Good morning everyone and welcome to your Wednesday edition of A to Z Recipes newsletter. In this issue I am sharing recipes sent in by readers and some I have in my personal files. Each is geared toward getting you in the green. No, not money! The green of Ireland! Yes, Saint Patrick's Day is coming up and I wanted to offer a tribute to the patron saint of Ireland and share some recipes so you can, too. I will be away on Saint Patrick's Day, so I thought I would do it in today's issue.

As a child, I attended Catholic school. The school I attended (as did my 5 brothers and 2 sisters) was Saint Patrick's School. Saint Patrick's Day was a BIG holiday throughout my childhood and still is. As an adult I've had my share of celebrating it with green beer, etc. But the celebration has become more of a feast day, serving food that represents some of what is eaten in honor of Saint Patrick. Now, in the United States, what we do to honor him may be far from what is done traditionally in Ireland. We have "Americanized" the celebration. And that has become tradition. So, humor me if you hail from Ireland, or are of Irish decent. I hope you will find a recipe or two that you can incorporate into your own St. Patty's Day feast. If nothing else, maybe you can laugh at a joke or share a bit o' Ireland with friends and family.

I will see you here again on Sunday with the final installment of our Slow Cooker Recipes theme. I got so many great emails from you about the first one. Maybe you will help the current theme Cheese, Please be as successful by sharing your recipes which feature cheese as a main ingredient. Erin go Bragh!

When Irish stew is bubbling and the soda bread is hot
and the Irish tea is steeping in a little Irish pot,
When the room is warm with laughter
and the songs are bright and bold
and there's poetry and magic
in the stories that are told,
Isn't it a blessing,
isn't it just grand
to know the heart and soul
of you belongs to Ireland?

Irish Blessings

May the road rise to meet you may the wind be always at your back; may the sun shine warm upon your face, and the rain fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of his hand.

For each petal on the shamrock This brings a wish your way -- Good health, good luck, and happiness For today and every day.

May your blessings outnumber The shamrocks that grow, And may trouble avoid you Wherever you go.

May luck be our companion May friends stand by our side May history remind us all Of Ireland's faith and pride.

May God bless us with happiness May love and faith abide.

May your neighbors respect you, Troubles neglect you, The angels protect you, And Heaven accept you.

These things I warmly wish to you -- Someone to love Some work to do A bit o' sun A bit o' cheer And a guardian angel always near.

May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, May good luck pursue you each morning and night.

If you're enough lucky to be Irish... You're lucky enough!

Dance as if no one were watching, Sing as if no one were listening, And live every day as if it were your last.

- There are 34 million U.S. residents who claim Irish ancestry. This number is almost nine times the population of Ireland itself (3.9 million). Irish is the nation's second most frequently reported ancestry, trailing only German. 

- There are three states in which Irish is the leading ancestry group: Delaware, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Irish is among the top five ancestries in every state but two (Hawaii and New Mexico). 

- There are 54 counties where Irish is the largest observed ancestry group. Forty-four of these counties are in the Northeast, with 14 in New York, 11 in Massachusetts and five in New Jersey. 

- In Middlesex County, Mass., 348,978 residents are of Irish ancestry. Among the 54 counties where Irish is the largest observed ancestry group, Middlesex had the highest population of Irish-Americans, with Norfolk County, Mass., second, with 203,285. 

- A total of 4.8 million immigrants from Ireland have been admitted to the U.S. for lawful permanent residence since fiscal year 1820, the earliest year for which official immigration records exist. By fiscal year 1870, about half of these immigrants were admitted for lawful permanent residence. Only Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and Mexico have had more immigrants admitted for permanent residence to the United States than Ireland. 

- The value of U.S. imports from the Republic of Ireland during a recent 10-month period (January-October 2004) was $23 billion. Meanwhile, the United States exported $6.6 billion worth of goods to Ireland. 

- There are nine places in the United States that share the name of Ireland's capital, Dublin. Since Census 2000, Dublin, Calif., has surpassed Dublin, Ohio, as the most populous of these places (35,581 compared with 33,606 as of July 1, 2003). 

Data courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau

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 IRISH HUMOR 

A young Irish girl goes in to her priest on Saturday morning for confession.

"Father, forgive me for I have Thinned."

"You've Thinned?"

"Yes, I went out with me boyfriend Friday night. He held me hand twice, kissed me three times, and had his way with me two times."

"Daughter! I want you to go straight home, squeeze seven lemons into a glass, and drink it straight down."

"Will that wash away me Thin?"

"No, but it will get the silly smile off your face."



Q: What's Irish and sits outside in the summertime?
A: Paddy O'Furniture!



Three Irishmen

Three Irishmen, drunk as can be come staggering down the street singing Danny Boy at the top of their lungs. They stopped in front of Flaherty's house still singing. After a few minutes the window flies open and Mrs. Flaherty yells out, "why don't you drunken sots go somewhere else". "Are you Mrs. Flaherty?" asks one of the drunks. "You know damn well I am", she says. "Well can you tell us which one of us is your husband so the other two of us can go home."

SIMPLY ALMOND JOY BARS

~Submitted by Treva, Eastern, TN

Potatoes? Think Irish! I found a new way to use left over mashed potatoes!

2/3 cup mashed potatoes (use instant or microwave a couple "pricked" potatoes until soft; peel and mash with a little milk)
1 lb powdered sugar
14 oz grated coconut
2/3 cup whole almonds
12 oz milk chocolate chips (or block of melting chocolate)

Mix all but chocolate and spread in a lightly sprayed 8x8. Melt chocolate and pour over the top. Chill and cut in bars.


IRISH BREAD PUDDING WITH CARAMEL-WHISKEY SAUCE

~Submitted by Treva, Eastern, TN

1/4 cup light butter, melted
1 (10-ounce) French bread baguette, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
1 3/4 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated skim milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Caramel-Whiskey Sauce

Preheat oven to 350F.Brush melted butter on one side of French bread slices, and place bread, buttered sides up, on a baking sheet. Bake bread at 350F for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes, and set aside.

Combine raisins and whiskey in a small bowl; cover and let stand 10 minutes or until soft (do not drain).

Combine 1% milk and next 4 ingredients (1% milk through eggs) in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add bread cubes and raisin mixture, pressing gently to moisten; let stand 15 minutes. Spoon bread mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over pudding. Bake at 350F for 35 minutes or until set. Serve warm with Caramel-Whiskey Sauce.

Note: Substitute 1/4 cup apple juice for the Irish whiskey, if desired.
Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 (3-inch) square and 2 tablespoons sauce)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 362(17% from fat); FAT 6.7g (sat 4g,mono 2.1g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 8.1g; CHOLESTEROL 57mg; CALCIUM 155mg; SODIUM 269mg; FIBER 0.9g; IRON 1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 66.7g

Caramel-Whiskey Sauce 

1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup light butter
2 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel) (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk

Combine sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Cook an additional 15 minutes or until golden (do not stir). Remove from heat. Carefully add butter and cream cheese, stirring constantly with a whisk (mixture will be hot and bubble vigorously). Cool slightly, and stir in whiskey and milk. Note: Substitute 1 tablespoon imitation rum extract and 3 tablespoons water for the Irish whiskey, if desired. 

Yield: 1 1/2 cups (serving size: 2 tablespoons)


IRISH OATMEAL PANCAKES

~Submitted by Lucy, Kirtland, Ohio
Owner of Ohio-Honey

Yield: about 14-16 4-inch cakes

Pancakes from oatmeal? Yes, if you're Irish, and why not. These are delicious. Remember that you should never over-mix pancakes - lumps don't matter.

1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

In large bowl, mix together oatmeal, flour, baking soda, and salt.

In separate bowl, combine sugar, milk, and butter. When well mixed, add to dry ingredients. Stir lightly, just to combine.

Heat oiled griddle or frying pan until very hot. You can test its heat by sprinkling a few drops of water in pan. If drops sizzle, pan is ready.

Pour batter onto griddle using a small measuring cup. When bubbles appear on the top of the batter, lift cake to see if it is brown on bottom. When brown, flip over and cook on second side. Serve immediately.

Don't forget to pour on Ohio Honey!


JAMESON CHOCOLATE WALNUT CARAMEL TART

Serves 8

Crust:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Caramel Sauce:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream

Filling:
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, broken up into small pieces
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons Jameson Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

To start the crust: Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the butter and shortening and pulse 8 to 12 times, or until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons of the water and process for 15 to 20 seconds, or until the dough comes together. Add the remaining water if necessary and pulse again. Dust a work surface with flour. Turn out the dough, form it into a ball, then wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove the dough from the refrigerator 10 minutes before rolling. 

Butter a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Dust a work surface with flour. Roll out the dough to a circle 12 inches in diameter. Transfer to the prepared pan, fold in the excess dough and press with your fingers to form thick sides. Freeze for 30 minutes, or until firm. 

Preheat the oven to 375F. Prick the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork. Line the crust with foil, fill with pie weights or dry beans and cover with a piecrust shield. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the weights, foil and shield, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes more, or until the crust is browned all over. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Maintain the oven temperature. 

To make the caramel sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens. Continue cooking until the mixture turns golden brown. Remove from heat and stir in the cream. Pour the caramel mixture into the tart crust, spread evenly over the bottom and freeze for 15 minutes, or until set. 

To make the filling: Sprinkle half of the walnuts and all of the chocolate pieces over the caramel. In a large bowl, combine the corn syrup, brown sugars, butter, eggs, whiskey, vanilla and salt. With an electric mixer, beat until smooth. Pour over the chocolate and walnuts. Sprinkle the remaining half of the walnuts over the top. 

Bake the tart for about 50 minutes, or until the filling is nearly set in the center. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Release the sides of the pan. Dust the tart with confectioners' sugar, slice and serve warm. 

Excerpted from Irish Puddings, Tarts, Crumbles and Fools by Margaret M. Johnson


BALLYMALOE IRISH STEW

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Yield: 6 servings

This recipe, adapted from "Traditional Irish Cooking," by Darina Allen, uses a roux (a mixture of butter and flour) for thickening.

10 small shoulder lamb chops
12 each: baby carrots, pearl onions
1 tablespoon each: butter, flour
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) beef broth
12 small red potatoes, halved
1 sprig thyme
1 teaspoon salt, plus more if necessary
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon each: chopped parsley, chopped chives

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Trim lamb chops; place fat in a Dutch oven. Remove meat from bones; reserve bones. Cut meat into 1-inch pieces.

Heat the lamb fat over low heat until rendered, about 5 minutes; discard browned pieces. Increase heat to medium-high; cook meat in batches until browned, about 4 minutes per batch; set aside. Add carrots and onions to Dutch oven; cook, stirring, until onions soften, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the roux, melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat; stir in flour until smooth. Cook, stirring, until thickened and tan, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of the broth until smooth. Stir remaining broth into the Dutch oven, scraping up browned bits. Stir in the roux, lamb, potatoes, thyme, 1 teaspoon of the salt and pepper to taste.

Heat mixture to a boil over medium heat. Cover with foil; top with lid. Transfer to oven; bake until meat is fork-tender, about 1 1/2 hours; skim off fat. Stir in chopped parsley, chives. Adjust seasoning.

Nutrition information per serving: 686 calories, 20 percent of calories from fat, 15 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 85 mg cholesterol, 74 g carbohydrates, 60 g protein, 1,004 mg sodium, 6 g fiber


IRISH POTATO SOUP

Makes 4-6 servings (11 cups)

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) 
1 medium onion, thinly sliced 
3 leeks, thinly sliced (use only the bottom part and rinse thoroughly to remove any grit) 
3 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices 
3 (14 1/2 ounce) cans chicken broth 
1 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 

Toppings 
shredded cheddar cheese 
crumbled cooked bacon 
chopped fresh chives 

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat; stir in onion and leek. Cover and cook 20 minutes. Stir in potato; cover and cook 15 minutes. Stir in broth, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until potato is tender. Remove from heat, and cool slightly. 

Process soup in batches in a blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides; return to saucepan, and cook over medium heat until thoroughly heated. 

Serve with some or all of desired toppings.

Calories 405
Calories from Fat 226 (55%) 
Amount Per Serving %DV 
Total Fat 25.2g 38% 
Saturated Fat 15.2g 75% 
Polyunsat. Fat 1.4g 
Monounsat. Fat 6.8g 
Trans Fat 0.0g 
Cholesterol 61mg 20% 
Sodium 1640mg 68% 
Potassium 874mg 24% 
Total Carbohydrate 36.2g 12% 
Dietary Fiber 3.6g 14% 
Sugars 5.7g 
Protein 10.2g 20% 

Adapted from McGuire's Irish Pub in Pensacola, Florida.


IRISH CRAN-OAT SCONES

8 servings

2 cups all-purpose flour 
1/2 cup oatmeal (not quick) 
6 tablespoons sugar 
3/4 teaspoon baking powder 
3/4 teaspoon baking soda 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold 
1/2 cup dried cranberries 
3/4 cup buttermilk 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 

In a bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the dough is crumbly. 

Fold in the cranberries we also like other dried fruits such as chopped apricots etc. Add the buttermilk and stir lightly with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together to form a ball, (The dough will be sticky, but they warn not too over work dough) 

On a lightly floured surface, pat the dough into a large circle about 2 inches thick. Cut the dough into wedges. 

With a spatula, transfer the wedges to a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake for 22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. 

Cool on a wire rack. 

Best served warm and on the day they are made.

Calories 309
Calories from Fat 137 (44%) 
Amount Per Serving %DV 
Total Fat 15.2g 23% 
Saturated Fat 9.3g 46% 
Polyunsat. Fat 0.8g 
Monounsat. Fat 3.9g 
Trans Fat 0.0g 
Cholesterol 39mg 13% 
Sodium 251mg 10% 
Potassium 95mg 2% 
Total Carbohydrate 38.6g 12% 
Dietary Fiber 1.6g 6% 
Sugars 11.0g 
Protein 5.0g 9% 

Source: Food Network TV


CHAMP

4 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed 
1/2 lb green onions, chopped (scallions) 
1 cup milk 
2 teaspoons salt 
4 ounces butter 

Boil the potatoes until cooked, about 10 minutes.

Simmer the green onions in milk for about 5 minutes.

Drain potatoes and mash. Add the hot milk and scallions, salt, pepper and half the butter and mix. Dot with the rest of the butter and serve immediately. 

Serves 8.


PORTER CAKE

4 cups all-purpose white flour 
1 pinch salt 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1 cup granulated sugar or brown sugar 
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg 
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice 
1/2 lb butter, cut into slices 
3 cups golden raisins 
1/3 cup chopped candied citron peel 
1/3 cup candied cherries 
1 1/4 cups porter or stout beer 
2 eggs, beaten 

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch cake pan and line with parchment paper. 

Sift dry ingredients together into a bowl. 

Cut in butter to make a fine crumb; add fruit. 

In a small bowl, whip porter (or stout) with eggs. 

Pour liquid mixture into dry ingredients and mix well. Turn mixture into prepared pan and bake for about 2 1/2 hours. 

Cool in the pan, remove parchment paper, then store cake in an airtight container. 

Excerpted from Irish Puddings, Tarts, Crumbles and Fools by Margaret M. Johnson


PAN-FRIED GAELIC STEAK

4 servings 

4 (8-ounce) sirloin steaks (room temperature) 
1 tablespoon butter 
1 teaspoon oil 
1/4 cup Irish whiskey 
1 cup heavy cream 
fresh ground black pepper, to taste 
sea salt, to taste 

Dry the steaks with a paper towel and season them with the black pepper.

Heat butter & oil in a frying pan and add steaks. Cook steaks on medium heat to your preferred doneness, turning over once half way through. Remove steaks to a warm plate and pour off the fat from the pan. 

Return pan to stove and add whiskey. Stir, being sure to scrape up dripping from the pan bottom. Reduce heat and add cream. Simmer for few minutes, until the cream thickens. Season sauce with salt and pepper, and pour over the steaks. 

Serve immediately.

CUCUMBER AND APPLE SOUP

1 medium onion, roughly chopped 
1 garlic clove, chopped 
1/2 ounce butter 
2 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced 
2 apples, peeled and sliced 
4 cups stock (broth, vegetable)
salt and pepper 

In a large saucepan, melt the butter and gently fry the onion and garlic until softened and translucent. Add the cucumbers, apples and stock and bring to the boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and when cool enough to transfer to a blender or processor, blend until smooth; season to taste. 

Serve this soup hot with garlic bread and garnish soup with chives and a little cream; alternatively, chill the soup in the fridge and serve garnished with cucumber slices and natural yogurt.

Calories 96
Calories from Fat 28 (29%) 
Amount Per Serving %DV 
Total Fat 3.2g 4% 
Saturated Fat 1.9g 9% 
Polyunsat. Fat 0.2g 
Monounsat. Fat 0.8g 
Trans Fat 0.0g 
Cholesterol 7mg 2% 
Sodium 25mg 1% 
Potassium 338mg 9% 
Total Carbohydrate 18.0g 6% 
Dietary Fiber 2.8g 11% 
Sugars 10.9g 
Protein 1.5g 2%

LOW CALORIE IRISH COLCANNON

Ingredients 

1 cup water
1 tbsp reduced calorie margarine
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups chopped cabbage
1/3 cup skim or 1% milk
1 cup instant mashed potato flakes
1 green onion, finely chopped

Directions 

1. In a medium saucepan, combine water, margarine, and salt. Bring to boil. Stir in cabbage; return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 4-6 minutes, or until cabbage is tender.

2. Remove from heat; stir in milk and potato flakes with fork. Stir in onion. Cover and let stand 3 minutes.

Servings: 4 servings, each serving contains: 2 breads, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat Per serving: 220 cal (per half cup)

Source: Pillsbury Fast and Healthy Magazine, March/April, 1993

LEMON CURD

Serves 2

8 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 cup of white sugar
1 cup of fresh lemon juice
8 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons of grated lemon peel

Mix all of the ingredients, except the lemon peel, in a saucepan. Stirring well, cook over a very low heat. Do not let the mixture boil or the eggs will curdle and be ruined. Cook until a creamy consistency is reached. Pour into a small desert bowl and garnish with the lemon peel. Allow to cool and then serve.


IRISH OMELET

Serves 2

4 large eggs
1 large mashed potato
some lemon juice
1 Tablespoon of Chives
Salt and Pepper
1 Tablespoon of Butter

Separate the eggs and beat the yolks. Add then to the mashed potato, mixing thoroughly and then add the lemon juice, chives, and salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a pan. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and stir them into the potato mixture. Cook the mixture until golden and then run under the broiler to finish and puff it up. 

Serve immediately.

IRISH CREAM CHOCOLATES

While certainly not "Irish", these chocolates are fun and delicious for celebrating the life of the patron saint of Ireland. When I made them, I lined a box with green tissue paper and brought some to work.

12 oz Semisweet chocolate chips 
1/2 c Irish cream liqueur, such as Bailey's 
1/4 c Whipping cream 
2 c Pecan pieces 

Heat chocolate, Irish Cream, and whipping cream in a double boiler over medium heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in pecans. 

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper; cool for an hour. 

Remove from wax paper and store in airtight container.


EASY CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE

This recipe comes from one of my favorite cooks, Paula Deen (but, argh! to hear her talk!). She knows her stuff so I overlook (or under-hear) the Southern DRAWL.

4 slices bacon 
4 tablespoons butter 
1 head green cabbage, coarsely chopped 
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 
1 can corned beef 

Cook the bacon in large pot over medium heat until almost crisp. Remove the bacon from the pot and set aside. Melt the butter in the pot with the bacon grease. Add the cabbage, stirring well to coat the cabbage in fat. Add about 1/3 cup water, and salt and pepper, to taste. Cover pot with a lid, and cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the bacon into small pieces. Remove the lid from the pot, and scatter chunks of corned beef and chopped bacon over top of the cabbage. Cover and cook until desired doneness. I personally like a little bit of crunch left to the cabbage. 

Tip: Cabbage is one of those vegetables that naturally contains water in its leaves. Begin by adding just a small amount of water. As cabbage cooks, if it needs more liquid, then add more water.

Serves 4 to 6.

Source: Paula Deen on the Food Network Channel


LEPRECHAUN CHEESECAKE

Celebrate St. Patty's Day with this fun chiffon cheesecake!

Ingredients:
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
12 crisp macaroon cookies*
2-4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 packages (3 oz. ea.) lime flavored Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
2 packages (8 oz. ea.) reduced fat cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lime zest
1 tablespoon lime juice
mint leaves, maraschino cherries, additional Jell-O*

Method:
Pour evaporated milk in mixing bowl; place beaters in bowl, then place bowl and beaters in freezer to chill. Ice crystals should form on sides of bowl. Prepare other ingredients while milk is chilling.

Finely crush cookies. Spray the sides of 9-inch spring form pan with non-stick spray*. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons finely crushed cookies on sides of pan. Mix remainder of cookies with melted butter and firmly press into bottom of pan.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar until fluffily. Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. Gradually add Jell-O to cream cheese, beating thoroughly. Mixing bowl should be cool, but not cold enough to set Jell-O. If needed, place mixing bowl over cold water to chill. Be careful Jell-O does not chill to the point of setting up.

Add lime juice and zest to chilled milk. Whip evaporated milk until soft folds develop. Fold milk into Jell-O/ cream cheese mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Decorate top with sliced fruit, clovers cut from Jell-O, mint leaves, etc. Chill 3-4 hours before removing sides of pan and serving.

Serves 12

NOTES:
* Use 1/2 package (13 oz.) macaroon cookies or approximately twelve 2 1/2 inch cookies. May substitute a graham cracker crust.
** May substitute a 9x13 baking pan for spring form pan. No need to dust sides of pan with crushed cookie. Cut into 12 squares to serve.

Source: Becky Low, Home Economist, Dairy Council of Utah


PISTACHIO PUDDING DESSERT

A wonderful way to add a bit o' Irish to your day! This Pistachio Pudding Dessert recipe is not "authentic" by any means, but such fun and tasty for the kids.

1 box (3 oz.) pistachio instant pudding mix 
1 can (16 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup chopped pecans 
1 bag miniature marshmallows 
1/2 cup maraschino cherries 
1 - 8 oz. container frozen whipped topping mix, such as Cool Whip?

Preparation - 
In a mixing bowl - Stir the pudding mix into the drained, crushed pineapple. Stir in the chopped pecans and mini-marshmallows. Cut the maraschino cherries in half. Stir the cherry halves into the mixture. Fold in the whipped topping. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

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