100% Irish ™

Saturday was St. Partick's Day - I know I'm not 100% Irish, but I'm definitely more Irish than that guy. You know the guy...

Wearing the stupid St. Patrick's Day hat, head-to-toe green, ridiculously drunk and trying to talk in an Irish accent to impress the ladies (or the men as the case may be).

We decided to celebrate St. Patrick's Day at home this year, didn't want to wait in line just to go to the bar and couldn't stand the idea of hearing another person get angry at the bartender for bringing them the wrong drink.

Last Year...

Patron: I'll have a Snakebite 

Bartender: Pours her a Lager and Cider

Patron: I ordered a Snakebite, where's the Guinness?

Bartender: Snakebite doesn't have Guinness - but if that's what you want I'm happy to make you a new drink

Patron (out loud to her friends): This bartender is a complete idiot, how did he even get this job? Who doesn't know how to make a Snakebite?

Well, this woman obviously. So let's start here...What better way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day then with a beer cocktail?

All you need is Guinness, Harp (or another lager), and Strongbow 

Poor Man's Black Velvet: Guinness & Cider
Black Velvet: Guinness & Champagne (or sparkling wine)
Red Velvet: Guinness, Cider, and Blackcurrant Syrup
Snakebite: Lager & Cider
Black & Tan: Lager & Guinness


Since we decided to stay home, we made some drinks (see above) and prepared some Irish inspired recipes.


Beef Irish Stew

Ingredients

• 1-1 1/4 lbs stewing beef
• olive oil
• lots of garlic
• 3 cups of red wine
• 1 cup Guinness
• 6 cups beef stock
• 1 tbs white sugar
• 2-3 tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 4 bay leaves
• dried thyme
• 2 tbs butter
• potatoes
• parsnips
• 2 medium onions
• carrots
• salt
• pepper
• fresh parsley

1. Marinade beef in 1 cup of wine for a couple hours
2. Brown beef with olive oil (a couple generous glugs) and garlic (garlic should be coarsely chopped vs. minced)
3. Add all the liquids, beef, sugar, thyme, and bay leaves in a large pot and simmer for 2 1/2 hrs
4. In another pan, sauté onions in butter
5. After 2 1/2 hrs add onions, veggies, salt and pepper to the liquid and beef
6. Simmer for another 30-40 minutes
7. Remove fat and bay leaves
8. Serve topped with fresh parsley

Note: This stew does not have a thick base - if you like thinker bases, reduce the amount of red wine you use and add cornstarch 

What would dinner be without dessert? AND what would St. Patrick's Day be without Guinness Chocolate Cheesecake?

Ingredients

• chocolate chip cookies (I used President's Choice but you don't really even need a crust)
• approximately 2 tbsp melted butter
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 8 ounces unsweetened chocolate (I find semi-sweet is just too sweet)
• 3 packages of cream cheese (don't use lite, if you're on a diet you shouldn't be eating this cake anyways)
• 1 cup sugar (white or half white and half golden brown)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (again NO lite because what's the point?)
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup Guinness

1. crush the cookies and mix them with butter until you get a consistency you like
2. use a spoon to press the mixture into the bottom of a spring form pan
3. with the cream, melt the chocolate in a double boiler (I just use a small pot inside a larger pot of boiling water)
4. beat the cream cheese
5. add sugar, chocolate, sour cream, vanilla, Guinness and eggs to cream cheese mixture
6. pour mixture into the pan
7. bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 45-50 minutes
8. turn off heat and leave cheese cake in the over for about an hour with the door open just a crack
9. let cool completely before placing in the fridge and chill overnight

I was in a rush, cut corners, and was totally impatient and as a result had a huge Grand Canyon-like crack right across my delicious cheese cake. (insert sad face)

You can avoid this sad fate (and face) by following these simple steps...

• Make sure to generously grease the pan so when it's cooking the cake doesn't stick to the sides as it's expanding
• DO NOT overcook - the centre should look like jelly but not liquidy
• My oven light wasn't working so now and then I was opening the door to check on the cake, this changes the temperature and most definitely leads to cracks
• Be careful not to over mix the mixture and add the eggs last. Eggs have a tendency to cause air bubbles which lead to...you guessed it, cracks

Sláinte