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Non-Traditional Saint Patrick Day Dinner

Updated on April 17, 2015

Let's Get Away from Tradition and Serve Something Different on St.Patrick's Day

Corned Beef and Cabbage for St.Patrick's Day has become an American tradition, however it was never a traditional Irish meal in my home.

Since most American's seem to follow the course of Corned Beef and Cabbage, even though it doesn't come from Ireland, I thought I would give you an alternative menu to try instead. I did some searching and came up with a more modern St. Patrick's Day menu that you can easily cook for your family on St. Patrick's Day or at any time of the year.

I am giving you everything needed to host a non-traditional St. Patrick's Day Dinner Party from recipes to libation ideas. I hope you find something you like and I hope you have a wonderfully green and Irish Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Éirinn go Brách!

Tunnel Near Glengariff - County Cork, Ireland

Source

View from Roches Royal Hotel - Gengariff Harbor, County Cork, Ireland

Source

Corned Beef & Cabbage Was Not an Irish Tradition

A meal of Corned Beef and Cabbage is not a traditional recipe from Ireland. When the poor Irish immigrants first came to New York, lamb was nigh to be had, but beef was plentiful and expensive.

Their Jewish neighbors taught them how to get a cheap piece of beef called brisket and soak it in a brine to preserve it, thus corned beef.

Corned beef prepared with root vegetables and cabbage, which was all that was available for the immigrant poor during the winter months in New York, begat what we now know as Corned Beef and Cabbage.

Gaelic Saying

~ Ni geal an gaire ach san ait a mbionn anbiadh ~


"Laughter is gayest where the food is best."

A Modern St. Patrick's Day Menu

An Alternative for Corned Beef and Cabbage

Traditional Irish food in the past was very simple, yet tasty food. Sheep were raised in Ireland making lamb and mutton dishes plentiful.

Today the culinary tastes of Ireland's cities have become far more sophisticated and can compete with the rest of the world's great cuisines.

The dishes we are featuring here are recipes that I found online for a more modern day menu to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day. And may ye have a happy one, all ye Irish darlin's!

Appetizer

Zucchini Cakes Recipe
Zucchini Cakes Recipe | Source

Zucchini Cakes

These zucchini cakes make a brilliant appetizer for a modern St. Patrick's Day Menu.

Serving Size

Serves: 8 cakes

Ingredients

  • 1 large zucchini grated and squeezed dry
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • Fresh grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 3 Dash cayenne or to taste
  • 2 clove garlic minced fine or grated
  • 1 egg
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoons butter

Instructions

  1. Grate zucchini into paper towels and squeeze to release the water.
  2. Combine all ingredients, except olive oil & butter, in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
  3. Using a heaping tablespoon form the mixture into 8 patties.
  4. Heat olive oil and butter in a pan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted and the oil is hot, add patties and saute until golden brown. About 3-4 minutes per side.
  5. Serve.
Cast your vote for Zucchini Cakes
Emerald Green Deviled Egg Bites
Emerald Green Deviled Egg Bites | Source

Emerald Deviled Eggs

II love watercress and tarragon so I thought these green eggs and ham would be perfect for a St. Patrick's Day appetizer.

The ham could be left out, of course, for an emerald green egg bite appetizer.

Cook Time

Prep Time: 20

Serves: 12 Green Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup watercress leaves
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons scallions sliced thinly
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
  • Sea salt & white pepper to taste
  • 4 slices ham into thin strips

Instructions

  1. Hard-boil 6 eggs, then peel and slice in half.
  2. Scoop the yolks into a food processor and puree with the rest of the ingredients except for the ham.
  3. Cut 4 slices of ham into thin strips; fold and place in the hollowed-out egg whites. Fill with the yolk mixture.

Temple Arch at Horn Head - County Donegal, Ireland 1890-1900

Temple Arch at Horn Head Today - County Donagal, Ireland 2010

Temple Arch at Horn Head 2010
Temple Arch at Horn Head 2010 | Source

A Wee Bit of Irish Blarney: Finnegan & Keenan

Finnegan: My wife has a terrible habit of staying up 'til two o'clock in the morning and I can't break her of it.

Keenan: What on earth is she doin' at that time?

Finnegan: Waitin' for me to come home.

Celtic Soup

Potato Turnip Bean Kale Soup
Potato Turnip Bean Kale Soup | Source

Potato, Turnip, White Bean, And Kale Soup

Using the same principle as Italian Minestrone, you can use up any old veggies you have that are holding court in your fridge with nowhere to go.

Instead of throwing out the wilted celery, chop it up and throw it in. If you have Swiss chard, spinach or collard greens; use it instead of the kale.

If the soup isn't thick enough at the end, throw in a can of Cream of Mushroom Soup (without any extra liquid) to help thicken it. You really can't go wrong with this and it is delicious.

This recipe is one I created years ago, but the idea to use it and the photo came from Dash & Della Blog.

Cook Time

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Total Time: About 3 hours

Serves: 4 - 6

Ingredients

  • 1 or 2 meaty ham hocks
  • 8 cups of chicken stock
  • vegetable stock or water
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion rough chopped
  • 4 medium carrots scrubbed & diced
  • 2 stalks celery strings removed & diced
  • Sea salt or Kosher salt
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 8 oz. sliced Crimini mushrooms
  • 1/2 c. white wine
  • 8 large yukon gold or Russet potatoes peeled and chopped in chunks
  • 2 white turnips peeled & diced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp. thyme
  • 2 cans Great Northern White Beans or Cannelli Beans
  • 1/2 head kale
  • Sea salt or Kosher salt
  • Pepper
  • Minced parsely
  • Hot sauce - optional
  • Parmesan

Instructions

  1. Cover ham hock in soup pot with water or stock to cover. Bring to a boil. Once boiling turn down to medium and cook on a low boil until the meat is falling off the bone; about 1-1/2 hours.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large cast iron skillet, fry up the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and place on paper towel to drain; reserve. Pour out all of the bacon fat except 1 tablespoon of bacon fat; reserve the excess in the fridge for another use. Add olive oil to the bacon fat in the skillet. Over medium heat, add onions, carrots, and celery. Add big pinch of salt. Saute until crisp tender (about 10 minutes).
  3. While the vegetables are cooking, mince the garlic and slice the mushrooms; add to vegetables. Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly; being careful not to burn the garlic. Turn down heat if too high. Add white wine. Cook down for a minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
  4. When ham hock is cooked, remove from the cooking broth to cool. Once cooled, remove the meat and throw back into the cooking broth. Discard the skin, fat and bones.
  5. Add potatoes and turnips to the soup pot. Add more stock or water if needed to cover. Add the reserved vegetables in the skillet, the bay leaf and the thyme to the soup pot. Bring back to a boil. Turn down to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add white beans and cook for another 20 minutes with the lid off. You want the potatoes, turnips, and beans to start to fall apart and thicken the soup. Then get an immersion hand blender and blend right in the soup pot until blended but still chunky for texture.
  6. Stack all the kale leaves. Rough chop into about 1" pieces; add to soup. (the other half can be used in the colcannon). You can also add any other hearty green like Swiss chard or spinach that may be wilting in the fridge. Cook another 15 minutes to cook greens until wilted down and cooked through. Taste; adjust seasoning; add hot sauce to taste if you like.
  7. Serve with reserved bacon bits, minced parsley and shaved Parmesan cheese.
Source

Kitchenaid 3 Speed Hand Held Blender

When making soups that need to be blended, I have found my Immersion Hand Blender indispensable! I don't know what I would do without it anymore.

It is so much easier than having to work in batches ladling the hot soup into a blender, then putting each batch in a bowl while it waits for the next batch to blend, and then putting everything back into the pot.

It saves on washing extra dishes and it saves from getting burned by hot soup splatter. It also saves on time from not having to let the soup cool enough to handle in the blender! I love mine!

It also comes in really handy if a want to make a single chocolate malt really quick. I have a tall glass I use. I add the ice cream, the chocolate powder, the malt powder and the milk and stick the blender right in the glass. Totally cool!

Cliffs on the Dingle Peninsula - County Kerry, Ireland

Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry, Ireland
Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry, Ireland | Source

Another Wee Bit of Irish Blarney:

An Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman were reading a newspaper article about which nationalities' brains were for sale for transplant purposes.

An Irishman's or a Scotsman's brain could be bought for 500 but an Englishman's brain cost 10,000.

That proves,' said the Englishman, 'That Englishmen are brilliant compared to Irishmen or Scotsmen.'

'No, it doesn't,' said the Irishman, It just means that an Englishman's brain has never been used.'

Irish Main Course

Source

Lamb Chops with Pesto and Creme Fraiche

Rather than serving traditional fare such as Lamb Shanks Braised in Guinness, a traditional Lamb Shepherd's Pie or a thick Lamb Stew, let's kick up our heels, dance a little jig and dine on lamb chops with a modern twist.

Kale stays with tradition but when turned into a pesto we get a gorgeous green color to accent the lamb packed full of nutrients and flavor.

The recipes for the Pesto and Creme Fraiche are given below.

Serving Size

Serves: 4 - 5

Ingredients

  • 10 lamb chops
  • Garlic salt
  • Pepper
  • Lemon wedges

Instructions

  1. Generously season the lamb chops with the garlic salt and pepper.
  2. Bring a cast-iron pan to very high heat. Once the pan is smoking, sear all sides of the chops (start with the thin, fatty edges and then pour off some of the fat).
  3. To test for doneness, push on the flesh of the largest chop; it should have a little give meaning that the chop is still a little pink inside. Remove from heat earlier than you think you should. (They will continue to cook after you remove from heat; you can always throw them back in the pan if need be.) Keep warm in a 200 degree oven until needed.
  4. Let the chops sit for a few minutes.
  5. While the chops are still warm, top each with a spoonful of the lemon creme fraiche and a spoonful of kale pesto (recipes follow below).
  6. Serve with lemon wedges. They can be eaten with your fingers if you wish.

Kale Pesto

Either curly or plain kale can used in this recipe. Romano Pecorino or Parmesan can replace the Manchego (or any combo of hard cheeses).

Keep in mind both the anchovy and the cheese are a bit salty. Be careful not to over salt the pesto.

Ingredients

  • 1 clean head kale with tips trimmed & coarsely chopped
  • 1 anchovy fillet that was packed in oil
  • 2 peeled garlic cloves
  • 3/4 c. blanched & lightly toasted almonds
  • 1 -1/2 c. grated manchego
  • 1/3 c. fresh creamy goat cheese
  • Juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon
  • 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
  • Celtic sea salt or Kosher salt
  • Pepper

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
  2. Add a small handful of sea salt. Add kale. Let wilt for about a minute.
  3. Remove kale and place in colander to drain water. Press water out with hands.
  4. Make a paste with the anchovies and garlic cloves in a mortar and pestle. Don't have one? Mash on your counter with the side of a chef's knife.
  5. In a food processor, add kale, anchovy/garlic paste, almonds, grated hard cheeses, goat cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, a big pinch of salt, and a few turns of pepper.
  6. Puree (not too much because you want a little texture). Scrape down sides. Puree more. Scrape down sides. Taste and adjust flavors as needed.
  7. If you're not serving within a few hours, top the pesto with a thin layer of olive oil and refrigerate.

Lemon Creme Fraiche

Add a dollop of the Lemon Creme Fraiche to the Lamb Chop and top with the pesto.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 c. creme fraiche
  • Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
  • Sea salt or Kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients.
  2. Taste. Adjust as needed.
Source

Lodge Cast Iron Skillet with Glass Lid

A cast iron skillet is a "Must Have" kitchen tool. If you don't have one already, you should get one as soon as you can afford to. You cannot sear a steak, a pork chop or a lamp chop properly on the stove unless you use a cast iron skillet.

A cast iron skillet is also a necessity for baking corn bread. Sure you can use a square cake pan to bake it, but it won't be as good. I use mine to bake my Irish soda bread too.

A cast iron skillet has so many uses there just isn't enough space or time to list them all here.

The Steuchans at Giant's Causeway - County Antrim, Ireland

One More Wee Bit of Irish Blarney

Murphy told Quinn that his wife was driving him to drink.

Quinn thinks he's a very lucky man because his own wife makes him walk.

An Irish Dinner Poll - What is Your Opinion?

What Type of Irish Cuisine Do You Prefer for Saint Patrick's Day?

See results

Dublin, Ireland Today - The National Parliament of Ireland

The National Parliament of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
The National Parliament of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland | Source

The national parliament of Ireland, the Oireachtas, consists of the President of Ireland and two houses, Dil ireann (Chamber of Deputies) and Seanad ireann (Senate).

What is Irish Diplomacy?

The ability to tell someone to go to Hell so that they will look forward to the trip.

Erin go Bragh - Ireland Forever (Conamara and Kerry Dialect)

Sing Along:

'll sing you a song of a row in the town,

When the green flag went up and the Crown rag came down,

'Twas the neatest and sweetest thing ever you saw,

And they played that great game they called Erin Go Bragh.

God bless gallant Pearse and his comrades who died

Tom Clark, MacDonagh, MacDiarmada, McBride,

And here's to James Connolly who gave one hurrah,

And faced the machine guns for Erin Go Bragh.

Now one of our leaders was down in Ring's end,

For the honour of Ireland to hold and defend,

He had no veteran soldiers but volunteers raw,

Playing sweet Mauser music for Erin Go Bragh.

Old Ceannt and his comrades like lions at bay,

From the South Dublin Union poured death and dismay,

But what was then often the entaylors men saw

All the dead karki soldiers on Erin Go Bragh.

A great foreign captain was raving that day,

Saying, "Give me one hour and I'll blow you away,"

But a big Mauser bullet got stuck in his jaw,

And he died of lead poisoning on Erin Go Bragh.

A glory to Dublin, and to her we renown,

In the long generations her fame will go down,

And our children will tell how their forefathers saw,

The red blaze of freedom in Erin Go Bragh.

Irish Vegetable Sides

Colcannon for St. Patrick's Day Menu
Colcannon for St. Patrick's Day Menu | Source

Colcannon

I prefer using Yukon gold potatoes instead of russet potatoes because they have such a beautiful yellow color and a buttery flavor, but if they are not available in your area russet potatoes are just fine.

Savoy cabbage or green cabbage may be substituted for the kale if you wish. If serving the kale soup above, you may want to use the savoy cabbage instead.

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ready in: 30 min
Yields: 4

Ingredients

  • 2 lb. Yukon gold or russet potatoes
  • Sea Salt or Kosher salt
  • 4 strips of bacon
  • 1/2 head of kale
  • Chives or green onion
  • White pepper
  • 1 stick of butter sliced into pats
  • 1/4 c. half & half
  • 1/2 stick melted butter

Instructions

  1. Potatoes do not have to be peeled unless you prefer them this way. They only need to be scrubbed. Cut potatoes in half length-wise, then in half again, then into chunks.
  2. Put into medium pot with enough water to just cover. Add a pinch of sea salt or Kosher salt. Bring to boil on high, then turn heat down to medium-high and boil until soft, about 20 minutes
  3. Meanwhile, cut bacon strips into 1-inch pieces and fry until crispy. Drain on paper towels or newspaper. Reserve until potatoes are done.
  4. Chop the kale fine. Saute in a 1 tablespoon olive oil & 1 tablespoon butter until well cooked.
  5. Thinly slice chives and set aside. Heat the half & half until just warm, do not boil
  6. When potatoes are done drain all cooking liquid; mash with potato masher until all potatoes have been mash and very few chunks are left. Add salt and white pepper to taste, with a few pats of butter. Beat with a wooden spoon to mix and to get rid of rest of lumps adding a pat of butter at a time. Taste. Correct seasoning and butter. Add the half & half a little at a time, while continuing to beat, until the potatoes get the consistency that you prefer. You may not use all the cream.
  7. Mix in kale and bacon bits.
  8. Serve the mashed potatoes in a round scoop. Indent a hole in the middle with the serving spoon and pour in a bit of melted butter. Sprinkle the top with the chives (thinly sliced green onions may be substituted). Salt and pepper to taste.
Roasted Cauliflower with Kerrygold Dubliner Cheddar Cheese Sauce
Roasted Cauliflower with Kerrygold Dubliner Cheddar Cheese Sauce | Source

Roasted Cauliflower with Kerrygold Dubliner Cheddar Cheese Sauce

I adapted this recipe from Epicurious and changed the recipe just a wee bit to make more to my liking. .

I like using the Kerrygold Dubliner Cheese because it has a richer flavor than an American cheddar and it taste like a mixture of cheddar and parmesan.

If unable to find Kerrygold in your area then use your favorite cheddar and add a bit of parmesan too.

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ready in: 1 hour
Yields: 8

Ingredients

  • 1 large head cauliflower
  • 1/2 stick of butter
  • 1/4 c. unbleached flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or to taste
  • 2 c. 2% milk
  • 12 oz . or about 1-1/2 c. shredded Kerrygold Dubliner Cheddar Cheese
  • Fresh grating of nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper divided
  • Cayenne & Smoked paprika

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375F. Arrange a steamer rack over a large pot of boiling water.
  2. Remove the green outer leaves from the cauliflower, place it on the steamer rack, and steam until tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl of ice water to cool.
  3. Once the cauliflower is cool enough to handle, use your hands to gently break the florets from the thick central stalk -try to break the cauliflower into large florets rather than small pieces. Arrange the florets, in one layer, in a 9X11-inch baking dish and set aside.
  4. In a large heavy saucepan over moderate heat, melt the butter. Reduce the heat to low, add the flour, salt and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper. Whisk until incorporated and the mixture turns golden brown, about 2 minutes, do not burn. Raise the heat to moderate and add the milk, whisking constantly, until a smooth sauce forms (the sauce should be thick and glossy, but still runny), about 5 minutes. (If the sauce is too thick, gradually whisk in additional milk until the desired consistency is achieved.)
  5. Add 1 cup of the grated cheese and whisk until melted, about 1 minute. Pour the cheese sauce over the cauliflower, making sure to cover all the florets. Grate with nutmeg over the top lightly. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese and season with remaining white pepper, cayenne and smoked paprika. Bake until the cauliflower is golden brown and the cheese sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Green Garden Peas

Peas are the perfect vegetable addition to the lamb chop main course. If fresh sweet peas are available locally in your area, then by all means use the fresh.

In the Northeast they are not yet available as it is still winter, so we will use frozen peas instead.

Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 4 min
Ready in: 6 min
Yields: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 16 oz. package frozen peas
  • 2 teaspoons water
  • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Add frozen peas to a microwave safe bowl. Add the water, butter & salt.
  2. Cover bowl with plastic wrap.
  3. Microwave at 100% (High) for 2 minutes. (This may depend on your microwave. It may take 1 minute longer.) Allow to stand for 2 minutes.

Patrick Street - 1890 - County Cork, Ireland

Patrick Street Today - County Cork, Ireland

Patrick Street County Cork, Ireland Today
Patrick Street County Cork, Ireland Today | Source

Irish Bread

Irish Brown Soda Bread
Irish Brown Soda Bread

Brown Soda Bead

This isn't a modern recipe. It is a traditional whole grain soda bread and a hearty one at that, but a little tradition is always good and healthier is even better!


Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Ready in: 1 hour 5 min
Yields: 1 large loaf or 2 smaller loaves

Ingredients

  • 2 cups organic whole wheat or coarse grain wheat flour
  • 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose white flour
  • 1 1/4 cups rolled oats
  • 1/4 cups wheat germ
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 3/4 cups buttermilk
  • Butter

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 400F. Combine everything but the buttermilk in a large bowl and mix together with hands by "fluffing" all the dry ingredients together. Make a well in the mixture and pour in 1 3/4 cups of the buttermilk.
  2. Continue mixing, adding the remaining 1 cup of buttermilk as you combine the ingredients. The resulting dough will be a little wet and sticky.
  3. Dust your hands with flour to keep the dough from sticking; shape the dough into a ball and knead a few times just to hold together; place it on a floured cookie sheet (I use a nonstick silpat baking mat). With a knife, score a deep X in the top of the ball, widening it with the sides of the blade as you cut.
  4. Or cut the ball of dough into 2 pieces and form into 2 oblong shapes. Butter 2 loaf pans and add one oblong piece to each pan patting down gently to fit. Score a deep X in the top of each loaf.
  5. Bake the bread until it's golden brown, about 50 minutes. Transfer it to a wire rack and let it cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Makes a crusty, dense loaf about 7 inches in diameter.
  6. *Note: If you want to freeze a loaf for another time; take one out of the oven after 40 minutes. Allow to cool. Remove from pan, wrap in aluminum foil and freeze. When ready to eat the frozen loaf. Allow to thaw, then bake at 400F. for 15 minutes.

Irish Dessert

Source

Chocolate Grasshopper Cheesecake

This is a lovely and very rich Chocolate Grasshopper Cheesecake. A sliver of a slice will go a long way, but it is oh so good!

There isn't anything Irish about this cheesecake other than its lovely green color.

The mint in the cheesecake will complement the lamb chop dinner as the perfect ending to a lovely modern American Irish meal.



Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 7 hours 5 min
Ready in: 7 hours 35 min
Yields: 12

Ingredients

  • Filling:
  • 4 oz semisweet baking chocolate
  • 3 packages (8 oz each) softened cream cheese
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/3 cup green creame de menthe liqueur*

Instructions

  1. ~ Crust:
  2. 30 crushed fudge mint cookies (about 1 3/4 cups)
  3. 2 tablespoons melted butter
  4. Heat oven to 350F. Wrap foil around bottom and side of ungreased 9-inch springform pan. In large bowl, mix crust ingredients with fork until crumbly. Press in bottom and 1 inch up side of pan. Bake 12 minutes. Cool 30 minutes.
  5. ~ Filling:
  6. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate on High 45 to 60 seconds, stirring once halfway through microwaving, until melted. If necessary, continue to microwave on High in 15-second increments, stirring until smooth. Set aside.
  7. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl frequently, until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Stir in liqueur. Pour filling evenly over crust.
  8. Drop 8 to 10 tablespoonfuls melted chocolate randomly onto filling, allowing chocolate to sink into filling. With table knife or small spatula, cut through chocolate and filling to swirl for marbled design.
  9. Bake 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until set 2 inches from edge of pan.Cheesecake will still be a little giggly. Remove from oven; run knife around side of cheesecake to loosen. Return to oven; turn oven off and open door slightly. Cool cheesecake in oven 1 hour.
  10. Remove from oven to cooling rack; cool at room temperature 1 hour. Refrigerate 3 hours.
  11. 6 Creme de menthe thin rectangular candies for garnish, unwrapped, cut in half diagonally

Topping and Garnish:

  • 1 Pint whipping cream
  • 2 teaspoons sugar (to taste)
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Taste. If not sweet enough add more sugar. Do not over beat.

To Serve:

Remove side of pan. Spoon whipped cream into a decorating bag with a large star tip; squeeze bag to pipe whipped cream around top edge of cheesecake. Garnish with Creme de menthe candies.

Note:

  1. One teaspoon peppermint extract and 4 to 6 drops green food color can be substituted for the crème de menthe liqueur.
  2. This decadent dessert is the perfect do-ahead because it needs to be chilled at least 3 hours before serving.
  3. For easy cutting, dip your knife into hot water.

The Last Wee Bit of Irish Blarney

An Irishmen, an Englishman, a Scotsman and a Welshman were all on an airplane together when one of the engines fails.

The pilot explains the situation to the all of the passengers.

He tells them if someone doesn't jump out to lighten the load they will all be dead.

He asks, 'Who is prepared to die for the greater good?', adding that they will be remembered as a hero forever.

The brave Scot says 'Ok then, I will do this for the glory of my country' and jumps out.

The pilot turns around and tells the remaining passengers, 'The plane is still going down and someone else must do the right thing and jump.'

The Welshmen tells every one that as he is the oldest out of all the passengers, he will take the plunge, so he jumps out .

Again the pilot turns around and says,'It's helping but we need 1 more to jump for the rest of the passengers to survive.'

So the Irish man stands up and says 'Well, I hoped it wouldn't come to this, but I'll do this for the greater good and for the glory of my country.'

He then grabs the Englishmen and throws him out the door.

Ireland's Favorite Bard

Christy Moore - St. Brendan's Voyage

Libations

A Toast to Ireland

Here's to an island

fair and green,

Where the land is heard

and the smile is seen,

Here's to her blue skies

and jolly fine weather

Oh here's to the Ireland

We love altogether.

Guinness

Source

I am a simple girl that loves the creaminess of her Guinness stout with a neat shot of Bushmill's Irish whiskey. Nothin' fancy for me. If I have an Irish coffee, all that's in the coffee is a wee bit of cream and a shot of whiskey. That's it.

Modern day drinks have been created in all kinds of liquor flavors and concoctions to celebrated the St. Patrick's Day Holiday. Since this meal is a more modern St. Patrick's Day menu, here are a few modern drink recipes and links to sites that offer more cocktail ideas.

Source

St. Patrick's Day Grasshopper Cocktail Dessert

With all of the ice cream in this cocktail, it is more like a dessert, thus would be fabulous after dinner alone or accompanied with another dessert.

I put the recipe as Kristen has it originally, but I found there is not enough of an alcohol to ice cream ratio. I am not real fond of sweet drinks so I need a lot more Irish whiskey, at least a shot per quart of ice cream. You will have to judge for yourself when you try it.

Ingredients

  • 5 Quart Plastic Bucket of Vanilla Ice Cream
  • 3 shots of Creme de Menthe liquor
  • 1 shot of Creme de Cacao liquor
  • 1 shot of Irish Whiskey (We prefer Bushmill brand)

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Knead together by using two large ice cream paddles or spoons or use your stand mixer and knead using your bread hook attachment.
  3. Once well blended you can either serve or place back in the freezer to re-freeze. If desired, top with whipped cream. (Adjust liquor to taste. For a darker green and stronger mint flavor, add more Creme de Menthe)

Irish Drinking Songs - Do Not Play These If You Are Offended Easily

Bugger Off

I'm Irish by The Clintons

The Rumjacks - Irish Pub Song

The Rumjacks - Green Ginger Wine

Please Give Us a Wee Bit o' Your Mind Below! - Let Us Know You Were Here By Signing the Guestbook

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LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
Google RecaptchaThis is used to prevent bots and spam. (Privacy Policy)
AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide data on traffic to our website, all personally identifyable data is anonymized. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Traffic PixelThis is used to collect data on traffic to articles and other pages on our site. Unless you are signed in to a HubPages account, all personally identifiable information is anonymized.
Amazon Web ServicesThis is a cloud services platform that we used to host our service. (Privacy Policy)
CloudflareThis is a cloud CDN service that we use to efficiently deliver files required for our service to operate such as javascript, cascading style sheets, images, and videos. (Privacy Policy)
Google Hosted LibrariesJavascript software libraries such as jQuery are loaded at endpoints on the googleapis.com or gstatic.com domains, for performance and efficiency reasons. (Privacy Policy)
Features
Google Custom SearchThis is feature allows you to search the site. (Privacy Policy)
Google MapsSome articles have Google Maps embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
Google ChartsThis is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)
Google AdSense Host APIThis service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Google YouTubeSome articles have YouTube videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
VimeoSome articles have Vimeo videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
PaypalThis is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook LoginYou can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
MavenThis supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)
Marketing
Google AdSenseThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Google DoubleClickGoogle provides ad serving technology and runs an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Unified Ad MarketplaceThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Say MediaWe partner with Say Media to deliver ad campaigns on our sites. (Privacy Policy)
Remarketing PixelsWe may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.
Conversion Tracking PixelsWe may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.
Statistics
Author Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)
ComscoreComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Tracking PixelSome articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)
ClickscoThis is a data management platform studying reader behavior (Privacy Policy)