old Bay. Set aside.

While the potatoes parboil, use a sharp knife to score the tops of your tomatoes in a cross. Put them in a heatproof bowl. 

Drain the hot potato water into the tomato bowl and set aside for a few minutes.  Tip the water out and slip the peel off of the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the cores and seeds. Dice the tomatoes. 

On a cutting board, use a wide knife or your flat palm to mash the potatoes down, one at a time. My photo is of the knife, which I did use for the first ones seen here, but I actually had more success just using my hand. 

Heat up a non-stick pan on high heat and add the olive oil. Add the potatoes a few at time and cook till golden on both sides. Turn them carefully so they don't break apart but if a piece gets loose, no worries. 

Remove them from the pan and set aside until all the potatoes are browned on both sides and on a plate.

Add a drizzle more olive oil, if needed, and sauté the garlic in the pan until aromatic but not browned then add in the chopped tomatoes. 

Cook for a few minutes until the diced tomatoes start to slump. 

Add the seasoned shrimp. 

Stir to combine well. As soon as the shrimp turn a bit pink, add the beer.

Bring the beer to a quick boil.

When the shrimp are cooked through, add the browned potatoes back in. Tuck them amongst the shrimp. 

Tilt the pan slightly and spoon the shrimp and sauce over them. 

Cook a little longer to rewarm the potatoes. When the potatoes are warmed through, turn off the heat and add the chopped green onions and a sprinkle on a little more of Old Bay Seasoning. (Don't overdo the Old Bay. It's super salty.)

Enjoy!

As I mentioned, it’s Sunday FunDay AND International Beer Day. What a time to be alive! Check out the delicious recipes made with beer below. Many thanks to our host, Rebekah of Making Miracles. Pop open a cold one and join us!

• Autumnal Spinach Salad with Beer Vinaigrette by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Braised Pork with Dunkel Bier Gravy by Palatable Pastime
• Dum Chicken Rum Biryani by Sneha's Recipe
• Irish Beef Guinness Stew by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Slow Cooker Beer-Braised Pot Roast by Making Miracles
• Spicy Beer Shrimp Potatoes by Food Lust People Love
• Whole Wheat Beer Pretzel Nuggets by A Day in the Life on the Farm

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Parmesan Bacon Potato Squares

Parmesan Bacon Potato Squares are a tasty appetizer (or side dish) of thinly sliced potatoes layered with bacon, cream and cheese that turn crispy and more-ish when they are baked, cooled then cut into squares and roasted in the oven. 

Fair warning: this dish needs to be started at least one day before you plan to serve it but in a way, that’s the best part because it can be mostly made, if necessary, several days ahead and chilled. Leave the final roasting till just before you are ready to serve. 

Potatoes are sliced thinly and layered with cheese and cooked bacon then pressed and chilled so they can be cut into handy squares. Make sure you don’t skip the step where you secure the squares with toothpicks or you will mightily regret it. 

The original recipe on Taste.com.au skips this step and my first batch out of the oven was a complete disaster. The potatoes were delicious for sure, but they weren’t anything like squares anymore. See the evidence below. Don't let this happen to you. 

This recipe makes enough for an enormous crowd. It’s easily halved but, should you have any leftovers, they are spectacular with scrambled eggs, added to an omelet or reheated and eaten as a side dish. (That is what I did with my disastrous ones.) 

 

Parmesan Bacon Potato Squares

As mentioned, this recipe is adapted from one on Taste.com.au, one of my favorite sites for recipe inspiration. You will need two casserole dishes, one larger for the actual potato dish and one you can fit inside it to compact the potatoes while they are chilling. 

Ingredients

6 lbs or 2.72 kg russet potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly with a mandoline

6 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked, plus extra for garnish

5 1/3 oz or 150g Parmesan cheese, grated

1 1/2 cups or 355ml heavy cream

3 lbs or 1.36kg thin-sliced smoked bacon, fried (not too crispy) and drained 

1/2 cup or 113g butter, melted and cooled

Optional: Sriracha sauce for drizzling on to serve

Method

If you don’t have a mandolin with which to cut the potatoes, by all means, use a sharp knife but do cut the slices as thinly as possible. 

Use baking parchment to line the base and up the sides of a 9 x 14 in or 23x35mm pan, allowing the sides to overhang somewhat. Put two layers of your thinly sliced potatoes in evenly in the bottom of the lined pan. Top with a little of the cream and thyme leaves. 

Cover those with a layer of Parmesan and cooked bacon. 

Add another double layer of sliced potatoes. Continue building your casserole until you’ve used all of your potatoes and bacon and thyme, making sure you finish with a couple of layers of potatoes on top, along with the last of the Parmesan and cream. 

Finally, pour the melted butter over the top. Fold the baking parchment in and cover the top with some cling film. 

Place a smaller casserole dish on top of the dish and fill with something heavy. I used eight cans of various vegetables. Leave to rest for about 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C.

Remove the weights and cling film. Cover the large casserole top in foil and bake for about 1 hour or until the potatoes are tender. Remove the foil (save for later) and bake for another 20 minutes to brown the top. 

Put the foil back on the dish and put the smaller casserole dish back on top. Leave to cool until it can be put in the refrigerator. When cool, put it (casserole dish still on top) in the refrigerator to chill overnight. 

When you are ready to make the squares, start your oven preheating to 400°F or 200°C.

Loosen the sides of the potatoes from the pan and turn the whole rectangle out onto a cutting board so your top is now your bottom. Remove the parchment paper and discard. 

Trim the edges with a sharp knife so you have straight sides. (These scraps are great reheated in a non-stick skillet. Add some eggs for a delicious weekend breakfast.) 

Cut the chilled potato into squares.

 Skewer each one with a toothpick, top to bottom. Put them on their sides on two or three large baking pans (with sides) and roast 10 minutes in your hot oven or until lightly golden. 

Turn the squares over and roast until they are crispy and deep golden, about 10-15 more minutes.

Drain on paper towels. 

Serve warm with sriracha sauce to drizzle, if desired, and some sprigs of thyme for garnish. 

Enjoy! 

It's the first Wednesday of the month so that means it's time for our Foodie Extravaganza celebration of National Potatoes Day which is August 19th this year! Many thanks to our host, Karen of Karen's Kitchen Stories. 

• Baked Potato Ragada Chat from Magical Ingredients
• Chorizo Stuffed Hash Browns from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Lemon & Dill Potato Salad with No Mayonnaise from Faith Hope Love & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Parmesan Bacon Potato Squares from Food Lust People Love
• Potato Lollipops from Sheha's Recipe
• Potato Puffs from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Salt and Vinegar Skillet Potatoes from Palatable Pastime
• Schupfnudeln (German Potato Noodles) from Tara's Multicultural Table
• Tartiflette with Fromage Fort from Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays by cooking and baking together with the same ingredient or theme each month. Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board.

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Homemade Muffuletta

This homemade muffuletta is my take on a popular New Orleans favorite, made with fresh olive salad, mortadella, mozzarella, salami, ham and provolone.

When I was a child, a road trip to New Orleans to visit my relatives was a huge treat. My Aunt Karen was the loveliest of ladies, an excellent cook (she of pecan pie fame) and also a great tour guide. She made sure we enjoyed all the best that New Orleans had to offer each time we visited. 

Of course, that meant a day in the French Quarter, first enjoying the powdered sugar covered beignets for breakfast at the Café Du Monde and occasionally picking up muffuletta from Central Grocery for lunch. That little Italian grocery store/deli is chock full of color and flavor. If you ever get to New Orleans, don’t miss paying it a visit. (If we didn't get muffuletta, fried shrimp po'boys were another fave, but that's a post for another day.)

Since traveling is still out of the question for most of us these days, you could make my homemade muffuletta and pretend you've been to New Orleans. (Make a New Orleans Bloody Mary to enjoy while you assemble the sandwich.) I did wrap these up and take them on a picnic, which is why my bread is cut in half already, to make it easier to transport. When you buy your muffuletta at Central Grocery, it is going to be big and round! 

Of course, an Italian grocery store is going to use an Italian loaf to make this sandwich. I like to switch things up and a pretty decorative loaf like this Khobz Mzaweq.  I also make my own olive salad but you can use store bought. If so, make sure it’s made in New Orleans or it just won’t taste right. 

Homemade Muffuletta

Despite the fact that I love baking bread, I don’t think it’s the best part of a sandwich. I reserve that space for the fillings. In the case of this homemade muffuletta, buy your meats and cheeses in the deli section where you can ask the person behind the counter to slice everything lovely and thin. Then pile them high!

Ingredients

10 in or 25cm round bread loaf

1 cup or 240ml olive salad (store-bought or homemade)

8 oz or 226g Mortadella, thinly sliced 

6 oz or 226g ham, thinly sliced

4 oz or 170g Genoa salami, thinly sliced 

4 oz or 170g sliced mozzarella, thinly sliced 

4 oz or 170g Provolone, thinly sliced 

Method

Cut your loaf in half through the equator. (As mentioned above, I also cut mine in half the other way so it would be easier to wrap and transport.) Spread the olive salad evenly on the inside of the bread.

Top with half of the mortadella. 

Follow that with the mozzarella and salami

 Add the provolone and the ham. 

Finally, add the rest of the mortadella. This sandwich is not for the faint hearted! 

Close the sandwich and wrap snugly in cling film. Refrigerate until ready to cut and serve. 

Cut into wedges to serve with a nice Italian chianti or a cold beer. The olive on the pick isn't necessary to hold the sandwich together but it looks cute. 

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and this week we are sharing sandwiches. Many thanks to our host, Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm. 

• Bombay Chapatti Sandwich by Sneha's Recipe
• Chicken Bacon Pressed Picnic Sandwiches by Making Miracles
• Club Sandwich by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Falafel Pita Sandwich by Mayuri's Jikoni
• French Dip Sandwich au Jus (Slow Cooker) by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Grilled Kielbasa Sandwiches by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Homemade Muffuletta by Food Lust People
• Is it, Or Isn't It, a Sandwich? by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Submarine Bites with Sub Sauce by Palatable Pastime
• Zucchini and Carrot Vegetable Sandwich by Cook with Renu

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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