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Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:50:14 -0700

To get in the mood for St. Patrick's Day, set up a "Make Your Drink Green" bar and let the girls help themselves. Fill one ice bucket with bottles of a light Irish beer (such as Harp) and another with bottles of white wine. Arrange beer and wine glasses and green food coloring nearby. Have everyone tint their drinks green.

Also set out the ingredients for a specialty cocktail and write the recipe for the drink, so your guests can play bartender. This interesting cocktail features Irish whiskey making it wonderfully appropriate for the holiday. It combines the whiskey with fresh ginger, lemon juice, apricot jam, and orange liquor.

To look at the recipe, read more.

Tommy Gun
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

2 thin fresh ginger slices
1 teaspoon apricot jam
1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
Ice
2 ounces Irish whiskey
1/2 ounce Grand Marnier
1 lemon twist

Directions

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the ginger with the jam and lemon juice.
Add ice and the whiskey and Grand Marnier; shake well. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with the lemon twist.

Makes 1 drink.

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Irish Stew Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

partysugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:01:31 -0700

Irish stew is a great dish to serve at a St. Patrick's Day dinner party. In general, stews make wonderful dinner party fare because they're a one-pot meal that must be made in advance. Originally a peasant's meal, Irish stew normally consists of lamb, potatoes, and onions. To encourage that you experiment with this traditional recipe, I've found two versions. Both are straight forward, but one cooks the stew on the stove and the other bakes it in the oven. Choose which one suits your culinary needs or combine the two to make a delicious masterpiece. For both recipes please read more.

Beginner Irish Stew
From Everyday Food magazine

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 pounds boneless lamb stew meat (preferably shoulder), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 cups dark beer
1 1/2 pounds medium new potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut 1/2 inch thick diagonally
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

In a large bowl, season flour with salt and pepper. Dredge lamb in flour mixture, shaking off excess.
In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Working in batches, brown lamb on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
Pour 1/4 cup water into pot, scraping up browned bits from bottom with a wooden spoon. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until water has evaporated and onion is beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
Return lamb to pot; stir in thyme, beer, and 1 1/2 cups water. Cover; simmer until lamb is tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Add potatoes, carrots, and 1/2 cup water. Cook, covered, until vegetables are tender and stew has thickened, about 20 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley just before serving.

Serves 8.

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Expert Irish Stew
From Taste

Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs lamb neck chops, trimmed
1/2 cup plain flour
3 brown onions, chopped
2 lbs baking potatoes, peeled, sliced
2 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced into rounds
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups boiling water
3 beef stock cubes, crumbled
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped, to serve

Directions

Cut chops in half. Place flour in a plastic bag and season with salt and pepper. Place chops in bag and shake well to coat. Transfer chops to a plate. Reserve flour.
Preheat oven to 275°F.
Place onions, potatoes and carrots in an ovenproof dish. Top with half the chops. Repeat layers with remaining onions, potatoes, carrots and chops.
Whisk reserved flour, tomato paste and 2 tablespoons cold water in a large jug until well combined.
Slowly add boiling water, whisking constantly.
Add stock cubes and parsley. Stir to dissolve stock cubes.
Pour flour mixture over chops.
Cover and cook for 4 hours or until meat tender and sauce thickened. Sprinkle with mint and serve. You can also cook this stew in a slow cooker. Combine the ingredients as above and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours.

Serves 6.

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Say Cheese! Cheddar and Guinness Welsh Rarebit

partysugar — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 10:15:41 -0700

Cheddar is a widely known, popular variety of cheese that originated in the Somerset region of England. However, the firm cow's milk cheese is now made in many places around the world. It can range in flavor from mild to sharp and in color from white to orange. Orange cheddar gets its color from a natural dye called annatto. An incredibly versatile cheese, cheddar is delicious alone, on a sandwich, or mixed in a sauce - as is the case in this recipe.

Since some of you were disappointed by a recent chicken rarebit recipe that called for jarred cheddar cheese sauce, I decided to find a homemade version and share the technique with you. Although a Welsh rarebit is a British dish, my variation uses Irish cheddar and Guinness, making it appropriate for St. Patrick's Day. This cheesy, toasty snack is comforting and simply delicious. To look at the easy recipe, read more.

Beer Cheese on Toast
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

1 pound extra-sharp cheddar, cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 cup dark beer
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Salt
Toasted baguette slices from 2 baguettes
Sliced tomatoes

Directions

In a food processor, combine the cheddar with the beer, garlic, mustard and cayenne and blend until smooth. Season the beer cheese with salt.
Preheat the broiler. Spread the toasts with the beer cheese and arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet.
Broil the toasts 6 inches from the heat for about 2 minutes, rotating the pan, until the cheese is bubbling and browned around the edges. Top with tomato slices and serve.

Serves 6.

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St. Patty's Day Treats For Your Four-Legged Friends

PetSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Although Samson isn't Irish (obvs), that didn't stop LilPeaPod from making her little guy some special St. Patrick's Day treats to enjoy so he wasn't left out of the celebration fun. She sent in a few photos, and describes how she made the Irish bars with one of my household's favorite ingredients: peanut butter! She writes:

After attending the St. Patrick's Day parade this weekend in San Francisco, I had enough Irish treats and Guinness to last me a week! Since this was Samson's first St. Patty's Day, I didn't want to leave the little guy out of the fun, and decided to make a green-themed treat for him. I took the Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Cookie recipe you posted last year, and cut them into small, bite sized bars. As you can see, I added to the recipe by topping the cookies with a cream cheese and honey frosting. With just a few drops of organic food coloring that I found at my local Whole Foods, I got the nice green tint. It was super easy to make, and my little guy gobbled them up!

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Those cookies definitely look good enough to eat! Check out the full cookie and frosting recipe when you read more.

Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Cookies For You and Fido
Petville

Great tasting cookies that are safe for your pup, and will appeal to your palette as well.

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons of sesame seed oil
1 cup peanut butter-creamy or chunky
1 cup low-fat milk
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups of uncooked oatmeal
Honey (no more than 1/2 cup) – as a yummy extra

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease cookie sheet(only 1 needed)
3. Put 2 cups of flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 cup milk, 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons of oil in a bowl, mix well.
4. Heat peanut butter and honey(together) in microwave for 30 seconds and mix into bowl mentioned in #3.
5. Pour 2 cups of oatmeal into bowl and mix well.
6. Pour and spread into cookie sheet.
7. Take 1/2 cup oatmeal and spread on the top and tap down with fork to make it stick when done cooking.
8. Bake for 25 minutes, longer if you want them crispy.
9. Hot or cold, cut treats into 3-inches by 1 1/2-inches and store in sealed container.

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Doggie Friendly Cream Cheese Frosting
Original Recipe

Great topping for your pet-friendly cookies!

Ingredients

5 ounces of low fat cream cheese
1 tablespoon of vanilla
1 tablespoon of honey

Directions
Mix cream cheese, canola oil, vanilla, and honey in a bowl. For color, use one or two drops of food coloring. Frost cookies with mixture and enjoy!

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'Wich of the Week: Sweet Summer Grilled Cheese

YumSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:00:50 -0700

Grilled cheese sandwiches are typically a wintertime comfort food, but add some summery farm-stand flavor, and this favorite sandwich adopts an easy, breezy attitude for the warmer months. I got the idea for this recipe when I scored a jar of delicious strawberry and meyer lemon marmalade from Blue Chair, which has an effervescent citrus flavor and a hint of rosiness. With fresh green pea sprouts, it transforms the grilled cheese from classic cold-weather meal into a tribute to Summer farmers markets.

If you can't find this brand of jam, try mixing a lemon or orange marmalade with traditional strawberry jam for a similar fruity flavor. The aged Irish cheddar provides a perfect salty counterpoint. To get the recipe and step-by-step photos, read more.

Sweet Summer Grilled Cheese
Original recipe

Ingredients

2 slices honey wheat bread
Butter for spreading
3 tablespoons strawberry-lemon marmalade
3-5 slices aged cheddar cheese
1/4 cup pea sprouts

Directions

On one side of each slice of bread, spread desired amount of butter. Place bread slices butter-side down on work surface. On the unbuttered side of each slice, spread 1 1/2 tablespoons of marmalade.

On one slice of the bread, place enough cheddar to cover the marmalade. Top with pea sprouts. Cover with second marmalade-coated slice.

In a skillet over medium heat, grill the sandwich for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Makes 1 sandwich.

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Must Read: The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever

partysugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 07:45:08 -0800

Due to the difficult economic climate, in the past couple of months, the casserole - a one-pot dish that feeds a crowd and often consists of budget-friendly ingredients - has made a strong comeback. To fully embrace the trend, I recently obtained a copy of The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever ($24.95) by Beatrice Ojakangas. It's filled with over 500 casserole recipes, and to find out what I thought of this cookbook, read more.

Pros:

The book takes a healthy approach to casseroles by encouraging home cooks to make their own sauces to replace the "cream of" soups.
There's a loose interpretation of the word "casserole." According to the author, casserole can "refer either to the dish that the food is cooked in or to the food itself." So, while there are plenty of classic casserole recipes, there are also tons of recipes for one-pot, baked dishes.
The book covers every type of cuisine and cooking procedure, from classic breakfast dishes to Moroccan-influenced dinners to casseroles for two.

Cons:

Some of the recipes lack important details. For example, step two in the chili con queso recipe says to "melt butter in a small skillet and add the green onions and poblano peppers. Saute for 5 minutes." The recipe fails to mention the temperature of the stove.
The ingredient lists have too many options, leaving it up to the home cook to decide what to include in the casserole. A recipe will say "heavy cream or sour cream" "4 slices of bacon or 1/2 cup cooked ham." Surely the casserole tastes different depending on which ingredient is used. I prefer for the cookbook author to tell me which one tastes better.
There are virtually no color photographs. In fact, there are almost no photos at all.

Recipes: The focus of this book is clearly the recipes and there is definitely something for everyone. Here are the casserole recipes I would like to make:

All of the hot cheese slather spreads in the appetizer section
Cheese and sausage breakfast pie
Chicken Marengo
Chicken, polenta, and morel casserole
Beer-baked Irish beef
Fiesta casserole
Casserole-braised lamb shanks
Crab melt casserole
Corn and chive pudding
Peaches and cream dessert casserole

Imagery: There are about 16 color photographs in the entire book. Although these images are mouthwatering and professional, some seem a little too stylized.

Overall Rating: If you love casseroles or use the oven to do most of your cooking, you will love this book. The insane quantity of recipes guarantees that you'll be using it in the years to come.

Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 08:28:31 -0700

Even though Aimee's St. Patrick Day party starts after dinner, she's planning on providing guests with a small selection of Irish inspired snacks. It's always nice to have some food on hand, especially when heavy drinking is involved. This menu twists classic Irish flavors – cheddar cheese, dark beer, corned beef, and smoked salmon - into modern favorites.

An Irish cheddar and stout fondue is gooey and decadent. Smoked salmon puffs are easy to make in advance and divinely addicting. Reuben roll ups are the perfect drunk food because they taste like an Irish pizza pocket. For all of these wonderful recipes, read more.

Irish Cheddar and Stout Fondue
From Bon Appetit magazine

Ingredients

2 cups 1- to 1 1/2-inch-diameter red-skinned potatoes, halved
2 cups cauliflower florets
2 cups very small brussels sprouts
2 apples, cored, cut into wedges
1 pound Irish cheddar cheese, grated
2 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 cup (or more) Irish stout (such as Guinness)
6 tablespoons frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions

Steam all vegetables until tender, about 15 minutes. Arrange vegetables and apples around edge of large platter.
Meanwhile, toss cheese with flour in large bowl.
Bring 3/4 cup stout, juice concentrate, and mustard to simmer in large saucepan over medium heat.
Gradually add cheese mixture, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted and smooth, thinning with more stout, if desired.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer fondue to bowl. Place in center of platter with vegetables.

Serves 6.

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Smoked Salmon-Stuffed Puffs
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

Puffs
1 cup water
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons poppy seeds, for sprinkling
Filling
1/2 pound sliced smoked salmon
1/4 pound cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove
Tabasco sauce

Directions

Make the puffs: preheat the oven to 400° and position 2 racks in the upper and lower third. Lightly grease 2 large rimmed baking sheets.
In a saucepan, bring the water, butter and salt to a boil. Off the heat, add the flour and stir vigorously until combined.
Return to the heat and cook over moderate heat, stirring, for 1 minute.
Scrape the mixture into a bowl and, using an electric mixer, beat at medium speed for 1 minute. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, until thick, smooth and shiny.
Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe 1-inch mounds onto the prepared baking sheets, about 3/4 inch apart. Using lightly moistened fingertips, smooth the tops. Sprinkle with the poppy seeds and bake for 20 minutes, shifting the pans halfway through, until the puffs are risen and golden. Lower the oven to 250°.
With the tip of a knife, poke a hole into the side of each puff and return to the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes longer, with the oven door slightly ajar, to dry out the centers. Transfer to a rack and cool.
Meanwhile, make the filling: in a food processor, combine the smoked salmon with the cream cheese, sour cream, mustard and garlic and process until smooth; season with Tabasco.
Transfer the filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch tip. Pipe the filling into the holes in the sides of the puffs and transfer to a serving plate. Serve right away.

Serves 10-12.

Make ahead: the unfilled baked puffs can be frozen for up to 1 month; recrisp in a 325° oven. The filling can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

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Reuben Roll-Ups
From Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients

1 (13.8 ounce) package refrigerated pizza crust
1 cup sauerkraut, drained
1 tablespoon thousand island salad dressing
4 slices corned beef, halved
4 slices Swiss cheese, halved

Directions

Roll dough into a 12-in. x 9-in. rectangle. Cut into eight 3-in. x 4-1/2-in. rectangles.
Combine sauerkraut and salad dressing.
Place a slice of beef on each rectangle. Top with about 2 tablespoons of the sauerkraut mixture and a slice of cheese. Roll up.
Place with seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees F for 12-14 minutes or until golden.

Serves 8.

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Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day - Drinks

partysugar — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 06:58:19 -0700

St. Patrick's Day is Saturday and I can't contain my excitement. I have been obsessing about what to wear internally for a few weeks now, and had intended on wearing this green mini dress until I found this fabulous old football jersey of my mom's with my Irish last name plastered across the front. Now that I have my sporty chic green outfit picked out, I can focus all of my attention on my pre-pub-hopping, St. Patrick's Day themed dinner party. The invites have been sent and the menu (including a vintage Irish soda bread recipe and a glamorous layer cake) has been planned. Today I am turning my thoughts towards a classic St Patrick's Day subject: drinking. To see what I'll be pouring during my dinner (homemade Baileys anyone?), please read more

After we finish dinner we are going bar hopping, so I dont want to go overboard with specialty cocktails. I'll offer a simple yet widely popular drink, green beer. It's totally uncomplicated, all you do is add green food coloring to your favorite beer. I'll get a few six packs of Harps and Guinness Irish beer, enough for everyone to have a glass or two during the meal. We will be taking cabs and walking to our destinations, but if you are having a get together be sure to have an option for your designated drivers. Sparkling water enhanced with lime and mint or sprite mixed with lime sherbet are two refreshing choices. With dessert I am going to offer everyone a small glass of homemade Irish cream liquor that tastes and looks just like Baileys. I've made this for the last few years and it's absolutely creamy and fabulous. If you are attending a party a bottle of this makes an excellent hostess gift.

Homemade Bailey's Irish Cream
From Gail's Recipe Swap

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 pint whipping cream
3 eggs
3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 oz. Irish whiskey (suggested Jameson)

Mix all of the ingredients in blender and refridgerate.
Shake before using
Enjoy chilled over ice.

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I know a few of you are hosting parties as well and want to know what do you plan on pouring? Share with me below and come back tomorrow and Friday for more. I still have to design a look and select a playlist for this shin-dig.

All the News That's Fit to Eat - March 14, 2007

YumSugar — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 11:58:19 -0700

It's Wednesday, time for a food news roundup, and what do you know it seems like (almost) everyone has St. Patrick's Day on the brain... (sorry most of these stories come are on sites that require logins)

Someone is reading my mind, my beloved egg is the new "it" ingredient. Oh and lemons are hot too. Don't miss out on the Meyer Lemon Muffins (photo by Bryan Chan).- LA Times
Irish food is moving up in the world with fresh, local ingredients. Also, homemade bread made in a can. - San Francisco Chronicle
Simple Irish soda bread can really make a great side dish. Also, more and more restaurants are taking steps to become "green." - Boston Globe
Beer is great for drinking, but some argue that beer is better for cooking. Also don't miss the call to bring back American "chop suey" (which has no relation to its Asian cousin). - Houston Chronicle

Seven nights. Seven hotels. Seven dinners. Seven breakfasts. Go behind the scenes of NYC's hotel room service (photo by Evan Sung). Plus, are latex gloves really safe in the restaurant kitchen? - New York Times
CeCe Sullivan pulls out the stops with her dad's St. Patrick's Day recipes, including traditional boiled corned beef. Plus, check out these food and dieting myths. - Seattle Times
Gastronmy + pub = gastropub, a growing trend that pairs craft beers with upscale fare. Plus a recipe for authentic Irish colcannon and "green" wines. - Chicago Tribune

Fast & Easy Dinner: Reuben Quesadillas

partysugar — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 05:41:18 -0700

Every time I'm at my favorite Irish pub, FinBar Devine's, I have to order the Irish quesadillas. A tasty twist on the Mexican classic, this dish features tortillas filled with traditional Reuben sandwich ingredients: corned beef, coleslaw, and swiss cheese. It's bar food at its best.

It's okay if your neighborhood lacks an Irish pub, you can easily enjoy this delicious dish in your kitchen instead. It comes together in minutes and is a perfect middle of the week meal. Get the recipe when you read more

Reuben Quesadillas
From Sunset magazine
Image Source

1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups (1/2 lb.) shredded Swiss cheese
4 flour tortillas (10-in. size)
3 cups packaged coleslaw mix
1/2 pound thinly sliced corned beef

In a small bowl, mix salsa and sour cream.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the cheese over half of 1 tortilla. Then place 3/4 cup coleslaw mix on cheese. Drizzle about 3 tablespoons of the salsa mixture over coleslaw. Lay 1/4 of the corned beef onto coleslaw; top with 1/4 cup more cheese. Fold tortilla over to cover filling. Repeat to make 3 more quesadillas.
Place quesadillas slightly apart on baking sheets. Broil 4 to 6 inches below heat until crisp and lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes (watch closely).
Using a wide spatula, carefully turn each quesadilla over. Broil until crisp and lightly browned on other side, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Cut quesadillas into wedges. Serve with remaining salsa mixture.

Serves 4.

CALORIES 640(52% from fat); FAT 37g (sat 18g); PROTEIN 34g; CHOLESTEROL 120mg; SODIUM 1414mg; FIBER 2.1g; CARBOHYDRATE 43g

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