Happy St Patrick's Day

 

Today I wanted to do something fun for the kids for St Patrick's day. The cook at work gave me some great meal ideas. So on my way home I stopped by the store to pick up some key ingredients and then started my delicious St. Partick's day dinner. Below are the recipes. The kids enjoyed it very much (except for Logan who would not eat the "green" in the potato pancakes, that kid is so picky!)

St. Paddy's Green Potato Pancakes with Pale Green Horseradish Drizzle

1-1/2 pounds Yukon Gold or boiling potatoes, cut into large (about 2-inch) pieces
2 teaspoons salt for boiling
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons cream
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Heat oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

Bring a large pot of water (about 4 quarts) to a boil. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt. Add the potatoes and cook until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain. Place the potatoes in a large bowl. While the potatoes cook, thaw the spinach in a microwave. Place the spinach in a sieve over a bowl and press out as much water as possible. Reserve the spinach water for the Pale Green Horseradish Drizzle.

Heat the butter and cream gently until melted. (A heatproof measuring cup in a microwave on low setting works well for this. Check every minute or so until butter is melted.)

Mash the potatoes together with the spinach, butter mixture, flour, tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste.

On a lightly floured surface, pat the mixture into 1/2-inch thick cakes, about 3-1/2 inches across. Mixture makes about 12 cakes. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet on medium-high until hot. Brown the cakes on both sides, and 3 minutes per side, making sure they don't burn.

Drain the cooked cakes on the paper towel-lined baking sheet, and keep warm in the oven until all cakes are made.

Serve hot, with the Pale Green Horseradish Drizzle.

Pale Green Horseradish Drizzle

4 teaspoons spinach water, reserved from pancake recipe
2 teaspoons reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish

Mix together the spinach water (4 teaspoons only) with the sour cream and horseradish until smooth. Mixture will be thin. Drizzle it over the pancakes right before serving, or to nap an appetizer plate, drizzle a small amount on the plate and set 2 pancakes on top.

Makes about twelve (3 to 3-1/2 inch) pancakes

Lime steak 

Steak

kosher salt

pepper

lime juice

lime, sliced

shallots

Marinate the steak in kosher salt, and lime. Cook steak with kosher salt, pepper, and shallots. Top with lime slices when ready to serve.

Shamrock Shake

4 TBS chocolate syrup

8 mint creme oreo cookies, crushed

1 cup of milk

2 cups of mint chocolate chip ice cream

Pour 1 TBS of chocolate syrup in 4 cups. In a mixer blend together the ice cream and the milk. Pour the milk shake mixture evenly in each up. Top shake with mint oreo cookies.

makes 4, 1 cup serving

Minty St Partick's day drink

Sprite

mint leaves

3 kiwis, without skins, cut in slices

8 green skittles

Pour sprite in cups, put in 1 or 2 mint leaves, 2-3 kiwi slices, and 2 skittles. 

Makes 4 cups