The Lederman Kitchen

Although summer was pretty much non-existent here in Dublin, we definitely feel autumn settling in quickly.  The mornings are getting colder and the days shorter. Scarfs and gloves are becoming a necessary and like any day in Ireland, an umbrella is always at arms reach. Sunday, Brian decided to make Irish Beef and Guinness Stew, with soda bread.  It was delicious and a perfect way to warm up on a chilly evening.  Today the forecast was a high of 49°F, so leftovers were welcomed tonight. Irish Beef & Guinness Stew with soda bread. Ingredients: ~15 peral onions, peeled 2 carrots, chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 1 parsnip, chopped 1.5 cups potatoes, chopped 1 pound stewing beef 16oz can of Guinness 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 14oz can diced tomatoes 1 cup of beef stock 2 bay leaves Fresh thyme salt and pepper olive oil First prepare all the veggies. Carrots, celery, onions and parsnip - all ready to go Add carrots, celery,...

Pizza is a bi-weekly staple in The Lederman Kitchen.  Lately, we have been working on perfecting a really tasty variation with ricotta, caramelized onions, mushrooms, garlic, prosciutto, and arugula.  Typically, we buy our dough at Whole Foods, but tonight was the second time that we made our own dough at home.  I used the KitchenAid Stand Mixer again which is quickly becoming my favorite new toy.  I know... it's so easy to buy dough, or to order a pizza and have it delivered for that matter.  Still, it's fun to make at home and not too hard at all. Making the dough only takes a few minutes of actual prep time, but it does have to rise for an hour so you have to plan ahead a bit.  The dough keeps well in the freezer so it's definitely possible to make a big batch and freeze some for later.   I found a great recipe on Food.com that is super easy.  For the dough: 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast 1 cup warm water 1/2...