Saint Patrick’s Day is coming. Time for too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ra-ing about Molly Malone, Danny Boy and my Wild Irish Rose. Time for dancing a jig while not spilling a drop. Time for decking out in shades of forest, emerald, mint and moss. For celebrating my freckles and green eyes while lamenting my lack of red-headedness. And the most glorious of all, time for every grocery store from sea-to-shining sea to suddenly stock up on corned beef. This Saint Patrick’s Day, be the lord of the manor with this absolutely perfect, not a hint of dry meat anywhere, corned beef dinner. Made in a crock pot, this scrumptious classic will fill your home with rich mouth-watering aromas, and keep you laughing, singing and toasting with your friends and family instead of slaving over a hot stove.
Saint Patrick’s Day Deliciousness
Here’s a round-up of a few of my favorite dishes for Saint Patrick’s Day! Click on the titles to be brought to the details on how to make each deliciously Irish item, or just head to the bottom of this post to print out all the recipes and get cooking!
Totally Delicious and Easy Campurritos
Baked Mashed Potatoes
Otherwise known as “The Most Awesome Potatoes Ever”. Let me just say that I’ve tried to find a substitute for the gloriousness of potatoes. It just never works out. Kudos to you if roasted cauliflower has found a place in your heart where french fries used to live. I’m in awe of those who think a mashed veggie with just the right seasoning can replace the creamy goodness of softened potatoes mixed with butter and milk. It just isn’t going to happen for me. True love lasts a lifetime, and I truly love potatoes. I’ve made my peace with it. You can too. Come join me on the dark side. A magical place where we embrace the carb-soaked starchy goodness of the potato.
Everything But The Kitchen Sink Breakfast Bake
I love a good breakfast bake. It’s so adaptable. You can put just about everything in them. This is my base recipe for a perfectly filling and delicious morning meal. I’ve made it so many times I can practically do it in my sleep. Which is good, since I’m always throwing it together first thing in the morning. Yawn.
Hasselback Potatoes
As a lifetime Seattle Seahawks fan, I was sad to see the starting career of Matt Hasselback come to a close last week as Jake Locker was named the quarterback for the Titans. I’m really happy for Jake, cause he hails from the University of Washington. Keeps it all in the state at least. I’ll always have a soft spot for number 8 since he took my Hawks to the Superbowl. He’s a stand up guy with a great attitude and I wish him all the best.See this article for more info on Matt and what a tremendous person he is.
Smothered Pork Chops

4 pork chops
salt and pepper to taste
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 onion, sliced thinly
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup milk
2 sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
Directions
- Season pork chops with salt & pepper to taste.
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Brown the chops on both sides. Remove to plate and tent with foil.
- Add onion and mushrooms to the same pan and saute for two minutes, until onions are slightly translucent. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds then deglaze pan with the wine, scraping up any brown bits.
- Add milk and cream of mushroom soup to the pan and stir to combine with mushrooms and onions. Place pork chops back in the pan. Add the thyme and bay leaf. Cover skillet, and reduce temperature to medium-low. Simmer 20 to 30 minutes, or until chops are cooked through.
Bubble & Squeak
My daughter became obsessed with this dinner when she heard about it from her Nanny. My family’s roots are embedded deeply in our English heritage and my mom loves to tell my kids about all things British. Traditionally this meal is made using leftovers from a roast or ham., thrown together with potatoes and cabbage to make a one pot wonder that is delicious and full of homey flavor.
Start with a head of cabbage. Chop half roughly into slices and boil until softened.
This dish has two kinds of pork in it. Bacon and ham. Mmmmm. Bacon!
Chop the bacon, and cook it about half way. Then add some sliced onion into the pan and let it get all soft and yummy in the bacon grease. Why yes, this is a low-fat/low-calorie dish. How could you tell?
Then we add the ham, the cooked cabbage and some diced potatoes. And some butter and seasonings.
Stir it all around until it’s combined and let it brown up just a bit. Make sure you have a big pan. It’s gonna be full! This is where the name comes from. It’s going to be squeaking in the pan as the cabbage and potatoes finish cooking.
A little more seasoning and it’s done!
Home cooking English style. Meat and potatoes and more meat all together in one glorious bite!
Print Recipe for Bubble and Squeak
Bubble & Squeak
from Allrecipes.com
- 1/2 medium head cabbage, sliced
- 3 slices bacon, diced
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup cubed cooked ham
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cups potatoes – boiled, cooled and cubed (do not completely cook them – leave them a little firm)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- In a medium saucepan, cook cabbage in a small amount of water for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain, and set aside.
- In a non-stick skillet, cook bacon halfway. Add onion to pan with bacon, cook until softened. Add ham, and cook until heated through. Add butter, then mix in the cooked cabbage and potatoes. Season with paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook until browned on bottom, turn, and brown again.
Spiced Honey Lemon Chicken & Sweet Caramelized Brussels Sprouts
I realized the other day (with horror) that I have never made brussels sprouts. Maybe a carry-over from childhood rearing it’s ugly head in my adult life? I didn’t like them when I was little – really the only veggie I have no taste for – so I’ve never thought to make them for my family. Then I saw this recipe and was intrigued. Sprouts with caramelized onions and bacon? Well, that sounded absolutely divine. I had my dad over for dinner tonight (my mom is out-of-town visiting family) and made this perfectly paired meal. Oh so good. I had thirds of the brussels sprouts. The chicken has a great depth of flavor and a spicy kick to it that will make you want to lick every last drop of sauce from your plate. Who knew onions could be so sweet and tangy? With the bright flavor of the sprouts and the moist savory chicken, this dinner was an out of the park success!
[Read more…]
Mom’s Potatoes
I look forward to these potatoes every time my mom has a brunch. They are amazingly rich. They equally amazingly bad for you. But I don’t care. I love them. Now you can too. I actually was so excited to dig into these when I made them recently that I forgot to take a photo. So, I took one after half the dish was gone. Oh well.
There’s a hard way and an easy way to make these potatoes. I make them the hard way for special occasions like Easter dinner. I make them the easy way for pretty much everything else. [Read more…]