Dia duit. Beannachta na Faile Padraig oraibh!
It's not quite St. Patrick's Day yet but tomorrow we'll be celebrating all things Irish so why not start early with the St. Patrick's Day Blog Hop?
In addition to the invididual prizes offered up at more than 120 different author blogs, there will be a drawing for *TWO* Grand Prizes?! The names of two lucky readers who leave comments on our blog hop will be drawn for:
- A choice of either an Amazon Kindle Fire or a Barnes and Noble Nook Tablet
AND - A $90 Gift Card for either Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
I'm offering up a PDFfull set of all four Love Covenant books from Evernight Publishing, my series featuring my sex and delightful Irish vampire, Will Brennan and his Texas lady, Cara Riley along with one winner's choice of ANY of my titles in the format of the winners choice. That includes the three titles also available in paperback. While all of my dozen novels to date don't offer an Irish connection, many of them do, whether it's an Irish character, an Irish surname, an Irish granny, or other connection to Erin.
I have a rich heritage including plenty of Irish roots myself. My son, Patrick Murphy, is named for two men - my grandfather Pat Neely, may he rest in peace, and Patrick "Patsy"O'Hara, an Irish hero. Patsy was the third of the hunger strikers to die during the 1981 hunger strikes at Long Kesh prison in the north of Ireland.
My own rich auburn hair color is as Irish as a shamrock, being the same vivid shade as my grandpa Pat's hair.
Instead of trying to offer an excerpt from one of my novels, I thought I'd share a traditional Irish brown bread recipe. It's delicious!
- 4 cups whole wheat (graham) flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup melted butter or vegetable oil
Topping
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
Direction
1) Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 1 1/2 to 2-quart baking dish, or an 8" or 9" cast-iron skillet or cake pan that's at least 1 1/2" deep.
2) In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
3) In a smaller bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter or oil.
4) Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the liquids. Stir together until blended and no dry spots remain; the dough will be soft and sticky. In fact, it's probably more of a stiff batter than a soft dough.
5) Scoop the dough into the prepared pan, mounding it in the center. Brush the top with the melted butter. Wait 5 minutes for liquid to be absorbed by the flour before baking.
6) Bake the bread for 35 to 45 minutes, or until it tests done (a cake tester inserted into the center will come out clean.) Remove it from the oven, and serve warm.
Yield: One loaf, about 8 to 10 servings.
Bake up a batch and join me for a drink if you'd like!I've been sipping usisce beatha!
Leave me a comment about anything Irish - from my novels to your favorite Irish food, memory, song, poem, or drink for your chance to win!
And then hop on for more chances to win!
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I want to be entered in the St.Patrick's Day Blog Hop. Please enter me. Thank You.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm not Irish, but my BBF is and we have been celebrating St. Paddy's Day together for over 30 years! Count me in the contest.
ReplyDeletemcv111 at hotmail(dot)com
:) Well I do have some Irish in me and with all my freckles its easy to tell! Hmm as a kid I remember my mom singing me a song I think it may have been called the Irish Lullaby. And for saint Patrick's day me and my kids are making cupcakes with green icing and little shamrock sprinkles. I hope you have an amazing Saint Patrick's Day!!
ReplyDeletebrandon_savannah@yahoo.com
I'm Irish and I would love to visit Ireland someday. Thanks for the Irish Brown Bread recipe. I look forward to trying it. Happy St. Patrick's Day! cheryllynne(at)rocketmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteYum. Your recipe sounds great. Me, my favorite thing about the Irish is how musical the natives sound when they're talking (at least in the movies - I haven't met very many Irish people in person). Still, it's very lyrical.
ReplyDeletea very early good morning from foggy mississippi. the roosters are crowing and the donkeys are relatively quiet. now, if you're confused by that weird statement, welcome to my world. lol. i live on the family farm, with my parents up the road one direction and my eldest brother and his fam down the road. just far enough away to where they aren't "next door neighbors" in the typical sense, thank goodness.
ReplyDeletemy ancestors were from ireland. i traced my family history as far back as i could go, and it stopped when my g-pa zachariah came over from Ireland right before the rev. war. so in every war, there has been one of us. i don't know whether to be proud or worry about what that's done to the poor united states. lol. we're a loud and rowdy bunch. i guess that attests to our irish heritage as well.
that's something i've always loved about ireland. they're loud, proud, and aren't ashamed of where they come from. my kind of people. literally and figuratively.
hope you have a great st. patrick's day!
LC (pinkdrama@gmail.com)
count me in please!
ReplyDeleteSince I'm writing my term paper about irish migration, I loved reading the posts her :)
Emiliana25(at)webDOTde
Oh you went all out with the green background on the blog I likes.
ReplyDeletePlease enter me I would love to read these books.
Happy St. Pattys Day!
~*Drea*~
dreabecraft(@)aol.com
“May those who love us, love us; and those who don't love us, may God turn their hearts; and if He doesn't turn their hearts, may he turn their ankles so we'll know them by their limping.”
ReplyDeleteHappy St. Patty's Day!
~Sara
sarabook7237@gmail.com
I really enjoy reading Irish mythology. They are really interesting.
ReplyDeleteHappy St. Patricks Day.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
I'm Awful My favourite thing to do is drink green beer!
ReplyDeletexx
Angela S Stone
angela@angelastone.ca
http://angelastone.ca/blog-3
Have a happy St. Patrick's Day - green, rainbows, gold and all!
ReplyDeletecarrieannryanwrites(at)gmail.com
The Irish Brown bread recipe sounds delicious, have always enjoyed reading about Irish folklore, always so fascinating.
ReplyDeleteJean
skpetal at hotmail dot com
Thanks for the bread receipe. I was looking for an easy to make bread using whole wheat flour.
ReplyDeleteacm05atjuno.com
Happy St Patrick's Day
ReplyDeleteI would be very happy to discover your book the only other irish hero i can think of is Atticus o' sullivan from iron druid chronicle by kevin hearne and i would love to discover more thanks you for this opportunity
isabelle(dot)frisch(at)gmail(dot)com
Does admitting my favorite Irish actor (Liam Neeson) count? :P
ReplyDeleteGreat giveaway, very generous! Thanks for the chance to win, I look forward to reading your work.
Hillary
hillacurr@gmail.com
Hmm, not sure what to say but I very much enjoy reading books with Irish characters in them, if that will count. :) Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteHappy St. Patrick's Day.
Pam
vanillaorchids69(at)gmail(dot)com
Food is great for any celebrations. Thanks for sharing a receipe :)
ReplyDeleteCambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thanks for the recipe and for participating in the hop.
ReplyDeleteMmafsmith atgmail got com
I love the Celtic songs that's what I love about the Irish!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great giveaway!!!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
red_tigergirl2(at)hotmail(dot)com
I love the lore and history of Ireland. So rich!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
ashley.vanburen[at]gmail[dot]com
My favorite Irish food is corned beef and cabbage!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway, and Happy St. Patrick's Day!
sqwalker2@hotmail.com
Awesome giveaway. Thanks for the chance. I always have fun on St. Patricks Day because I get to hang out with my friends.
ReplyDeletemythic021@gmail.com
Anything Irish? W.B. Yeats is my all-time favorite poet!
ReplyDeleteErin Go Bragh!
catherinelee100 at gmail dot com
I would LOVE winning your books !
ReplyDeleteWell, I enjoy posting Irish blessings and jokes on FB for my friends..so I will share one with you :)
How do you get an Irishman on the roof?
Tell him the drinks are on the
house.
Happy St Pattys Day !!
~Kym
flwrs4ever(at)yahoo(dot)com
happy st pt day my sister is going to party me i am going to fair her bd s i 54 young
ReplyDeletedesithelbonde2msn.com
Well my name is Shannon so that is Irish - although I'm not named after the river in Ireland I sure do get asked about it a lot. I love the geography and culture of Ireland. Everyone I have met and who I know has been there are glowing about Ireland. I hope to make it there myself!
ReplyDeleteHappy St. Patrick's Day!
bas1chsemail at gmail dot com
Thank you for participating in the blog hop!
ReplyDeleteMy fav Irish 'thing' are the guys. ;)
menina.iscrazy @ yahoo.com
My favorite song is O Danny Boy. Gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. The harmonization is so pretty. Happy St. Pat's Day...thx for the giveaway op! :)
ReplyDeletebarbbattaglia @ yahoo.com
I love the Irish kilts.
ReplyDeletedlatany at gmail dot com
Hands down..Green Beer!! LOL!!Awesome contest!! I hope you have a great Saint Patty's Day!!
ReplyDeleteviajeradelmar@aol.com
I love Irish Whiskey!
ReplyDeleteHappy St. Patrick's Day & thanks for the amazing giveaway!
elizabeth @ bookattict . com
Favorite memory that would be St. Patricks Day 1992 when I married my husband tomorrows going to be 18 years
ReplyDeleteflanagan@mebtel.net
I like Irish cream in my coffee, sexy Irish men in kilts and wicked Irish accents! *drool*
ReplyDeleteproudarmymom32(at)yahoo(dot)com
I have a serious weakness for Irish men - SERIOUS weakness for them. They speak, smile, use their charm and wit on me and I'm a puddle on the floor, lol.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for participating in this hop!
Gena Robertson
robertsongena@hotmail.com
I like the Irish accent. Yum!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
beckerjo at verizon dot net
St. Patrick's Day is a National Holiday at my house. We get ready for the parade at 7 which starts at 10. Then we go to the in laws and eat, eat, eat. Play games with the kiddos and eat some more. Some members exchange gifts. Then it is off to the pub crawl. Fun times for everyone.
ReplyDeleteMel
bournmelissa AT hotmail DOT com
I love Irish soda bread. Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteMorganlafey86(at)aol(dot)com
Thank you for the giveaway. My fave part of SPD is that it reminds me of my grandfather, he loved the holiday.
ReplyDeleteJune
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
My favorite part is the colors, outfits and the fun! :) Thank you for sharing and for the giveaway! Happy St. Patrick's Day!
ReplyDeleteshadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
Bailey Irish Cream in Hot Chocolate.
ReplyDeleteHappy St Patricks Day!
bacchus76 at myself dot com
I wrote a whole blog post on Irish today. I have also compiled a coffee recipe book once and I found 29 different Irish Coffee recipes. But the original one that was made at the Foynes' port to a group of passengers from a Pan American Flying Boat on a miserably cold day in 1940. The head chef Joe Sheridan served the passengers coffee with whiskey added to combat the cold. After tasting it one asked him if it was Brazilian coffee... He answered no it was Irish Coffee.
ReplyDeletePamela Jo
theresjustlife(at)gmail(dot)com