I. LOVE. ST. PATRICK'S. DAY. Literally, Its one of my favorites. There's a street downtown near us called the Oregon District, that, twice a year, shuts down Mardi-Gras-on-Bourbon-street style- once on Halloween, and once on St. Patricks day. It's glorious. Here, all the delightful shenanigans take place. The bars are packed, the restaurants serve everything beer battered and fried with neon food coloring, and everyone is clad in a sea of emerald green with striped socks and orange beards. It's a pinching good time. Last year, on St. Patricks day, my fiance took the opportunity to tell literally EVERYONE we knew that he was going to propose to me the following week in California. I, completely oblivious, had no idea until later that THAT is what all the congratulations, high fives, hugs, and chaos had been about that night. It was a wonderful night.
Well, this year will be very different for us. Obviously our little fam will not be partaking in the festivities, and instead will be hosting a less crazy St. Patty's Day party at our new house. I love all of our friends that are coming and will very much enjoy it......... but I am soooo already looking forward to next year, when I'm not prego. Anyway, as self-proclaimed chefs and major foodies, my fiance and I have very festive plans. You can find them (and borrow them) below!
St. Patrick's Day Feast:
appetizers:
Green Vegetables with Avocado Ranch Sauce
Ingredients:
2/3 cup mashed avocado (from about 1 - 1 1/2 avocados – see note)
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons nonfat milk
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 1/4 teaspoons white vinegar
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (see note)
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
snipped fresh chives for garnish
Serve with an assortment of festive green vegetables .
Directions:
Place all ingredients (except optional chive garnish) in a food processor and process until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust salt if desired (see note).
Serve immediately, alongside greeen vegetables, & whole-grain tortilla chips.
Rainbow Fruit
Ingredients:
raspberries
strawberries
orange slices
cantelope .
pineapple
mango
kiwi
grannysmith apples
blueberries
blackberries
purple seedless grapes
banana slices
Directions:
cut and layer fruit into the shape of a rainbow with banana clounds. enjoy!
Mini Pretzel Bites with Beer Cheese
Ingredients:
½ stick butter
2 tablespoons flour or more as needed
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces light yet flavorful beer
3 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces shredded white cheddar cheese
Serve with 1-2 Container Mini Pretzel Bites
Instructions:
First, make your cheese by melting the butter in a pot over medium heat. Next, add the flour and stir. Cook for 10 minutes while continually stirring, until the roux begins to brown a bit. If it does not thicken up into a good roux, add another tablespoon or 2 of flour, then continue to stir until it thickens to a paste, and until it begins to brown lightly.While the roux is cooking, preheat oven on warm and pop the pretzel bites in on a cookie sheet. You jsut want to warm them, not burn or crisp them, which is why you put your oven on the lowest setting.
Add the chili powder and salt, then stir in the beer, still stirring continually, until the mixture thickens a bit, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the cream cheese until melted and incorporated throughout.Finally, stir in most of the shredded cheddar cheese a bit at a time, continually stirring, until it melts through and becomes an AMAZING CHEESE SAUCE. Serve with warm Mini pretzel bites.
Irish Soda Bread with Kerrygold Irish Butter
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup butter, cold and cut into pieces
1 cup buttermilk
Serve with Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter & an assortment of Kerrygold dubliner cheese
Directions:
Step 1 Heat oven to 375°F. Butter or spray a baking pan; set aside.
Step 2 In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add buttermilk, mix with a fork until it just comes together.
Step 3 Turn out on flour surface; knead gently 3-4 times; pat into a rectangle. Divide into 8 equal piece. Gently form into rounds and transfer to prepared pan leaving at least 2-inches between each loaf. Using a sharp knife, score an X in the center of each loaf. Bake 20-22 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with Kerrygold Pure Irish butter.
Main Course:
Pretzel Bun Bratwurst with Stout 'Crout & Beer Onions
Serves 24 (party size)
Ingredients:
12-pack Pretzel Rolls
12-pack pretzel buns (hot dog style)
2 packs Smithfield Yuengling Brats
1 pack Johnsonville Hot Italian Sausage
2 Packs Irish style Bratwurst
1 jar Vlasic Sauerkraut
1 red bell pepper, seeded & thin sliced
1 orange bell pepper, seeded & thin sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded & thin sliced
2 medium Yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 bottles Yuengling Traditional Lager
1 bottle Guinness Stout
2 tbsp Butter
1 tbs olive oil
salt, pepper, and red pepper flake, to taste
Whole grain mustard, Yellow Mustard, Relish, & sharp cheddar if desired.
Instructions:
In a large pot, bring 2 cups of water, 1 full Yuengling, and 1/2 Guinness stout to a boil. Reducing to high simmer, Cook sausages & brats according to package instructions, about 20 minutes. While cooking, begin Craut, Pepepers & Onions. Strain jar of vlasic sauerkraut.
In a large saute pan, drizzle 1 tbs olive oil then melt 1 tbs butter on high. Dump the strained sauerkraut into sizzling pan and toss to saute for about 3 minutes. Dump remaining 1/2 Guinness stout over craut, and reduce heat to a medium simmer. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil and then Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a separate large skillet over medium- high heat. Add sliced peppers, season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flake to taste, and saute until tender but crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove and pour into serving dish. In the same pan, drizzle olive oil and melt 1 tbs butter. Add sliced onions and cook for 5 minutes until they start to caramelize. Pour in 1/2 Yuengling beer and cook for additional 5- 10 mins or until liquid is gone.
Cut a brat or sausage in half place both pieces on the roll, or whole thing in pretzel hotdog bun. Top with onions, sauerkraut, and peppers. Serve with Mustard's & Relish. Enjoy!
Sweets:
Mint Chocolate Cheesecake Dip
Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp mint extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2-3 drops green food coloring
mint chocolate oreo cookies, for dipping.
Instructions:
Using an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar, mint extract, and food coloring. Mix well, then fold in chocolate chips. Serve with mint chocolate oreos or chocolate teddy grahams. ENJOY!
Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Frosting
Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
1/3 cup Cocoa Powder
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp Salt
6 oz Guinness
1/4 cup melted Butter
1/2 tbsp Vanilla
1 Eggs
1/4 cup Sour Cream
Frosting:
1/4 cup Butter
2 cup Powdered Sugar
2 tbsp Bailey's Irish Cream
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350.Whisk together cocoa, sugar, flour, baking soda and salt.In another bowl, combine the Guiness, melted butter and vanilla.Beat in eggs and sour cream until combined and smooth.Slowly add dry ingredients into the wet mixture.Line muffin pan with paper liners.Fill each about 3/4 full.Bake for 20-25 minutes until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.Cream butter until fluffy.Slowly add powdered sugar.Add Bailey's until right consistency is achieved.Transfer to piping bag and frost cupcakes.