Luck O’ The Irish For Everyone

admin — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 05:01:48 +0000

St. Patrick’s Day is an Irish holiday that even the non-Irish love to celebrate. From parades to Irish pubs, there are plenty of local festivities to enjoy. A tradition for my group of friends is to attend the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade (festively dressed in green of course). From there we walk to the local Irish pub for some of our favorite Irish foods — Sheppard’s pie and Irish stew. Add a Guinness and a little Irish dancing and we are transported to the Emerald Isle!

St. Patrick’s Day Irish Recipes

Another way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day is to make Irish foods at home. Try delicious fare such as Beer Braised Irish Stew and Colcannon. Hearty beef stew is served over a mixture of mashed potatoes, bacon, and cabbage. Or for a quick and easy recipe, try Skillet Sheppard’s pie. For a fun and festive ending to your Irish meal bake Blarney Stone cookies. Don’t forget to decorate your table with festive green accents, candles, and cut out shamrocks.

TSG Irish Soda Bread

St. Patrick’s Day just isn’t complete without Irish Soda bread. Bake a loaf of this quick and easy bread for your celebration.

Prepare TSG Beer Bread using 12-ounce club soda. Add ½ cup of orange flavored dried cranberries. Bake at 375 degrees F for 50-55 minutes or bake at 350 degrees F if using glass, ceramic or non-stick bread pan.
Perfect for a hostess gift – wrap the loaf in a decorative tea towel and tie with a green ribbon.

An Old Irish Blessing

May love and laughter light your days, and warm your heart and home.

May good and faithful friends be yours, wherever you may roam.

May peace and plenty bless your world with joy that long endures.

May all life’s passing seasons bring the best to you and yours!

Have a safe and delicious St. Patrick’s Day!

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St. Patrick’s Day Fun Facts and Recipe Ideas

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:00:48 +0000

My maiden name is McCarthy, I’m sprinkled with kisses from the sun (freckles) and I’ve actually kissed the Blarney Stone (now that shouldn’t surprise you) and I’ve lived in Chicago and seen the river dyed green – but when it came to writing about Irish food and St. Patrick’s Day I actually drew a blank. Even after searching Google.

St. Patricks Day Myths

What I learned is that much of the American hoopla about St. Patrick’s Day is just that – American hoopla. Until recently, St. Patrick’s Day was a religious holiday in Ireland. And we all know it was to celebrate driving the snakes out of Ireland. Right? Except there were no snakes in Ireland. Those snakes were most likely heathen symbols.

And ready for this? St. Patrick wasn’t Irish. He was actually born in Scotland or Great Britain in 373 A.D., was enslaved in Ireland as a youth and returned in adulthood as a priest when he probably took the name Patrick or Patricus. Oh Well! Why ruin a festive celebration with facts? I think we just needed a celebration in March – a month that is frequently without one. So what to make?

Recipes for Traditional Irish Foods

The traditional American list includes Irish Soda Bread (which is actually Irish, but not the kind we make with white flour and raisins or gluten free)

Of course, most traditional Irish plates include potatoes (although that didn’t begin until after the great potato famine) and are very simple – meat, potatoes, vegetables. You can do a great corned beef in your slow cooker or a lamb stew. There boxty which is an Irish potato pancake (rhyme). There’s fun potato and sausage dish called a Dublin Coddle. But my personal favorite, Colcannon (mashed potatoes with onion, kale and bacon), is traditionally served at Halloween.

Easy Recipe – No Bake St. Patrick’s Pops for Kids

For the kids, I found this great, fun, easy no bake idea to help celebrate – St. Patrick Cookie Pops. Now this is celebrating!

So on March 17, I’ll wear my green (the shamrock was a symbol of rebellion in Victorian times), have a Guiness (my one per year) and say Erin go Braugh! (Ireland Forever) with all my other American Friends!