If you're LUCKY enough to be IRISH...

Then you're lucky enough! so the saying goes... With St. Patrick's day coming up, I was thinking about how I have always loved this holiday. It's a funny thing, I'm only barely half Irish, thanks to the Blessed Breen side of the family (Shout out to the Breens!)  But I have always felt 100% Irish. And a few years ago when my Grandma Emily told me that she was interested in going to Ireland one more time, I was all in. Unfortunately the trip didn't happen. She said that she was only kidding and that she was just not up to the rigors of the trip and that she could not bear the thought of staying in the hotel and resting instead of sitting with us all night at the pubs and climbing the rocky paths to see the castles and the Blarney Stone. And after also dismissing the idea of having 99 tattooed on our butts as a consolation (she was turning 99 that year), we decided to have the most fabulous Irish themed birthday party!  The party was complete with Irish dancers, a baked potato bar and an Irish-Car-bomb cake ... with Jameson's whiskey and Bailey's inside. (Thanks to our amazing cake-making sister, Megan.)  I have to say it was a wonderful time.


So, as the saying also goes: on St. Patrick's day - EVERYONE is a little Irish. So I would like to share with you a few ideas that might spark the Irish in you. You may not be the corned beef and cabbage with a tall Guiness type? But here are some fun things you can contribute to a St. Pat's day party or one you can throw together at home with the kids.   


Take a green pepper and slice the bottom off and keep on slicing - the rings look like clovers and if you put them on top of a cheese pizza now you have a FAST Irish looking appetizer. Or add it to an all green veggie tray (cucumbers, zucchini, snow peas to name a few).  And one more fun idea - you can also take that same pepper and make into a stamp (see picture). 


"Shamrock" Fondue is a favorite of mine. It's a twist on Cool and Creamy Chocolate Fondue, by The Pampered Chef. But instead of semi sweet chocolate, instead use white chocolate and a little green food coloring. Add in some mint extract instead of vanilla and you are only a small step away from a Shramrock Shake. (See below for recipe)


Reubens are always a fun choice. Traditionally, the ingredients are rye bread, sauerkraut, thousand island dressing and sliced corned beef. But you can always shake it up a little and make mini Reuben sliders on small buns, or Reuben Quesadillas.(See below for Recipe)


Soda Bread screams Irish to me and I found an EASY recipe that you might try for fun. If you aren't into baking your own bread, pick some up at the local Jewel. They do a fantastic job. (See Recipe Below)


Potatoes. If you ask someone what food is most closely associated with Ireland, I'm guessing Potato would come up in the top 5. At Grandma's party we did a baked potato bar as a fun idea. Baking the foil-wrapped potatoes ahead, and then adding sides of cheeses, bacon, sour cream, chives etc.But I was thinking back to the last time I was at my favorite Irish Pub, and I seem to remember Boxty being on the menu. 

An old Irish poem says:

Boxty on the griddle,
Boxty in the pan,
If you can't make boxty,
You'll never get a man

Boxty is a simple, easy, and tasty Irish potato recipe.

It's wonderful served with a tart apple sauce. This Irish potato recipe is also traditionally prepared as part of an "Ulster Fry", the hearty Irish breakfast, with loads of bacon, fried sausage, fried eggs, black pudding, and fresh soda bread.


Boxty (Irish Potato Griddle Cakes)


Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound raw potato
• 1/2 pound cooked mashed potato
• 1/2 pound plain flour
• Milk (as needed, see directions)
• 1 egg
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper 

• Directions:

Grate raw potatoes and mix with the cooked mashed potatoes. Add salt, pepper, onion and flour. Beat egg and add to mixture with just enough milk to make a batter that will drop from a spoon.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a hot griddle or frying pan. Cook over a moderate heat for 3-4 minutes on each side.

Read Original Here: The Essential Irish Potato Recipe Collection : Fantasy Ireland http://www.fantasy-ireland.com/Irish-potato-recipe.html#ixzz1pIutflIF
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Share Alike 

Soda Bread

by Kelly Rossiter (TLC COOKING)

Browse the recipe Soda Bread

Unknown.

DIFFICULTY LEVEL Easy

YIELD Makes one loaf

Now that you are ready to try baking, I'll introduce you to this soda bread recipe which is just about as easy as it gets. Soda bread is the traditional bread of Ireland; it uses soda as the leavening agent rather than yeast so it rises in the oven during baking. I started this recipe at 11:00 a.m. and we had warm bread and cheese for lunch. This is a very dense bread, so it isn't really suitable for sandwiches, but it is great as part of a Ploughman's Lunch.

INGREDIENTS

3 3/4 cups	unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp	salt
1 tsp	baking soda
2 cups	buttermilk

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Measure flour, salt and soda and mix together in a large bowl.
3. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk. Stir, adding more buttermilk if needed; the dough should be soft, but not wet or sticky.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead just enough to bring the dough together. Turn it over and pat it into a round loaf about 1 1/2 inches high.
5. Place on a baking sheet and cut a cross into the top of the loaf with a knife. Cut fairly deeply into the bread, being sure to cut all the way to the edges; this helps the bread to rise properly.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 400°F and bake for another 30 minutes or until done. To test, tap the bread on the bottom. It will sound hollow when done.

Reuben Quesadillas
Ingredients:
2 cups (500 mL) broccoli slaw mix
1/4 cup (50 mL) Thousand Island salad dressing
12 (6-in./15-cm) flour tortillas
12 oz (350 g) shredded Swiss cheese
12 oz (350 g) sliced corned beef, chopped

Directions:
1.  In small bowl, combine slaw mix and dressing. To assemble quesadillas, place one tortilla onto (10-in./24-cm) Sauté Pan; top with 1/4 cup (50 mL) of the cheese, 1 cup (250 mL) of the corned beef and 1 cup (250 mL) of the slaw mixture. Top with additional 1/4 cup (50 mL) of cheese and second tortilla.

2.  Cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes or until golden brown on both sides and cheese is melted, turning once. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Yield:  6 quesadillas

Nutrients per serving:  (1 quesadilla): Calories 580, Total Fat 34 g, Saturated Fat 14 g, Cholesterol 110 mg, Carbohydrate 36 g, Protein 31 g, Sodium 1220 mg, Fiber less than 1 g

(C)The Pampered Chef, Ltd. 2012


Cool & Creamy Shamrock Chocolate Fondue

Ingredients:
3/4 cup white chocolate morsels
1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (optional)
Green Food coloring (optional)

Dippers: pretzels, graham crackers, marshmallows etc.

Directions:
1.  Place chocolate morsels and half of the whipped topping in Small Batter Bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 1 minute or until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring after each 20-second interval. Fold in remaining whipped topping, extract, and food coloring, if desired; mix until smooth. Cover; refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

2.  To serve, spoon fondue into small bowl. Serve dippers, if desired.

Yield:  2 cups (16 servings)

Nutrients per serving:  (2 tablespoons fondue): Calories 80, Total Fat 5 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Carbohydrate 7 g, Protein 0 g, Sodium 0 mg, Fiber 0 g

If preparing the fondue ahead of time, store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Stir in 1-2 tablespoons milk for a creamier consistency.