I am going to a potluck for St Patties Day. Do you have any creative ideas for a green dish? Thanks

Broccoli and rice casserole / jello salad / guacamole / 3 bean salad / I have a recipe for green beans that is different - they have a sweet taste to them / a giant green salad with Green Goddess dressing / Bundles of asparagus or fresh green beans wrapped in bacon / spinach dip in a bread bowl.

Rather than do something just because it's green, how about an actual traditional Irish dish?

Colcannon is quite easy -- simply saute equal parts chopped onions and cabbage in butter, and mix them in with mashed potatoes. Proportions on the mashed potato to cabbage/onion are personal taste. Mine's probably 2/3 potato to 1/3 onion and cabbage.

Irish Brown Bread (My Aunt Molly always called it soda bread, though there is some strange curranty thing the supermarkets sell every Patrick's that claims that name here. Probably like corned beef -- a commodity unknown in Ireland):

4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup bread flour (actually, I use all purpose)
1/3 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, get two lightly greased baking sheets ready. Mix the dry ingredients, then slowly add the buttermilk. Knead very lightly, or the bread will get tough. Divide dough into 4 pieces; form into rounded flat loaves and make a cross on the top of each, dividing it into quarters.

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and they sound hollow when flicked, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Serve with real butter. It deserves it.

Slainte

Green eggs and ham!!!

Orlando ...

The bread sounds delicious ... obviously not a yeast bread so what does it taste like? Does it pick up the oatmeal flavor? I just might have to try it ... always looking for one more way to add some padding to my otherwise prednisone-bloated body (and very round face) these days and I love anything with the word 'bread' on the label (well, that would exclude sweetbreads of course)

I have a great recipe for pistachio cake. The frosting is made with Cool Whip and pistachio pudding making it light green but I'm sure if you add food coloring, not only will you get a laugh out of everyone's green mouth, you can get a bright green cake.

BBfam ...

Can you post the pistachio cake recipe? I LOVE pistachio flaavored anything ...

FBM-

I don't always put the oats in. I think it tastes (the only word I can think of is) sweeter without it (because of the buttermilk), though it's not a "sweet". It's a fairly dense bread, the sort of thing you'd eat with tea or for breakfast. There's nothing quite like it, it's lovely, and very Irish.

Slobber,..slobber, drool-drool,...growling noise coming from my stomach. Ummm,...like totally yuuuum gals!!!!! Great book ideas, irish recipes,...baseball season launching,..this indeed is a great time of year!

I just tasted Irish soda bread for the first time this week brought in by a co worker. Deeelish!! Really really good and filling because it is indeed dense,..dense in the best sense of the word! As my grandmother would have said, " Sticks to your ribs and make's ya happy! "

I always make shephareds pie too this time of year. I make it in a casserole dish to save time on individual dishes.

I was told its actually an English,... but my mother in law is Irish and says its a tradition.


Sheperds Pie:

( *** if made with lamb, but if made with beef or turkey, its called Cottage Pie )
All knowledge is credited to Orlando!

I just pretend to be Irish around this time of year.

1 pound ground beef, or turkey, or **lamb
1/2 cup ground beef mix or your favorite seasonings for ground meat
1 cup white wine or water
mashed potatoes (from 3 large potatoes)
canned peas & carrots
1/2 cup Cheddar or Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 350.

Brown the ground meat and drain. (Rinse if you want to get more fat off.) Add the seasonings and wine or water and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile peel up the potatoes and cut into 1" chunks. Simmer until soft. Drain, mash, and add butter and milk. ( Believe it or not, I have even used instant potatoes when in a rush and don't feel like peelin'. )

Put the meat into a 9x9 baking dish. Pour the carrots and peas on top. Cover with the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Walah!

Looks like a great recipe, shortstopmom. I like the addition of wine, it will make for a better pie than my Bisto!

As it's apparently National Be Pedantic Day (at least for me), yours is a recipe for Cottage Pie. Shepherds' Pie is made with lamb (hence the name).

Woopsie,..well Orlando, I believe I have single handedly, ( albeit unknowingly and unintentionally ) bugged the bejaysus outta ya twice already today.

But you have enlightened me,..and I appreciate that.

I even learned what pedantic means.
( thank goodness for dictionary.com, whew!)

P.S. Good luck trying to find ground lamb in a military commissary,...thus the reason we use ground beef or ( even healthier ) ground turkey, and then simply call it Sheperds pie. You get the idea.

You say po-tay-toes,...I say po-tat-oes,..either way, its very nummy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
** I've now gone back and modified my recipe.

P.S. I'd like to second the request for the pistachio cake, please!!!

P.S.S.

Redhead,..what's Green Goddess dressing????

It's just a bottled dressing made by Seven Seas. Light Green, creamy, kind of smooth and mild. Maybe it is not available everywhere.

ssmom ...

Green Goddess Dressing recipe

....in case it's not available in bottled form.

OK - I could have stayed happily oblivious to the fact that there are ANCHOVIES in that recipe! I will have to check the label.(It doesn't taste fishy!)

Pistachio Pudding Cake

1 package white cake mix (I like Golden Vanilla)
1 3oz. package pistachio instant pudding
1 cup oil
1 cup 7 UP or lemon lime soda
3 eggs
1/2 cup chopped nuts optional (I usually don't add)

Combine ingredients and beat at medium speed for 4 minutes. Bake in 9X13 inch pan for 40 minutes or bake in greased 8 inch pans (not sure of time). Cool and add "frosting"

Frosting

1 3 oz. package pistacho instant pudding
1 1/4 cup cold milk
1 9 oz carton Cool Whip
Chopped nuts optional

Combine pudding and milk according to package. Fold in topping. Frost cake.
Enjoy!!

BBfam ...

quote:

1/2 cup chopped nuts optional

Are these pistachios or some of our beloved curmudgeons from the general forum?

Take your pick