Easy Irish Dinner Menu

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With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, I set out to solidify our Irish dinner menu for next week. Since my oldest is now four, I feel somewhat obligated (and totally excited) to make an American Irish meal on the 17th. In years past I’ve taken the simple approach and made something green for dinner (such as green pancakes or green eggs), yet we’re ready to more fully embrace our Irish heritage and step it up a notch.

After careful consideration (and much help from my own Supermom), I have gathered our recipes. Here is our St. Patrick’s Day menu:

:: Corned Beef + Horseradish Sauce
:: Carrots, Potatoes and Cabbage
:: Irish Soda Bread + Butter
:: Irish Apple Cake

Corned Beef with Carrots, Potatoes and Cabbage
St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Thursday this year, which happens to be a very busy day for our family. So when we came across this crock pot recipe for the Corned Beef, we knew we found a winner. Not only are the reviews excellent, assembling the dish in the morning to ease up my evening duties is a total selling point.

Ingredients
:: corned beef brisket
:: 1 quart apple juice
:: 1 cup brown sugar
:: 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
:: 8 small red potatoes
:: 2 medium carrots, pared, and cut into chunks
:: 1 onion, peeled, and cut into eighths
:: 1/2 head cabbage, cut into chunks

Directions
1 :: Place all ingredients in a large crock pot (cut meat in half if necessary); stir to mix.
2 :: Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 8 to 10 hours.
3 :: Remove meat and vegetables and some of the cooking liquid.
4 :: Slice meat thinly across the grain.
5 :: Serve with vegetables and some of the liquid.

Horseradish Sauce
As for the Horseradish Sauce, it’s quite simple. I like to eat raw horseradish on many dishes, yet I realize I’m in the minority on that one. Since we are having guests at our St. Patrick’s Day dinner, I will add sour cream to the horseradish. Simply stir sour cream into your horseradish until you reach the heat level of your choice. I’m thinking a tablespoon or so of horseradish mixed into a couple tablespoons of (light) sour cream ought to tone it down enough.

Irish Soda Bread
This is the recipe my Mom has used for years. She recommends cutting deep when you cut the X on top of the bread. It will aid in cooking the bread throughout. My Mom serves the bread with just butter. She claims it’s so delicious; we won’t need any other bread condiments.

Ingredients
:: 4 cups all-purpose flour
:: 4 tablespoons white sugar
:: 1 teaspoon baking soda
:: 1 tablespoon baking powder
:: 1/2 teaspoon salt
:: 1/2 cup butter, softened + ¼ cup butter, melted
:: 1 cup buttermilk + ¼ cup more
:: 1 egg

Directions
1 :: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
2 :: In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and butter.
3 :: Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg.
4 :: Set dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on prepared baking sheet.
5 :: In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture.
6 :: Use a sharp knife to cut an ‘X’ into the top of the loaf.
7 :: Bake at 375 for 35 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Irish Apple Cake
Our dinner menu sounds a little on the heavy side, so I’m opting for a lighter dessert.

Ingredients
:: 3 egg whites
:: 1 1/2 cups sugar
:: 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
:: 1 teaspoon vanilla
:: 2 cups all purpose flour
:: 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
:: 1 teaspoon baking soda
:: 1/2 teaspoon salt
:: 4 cups sliced, cored and peeled Granny Smith apples

Directions
1 :: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2 :: Beat egg whites until slightly foamy; add sugar, applesauce and vanilla.
3 :: Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in separate bowl; add to applesauce mixture.
4 :: Spread apples in 13 x 9 inch pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
5 :: Spread batter over apples.
6 :: Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean; cool on wire rack.

Recipes decided… now onto tablescaping! What will you be making for dinner on St. Patrick’s Day, and how will you be decorating your table?

Aimée

Contributor at Paging Supermom
Aimée was a co-founder of Paging Supermom. Although she dreams in pink, she wouldn’t trade her two energetic boys for anything. Between using The Force on surrounding battle droids and flying to infinity and beyond, Aimée enjoys squeezing in some personal creative time. With a background in advertising, marketing and design, she is proud to stay home raising her boys.

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6 thoughts on “Easy Irish Dinner Menu”

  1. Thanks for the ideas! I might try the Irish soda bread. I am making a “rainbow” layer cake. My 5 year old is excited to help with dying the batter with gel food coloring.

    Reply
    • A rainbow layer cake sounds SO fun and like a potential Supermom Moment? Let us know how it turns out! Although I have not attempted the rainbow layer cake, I have made rainbow layered jello, which is super easy. In fact, there’s a link to directions for it on our Facebook page!)

      Reply
  2. We made the apple cake and thought it needed a little something on top. Superdad whipped up this caramel topping and it was divine.

    1/2 cup unsalted butter
    1 cup brown sugar
    1/4 cup milk
    1 teaspoon vanilla

    Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Whisk in brown sugar then milk. Continue mixing until smooth and comes to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in vanilla.

    The caramel was so delicious, and we ate the leftover topping as a snack the next day with cut up apples — so it doubles as an apple dip too!

    Reply

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