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My nonna (Italian grandma) used to crochet lace. Wish I had learned.

Is Boston Brown Bread made with molasses? I love molasses! Just discovered it a year or so ago, and wonder why I ignored it all these years. I'd love the recipe - and directions because I think that's the hard part, getting the shape right.

Here's my village this year. I finally had room enough to make a 'street' with it. For some reason, when I walk through the house and see it all lit up, I get happy. Last night, I was thinking how neat it would be to wake up and be in one of the houses, LOL! Remember that twilight zone episode?

Click on the thumbnail to make bigger.

“Is Boston Brown Bread made with molasses? I love molasses!”

Not sure about Boston but I know about Irish.

Irish Brown Bread.

1 cup + 1½ teaspoons whole wheat flour
½ cup + 1½ teaspoons wheat bran, oat bran or wheat germ, or a combination (pick wheat germ!)
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
1¼ cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon molasses
Throw in a bit of brown sugar. About a heaping tsp.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and put it on the center oven rack.
Whisk together the whole wheat flour and wheat/oat bran or WHEAT GERM (!) (LOL) in a large bowl.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the wheat flour mixture and whisk to combine
Add the butter pieces and rub them into small pieces with the flour mixture using your fingers, until as small as possible. (Oh get serious!!Use a dang fork!)
Stir in the buttermilk and molasses, brown sugar, until the dough is uniformly damp. Turn out onto a lightly floured countertop and knead gently, until the dough forms a smooth ball.
Use a sharp serrated knife (or a lame)(WHAT THE HECK IS A LAME!!!!! LOL!) to slice a cross deeply into the top of the bread, about 1-inch deep. Place the loaf on the hot baking sheet.
Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until the loaf is firm on top and when you tap the bottom, feels hollow.
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for about one hour before serving.

Love this stuff with smoked salmon, cream cheese and all the usual fixings.

I made delicious Indian Pudding once, a certain recipe. But I shrink from making it because you have to fuss with the corn meal and temper the eggs and such. I tried a shortcut years ago, and it was a flop.

On to the Boston Brown Bread. Would you believe I found enough keywords from when I copied and saved the recipe that google cooperated and found that site back for me? Subscribed to her newsletter, don't usually do that. And don't always copy all the blog and pictures but just recipes and one photo.

http://plantwhateverbringsyoujoy.com/boston-brown-bread/

I just liked the look of it. I use 3 large fruit cans with the white-finished insides, used the pliers to press that sharp tab from the can opener down as much as I could so I wouldn't snag my fingers. Have learned the hard way with sharp edges on cans and more than once :-(

I use 3/4 cup dark raisins soaked for 45 min or so and drained well (she used part sultana). And used white flour in place of rye like she does.

I love your Christmas Village. My son gave me one Dept 51 is it? The little light burned out and I broke it trying to get it out, too much trouble to send for some spare bulbs.