How to Make a Shamrock Shake

Ingredients
1 Cup Milk (I used 2%)
2 scoops of good quality vanilla ice cream
2 oz Creme de Menthe or use Peppermint extract for a non-alcoholic version
Fresh mint leaves and marachino cherries for garnish

Directions
Put all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.  Add more or less milk to get the thickness desired.

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

4 Cups Flour

1 tsp Baking Power

1 tsp Salt

1 1/2 Cups Buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 F. Grease,spray or line your baking pan with baking paper.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large deep bowl. Stir in 1 cup of the buttermilk, mixing well until the dough is firm and can be gathered into a ball shape. If it is too dry add up to 1/2 cup more buttermilk.

Don't overwork the dough. Shape the dough into a flat round loaf shape, about 8" in size. Place the loaf on the baking sheet and score the top with a large 'X'. Bake for about 45 minutes. The top should be golden and the loaf should sound hollow when you rap on the bottom with your knuckles. Serve this hot with a delicious bowl of Irish Stew.

Happy Pi Day!

I totally forgot about Pi Day this year, so I didn't even make a pie! How sad. Here is a lovely one that someone else made though.

 Next year I'll have something wondeful for you. Enjoy the day and don't forget the pie!!

Irish Stew (Lamb)

Ingredients

1 lbs lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

3 TBSP peanut oil or other vegetable oil

2 medium yellow onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, diced

1 TBSP tomato paste

1/4 cup flour

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 cup red wine

4 cups stock (I used vegetable because that's what I had on hand. You could use beef or lamb)

1 large bay leaves

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks on diagonal

5-6 small boiling potatoes, cut in half

• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 3 small leeks, thoroughly washed, trimmed and cut into 1/4 slices
• 1/2 small turnip, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks of celery, cut into 1/2 pieces
• 
  
• Instructions
• Pat the lamb dry or air dry in the fridge for about an hour uncovered. Bring it out and let stand to room temperature before using. Season with salt and pepper. 

1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Brown the lamb in batches, adding one more oil if needed for each batch. Do not crowd the pan and let the meat develop a brown crust before turning with tongs. Sprinkle the flour over the lamb and cook for a few minutes. 
2. Add the onions, garlic, leeks, carrots, and turnip to the pot. Cook for a few minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes. Your pot will be quite full at this point, so be careful.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook a few minutes more. Add wine, stock, bay leaf and rosemary. Stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, turn the heat down to low and simmer for one hour or so.
4. Add the peas and potatoes to the stew, then cover and continue simmering until the vegetables are cooked and the meat is very tender, about an hour. Be sure to stir a few times to prevent vegetables from sticking to the bottom.
5. Remove the bay leaf and rosemary sprig, and then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. 
6. Note: This stew can be made a day or two ahead of time and reheated gently on the stovetop. The gravy will thicken in the fridge so it may be necessary to thin it with a bit of water or stock (add it little by little).
7. Serve with a pint of Guinness and warm, buttered Irish Soda Bread.