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Irish whiskey chocolate chip cookies

So, you say you like whiskey AND you like chocolate chip cookies? These might just be your new favorite cookies of all time. Chocolate and whiskey (or is it spelled whisky?), perhaps unsurprisingly, go together extremely well. A subtly smokey, nutty whiskey complements the creamy chocolate morsels quite nicely. You can go with any whiskey, normally I would choose Jack Daniels, but being that it’s almost St. Patrick’s Day, it was an easy choice—Jameson. While the alcohol evaporates when you cook them, you’re still left with an insanely delicious flavor combo in this whiskey chocolate chip cookie. Love boozy recipes this time of year? Try this Crock Pot Guinness Roast Beef recipe or this Easy White Chocolate Baileys Irish Fudge recipe. Whiskey chocolate chip cookies Makes about 12 cookies  Ingredients 1/2 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 1/3 cup sugar 1 egg 2 tbsp whiskey 2 tbsp vanilla…

What’s the difference between an English muffin and a crumpet?

When it comes to breakfast breads, most of us are carb-loving connoisseurs. Toasts like wheat, rye, and sourdough are just the beginning. Scones, muffins — both blueberry and bran, biscuits and bagels make their way into our morning meal more commonly than we’d care to admit.  And of course you know the English muffin. It’s the sturdy, humble base to your oozing Eggs Benedict and the spongy exterior of your McDonald’s McMuffin. English muffins, and all of these other common carbs, are sold in the bakery and bread aisles of just about any grocery store nationwide. So that leaves the crumpet.  What the heck is it? You’ve probably joked about tea and crumpets in your best stuffy-English accent before, but did you really know what you were talking about? Have you actually ever seen one in the States? English muffins and crumpets are two entirely different creatures, but they have…

Lucky Charms Bars

Lucky Charms is probably one of those cereals you only spring for occasionally — like around St. Patrick’s Day when that devilish little leprechaun gets the best of your diet. But we must admit, the luck-themed sugary marshmallow shapes do add a fun flair to the holiday. This year, upgrade your classic Rice Krispie squares to these Lucky Charms bars. You basically just swap out the cereal in your favorite Rice Krispie recipe. Lucky Charms bars Makes 16 squares Ingredients 6 cups Lucky Charms 4 tbsp butter 1 (10-ounce) package of mini marshmallows Cooking spray Directions Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. (This will help you remove squares and cut them later.) On low heat, melt butter in a large saucepan. Add marshmallows and stir constantly until everything is melted. Pour in cereal and fold until cereal is completely coated with melted marshmallow. Transfer cereal…

Super Simple Shepherd’s Pie

A 20-minute dinner doesn’t get much better than this classic Irish comfort food. It’s perfect for your St. Paddy’s Day celebration, but it’s plenty delicious enough to make all year long. Shepherd’s Pie is one of those foods you’ll find on any March 17 restaurant menu. You’re practically required to eat it at some point in the month of March. It has become as synonymous with the St. Patrick’s Day celebration as pints of green beer — which is to say, that neither the green-dyed drinks nor this beef-based dinner are exactly Irish. Traditional Shepherd’s Pie uses lamb or mutton (It’s Cottage Pie that uses beef). But here in the U.S., we’ve definitely put our own spin on the holiday, so I think this dish gets a pass, too. I like to cut corners with this recipe and get everything pre-chopped so all I have to do is brown some…

10 recipes with beer you need to make for St. Patrick’s Day

You may like to crack open a cold one while you’re cooking, but on March 17, beer is the celebrated drink of the day. Let it inspire your cooking. Enjoy the distinct flavor of your favorite Irish brew at mealtime with one of these popular beer-infused dishes. And don’t worry, the alcohol is cooked out of the recipe, so you’re still free to cheers to St. Paddy with a few extra pints. Also, learn to make the original Irish Coffee. Beer and honey BBQ Chicken Skewers Let these beer beauties marinated overnight, then grill the next day. Recipe here.  Irish BeeF and Guinness Stew Guinness stew is traditionally made with lamb, but you’ll love this delicious big, chunky beef version. Check out the recipe. Slow Cooker Beer Mac & Cheese How do you improve upon mac and cheese? Beer, of course! Get the recipe here. Beer butter mushrooms These smooth and…

Colcannon is the traditional Irish dish you must try

Lots of foods have become synonymous with Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day — Soda Bread, Shepherd’s Pie, and corned beef, to name a few. But have you ever heard of colcannon? It might be lesser-known on a global scale, but to the Irish, it’s a true taste of home. Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish made with mashed potatoes, cabbage (or kale) and leeks, yet somehow, most parade-going, Irish heritage-loving Americans have never heard of it. It’s tasty (picture rich potatoes and lightly crunchy cabbage cradling a pool of melty butter) and easy to make, so it’s surprising it never caught on here on our side of the pond. The name colcannon is said to have originated from the Gaelic phrase “cal ceannann,” meaning white-headed cabbage — the vegetable most commonly mixed into the potatoes. During the 17th and 18th centuries, potatoes, cabbage, and leeks were considered to be food for the…

What is corned beef and why do we eat it on St. Patrick’s Day?

Dig your “Kiss me I’m Irish” T-shirt from the drawer, get ready to guzzle pints of green beer, and crank up your Crock Pot for corned beef and cabbage because St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner. Wait… what’s that you say? None of these things are actually Irish? You would be correct. They’re about as Irish as a McDonald’s Shamrock Shake. The now iconic T-shirts are for sale only in touristy gift shops. The Irish would never pollute good beer with green dye, and while they do eat corned beef and cabbage sometimes, they’re probably not sitting down and eating it on March 17. So how did this meal become synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day — especially in the United States? The Irish have a long history with cattle that shaped their views of eating beef in general. From early on, cows were not slaughtered for their meat…

New study predicts climate change could cause beer prices to soar

If all the data on global warming hasn’t scared you yet, maybe this will: Rising temperatures could mean less beer. A new study published in the peer-reviewed British journal Nature Plants reported that current predictions of the next few decades see beer becoming scarce and thus more far expensive — as much as twice the cost by some estimates. This scarcity will be the result of a decrease in the production of barely, the main ingredient in beer. Scientists have long known that barely is one of the most heat-sensitive crops. The predicted severe droughts and extreme heat could cause significant losses. Average barely crop losses could range from three to 16 percent, depending on the severity of the climate change. In the US alone, shortages could reduce the amount Americans drink by up to 900 million gallons — that’s 9 billion bottles of beer! According to the study, this decrease in…

Make the original Irish Coffee this St. Patrick’s Day

If you’re not into St. Patrick’s Day festivities that require guzzling green, cheap American beer, perhaps you’ll consider sipping a beverage that is actually Irish in origin. Irish coffee is a warm, creamy cocktail invented in Ireland in the 1940s. Unlike many drinks thrown together from excess ingredients, the Irish coffee was created with a purpose. Joe Sheridan was the head chef at the restaurant and coffee shop in the Foynes Airbase Flying boat terminal building in County Limerick, Ireland.  When a group of group of weary American passengers disembarked in Foynes after a long, failed flight, canceled mid-air due to poor weather conditions, Sheridan whipped up the drink and served it to them to keep them warm. Legend has it that after he was asked if it was Brazilian coffee, Sheridan replied that it was Irish coffee. The beverage caught on. In 1945 when transatlantic flights began to land at the nearby Shannon airport, Irish coffee…