Irish Stew

You might want to break out in a jig after a spoonful of Irish Stew!

Irish stew is a filling, flavorful peasant dish. It was originally made with the cheapest, most readily available ingredients. Potatoes were the main food crop prior to the potato famine. Irish stew, "ballymaloe" or "stobhach gaelach" as it is called in Gaelic, is traditionally made of lamb or mutton, potatoes, onions, and parsley. The root vegetables added further flavor and thickening power, as well as filling sustenance. Some cooks added turnips or parsnips, carrots, and barley.

The stew ingredients have evolved over the years, adapting to include local offerings. Since sheep were not as plentiful in America, other types of meat were often substituted. Some recipes include Guinness Stout and other variations, exalting this original peasant dish to near-gourmet status.

Irish Stew

Cook's Notes: 

Whether you make this Irish Beef Stew with Guinness Beer for your St. Patrick's Day celebration or just an everyday meal, it’s definitely a must-try recipe! The addition of Guinness Beer, a dark beer, adds a robust malty flavor to the stew. This is one of those dishes where the stew's flavor continues to improve the next day. You can prep a lot of the ingredients the day before and store them in a plastic bag. I found Guinness Draught Beer a better choice for the stew. Guinness Extra Stout is a stronger beer, and its taste can overpower the stew's flavor. The stew was paired with Irish Soda Bread.

g

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lb. beef stew meat or sirloin cut into small cubes
• 1/2 cup flour to use in a Ziploc bag
• 1 small onion diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 small box of white mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 bottle of Guinness Draught beer
• 2 cups finely chopped carrots
• 1 cup each diced carrots or sweet potatoes, and celery
• 4 small red potatoes, quartered
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon each allspice and celery seeds
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon each marjoram, thyme, and Rosemary
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups beef broth or chicken broth (use low-sodium )
• 1-1/2 cups V-8 juice
• 1/3 cup water mixed with 3 tablespoons flour

Directions:

• In a Ziploc bag add ½ cup flour and shake beef cubes
• In a fry pan, brown beef cubes in 2 TB. hot olive oil and set aside
• In the same frying pan, sauté mushrooms, minced garlic, and onions until caramelized, about 3-4 minutes.
• In a soup pot, add browned beef cubes, beef or chicken broth, V-8 juice, flour mixture, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, celery, mushroom mixture, spices, bay leaves, tomato paste,  brown sugar, and yes, don't forget the beer!!
• Cook on low heat, covered, about 1-1/2 -2 hours till carrots, parsnips, and potatoes are done, or in a crockpot on low for 2-3 hours. Discard bay leaves before serving.

    Enjoy your week

National Pi Day March 14th

Just in case you were wondering ...Pi is a mathematical constant whose value is approximately 3.14159. Hence, Pi Day is celebrated on March 14th. The reason being 3, 1, 4 are the digits in Pi, March is the third month of the year, and 14 is the day. The day aims to raise awareness about the importance of mathematics and its role in shaping our world and promote the relevance of mathematics to a broader audience.The term Pi is a Greek word and is denoted by the symbol “π” which is used to represent a constant. It is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, which is approximately 3.14159.

Enjoy PI Day with some Ever Ready Pie Selections 

Grasshopper Pie

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2019/03/weekend-round-up.html

Ham and Swiss Cheese Savory Hand Pie 

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2019/01/national-pie-day.html

Asparagus and Bacon Pie with Dill Havarati

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2020/03/asparagus-round-up.html

Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse Pie

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2019/03/chocolate-mousse-pie.html

Mini Pecan Pies 

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2020/11/mini-chocolate-pecan-pies.html

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie 

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2023/05/the-grand-finale.html

Black Cherry Chunk Ice Cream Pie

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2018/06/black-cherry-chunk-ice-cream-pie.html

GO IRISH

 

Colcannon is an Irish version of mashed potatoes made with sauteed cabbage or kale, green onions, and bacon. Pair this hearty side dish with corned beef slices and Irish Soda Bread, adding a wee bit of Irish to your March cooking.

Colcannon with Kale and Cheddar 

Cook's notes: Use a food processor to shred cabbage or kale. A cheese grater also works to shred cabbage. Recipe serves 4-6.
Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lbs. red potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
• 8 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 cups finely shredded cabbage or kale
• 2 green onions, diced
• 3/4-1 cup half and half (warmed)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt e.g.Lawry's
• 1-1/2 cups grated white cheddar
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

• Bring water to a boil, add in potatoes and simmer until fork tender, about 20-30 minutes. Drain potatoes.
• Fry bacon until crispy. Drain on a paper towel and reserve 1 TB. bacon drippings.
• Saute onions on medium high heat for 2 minutes in bacon dripping. Add in shredded cabbage/kale and green onions, cook until cabbage is tender about 5-8 minutes.
• Stir in cheddar and mix well.
• In a large bowl, add potatoes, onions/cabbage mixture, cream, bacon bits, parsley, butter, salt, and pepper. With a hand mixer, beat the potato mixture until well mixed. Serve immediately or keep warm in an ovenproof pan or bowl. 

Irish Coffee

Perhaps the most famous Irish drink is the Irish coffee. Over 100 versions of this popular drink exist, including non-alcoholic Irish drink recipes.
Irish coffee was invented by Limerick chef Joseph Sheridan in 1942 to welcome Americans visiting Ireland. The travelers arrived in the west of Ireland on a cold winter night, so Sheridan added whiskey to their coffee to warm them up, telling the Americans it was Irish coffee.
A San Francisco Chronicle travel writer, Stanton Delaplane, brought the recipe back to the U.S. after drinking Irish coffee at Shannon Airport.
It was first served at the Buena Vista Café in San Francisco on November 10, 1952.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz. of Irish whiskey e.g. Jameson
• 5-7 oz. hot coffee or 2 shots of espresso
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• Fresh whipped cream

Directions:

• Run hot water slowly over a glass mug until it’s at room temperature or hotter, and then dry it (pouring hot coffee into a cold glass could cause it to crack) or use a regular coffee mug.
• Add brown sugar to the mug
• Pour in whiskey
• Add coffee or espresso, leaving room at the top for whipped cream
• Stir until sugar is completely dissolved
• Top the drink with whipped cream. 
• Do not stir (drink stays warmer longer with the cream sitting on top)
• To make cold Irish coffee, chill the sweetened coffee before adding the whiskey.

UP NEXT 

SUNDAY'S DINNER: IRISH BEEF STEW

Did you know Oscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish author, poet, and playwright? After writing in different literary styles throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular and influential dramatists in London in the early 1890s.

Chocolate Mint Oreo Cookie Pie

March 11 is my mother, Pat Lentsch's s birthday. She would have been 104 today. And actually it is also my mother-in-law's birthday who would have been 120. 

There was hardly a dessert mom didn't like and she still managed to be of a slight weight. She would have loved this dessert and always kept a stash of Dove bars in her freezer. 

If you’ve got people in your tribe that love chocolate, then this is the pie for them.  Since I’m into anything chocolate, I was swooning over every single bite! It’s sweet, refreshing with a minty flavor. To sum it up, it’s basically pie perfection!! 

Get a jump start on National Pi Day, March 14, with Chocolate Mint Oreo Cookie Pie.


Chocolate Mint Oreo Cookie Pie

Cook's notes: The perfect pie for celebrating St. Patrick's Day. The recipe can be made in a springform pan, 9-inch glass square pan, or a glass pie pan as shown in the picture. It freezes well covered with foil for up to two weeks. Other ice cream flavors could be substituted, such as vanilla, strawberry, or chocolate.
This recipe originally came from Nestle Toll House and is sure to be a hit with any age group.
Ingredients:

• 1-quart mint chocolate chip ice cream
• 1 regular package of Oreo cookies (Not Double Stuff brand). You will need a total of 2-1/2 cups of cookie crumbs for this recipe. Another option is using Mint Oreo cookies. 
• 5 tablespoons melted butter
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 10 oz. Dark Chocolate Toll House Morsels (other options include: semi-sweet or bittersweet chips)

Directions:

• Remove ice cream from the freezer to soften.
• In a Cuisinart, crush cookies using about 2 and 1/2 rows of Oreos that have been broken up.
• Add in 5 tablespoons of melted butter and mix well. 
• Use 2 cups of cookie crumbs for the cookie pie crust, and reserve 1/2 cup of cookie crumbs and set aside.
• Place the pie pan in the freezer for 15 minutes.
• Remove pie pan and add 1/2 of the softened carton of ice cream, smooth out ice cream, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup cookie crumbs over it.
• Return the pie pan to the freezer for an hour or until ice cream is fairly firm.
• In a glass measuring cup, microwave on high for 45 seconds the evaporated milk.
• Remove and whisk in chocolate chips until smooth.
• Pour chocolate into a small bowl and place in the freezer for 15 minutes to cool it down.
• Remove the pie pan from the freezer, make sure the ice cream layer is firm, and the chocolate is cooled.
• Pour the chocolate mixture over the ice cream and sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Freeze for an hour until firm.
• Add the last layer of ice cream and the rest of the cookie crumbs and return to the freezer for a few hours, lightly covered with wax paper.
• Then cover the pie with foil until serving.
  
  
  

Glazed Lemon Bread

 

to a slice of moist Lemon Glazed Bread 

Cook's Notes: An old-fashioned quick bread made with fresh lemons and a simple tart glaze that soaks into the crust, creating an irresistible treat. The recipe was adapted from amindfulmom.com  . One tablespoon of poppy seeds could be added to the batter, creating a poppy seed lemon quick bread.  

Lemon Bread Batter Ingredients:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup buttermilk 
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest ~2 large lemons
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• Toasted coconut and almonds to equal 1/3 cup 

Lemon Glaze Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice=2 large lemons
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar 
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 

Directions: 

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350℉ (175℃). Generously grease a 8.5 by 4.5-inch loaf pan on the bottom and sides of the loaf pan. 
• In a medium bowl, sift together 1½ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon table salt, and 1 teaspoon baking powder, and whisk to evenly distribute salt and baking powder.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat ½ cup unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Once pale and fluffy, mix in 2 large eggs until combined.
• Add the sifted dry ingredients, ½ cup buttermilk, the almond/coconut mixture, and 2 tablespoons lemon zest to the creamed butter and sugar. Gently fold together until the ingredients are just combined, taking care not to overmix.
• Transfer the prepared batter to the prepared loaf pan, spreading it into an even layer.
• Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly dry or with a few crumbs. If you are using a metal baking pan begin checking on the bread after 40 minutes.
• While lemon bread is baking, whisk together the lemon glaze until smooth.
• After the bread is baked, place the pan on a cooling rack. Use a skewer to poke holes halfway down into the loaf. 

• Pour the glaze over the lemon bread. Let the bread sit in the loaf pan for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, loosen the sides of the bread from the edges of the pan with a butter knife, then remove the bread from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely before slicing and serving.

Notes:
Room-temperature eggs and butter are recommended for the best results.
Lemons: Be sure to use only FRESH lemon juice for this recipe. This recipe will require about 2 fresh lemons (their zest and juice).

SPREAD JOY-SHARE A SLICE OF LEMON BREAD WITH A FRIEND

Creamy Lemon Shrimp with Parmesan Cheese

With a wee bit of luck, this meal will be one of your March favorites. A classic comfort skillet dish made with tender linguine and savory shrimp, tossed in a lemony cream-based Parmesan cheese sauce. Serve the dish with a side of spring asparagus, it's definitely a meal to savor. 

Creamy Lemon Shrimp with Parmesan Cheese

Cook's Notes: Roasted red peppers (1 cup diced) would add color and flavor to this dish. The recipe is adapted from  cookingclassy.com and serves 3-4.

Ingredients: 

• 12 oz. dry linguine
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon of butter
• 1 lb. large shrimp (or extra large) uncooked
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley 
• 1-1/2 cups finely shredded parmesan cheese (2.5 oz)
• 2- 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon parsley and lemon slices, for garnish (optional)

Directions: 

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil (with about 4 quarts water). Season the water with salt and cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water and set aside. Add drained pasta back to the pan. Cover and set aside.  
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Dab shrimp dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper. Add to the skillet in a single layer.
• Let shrimp cook until pink on the bottom, about 1 - 2 minutes. Add garlic, turn the shrimp, and continue cooking until cooked through (shrimp should be opaque).
• Transfer shrimp to a sheet of foil and wrap loosely to keep warm.
• Wipe skillet clean and heat cream along with lemon zest and red pepper flakes over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.
• Add in 2 tablespoons of butter and whisk until melted. Add in wine and lemon juice. 
• Remove skillet with cream mixture from heat. Stir in parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to taste.
• Return skillet back to the burner on medium-low, toss with linguine, and heat through. Thin sauce with some of the reserved pasta water if needed. Toss in shrimp.
• Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon slices

National Oreo Cookie Day

 

NATIONAL OREO COOKIE DAY

Be ready to celebrate the day with a glass of milk handy, as it is National Oreo Cookie Day. Since its introduction, the Oreo cookie has become the best-selling cookie in the United States.
DID YOU KNOW? The name “Oreo” was first trademarked on March 14, 1912.
The first Oreo cookies in the United States were sold in clear glass-topped novelty cans for 25 cents a pound.
In 1912, the Oreo Biscuit was renamed “Oreo Sandwich.”
In 1948, the Oreo Sandwich was renamed “Oreo Creme Sandwich.”
William A. Turnier developed the modern-day Oreo design in 1952, incorporating the Nabisco logo.
Nabisco’s principal food scientist, Sam Procello, developed the modern Oreo cookie filling.
By the numbers:
Approximately 34 billion OREO cookies are sold each year – 92 million per day – with 10 billion sold in the U.S. annually. An estimated 500 billion OREO cookies have been sold since the first OREO biscuit was developed in 1912.

So how do you eat your cookie?

Twist them apart, eat the cream center, and put them back together
Twist them apart, eat the cream and cookie side first, and cookie only side last
Twist them apart, eat the cookie side first, and the cookie and cream side last
Any combination of the above while dunking in milk
Eat them whole, sans milk
Eat them whole, with milk but no dunking
Eat them whole, dunking all the way

The recipe is adapted from twopeeasandtheir pod and makes 2-1/2 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Mint Oreo Cookies
Ingredients:

• 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups chopped mint Oreo cookies (can use Thin Mints)

• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup Guittard mint chips or chopped-up Andes mints
• Optional-sea salt for sprinkling on cookies

Directions:

• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa. Set aside.
• With a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until smooth. Add in eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.
• Use a food processor to coarsely chop cookies.
• Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Don't over-mix.
• Stir in the chopped Oreos and chocolate chips.
• Place in the freezer for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Roll cookie dough into 2-inch balls and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake cookies for 9 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers are still soft. Don't overbake. Remove from oven and let sit on a baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes. Move to a cooling rack and cool completely.