Irish Archives - EverybodyCraves

Crave-Worthy Recipes March 1, 2020

Irish soda bread recipe

Contrary to popular belief, soda bread didn’t originate in Ireland. It actually got its start with the Native Americans well before European colonization, yet the simple bread was easily adopted during the increasing poverty and famine of 19th century Ireland. Soda bread requires only a few ingredients—flour, buttermilk, baking soda, and salt, so it was an economical choice and soon became a staple in the Irish diet during those difficult times. Legend has it that a cross was cut into the top of every loaf to ward off the devil and protect the household. The original loaves were generally baked in iron pots or griddles in open hearths. Today’s Irish soda bread typically includes add-ins to enhance the flavor. Butter, sugar, raisins, and seeds are almost always included nowadays. Pair your hearty Irish soda bread with soup, stew, or this Crock Pot Guinness Pot Roast for a true taste of the…

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Crave-Worthy Recipes March 15, 2019

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…

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Crave-Worthy Recipes March 8, 2019

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…

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Seasonal March 3, 2019

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…

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Seasonal February 27, 2019

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…

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Seasonal March 7, 2018

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…

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News Bites February 3, 2017

McDonald’s expands Shamrock Shake line for 2017

McDonald's

Mint and chocolate lovers rejoice! McDonald’s is adding four new “Chocolate Shamrock Shakes” to its menu. In addition to the annually offered vanilla and mint “Shamrock Shake,” the fast-food chain will also be blending a new Chocolate Shamrock Shake, a Shamrock Chocolate Chip Frappe, a Shamrock Hot Chocolate and a Shamrock Mocha, reported Brand Eating. If the Chocolate Shamrock Shake sounds familiar, it’s because it was on the McDonald’s “secret menu”—that is, items available to those “in the know”—for a number of years. Well, somethings are too good not to share, and we’ll thank our lucky shamrocks, they decided to add these to the seasonal offerings. Original Shamrock Shake – Vanilla soft serve and mint-flavored Shamrock Shake syrup served with whipped topping and a maraschino cherry. New this year is a sprinkling of green sugar crystals—because if you’re counting, by this point, why worry about a few extra calories. Chocolate…

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