I thought my step dad made up the word coddle. It just sounds made up, doesn’t it? Then I grew up and discovered Google; coddle was one of the first things I searched for. Turns out he not only didn’t make it up but it’s actually a very popular traditional Irish dish. My mom used to make Dublin Coddle on poker night and my dad would eat it the next morning. He called it his hangover cure. Continue reading
My step dad used to always brag about being The Real McCoy. I guess technically it was true since his last name was McCoy but he took it a bit far. He was always proud of his Irish heritage and incorporated Irish tradition into any occasion possible. You can only imagine how St. Patrick’s Day went down around our house. Irish Soda Bread was always a staple on St. Patrick’s Day as was Irish Coffee on New Years. He was the only father I knew so I try to continue these traditions with my family.
I was going through one of his old recipe boxes last week trying to plan out our St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and happened upon his Irish soda Bread recipe. He always took so much pride in making this traditional Irish bread so I wanted to do the same. I wanted to make something that would match his Irish Soda Bread in flavor but still be mine.
When my step dad made the Soda Bread he used a traditional recipe with only 4 ingredients. His recipe makes an amazing bread but I like a little more depth to mine. I added in a few tablespoons of sugar and some raisins to make a bread my entire family will enjoy. The sugar and raisins can be easily omitted for a more traditional Irish Soda Bread.
If you’re looking for something easy and tasty for your St. Patrick’s Day celebration this Irish Soda Bread is for you. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
Guinness Stew is a far cry from your regular beef stew. The addition of Guinness beer brings a bold, rich flavor that you wont find in your moms beef stew. Tender beef, large chunks of root vegetables and the rich broth make this Irish Stew memorable. Continue reading
I’m all about traditional foods when it comes to holiday’s. I love diving deep into the roots of a culture and pulling up recipes that were used way back when. My family’s cookbooks and recipe boxes are great for that. They’re filled with recipes from parents, grandparents, great grandparents and so on. My step dad’s recipe box goes all the way back to the mid 1700’s (allegedly) with recipes from Ireland, Germany and France.
Sometimes, however, you just want to be creative and cute. You want to make something that’s not necessarily traditional but still fitting to the holiday. Take St. Patrick’s Day for instance. I’ve shared a few of my family’s traditional Irish St. Patrick’s Day recipes. These are passed down recipes that represent Ireland, but I want to share yummy American derived St. Patrick’s Day goodies too! And, sometimes, you just have to bring the kids in the kitchen and let them decorate the goodies.
These Pot of Gold Cupcakes stem from my love of lemon & chocolate combinations. They’re like the Sonny & Cher of the food groups. You keep expecting them not to work out. Sometimes 1 will overpower the other, but when you put them together they make great things happen. It was hard to choose how I wanted my lemon filling. I whipped up some lemon curd and was just going to use that but decided to go an extra step and make a lemon mousse.
All I did was add a cup of whipped cream to the lemon curd. It lightened up the mixture and spread it out so I could fill more cupcakes! I also used my favorite Hershey Cake recipe since it’s one of those that doesn’t need improving. I used the same method of filling the cupcakes as I did with my Mounds Cupcakes. We also used canned white frosting and the kids dyed it green – call me lazy (because I am today!) They came out so good and fluffy; if you’re not on the lemon & chocolate bandwagon take my hand and I’ll pull you in!
Note: The kids had free reign with the decorating of these cupcakes. They mixed icings, played with decorating tips and made a huge mess. They had an incredible amount of fun though – why not let yours do the same?!
What recipes come to mind when preparing your St. Patrick’s Day menu? I’m sure corned beef and cabbage is on the list because it is a classic and traditional St. Patrick’s Day dish. There are lots of other Irish recipes that are perfect for to serve on St. Patrick’s Day and add some variety to the day’s menu. Here are some scrumptious Irish Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day for you to try. Be sure to click on the links and bookmark your favorites.
Slow Cooker Pork Roast and Sauerkraut
Green and White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Dublin Coddle Crock Pot Version
Walnut Crusted Salmon with Guinness Reduction
Irish Cheddar Chicken Potato Leek Pizza
Chicken and Mushrooms in Puff Pastry with Tomato Tarragon Sauce
Guinness Braised Brats and Broccoli Topped Baked Potatoes