I Speak Fluent Blarney

Firstly, instead of reading this blog, you should go and read this one which persuasively pleads the case for not going completely overboard with our children for every single holiday.  Normally I completely agree, but this year, St. Patrick's Day fell on a Sunday, and no one was expecting anything of me.  Sunday is the day I typically like to cook and be obnoxious, so it turned out to be a perfect day to get a bit silly with holiday mirth.

Early in the afternoon we went bowling with lots of friends from church.  The fabulous person pictured below on the left made sure we all got in the Spirit of the holiday by showering us with green beads and festive temporary tattoos and by feeding us heavenly little squares of grocery store sheet cake, the kind you eat guiltlessly, pretending not to know that the icing is made out of partially hydrogenated Crisco and sugar, because it tastes like the sweet ambrosia of childhood.

Thanks, Mrs. Jenkins :)

 

So after a couple of hours of bowling with all of these adorable people, I was completely ready to do an Irish jig, cook an Irish stew, and orchestrate some leprechaun high jinks.

"Mom, what akshally IS a leopard-con?"

  

My two older daughters and one of their friends were there when we discovered that a wee leprechaun had indeed visited our house and paid a visit to the loo when no one was looking...

 





Later that afternoon we feasted on homemade Irish stew, green deviled eggs, and Paula Deen's green grits pie, which is a pie made out of grits and sugar and butter, all dyed green and topped with fresh whipped cream and strawberries.  You'll probably want to make it with your favorite little leopard-con the next time St. Patty's day falls on a weekend.

 

 Paula Deen's Green Grits Pie

from her Publication Paula Deen Celebrates

Ingredients:

1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup quick-cooking grits (not instant)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
Green food coloring
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
One 9-inch frozen pie crust, thawed, or 1 refrigerated pie crust, unbaked, fitted into a 9-inch glass pie plate
1 cup whipping cream, whipped and sweetened with 1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar and colored with 1 drop of green food coloring
Strawberries, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2. In a small saucepan, bring 3/4 cup water and the salt to a boil. Add the grits, reduce the heat, cover, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring several times, until the grits are very think. Add the butter and 1 drop of food coloring and stir until the butter melts. Set the grits aside and allow them to cool slightly.

3. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Stir well into the cooled grits. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until set.

4. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream, and garnish with strawberries.

 

 

May you always have
Walls for the winds
A roof for the rain
Tea beside the fire
Laughter to cheer you
Those you love near you
And all your heart might desire.
- Irish Blessing