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Conan Irishes Up "His" St. Patrick's Day Stew

YumSugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:18:51 -0700

Earlier this week I let you in on how Good Housekeeping published Conan O'Brien's recipe. Unfortunately it wasn't actually Conan's recipe and so a feud was born. All week long Conan has been talking about it and creating Irish recipes of his own. I sort of thought it would never end, but last night Good Housekeeping's editor in chief, Rosemary Ellis, decided to pay Conan a visit. She apologized, gave him a lifetime subscription to Good Housekeeping, offered to teach him how to cook the stew, and actually brought some in for him to try.

After tasting it, Conan decided to "Irish it up" a bit. Let's see, what would make it more Irish? How about some Jameson? Perhaps some Guinness, too? If you want to see what he did, we got the clip, watch it when you

Unfortunately for Good Housekeeping, Conan Doesn't Have an Irish Stew Recipe

YumSugar — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:15:38 -0700

What do Irish Stew and Ramen noodles have in common? Apparently Conan O'Brien can't make either. Unfortunately no one told the folks at Good Housekeeping magazine that Conan O'Brien doesn't cook. You see somehow they think he does. In fact they believe it so much that they actually published his recipe for his "favorite" St. Patrick's Day dish. Problem is since Conan doesn't cook, he doesn't have a recipe. If you want to watch what he had to say about it on his show, plus check out the recipe for his "fave" stew, just

Off to Market Recap: Green Kitchen

partysugar — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 03:13:31 -0700

To celebrate St. Patrick's Day and the arrival of Spring, I've decided to add some green accents to my kitchen decor. I asked you to help me search for green — in color or state of mind — accessories. You looked for anything and everything and bookmarked your finds in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag, Green Kitchen.

I was very surprised by the overwhelming amount of cool green kitchenware! I love the artistic Dom Perignon Champagne cooler. What I don't love is the $1000 price tag.

Something like this pretty paisley printed dishtowel is more up my alley. Serenityspeaks discovered this item that is affordable, stylish, and fresh in a lovely green color scheme. To go gaga for green, browse all of the collection below.

Read geeksugar's guide to bookmarking on TeamSugar to better understand how to use this fun feature.

Savory Sight: St. Patrick's Day Dinner

YumSugar — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:21:58 -0700

I was checking out TeamSugar when I came across this post from member Phasekitty. She went all out and planned a fantastic-looking St. Patrick's Day dinner. She baked up some Irish Soda Bread, ate Guinness Beef Stew, and topped off the evening with a yummy green peppermint pie! It all looks so delicious, I wish I was there!

If you want to read more about her festive evening, and get links to all the recipes then,

Get Your Green Beer On

partysugar — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:43:31 -0700

Last night to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, I made some green beer. Green beer — or any colored beer for that matter — is extremely festive and fun for a themed party. Here's how I made this simple conversation starter:

Fill glass with beer.
Add a couple of drops of food coloring. For a vibrant dark green add 5-6 drops, for a pastel, minty green add 1-3.
Combine the two liquids with a stirrer.
Enjoy! Disclaimer: If too many green beers are consumed in a short amount of time you may end up with green-stained lips.

How about you? Have you ever had green beer? How did you celebrate St. Patrick's Day?

Yummy Link: A Multitude of Irish Soda Breads

YumSugar — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:27:51 -0700

If regular Irish Soda Bread, is not festive enough for you, check out this cornucopia of festive soda breads. Some are frosted, some contain candy, but all of them look great. — CakeSpy

Can You Name These Green Foods?

partysugar — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 01:01:31 -0700

Happy St. Patrick's Day! To celebrate you could drink a lot of beer, read my interesting fun facts, or take my quiz on green foods! I'm not talking about environmentally green foods, I'm referring to foods that are green in color. I describe the food or ingredient and you choose which food I am talking about. Sound like fun? Get ready!

Source

Would You Rather Eat Plain or Flavored Mashed Potatoes?

partysugar — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 04:27:51 -0700

Source

Would You Rather Eat Plain or Flavored Mashed Potatoes?

Plain please.

Flavored, I love mixing in green onions, garlic, or cheese.

It depends on what I'm serving with the mashed potatoes.

I don't eat any kind of mashed potatoes.

Other — see my comment below.

Name This Drink!

partysugar — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 08:01:31 -0700

Welcome to the St. Patrick's Day version of Name That Dish. Below is a classic drink that features an Irish ingredient. Do you know what it's called?

Happy Hour: Homemade Baileys

partysugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:03:33 -0700

A couple of years ago I stumbled upon this recipe for a homemade version of Baileys Irish Cream. I love Baileys — it's an exceptional dessert drink —and this frothy version is to die for. I've made it for parties, given it as a hostess gift, and simply enjoyed it by myself.

It's one of my most treasured recipes and I highly recommend you make it. All you need is a blender and it comes together in minutes. For best results, chill the ingredients before making. To take a look at how it's done,

Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day — The Look

partysugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 08:01:33 -0700

Decorating for a St Patrick's Day party should be easy, just go green! Add festive touches in the form of shiny shamrocks. Cover the table with a green tablecloth and hang a shamrock garland from the ceiling. Serve the snacks on large green plates and pour the black and tans in clear plastic party cups. Create mood lighting with lots of candles and green votives. Add a touch of Spring with bright yellow daffodil floral arrangements. Greet guests at the door with a fabulous party favor. Give girls shamrock necklaces and guys "Luck of the Irish" beer koozies. Stick a shamrock sticker on guests who forgot to wear green.

Source

Yummy Links: From Faux-Hawks to Irish Ice Cream Sodas

YumSugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 07:01:33 -0700

Introducing the 10 Greatest Faux-Hawks in Top Chef history. — Best Week Ever
Get the butcher's tips on how to pick up the freshest packaged chicken. — Chow
Get inspired by vintage Guinness posters and recipes. — Glam Dish
Learn how to dye Easter eggs naturally. — CasaSugar
Get the recipes for a traditional St. Patrick's Day feast. — iVillage
Have you tried one of Amy's pot pies? — FitSugar
Get the results for the frozen pizza taste test. — Slashfood
Find out what Tyler Florence has to say about his upcoming restaurant and store. — Food Network Addict
Discover these fresh finds for Easter entertaining. — Simply Stated
With Ben & Jerry's Dublin Mudslide, you can make an Irish ice cream soda. — Serious Eats

Yummy Link: Shamrock Shake

partysugar — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:28:31 -0700

Looks like I'm not the only one who is shaking up things for St. Patrick's Day. If a chocolate stout shake isn't your thing, why not try a shamrock shake? Lindsey and Julie's delicious-sounding version includes mint chocolate chip ice cream, peppermint patties, and chocolate sprinkles. — Coveiter

Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day — Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:28:11 -0700

Just because St. Patrick's Day is a beer-centric holiday doesn't mean you can't serve a specialty cocktail at your blowout bash. Whiskey and Bailey's Irish Cream are excellent options, but a classic beer cocktail — the black and tan — will have guests cheering. A black and tan combines two types of beer to make one drink that has a stunning presentation.

Besides the black and tan, be sure to have lots of cold beer, your favorite liquor and mixers, and water. For the recipe for the black and tan,

Soup's On: Sweet Pea Soup

partysugar — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:33:31 -0700

I couldn't let St. Patrick's Day pass without making a vibrantly green soup. This soup gets its brilliant color from peas. The recipe involves minimal chopping so it's super simple to make. The texture is smooth and velvety, and the flavor is rich and comforting. This soup would be an elegant starter to a St. Patrick's Day dinner or Spring-themed shower. To make it vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth. To see how I made it,

It Only Comes Once a Year: Irish Soda Bread

partysugar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:13:31 -0700

My dad makes Irish soda bread once every year and it always appears in the kitchen around St. Patrick's Day. Irish soda bread is a dense bread that is quite simple to make. This traditional recipe — it's from my Irish-born great-grandmother — includes caraway seeds and raisins. While you could leave these ingredients out, they are surprisingly delicious in the bread. It's an exceptional breakfast treat especially when lightly toasted and generously buttered. It would make a wonderful hostess gift or an accompaniment to Irish stew. To check out the recipe,

Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day — Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:15:10 -0700

Don't forget to provide guests with some sort of sweet at your St. Patrick's Day event. It's a party, so give the option of indulgence in the form of a dessert. These chocolate shots are great because they highlight the flavor of Bailey's Irish Cream, are gorgeous to look at, and are guaranteed to impress your guests. Even though they look complex, they are surprisingly easy to put together when you use packaged chocolate cups. The filling is a delicious mix of chocolate ganache, Baileys, and orange zest. To take a look at the recipe,

Name That Dish!

partysugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 12:03:31 -0700

One of my dad's favorite brunch dishes is pictured below. It's a great way to use up corned beef leftovers. Do you know what its called?

Irish Stew Two Ways — Beginner and Expert

partysugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:01:31 -0700

Irish stew is a great dish to serve at a St. Patrick's Day dinner party. In general, stews make wonderful dinner party fare because they're a one-pot meal that must be made in advance. Originally a peasant's meal, Irish stew normally consists of lamb, potatoes, and onions. To encourage that you experiment with this traditional recipe, I've found two versions. Both are straight forward, but one cooks the stew on the stove and the other bakes it in the oven. Choose which one suits your culinary needs or combine the two to make a delicious masterpiece. For both recipes please

Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day — Menu

partysugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 08:28:31 -0700

Even though Aimee's St. Patrick Day party starts after dinner, she's planning on providing guests with a small selection of Irish inspired snacks. It's always nice to have some food on hand, especially when heavy drinking is involved. This menu twists classic Irish flavors – cheddar cheese, dark beer, corned beef, and smoked salmon — into modern favorites.

An Irish cheddar and stout fondue is gooey and decadent. Smoked salmon puffs are easy to make in advance and divinely addicting. Reuben roll ups are the perfect drunk food because they taste like an Irish pizza pocket. For all of these wonderful recipes,

Foodie Treats for St. Patrick's Day

YumSugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:31:57 -0700

I don't really think of St. Patrick's Day as a food-giving holiday. A beer drinking one yes, but a food giving one? Not so much. However, much like every other holiday, there are actually plenty of green treats to give your loved ones. I've rounded up some of the more interesting ones, check them out by clicking the "Start Slideshow" button below!

Shake Things Up For St. Patti's Day

partysugar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:18:57 -0700

One of the guys here at the Sugar HQ has been seriously craving milkshakes. He's talked about milkshakes so much that now I want one! Not just any old shake though, I'm hungry for a glorified adult one. This St. Patrick's Day version with a chocolate stout sauce is made by combining store-bought hot fudge with thick creamy beer. It would be an excellent conclusion to a St Patrick's Day dinner and loads of fun if served in shot glasses at a larger party. Sound scrumptious? Check out the recipe when you

Monday's Leftover's: Corned Beef Salad with Rye Croutons

partysugar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 08:14:19 -0700

When I think of leftover corned beef, two recipes almost always come to mind: sandwiches and hash. While I love both of those, I was very excited by this recipe for a salad that uses up corned beef. This recipe comes together quickly, making it ideal for a Monday night meal. Two types of lettuce — green leaf and iceberg — are tossed with a quick, easy homemade thousand island dressing. If it sounds super scrumptious,

Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day — Invite

partysugar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 06:28:31 -0700

Last year I planned a St Patrick's Day dinner, so this year I'm helping my friend Aimee host a blowout bash for St Patrick's Day. Since St. Patti's is on Monday, the party will take place the Saturday before. I'll be discussing lots of festive ideas all week, so feel free to adapt them to suit your own hostess needs.

Let's get started with the invite. Aimee needed something that was simple to make and easy to send to a lot of people, so we went with a postcard invite. To see how I made it,

Sunday Dinner: Corned Beef and Carrots

partysugar — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 06:23:31 -0700

While some of you believe corned beef tastes like dog food, I happen to love this St. Patrick's Day staple. Slathered in an orange marmalade and whiskey glaze, this is the perfect Sunday night dinner. Don't be intimidated because this recipe calls for fully cooked corned beef. You cook it like you would a baked ham.

For the sweet carrots on the side use real carrots. Packaged baby carrots won't have such a fresh flavor. To make this for your family tonight,

Happy Hour: Blarney Stone

YumSugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:13:31 -0800

I was browsing around looking for a fun drink when I noticed that Absolut's website lets you pick your drinks by color. Since St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner, I figured I'd hunt us down a nice green drink. Usually I just consume a lot of beer — green or Guinness — but this year I might mix it up by shaking up a few of these Blarney Stones. To get the recipe, which is minty fresh, yet tough, just

Would You Eat This Cupcake?

YumSugar — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 10:43:31 -0800

Over at Cupcake Project, Stef has surprised us all with a Corned Beef and Cabbage Cupcake. The cupcakes actually have corned beef in them and the frosting is actually a malt vinegar-cabbage frosting. I think it sounds a tiny bit revolting, but I would love to sink my teeth into one and see for myself. How about you? Would you eat this cupcake?Source

Would You Eat This Cupcake?

I think it sounds delicious!

Why not? I'd give it a try.

Maybe, it would have to depend on my mood.

Ugh, no way! That sounds revolting.

Other — I'll tell you in the comments.

Off to Market Recap: Spatula

partysugar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 05:01:13 -0800

While recently cooking in my parents' kitchen, I couldn't find a suitable spatula. All of their spatulas were old, burnt, or too stiff. To remedy the solution, I asked you to help me get them a new spatula. You searched for practical, yet attractive spatulas. You bookmarked the spatulas in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag, Spatula. Who knew so many spectacular spatulas exist? My dad is of Irish descent, so this shamrock spatula is perfect. It has a long wooden handle and can take heat up to 900°F. Delightful discovery amh678!

To check out all of the spatulas scroll to the right below.

Read geeksugar's guide to bookmarking on TeamSugar to better understand how to use this fun feature.

St. Patrick's Day Fun Facts

partysugar — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 00:01:19 -0700

Oh how I do love the holidays. I was sitting here at my desk the other day and suddenly got incredibly excited. "YumSugar!" I said in my high pitched super excited cocker spaniel voice, "St. Patrick's Day is on Saturday and you know what that means?! I get to compile a whole bunch of fun facts!"

While you may not feel an exhilarated high by reading these facts, you will totally be the life of the party when you drunkenly impress your friends with these little tid bits. Did you know that St. Patrick's Day was first celebrated in Boston in 1737? Or that both Germans and Belgians consume more beer than the Irish? Want to know the name of the Irish brewed drink made from white potatoes? For the name and more fun facts,

Yum Market Finds: Go Green!

partysugar — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 15:58:37 -0700

This week, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, I thought it would be fun to show you some of the awesome green stuff you have found online and saved in the Yum Market. I don't want to be misleading, when I say green I mean the color, not the environmental movement that has taken over the world (although it would be cool if there was some eco green stuff in the Yum Market, hint hint). To add a splash of green to your kitchen, here are my top picks:

How cool is this green bowl that Eruntale found? It's ideal for eating in bed or taking your cereal to go. I love how its shape is somewhere in between a bowl and a large tea cup.

For more green,

St. Patrick's Day Peppermint Pie

partysugar — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 14:58:37 -0700

Just in case you didn't get enough dessert ideas for tomorrow's St. Patrick's Day celebration, I thought I would give you one more. I've already given you two recipes that feature Bailey's Irish cream (a cheesecake and a chocolate cake) and one that is flavored with Irish whiskey (a creamy dream) and now I am going to tempt and tease you with a St. Patrick's Day peppermint pie that obtains its minty flavor from crème de menthe. I know some of you aren't throwing a party or going all out this year, so I suggest that you enjoy the holiday in the comfort of your own kitchen. Pop a bottle of bubbly, tie on your apron and make yourself a special dessert. While you wait for it to chill, you can sip your champagne and congratulate yourself for opting to stay in instead of going out with the masses of drunk people. For the recipe,

Ten "Must-Drink" Irish Whiskeys

YumSugar — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 13:57:21 -0700

Times are changing and Irish whiskey is demanding that you pay attention to it. It's been "well known" that serious whiskey drinkers drink scotch for drinking and use blended Irish whiskey for drowning their sorrows. However Irish whiskey companies, such as Jameson and Bushmills, are expanding their ranges to include deluxe creations ranging from pot stills, aged blends and their own brand of single malts.

"The top Irish whiskeys are just as good as many single-malt scotches. It's too bad more people aren't aware of how complex some of these whiskeys have become."

John Hansell [editor and publisher of Malt Advocate magazine] says Irish distillers are simply--and astutely--responding to consumer demand.

"People are drinking less, but smarter," he says. "They don't just want whiskey, they want the best whiskey. And they'll pay for it."

And so, just in time for St. Patrick's day, Forbes has compiled a list of the ten "must-drink" Irish whiskeys. To discover what's on the list,

Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day - Music

partysugar — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 06:55:19 -0700

I've been a wild rover for many of year, and I've spent all me money on whiskey and beer. And now I'm returning with wealth in great store and I never will play the wild rover no more. And it's no nay, never... Yes, I know the lyrics to an Irish drinking song. Ok I confess I know the lyrics to more than one Irish drinking song: when I was little Al, my grandfather, taught me and my sister a whole bunch and we would sing them to our relatives. Tomorrow I'll sing them (with the help of a few beers) to my friends while I celebrate St. Patrick's Day. I've invited them to join me for an Irish inspired dinner followed by a pub crawl. I'm decorating my house with lots of shamrocks and serving green beer. Practically everything is all prepped and it's looking like one fabulous party. I just have to figure out what music will be playing softly in the background while we eat. To see the soundtrack to my dinner,

Pour Me a Guinness

YumSugar — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:59:37 -0700

The rambunctious holiday tradition of wearing green and guzzling beer is just a few days away. For most of us that means hitting the bars and drinking green beers, but wait! Do you think true Irish drink beer? No way, they drink Guinness (although, a friend was just telling me about an article stating that more Irish are drinking wine instead of beer, but that's a whole other story...)! And apparently they're not alone because 13 million pints of Guinness are poured across the planet, that's more than 150 pints every second!

So to ensure that your pint is poured just right, Guinness Brewmaster Fergal Murray has some great tips:

Use a clean, dry glass -- preferably an Imperial 20-ounce pint with branded logo

Hold the glass at a 45-degree angle and never allow the spout to touch the beer or glass

The Pour: Pull faucet down and allow beer to fill glass. You will see the surge commence

The Settle: Allow the nitrogen bubbles create the theater and wonderful surge event, creating the beautiful creamy head

The Top Up: The beer has settled (there is a distinct gap between dark liquid and head) and the glass is topped up slowly to create a domed effect with the head proud of the glass

The Presentation: Give the creation of the perfect pint to the adoring customer

Oh and speaking of Guinness, their online webstore has a bunch of things you never knew you needed, including Guinness T-shirts, salt & pepper shakers, awesome posters, socks and underwear. Yes, they even have underwear.

Source: KSAT

52 Weeks of Baking: Irish Soda Bread

YumSugar — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 13:03:40 -0700

This weekend we made a Guinness Beef Stew (although why we were making stew on such a gorgeous day is beyond me...) and I figured that a good hearty Irish Soda Bread would be a nice accompaniment. So I dug out the trusty Baking Illustrated and gathered up all my ingredients.

Since the stew took over 8 hours to make, and since I am the world's greatest procrastinator, I kept saying, "Oh I'll make the bread in a little bit." The boyfriend kept asking when I was starting and I kept saying, "soon, soon..." Then suddenly, the stew was almost done, the bread was just a pile of ingredients, the butter was beyond room temp (it was really hot out and I didn't pay attention, I highly recommend room temp butter and nothing more) and I needed to get cracking!

So I pulled out the ol' mixing bowl and got to work. It was barely done in time (it could have used a little bit longer to set) and an old friend I hadn't seen in over a year arrived while I was halfway done (translation: this bread did not get my full-undivided attention). I guess the bf was right, I should have started earlier in the day...

At any rate, the bread held up really nicely and paired fantastically with the stew. If this is what I get with haste and negligence, I can only imagine what a real loaf would be like (translation: this recipe is easy and hard to screw up). For step by step pictures and the full recipe,

Four Leaf Clover Cookies

YumSugar — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 09:58:19 -0700

In case you need more dessert options for St. Patrick's Day, be sure to check out these four-leaf clover shaped cookie cutters. Now all you need to do is whip up a batch of green icing to go with the cookies you make. And at only $1, you can't really go wrong.

Source: Cooking Gadgets

Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day - The Look

partysugar — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 06:58:21 -0700

This week I'm killing two birds with one stone by hosting a half birthday St. Patrick's Day dinner party. It's my half birthday on Friday and St. Patrick's day on Saturday so I've combined the two celebrations and invited over a group of friends for dinner before we venture out for a night on the town together. I'm of Irish descent and love celebrating St. Patty's, so I am taking the steps to make my party fabulous, memorable, and successful. The drinks and menu are planned, and today I am decorating my house with shades and textures of green. Creating a look for St. Patrick's Day is quite simple because it's all about celebrating the color green and the rebirth that it symbolizes. To see how I'll transform my house with luck and leprechauns,

Delightful Irish Whiskey

partysugar — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 15:58:22 -0700

The other day I featured a super decadent dessert recipe in the form of a Bailey's Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. I know it was incredibly mean for me to tease you by discussing a super delish cake, so today I am making up for it by giving you another St. Patrick's Day dessert that is quite a bit healthier. Keeping in mind that a healthy dessert is an oxymoron and essentially only exists in the form of plain fruit, this recipe called a cream delight gets its sweetness from honey. While the cheesecake highlighted Bailey's irish cream, this delightful dish highlights the flavor of good old Irish whiskey. For a peek at the recipe,

Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day - Drinks

partysugar — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 06:58:19 -0700

St. Patrick's Day is Saturday and I can't contain my excitement. I have been obsessing about what to wear internally for a few weeks now, and had intended on wearing this green mini dress until I found this fabulous old football jersey of my mom's with my Irish last name plastered across the front. Now that I have my sporty chic green outfit picked out, I can focus all of my attention on my pre-pub-hopping, St. Patrick's Day themed dinner party. The invites have been sent and the menu (including a vintage Irish soda bread recipe and a glamorous layer cake) has been planned. Today I am turning my thoughts towards a classic St Patrick's Day subject: drinking. To see what I'll be pouring during my dinner (homemade Baileys anyone?), please

What Are You Doing For St. Patrick's Day?

YumSugar — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 00:17:17 -0700

What Are You Doing For St. Patrick's Day?

Going on a Pub Crawl

Eating a Big Irish Dinner

Having a Green Beer

Going to a Big Party

Going to a Little Party

All of the Above

Other - Let us know below

Nothing - Who cares?

Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day - Menu (Dessert)

partysugar — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 14:59:57 -0700

On Saturday night my friends shall be dining in with me before we head out together. I sent the invites yesterday and today is menu planning. I have been putting a lot of thought into my St. Patrick's Day dinner party menu and I've decided to start with corned beef and swiss appetizers followed by a smoked salmon salad, cottage pie, and Irish soda bread. Since Friday is my half birthday I am going to take advantage of the date and go all out by making a decadent dessert. To see my recipe for a layer cake with a definitive Irish twist - a Bailey's pudding filling -

Happy Hour: Black Velvet

partysugar — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 12:57:41 -0700

This week YumSugar and I are all about highlighting fabulous ways for you to enjoy St. Patrick's Day to the fullest. There are many people who believe you can't celebrate St. Patrick's Day without drinking a glass of Ireland's most famous beer, Guinness. However Guinness with its dark, creamy thickness is not a beer for everyone. Even after pouring countless glasses way back in my Irish pub working days, I never developed a taste for it. How will we, the non-Guinness drinkers, really truly celebrate St. Patty's (without having to down several Irish Car Bombs)? By drinking a black velvet! A black velvet is a seductive mix of equal parts Guinness and champagne. Don't be scared or disgusted, be adventurous and experimental. To make this for your pals at your St. P Day soirée,

Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day - Menu (Main)

partysugar — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 10:58:41 -0700

Friday is my half birthday and Saturday is St. Patrick's Day, so I am celebrating 2-parties-in-1 with a pre going out dinner on Saturday night. I've invited my friends to join me for an Irish inspired meal before we head out to the bars for a wee bit of St. Patrick's Day shenanigans (I said that in my best Irish accent). Since the evening will most likely involve a lot of beer drinking, I'm serving up generously filling dishes. I'll have a corned beef and swiss appetizer just out of the oven for when my friends arrive. To see what we'll all be sitting down to eat together,

Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day - Menu (Appetizers)

partysugar — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 06:58:41 -0700

St. Patrick's Day is this Saturday night and I've invited my friends over to have dinner with me before we all go out drinking at the bars. I'm pretty sure it's going to be a long and crazy night, so I want to make sure that we eat a delicious and hearty meal of Irish fare. Green is the theme and I already sent out shamrock shaped invitations, so my friends know about the event with plenty of time to rsvp. I've spent a few hours researching recipes (totally geeky-but so much fun!) and have come up with a wonderful menu. To see what tasty treats I'll have waiting for my guests when they arrive,

Lucky Truffles from Red Envelope

YumSugar — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 11:58:14 -0700

The girl that lived in our house before us got a lot of catalogs, and I mean a LOT of catalogs. On average we get 3-4 a week, most of which I just glance at the cover, quickly flip thru the pages and toss into the recycling bin. Last week as I was doing my usual flip and purge, this brightly colored lucky box caught my eye and I made myself see what it was all about. Made by the Moonstruck Chocolate Company in Oregon, this "lucky" shamrock shaped gift box comes with four individual boxes containing four truffles each. The handcrafted truffles come in two varieties: bittersweet dark chocolate and Bailey's Irish Cream, embellished with edible 24k gold. Normally $48, they're on sale now for $40.

Monday's Leftovers: Guinness Stew

YumSugar — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 08:53:19 -0700

Yesterday I provided the recipe for a hearty Guinness Beef Stew and today I'm wondering what to do with the leftovers. I've come up with a bunch of different ideas (hollow out a small loaf of bread and serve it inside a bread bowl, get some large tortillas and create a irish stew wrap, serve it over pasta or rice, heat it back up with a little bit of cornstarch to thicken it up and serve it in a sandwich), however what I really want to do is just heat up the stew and eat it again! And, since the flavors have had some time to hang out and meld more, I know the stew is going to take even better today.

In case you missed the recipe, I'm putting it up again, but this time with step-by-step picture instructions. To check it out,

Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day - Invites

partysugar — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 07:58:19 -0700

St. Patrick's Day is this Saturday night and I am excited. I love St. Patrick's Day for three simple reasons: (1) I am of Irish descent so I celebrate my heritage. (2) My dad's name is Patrick so I celebrate his Saint's Day. (3) My half birthday is March 16 (the day before St. Patrick's) so I celebrate being a half year older.

I also love St. Patrick's Day because its one of those rare occasions where everyone likes to go out and par-tee! This year it falls on a Saturday night which makes it an opportune moment to host a dinner. I'm going to invite over a group of friends for some food before we all head out to the bars together. I've get less than a week to throw this shenanigan together, so I can't waste another minute - I need to make the invitations. To see how I make my shamrock shaped green invites,

Sunday Dinner: Guinness Beef Stew

YumSugar — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 01:53:19 -0800

St. Patrick's day is coming up and I thought it would be fun to celebrate with (aka: a nice excuse to make) a hearty Guinness Stew. I had been looking through several different recipes when the latest issue of Cook's Country arrived in my mailbox and what do you know, there on page 8 was a recipe for a well-tested Guinness Beef Stew. Since they usually have pretty good recipes, I have decided that I'm going to give theirs a try. This recipe is an all-day affair (although the work required is pretty minimal), so why not go out and get your supplies and join me?! I'll take pictures of my endeavor and post them up here later this evening (assuming there's no kitchen fiascos...). To check out the recipe,