St. Patrick's Day is coming!

May you always walk in sunshine.
May you never want for more.
May Irish angels rest their wings right before your door - Irish blessing

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St. Patrick's Day will be here soon--and I really adore this Holiday--I love the color green too--and I adore cooking special foods for this day.

The History of the Holiday
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over a thousand years.

On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink, and feast—on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.
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I will be making;
Corned Beef
Irish Soda bread
Steamed Cabbage or something different like:

Colcannon

(Photo and Recipe courtesy of the Foodnetwork.comm)

Ingredients
3 pounds potatoes, scrubbed
2 sticks butter
1 1/4 cups hot milk
Freshly ground black pepper
1 head cabbage, cored and finely shredded
1 (1-pound) piece ham or bacon, cooked the day before
4 scallions, finely chopped
Chopped parsley leaves, for garnish
Directions
Steam the potatoes in their skins for 30 minutes. Peel them using a knife and fork. Chop with a knife before mashing. Mash thoroughly to remove all the lumps. Add 1 stick of butter in pieces. Gradually add hot milk, stirring all the time. Season with a few grinds of black pepper.
Boil the cabbage in unsalted water until it turns a darker color. Add 2 tablespoons butter to tenderize it. Cover with lid for 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly before returning it to the pan. Chop into small pieces.
Put the ham in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes until tender. Drain. Remove any fat and chop into small pieces.
Add cabbage, scallions, and ham to mashed potatoes, stirring them in gently.
Serve in individual soup plates. Make an indentation on the top by swirling a wooden spoon. Put 1 tablespoon of butter into each indentation. Sprinkle with parsley.


White Soda Bread
(For more Irish Soda bread recipes click here)

4 cups (16 oz) of all purpose flour.
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Teaspoon salt
14 oz of buttermilk

Method:

Preheat the oven to 425 F. degrees. Lightly crease and flour a cake pan.

In a large bowl sieve and combine all the dry ingredients.

Add the buttermilk to form a sticky dough. Place on floured surface and lightly knead (too much allows the gas to escape)

Shape into a round flat shape in a round cake pan and cut a cross in the top of the dough.

Cover the pan with another pan and bake for 30 minutes (this simulates the bastible pot). Remove cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

The bottom of the bread will have a hollow sound when tapped so show it is done.

Cover the bread in a tea towel and lightly sprinkle water on the cloth to keep the bread moist.


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I like this recipe too---ohhh, decisions, decsions...LOL.
Champ
Bon Appétit May 1996

Restaurant: Tinakilly Country House & Restaurant; Rathnew, Ireland


Champ is traditionally served with a well in the middle that has a dab of butter melting in it. The potatoes are usually eaten from "outside" to "inside," dipping each bite into the butter. From the Tinakilly Country House & Restaurant in Rathnew, Ireland.This recipe was created to accompany Beef Tenderloin with Spring Vegetables.
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 bunch green onions, sliced (about 1 1/3 cups)

Cook potatoes in pot of boiling salted water until very tender, about 15 minutes.


Meanwhile, bring cream and butter to simmer in heavy small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often.

Mix in green onions. Remove from heat. Cover and let steep while potatoes cook.

Drain potatoes thoroughly.

Return potatoes to same pot and mash. Add cream mixture and stir until blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover; let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over low heat, stirring often.)
Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.

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I am making my shopping list and will go shopping before Tuesday---I always make Corned Beef and cabbage--and I stock up on the cabbage too--it is always a great price around this holiday. I will be making some sort of dessert too--I found this awesome website with dozens of desserts ideas---> Click here.

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Okay so now, I have shared a little bit of what I am going to do--I will take pictures along the way and share my St Patrick's Day with you--My question to all of you is--what will be on your menu for St Patrick's day?