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Irish Soda Bread is one of those recipes, along with other quick breads, that everyone should know how to make. It was originally intended to 'pad' a dinner with a super quick and easy bread. The bread didn't need a long rising time, and the ingredients were always on hand. This loaf is tender and moist and slightly sweet. For a twist on tradition, try Irish Soda Bread Drop Biscuits or Chocolate Chip Irish Soda Bread. Be sure to read How to Make Quick Breads before you begin.

_{Photo © 2010 Linda Larsen, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

St. Patrick's Day Recipe Exchange

Today my favorite recipes are the focus of the St. Patrick's Day Blogathon.

Crockpot Corned Beef and Cabbage is a super easy recipe that lets you cook tender corned beef in the slowcooker. The cabbage is added at the end of cooking time so it stays slightly crisp. And for a twist on the classic St. Patrick's Day recipes, Corned Beef and Cabbage Tarts are fabulous. These delicious individual little tarts combine red cabbage and cubed corned beef with Gruyere cheese in tender and flaky pastry for a great treat.

Quiches are elegant, easy, delicious, and inexpensive. So we really should serve quiche once a week. And if you know how to make a pie crust instead of buying a premade crust, the cost really drops. These ten quiches are just some of my favorites. If pressed, I would have to say my absolute favorite is Beef Cheese Pan Quiche. It stretches a pound of ground beef to serve at least eight people, and the texture and flavor is outstanding.

_{Photo © 2010 Linda Larsen, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

St. Patrick's Day Recipe Exchange

Gluten-free recipes are the focus today, from Terri Lee Grus. Celebrate St. Patrick's Day gluten and dairy free with this lovely, fragrant loaf of Irish Soda Bread, more accurately called "Freckle Bread or Spotted Dog" thanks to the raisins that stud the loaf. The bread is prepared with a convenience gluten-free mix, making this a fast and easy GFCF recipe.

Barm brack is a yeast bread, unlike more common Irish breads which are leavened only with baking soda. This gluten-free Barm Brack recipe is laced with fragrant fresh lemon peel, plump raisins and chopped candied ginger. The golden loaf is slightly sweet and delicious!

What better to serve alongside a warm slice of Gluten and Dairy Free Irish Soda Bread or Gluten-Free Barm Brack than a warm, cheery bowl of Gluten-Free Creamy Potato Leek Soup? This recipe can be adapted to dairy free diets as well, making it a perfect match for celebrating St. Patrick's Day while eating healthy and delicious foods for your restrictive diet.

I've been concentrating on fish recipes recently, because it's Lent and just because fish is so good for you. These ten recipes are the ones I make often. There's a a nice variety in flavor and types of fish used in these recipes, as well as cooking methods. Try one or two or more this week to treat your family.

_{Photo © 2010 Linda Larsen, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

St. Patrick's Day Recipe Exchange

Today's treat comes from Kevin Weeks, our Guide to Cooking for Two. There is nothing more Irish than Guinness. Made using water from the Liffey River, it is one of the most famous beers (specifically a "stout") in the world. A staple of English (and Irish) pub fare is Steak and Guinness Pie, a wonderfully hearty meal on a cold and blustery March day. Be sure to buy an extra pint or two to wash down the pie.

Corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day is an American tradition, but the Irish were long famous for their corned beef. Corning your own beef requires starting a week in advance, but it couldn't be easier to do and is far superior to what you can buy at the supermarket. And cooking it is another good excuse for a pint or two of Guinness.