Are You Irish?

In less than a week, is St Patrick’s Day. The one day out of the year where anyone can claim, they are Irish. Through researching my family tree, I was able to find, I am able to claim to Irish blood the other 364 days of the year. This came as a surprise, since Irish was not a known nationality to my family.

I thought I would share with you a few Irish recipes I have found at a website called Irish Abroad. The first is the typical corn beef and cabbage that most people associate with St Paddy’s.  If you have ever bought corned beef, you know it comes with a seasoning packet. I would suggest you toss the seasoning packet and use the spices in this recipe for an authentic Irish corned beef.

The next recipe is for an apple crumble. Here in the states we know it as a Brown Betty or a Cobbler. So what makes this one so special? Well besides the use of Irish oats (which can be substituted), this lovely crumble has a whiskey cream sauce made with Irish whiskey. What better way is there to finish a St Patrick’s Day meal than with an Irish dessert? The recipe is from Margaret Johnson. Ms Johnson is the author of 5 Irish cookbooks, has authored more than 200 food and travel articles in a number of publications, including the "Irish Echo," "Irish America Magazine," the "Los Angeles Times Syndicate," "Newsday," and Dublin's "Food and Wine" magazine.

 Corned Beef and Cabbage

Ingredients:
 5 lb Corned-Beef brisket
 2 Whole cloves
 2 Bay Leaves
 8 Medium Potatoes, pared

Please Click Here For The Complete Recipe!

Paddy’s Chocolate Cobbler…

Yummy, is all I can say about this scrumptious dessert! This is so simple to make. Those who do not usually cook, this would be a great surprise for your loved one on Valentine’s Day.

When I combined all the ingredients in the dish, it reminded me of a child’s mud pie!

I changed the recipe a bit, instead of adding 1 ½ cups water, I added 1 ¼ cup of water and ¼ cup of Hershey’s chocolate syrup… I like chocolate!

I did not have any self-rising flour, so I substituted it for 1 ½ cups of all purpose flour and added a teaspoon of baking powder.

Ingredients:

2 sticks of margarine

¾ cup chopped pecans

1 ½ cup self-rising flour

2 ½ cups white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

¾ milk

5 Tablespoons of cocoa powder

1 ½ cups water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F

In a 9X13 pan add pecans and sticks of margarine, melt in oven

In bowl mix flour, 1 ½ cups of sugar, vanilla and milk

In separate bowl, mix 1 cup sugar and cocoa powder, set aside.

When margarine is melted, evenly pour flour mixture into the pan

Top flour mixture with cocoa mixture, DO NOT STIR

Pour water onto of the cocoa mix again, DO NOT STIR…

Place in oven and cook for 30 minutes. If contents seem too fluid let cook five minutes longer. The mixture should firm and will not totally set up until completely cool.

You can serve with vanilla ice cream or top with whipped cream.

Pumpkin Pumpkin and More Pumpkin

As you might be able to tell, we love pumpkin recipes in our house. Pumpkins are low in calories and high in fiber, vitamin A and C. This is one item; I stock my pantry with during the holidays. Most stores will not stock canned pumpkin year round.

I thought I would give you three recipes today, a dip, cobbler and muffins. The dip and muffins are light on calories.

Pumpkin Dip

Ingredients

3/4 cup (6 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

2 teaspoons maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

24 apple slices

Directions

Place first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add syrup and cinnamon, and beat until smooth. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Serve with apple.

This pumpkin recipe came from Cooking Light magazine.

Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup canned pumpkin

3/4 cup fat-free sour cream

1/3 cup fat-free milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 large egg white

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 375.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through salt) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture.

Combine pumpkin and next 6 ingredients (pumpkin through egg white); add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon the batter into 18 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.

Combine 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and brown sugar; sprinkle over muffins.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes, or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pans immediately; cool on a wire rack