Mid-March Celebration

Celebrate the day with a toast to good friends and good health! 

Guinness and Cheddar Dip

Servings: about 4 cups

adapted from The Parsley Thief

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2-1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons half-and-half
• 1/4 cup Guinness
• 2 or 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

• In a blender or food processor, combine the cream cheese, cheddar, mustard, and half-and-half. Pulse until smooth
• With the food processor running, slowly pour the Guinness down the feeder and blend until combined
• Add the scallions, garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper (to taste).  Blend until thoroughly mixed
• Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill at least for one hour prior to serving

  St Patrick’s  Day Blondies

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup butter
• 1- 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup green M and M’s
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Spray a glass 9×13 pan with cooking spray
• Place butter and brown sugar in a medium sized saucepan and heat
• Stir constantly until smooth and cool for 5 minutes
• Add eggs in one at a time,stir until incorporated and add in vanilla.
• Add flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder beat until combined.
• Add half chocolate chips and add half M and M’s,stir 
• Transfer mixture to prepared pan
• Add remaining M and M’s and remaining chocolate chips, press in batter
• Bake for 25 minutes
• Allow to cool until slightly warm
• Remove from pan and cut into bars

Shamrock Shaker

Ingredients:

• 1- 1/2 oz Kahlua
• 2- 1/2 oz cream
• 1/2 oz Amaretto
• Edible green and gold powder for garnish

Directions:

• Pour the ingredients into a shaker with ice.
• Shake vigorously.
• Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
• Sprinkle the green and gold powders on the top.

Irish Bling

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce Baileys Irish Creme
• 1 ounce creme de menthe
• Scoop of ice cubes (or crushed ice)

Directions;

• Shake and serve over ice 

Salt as Iron Cleaner

Eliminate sticky residue from an iron. Run the hot iron (no steam) over plain paper sprinkled with salt.

Newspaper as Refrigerator Odor Absorber

Absorb odors in the refrigerator’s vegetable drawer with a lining of newspaper.

Olive Oil as Stainless Steel Cleaner

Buff streaks out of stainless steel with a little oil on a terry-cloth rag, then shine with a dry paper towel.

Aluminum Foil as Glassware Scrubber

To get baked-on food off a glass pan or an oven rack, use dishwashing liquid and a ball of foil in place of a steel-wool soap pad.