If you are having a hard time deciding what to make for St Patrick’s Day, I can help!  There are some really great recipes out there whether you are hosting a party or enjoying a quiet meal at home.  I want to share my take on St Patrick’s Day and the menu I plan on serving.

I’m sticking with a “green theme” for my menu and serving mostly food that is…green.  The menu is not necessarily traditional Irish food but is fun and festive for the occasion!

The menu consists of the following:

 

The Avocado Ranch Dip is delicious!  It’s light, tangy, and perfectly salted.  You combine the ingredients in the food processor until smooth and serve with veggies.  I only plated green veggies to keep within the theme, but any veggies will do.

The recipe can be found here.

The Reuben Sandwich is a non-traditional item on my menu.  The corned beef is probably the only Irish part of this sandwich, but it sure has become a popular item to serve on St Patrick’s Day over the years, so why not include it?  You’ll love it, your guests will love it, and it’s better than corned beef and cabbage, right? 🙂

Making a Reuben Sandwich is very similar to making a grilled cheese.  You butter the outside of the bread, add your toppings, and cook in a skillet until the inside is melted and the outside is golden brown and toasted.

If you are having a hard time getting the meat to warm through and the cheese to melt you can wrap the sandwich in aluminum foil and place in a 200-degree oven for about 5-10 minute.  This will help the sandwich heat evenly.

The recipe can be found here.

An alternate is the Rachel Sandwich.  Some people prefer this sandwich to the Reuben because it’s made with turkey instead of corned beef.  You can also substitute the sauerkraut for coleslaw.  It’s my preference and it’s delicious!  But if you ask Andrew, the corned beef is his favorite, so you might need to make both and vote for a winner!

The Rachel Sandwich is also very similar to making a grilled cheese.  You butter the outside of the bread, add your toppings, and cook in a skillet until the inside is melted and the outside is golden brown and toasted.

Again, if you are having a hard time getting the meat to warm through and the cheese to melt you can wrap the sandwich in aluminum foil and place in a 200-degree oven for about 5-10 minute.  This will help the sandwich heat evenly.

The recipe can be found here.

For dessert I’m going to make Decorative Pretzel Rods.  You’ve probably seen these before for holidays and other events, but if you change the color of the chocolate, they can fit any theme.  They are inexpensive and easy to create.  You can make these ahead of time or wait for your guests to arrive and have them decorate their own (just allow 5-10 min for the chocolate to harden before eating).

Here’s how you make them:

Ingredients

  • Pretzel Rods
  • Candy Melts (green and white colored)
  • Sprinkles

 

Directions

  1. Melt the candy melts in a double boiler or microwave.  Stir occasionally until smooth.
  2. Dip the pretzel rods into the melted chocolate.  Use a spoon to scoop chocolate on the pretzel rod if you can’t coat the entire pretzel rod when dipping.
  3. Place on wax paper and add sprinkles.
  4. Repeat until all pretzel rods are made.
  5. Let harden for at least 5-10 minutes before serving.

 

Another dessert (or during dinner drink) I plan to serve is a Frozen Grasshopper.  It’s rich, minty, and more like a decadent dessert than a cocktail.  It’s super simple to make and all you need is a blender (and a few ingredients).

Combine the ice cream, crème de menthe, and crème de cacao in a blender.  Add a few drops of food coloring and blend until smooth.  Pour into glasses, top with whipped cream and cherries, and enjoy!

My recipe doesn’t call for any chocolate but if you want to be extra fancy you could dip the rim of the glass in crushed Oreos or add some mini chocolate chips to the mixture before pouring into glasses.

The recipe can be found here.

For the kids I have a non-alcoholic Mint Green Shake.  Same as the Frozen Grasshopper, this drink is rich and minty, and very easy to make.  The main difference is this is a non-alcoholic option for you and/or your guests.

Combine the ice cream, half and half, mint extract, and food coloring to a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Pour into glasses, top with whipped cream and cherries, and enjoy!

This is another recipe you could add mini chocolate chips too or dip the rim in crushed Oreos.  Who wouldn’t like the added chocolate and crunch?  It’s a holiday – we’re splurging!

The recipe can be found here.

I hope you celebrate St Patrick’s Day however you see fit but if you do end up preparing food, please enjoy these recipes and make them your own!

Happy Cooking!

Share this post...Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.