’Tis the season to make a tip o’ the hat to the Irish! Make St. Patrick’s Day fun for the whole family and celebrate the luck o’ the Irish with these delicious comfort foods, with options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Cinnamon Sugar Scones

Ingredients:

3 cups All-purpose Flour

One-third cup Granulated Sugar

1 tsp. Salt

1 Tbsp. Baking Powder

½ tsp. Baking Soda

1½ sticks Unsalted Butter, cubed & frozen

1 cup Buttermilk

2 large Eggs, divided

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

1 cup Cinnamon Baking Chips (or dried Fruit of your choice)

Coarse Sugar (such as turbinado) for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Cube and freeze butter ahead of time. Adjust the rack to center position and preheat the oven to 400° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the butter and cut with a pastry cutter or fork until the butter is the size of large peas.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, 1 egg, and vanilla.
4. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and add the liquid mixture. Mix just until combined. (Be sure not to overmix.) If adding dried or frozen fruit or nuts, add now.
5. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and divide into two equal parts. Lightly knead each into ¾” thick, 6″ rounds. Cut each round into 8 equal “triangle” wedges and place on baking sheet about 2″ apart. (Note: At this point the unbaked scones can be refrigerated overnight, or sealed and frozen for up to one month. If baking from frozen, add about 2 minutes to baking time.)
6. In a small bowl, combine remaining egg with 1 teaspoon water. Brush over the scones. Sprinkle with the coarse sugar and bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Best served warm or within a few hours of baking.

Irish Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1 large Onion

3 medium Potatoes

2 oz. Butter

4 cups Chicken Stock (or vegetable stock)
½ cup Cream

Salt & Pepper to taste

Parsley (optional)

Directions:

1. Peel and dice the potatoes and onion.
2. In a large saucepan on medium heat, melt the butter and add the onion. Stir, cooking for one minute.
3. Stir in the potatoes. Cover and cook the vegetables for 10 minutes, shaking the pot every few minutes to prevent them from sticking.
4. Pour in the stock and simmer for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Turn off the heat and cool.
5. Purée with a hand-held immersion blender or in batches in a blender.
6. Add the cream and stir well. Garnish with parsley, sour cream, bacon, shredded cheese or other favorite toppings.

Shepherd’s (Cottage) Pie:

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. Oil

1 lb. Ground Beef

1 clove Garlic, minced

2 Onions, finely chopped

2 medium Carrots, finely diced

2 sticks Celery, finely diced

1 c. Peas

2 Tbsp. Tomato Paste

4 cups Mashed Potatoes

½ c. Cheddar Cheese, shredded

½ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Paprika

2 Tbsp. flour

One and one-third c. Beef Broth

¼ tsp. dried Rosemary

¼ tsp. dried Thyme

1 tsp. Parsley, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef on medium high heat, then add the chopped vegetables and sauté until softened.

2. Sprinkle flour, salt, pepper, and paprika over the beef and vegetable mixture. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the tomato paste and stir about one minute. Pour in one-third cup of the beef broth and scrape the brown bits from the bottom while stirring.

3. Pour in the remaining broth, herbs, and peas and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Stir and spoon mixture into a 7″x11″ baking dish and let cool.

4. Make 4 cups of your favorite mashed potatoes. Spread the mashed potatoes over the cooled filling. For crispier potato topping, use a fork to create a crisscross pattern on the potatoes. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake for 20 minutes. Note: If baking dish is very full, place on a baking sheet to catch spillage.