Grand Finale

"May you have the hindsight to know where you've been, the

foresight to know where you're going, and the insight to know

when you're going too far."

 Irish Blessing  

A little know fact that St. Patrick was not really Irish but of English descent. He was born into an aristocratic family, kidnapped at an early age and taken to Ireland.  After escaping he returned  home and later became a priest. He went back to Ireland to convert natives to Christianity. There are many legends about the shamrock and his driving the snakes out of Ireland. 

Parades remain a large part of the celebrations today. New York has the largest one in the world. The first St. Patrick's parade was held in Dublin in 1995 to boost tourism. Today it has become a five day event. In America we have parades, rivers are dyed green and lots of  celebrations to mark the occasion. I recently was part of  gathering for seniors who had fun wearing their best greenery. In my daughter's  classroom I got a chance to make a new dish called green eggs and ham. Green bread and milk rounded out the meal. 

Photos from both gatherings are posted on the right.  

Hope you enjoy the day. I know I will since we are having another summer day again with predicted temperatures in high 70's.  

Bailey’s Irish Cream Cake

Cake Ingredients:

• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ cup butter
• 3 large eggs
• 5 ounces (5 squares) unsweetened chocolate, melted (I used bittersweet chocolate but  semi-sweet would work )
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¾ cup Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur
• ½ cup milk
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting Ingredients:

From the book Chocolate Cookery by Mable Hoffman

Cook’s Note: this is by far the best homemade frosting I have ever tried and I even have it memorized! It makes a generous amount and leftover frosting can be wrapped well and placed in freezer for another use. To thaw put in microwave. I have used this frosting on other cakes and on brownies. Often I add 2 TB. Kahlua or Amaretto to frosting mixture.

• ¼ cup butter or margarine
• 1 (6 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup milk
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• milk as needed added by the tablespoons

Cake Directions:

• Sift cake flour, baking powder and salt set aside
• In a large bowl cream butter and sugar adding eggs in one at a time
• Beat till fluffy
• Mix in melted chocolate (can do in microwave) and vanilla
• Add to flour mixture and add Baileys to this and beat
• Add milk and nuts last-beat till smooth
• Grease either 13 x 9 pan or 2 round cake pans (9 inch) too much batter for 8 inch
• Bake 30 minutes BUT check at 25 minutes
• Cool cakes in pan 10 minutes is using cake pans and then invert onto 2 dinner plates that are covered with wax paper-reverse after 30 minutes to cool other side of cake
• If using a 13 x 9 pan leave cake in pan 

Frosting Directions:

• In medium saucepan on low heat combine chocolate pieces with butter or margarine, sugar, milk and salt
• Bring to a boil stirring constantly
• Simmer 3 minutes
• Remove from heat and add 2 TB. Bailey’s Irish cream, vanilla and powdered sugar.
• Add milk by tablespoons as needed. Ingredients can be beat right in saucepan using a hand mixer
• Frost one 13 x pan or 2-8 or 9 cake pans