St. Patrick's Day 2010

[Rhayne]

Is anyone out there doing anything for St. Patties day this year? Cooking a special meal, going out to celebrate, parades, parties?

My boyfriend and I will be going to our local Irish Pub for corned beef and cabbage and maybe a drink after dinner. They have an amazing (and cheap) irish menu and have live music and bagpipers. We went last year and had a blast. We may also go to the parade in town, missed it last year.

[imagine]

I just bought my corned beef today for Corned beef and cabbage on St Patrick's Day.

Next day leftover Ruben sandwiches.

There is a parade here. Generally one kid marches in it but I haven't heard anything this year yet.

[Contrary Housewife]

We will have the traditional boiled dinner, though this is something we eat all year long so it's not super special.

[Neeley]

As much as I love Valentine's, Easter, Turkey day, Halloween and all of the other holidays, St. Patrick's is not one we do anything for.

DS has his 6 month dental cleaning that afternoon. Does that count for doing something special? :]

[Rhayne]

We bought a corned beef brisket but I'll probly make it in a few weeks. I love St. Patrick's Day. Ever since I can remember, my mother has made corned beef, potatoes and cabbage in the crockpot and it filled our house with yummy smells. I'm trying my best to carry on the food traditions that I grew up with. My boyfriend had different traditions growing up mainly because he's philippine. One thing I missed this year and will have to do next year is Pork and Kraut for new years.

[MaryCarney]

I'm doing something a little different - I'm turning 55 on St. Patrick's Day!! When I was a little kid, my grandfather had me convinced that the city of Chicago dyed the river green for ME as a birthday present!! I was probably 12 years old when I figured out it was actually a holiday to other people as well!!

[Rhayne]

I'm doing something a little different - I'm turning 55 on St. Patrick's Day!! When I was a little kid, my grandfather had me convinced that the city of Chicago dyed the river green for ME as a birthday present!! I was probably 12 years old when I figured out it was actually a holiday to other people as well!!

I know all too well how birthday's and holiday's coincide. My Bday is 2 days after Valentine's Day. So of course growing up, anytime a cake was bought at the store for me, it was pink with hearts!

[Russ]

Mine is exactly one week after St Pattys day.

We will be having corned beef and cabbage and drinking green beer!

[MomToTwoBoys]

I'm cooking up a ham with some potatoes and cabbage rolls on the side.

I can't stomach corned beef. The taste is absolutely horrble, so we do the ham and cabbage bit.

I've never had Guinness before, but I wanted some last night. I might get some here but it's really expensive. DS6 has a trip to the Roundup Centre to see animals with his school, so I imagine it'll be a nice night in.

[Rhayne]

I'm cooking up a ham with some potatoes and cabbage rolls on the side.

I can't stomach corned beef. The taste is absolutely horrble, so we do the ham and cabbage bit.

I've never had Guinness before, but I wanted some last night. I might get some here but it's really expensive. DS6 has a trip to the Roundup Centre to see animals with his school, so I imagine it'll be a nice night in.

Hmm, don't think I've ever had ham with cabbage before. Sounds interesting. I love corned beef though.

[MaryCarney]

I know all too well how birthday's and holiday's coincide. My Bday is 2 days after Valentine's Day. So of course growing up, anytime a cake was bought at the store for me, it was pink with hearts!

Yeah, a lady at Bible study is in charge of refreshments next Wednesday - she was all excited 'cause she's going to bake me a green birthday cake - I've only had 2 or 3 NON-green cakes in my 55 years.

PS "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" was the #1 song on Billboard the day I was born. My dad thought the world was going to hell in a handbasket because of that!!!

[Rhayne]

Yeah, a lady at Bible study is in charge of refreshments next Wednesday - she was all excited 'cause she's going to bake me a green birthday cake - I've only had 2 or 3 NON-green cakes in my 55 years.

PS "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" was the #1 song on Billboard the day I was born. My dad thought the world was going to hell in a handbasket because of that!!!

Do ya think I'm sexy by Rod Stewart was the top song the day I was born lol.

[MaryCarney]

Do ya think I'm sexy by Rod Stewart was the top song the day I was born lol.

Wow! Generation Gap !!!

[Grainlady]

My FAVORITE holiday. Great food!!!

FYI - Corned beef is an American-Irish dish and was largely unknown to many Irish people until they set foot in the famine boats that bore them away to the New World. In author, Malachi McCormick's Irish Country Cooking, he proclaims Colcannon as Ireland's TRUE national dish (a recipe is posted below).

Traditional Irish Foods:

Oat Farls - This recipe is similar to the one I use. I pat the dough into two rounds that are 1-inch thick and then cut them into 6-8 wedges (more the size of a biscuit).
Oat Farls

Colconnon- (potato/cabbage casserole)
(Source: The Victory Garden Cookbook)

This dish can be prepared in advance through step 5, refrigerated, and heated at serving time.

1 pound all-purpose potatoes, peeled
1 pound green cabbage, shredded (4-cups)
1 lg. onion, chopped (1 cup)
1/4 c. milk
1 T. butter
3 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated, divided
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water. When cooked, remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and save the water in the pan.

2. Using the potato water (you may have to add more boiling water) boil the cabbage and onion for about 5 minutes. Drain the vegetables, set aside.

3. Place the cooked potatoes back in the pan (without any liquid), add the milk and butter, and mash until they are smooth.

4. Add the reserved boiled cabbage and onion to the potato mixture.

5. Mix two-thirds of the cheese with the potato mixture. Season the colcannon with pepper and salt, if desired (I find it's salty enough from the cooking water and don't add any salt), and transfer it to a greased casserole or shallow baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

6. Before serving the colcannon, heat it through in a moderately hot oven (the temperature is not critical -- it can be between 350°F and 425°F, depending on what else you are using the oven for). Let the cheese on top brown slightly.

After you make this once, you won't ever use the recipe again. You can use leftover mashed potatoes, I use Freezer Mashed Potatoes, and then add some boiled cabbage/onion, cheese, etc....

Calico Salad
(coleslaw)
1-1/2 c. finely shredded red cabbage
1-1/2 c. finely shredded green cabbage
1/4 c. minced onion
1/4 c. salad dressing
1/2 T. vinegar
1 T. sugar
pinch of salt
1/8 t. celery seed

Combine first three ingredients. Combine remaining ingredients. Put dressing on salad and mix thoroughly.

BROONIE
(Irish Gingerbread)
2 c. flour
1-1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. ground ginger
3/4 t. salt
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
2 egg yolks
1 c. molasses
1/2 c. quick-cooking oatmeal
1 c. hot water

Measure flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Sift together onto waxed paper. In mixing bowl, combine butter with sugar until well blended. Add the egg, pous the two additional egg yolks. Beat mixture until fluffy. Stir in molasses.

Add sifted dry ingredients, oatmeal and hot water (one fourth at a time) to the egg and molasses mixture, stirring after each addition. Pour mixture into greased 9" square baking pan. Bake in a 350°F oven for 20-30-minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Cut into squares and serve warm.

Limerick Ham
Ham boiled with whole cloves in the water.

Non-traditional "Irish" Food:

KILLARNEY CHERRY CAKE

(I've posted this recipe so many times on the Internet over the years that you can now Google it and find the recipe. I found this recipe in a cookbook that was compiled by Home Economics Teachers in the "Foreign Foods Section". How authentic to Ireland it is is somewhat doubtful - although cherries are an Irish favorite - but this cake is always a hit and easy to make.)

1-lb. 2 1/2 oz. pkg. chocolate fudge cake mix
1/4 c. plus 3 T. creme de menth or 1 1/2 t. peppermint flavoring
1/2 c. chopped red or green Maraschino cherries
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
2 T. confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
1/4 c. whole green (or red) Maraschino cherries
Chocolate curls (take a potato peeler to a cold or frozen Hershey Chocolate Candy Bar)

Prepare cake according to package directions, substituting 1/4 c.creme de menthe for 1/4 c. water or adding 1 t. peppermint flavoring and using the same amount of water as called for on the box (Grainlady note: I prefer the peppermint flavoring to the creme de menthe - creme de menthe tends to burn the cake). Stir in chopped cherries; pour into two greased 9-inch layer pans. Bake as directed on cake mix package. Cool.

Whip the cream with remaining creme de menthe or 1/2 t. peppermint flavoring and confectioners sugar. Spread one-third of the whipped cream between cake layers. Heap
remaining whipped cream on top. Arrange whole cherries on the top of the cake (Grainlady note: drain and blot the cherries on paper towels first to prevent cherry juice dripping on the whipped cream), add chocolate curls over whipped cream.

Note: If you want to save time and money, frost the cake with a tub of Cool Whip (regular or Extra Creamy, the Low-fat stuff doesn't hold up well) with either creme
de menthe or peppermint flavoring in it instead of whipping the cream. Make sure this cake is refrigerated until time to serve.

Irish Chicken and Dumplings
I have a friend who makes this recipe for a Q&E meal.
Irish Chicken and Dumplings - All Recipes

[Rhayne]

My FAVORITE holiday. Great food!!!

KILLARNEY CHERRY CAKE

(I've posted this recipe so many times on the Internet over the years that you can now Google it and find the recipe. I found this recipe in a cookbook that was compiled by Home Economics Teachers in the "Foreign Foods Section". How authentic to Ireland it is is somewhat doubtful - although cherries are an Irish favorite - but this cake is always a hit and easy to make.)

1-lb. 2 1/2 oz. pkg. chocolate fudge cake mix
1/4 c. plus 3 T. creme de menth or 1 1/2 t. peppermint flavoring
1/2 c. chopped red or green Maraschino cherries
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
2 T. confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
1/4 c. whole green (or red) Maraschino cherries
Chocolate curls (take a potato peeler to a cold or frozen Hershey Chocolate Candy Bar)

Prepare cake according to package directions, substituting 1/4 c.creme de menthe for 1/4 c. water or adding 1 t. peppermint flavoring and using the same amount of water as called for on the box (Grainlady note: I prefer the peppermint flavoring to the creme de menthe - creme de menthe tends to burn the cake). Stir in chopped cherries; pour into two greased 9-inch layer pans. Bake as directed on cake mix package. Cool.

Whip the cream with remaining creme de menthe or 1/2 t. peppermint flavoring and confectioners sugar. Spread one-third of the whipped cream between cake layers. Heap
remaining whipped cream on top. Arrange whole cherries on the top of the cake (Grainlady note: drain and blot the cherries on paper towels first to prevent cherry juice dripping on the whipped cream), add chocolate curls over whipped cream.

Note: If you want to save time and money, frost the cake with a tub of Cool Whip (regular or Extra Creamy, the Low-fat stuff doesn't hold up well) with either creme
de menthe or peppermint flavoring in it instead of whipping the cream. Make sure this cake is refrigerated until time to serve.

All Recipes[/url]

Thank you for the awesome recipes! I think I'm going to try this cake one this weekend. I LOVE cherries.