Check Out These St. Patrick's Day Recipes
It’s time to raise a glass and toast the annual observance of St. Patrick’s Day where everyone becomes Irish!
In fact, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated by 39% of the American population. These estimated 122 million people celebrate their spirit in a variety of ways:
• 25% decorate their home or office
• 31% attend a party
• 83% wear green
• And 34% make a special dinner
Similar to a majority of holidays, food takes center stage. The traditional St. Patrick’s Day meal focuses on customary dishes as corned beef and cabbage, Irish stew and Shepherd’s Pie.
And although Irish food is the cornerstone of this green decorated event, the true focus on St. Patrick’s Day is usually the mighty pint of beer.
It should come as no surprise that the world's average daily Guinness beer consumption (which is 5.5 million pints), doubles on March 17th. While a properly poured pint is a long-established salute to the holiday, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy the dark, frothy nectar other than just drinking it.
St. Patrick’s Day offers a chance to try out new Irish foods and recipes that include this favorite beverage. You can actually build a complete St. Patrick’s Day dinner complete with the Irish foods that make this holiday great, all with a “prepared with beer” theme!
Made with creamy Cashel blue cheese and Irish lager, this starter is the perfect way to begin a St. Patrick’s Day party to get your guests to interact with each other over a delicious appetizer.
• Chicken Wings with Stout Glaze
The combination of two favorites, beer and wings, turns this unique recipe into a new Irish food that is sure to become a winner. The stout glaze on these wings gives them a slightly bitter, not-too-sweet flavor. They're grilled until sticky and caramelized, then sprinkled with scallion and flaxseeds. The good news is that it takes only 45 minutes to complete this delecibal dish.
One of the best things about this St. Patrick’s Day recipe is that you can make it and freeze it in advance of your gathering. That way, your guests can warm up with a comforting bowl of this easy beef stew and you can relax and toast the holiday right along with them without being stuck in the kitchen.
• Beer-Braised Corned Beef Dinner
If your guests insist on the traditional Irish Food of corned beef and cabbage, you can keep your beer theme with this basic recipe. In this version of the hearty classic, the meat and vegetables are cooked in a luscious beer broth Using Guinness beer or an Irish Stout instead of water dramatically increases the flavor of the corned beef.
• Beer-Glazed Sausage and Apples
This beer-based St. Patrick’s Day recipe offers a fresh take on the traditional Irish food that mixes sausage, onion and potatoes. The wheat beer lightly glazes smoked sausage, tender-crisp apples and green beans at only 410 calories per serving!
Serving a gathering that includes pescetarians (those who eat fish, but not meat)? No problem. They can still enjoy the holiday banquet with this crunchy delight featuring a kick of spice and the taste of beer.
Irish soda bread, popular in the 1800s is a type of quick bread that uses baking soda instead of yeast to make the bread rise. This Irish food has become a staple of many St. Patrick Day meals. The recipe we share here is one of the easiest and quickest breads you can make. No need for kneading and the bread bakes in about 45 minutes. So in less than an hour you have freshly made bread.
In case you didn’t get enough beer in your appetizer or entrée, you can enjoy your green vegetable on St. Patrick’s Day with this unusual recipe. At least you can pretend it is healthy.
This beer-based milkshake with crushed pretzels for added crunch is a perfect dessert to round out a St. Patrick’s Day feast of Irish food. Omit the stout for a yummy tasting shake your kids will love.
Be inspired and creative this year for St. Patrick’s Day and celebrate Irish food and drink with a theme that fits the care-free atmosphere of the occasion. Toast the holiday with beer for every course you serve with these simple options.
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