Colcannon

Yum! My daughter decided this year to bring a little more Irish into our holiday dinner, by adding this to the menu. It will be a recurring item on our dinner menu from this St. Patricks Day forward!

The recipe is is below, but watch the video in this website: http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/search?q=colcannon, because Chef John is very entertaining!

Colcannon

from foodwishes.blogspot.com

For the green mixture:
4 oz trimmed kale leaves (As my daughter pointed out in the comments below, the store was out of kale, so I bought a bunch of baby spinach, which is a traditional substitution for the recipe!)
1 leek, light parts only, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 tbsp room temp butter

For the rest:
3 pounds russet potatoes, boiled tender, drained VERY well
2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup cream or milk, or to taste
butter and green onion for the top

Peel and quarter the potatoes. Boil in salted water till tender.

While potatoes are cooking prepare green mixture. Trim the kale so that it is leaves only, no stems. Wash well. Cut the leek, using only the white and light green part. Wash very well, making sure that there is no sand in the leek. Chop the green onion, reserving some to use later as garnish, placing the rest in blender.

Blanch kale and leek in salted water for 5 to 7 minutes. When it's cooked, drain and place it in blender with the green onion. Puree with butter.

When potatoes are cooked, drain. Add salt, pepper, butter, milk or cream, and green mixture. Mix well. Put additional butter on top, if desired, and garnish with reserved green onions.

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

from www.oceanspray.com

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
12 oz. fresh or frozen cranberries

Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil; add cranberries, return to boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time. Makes 2 1/4 cups

Ginger Cookies

Southern Living - 1989(?)

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t ginger
1 t cinnamon

Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in egg and molasses. Combine flour, soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Add to creamed mixture; stir until blended. Cover and chill 2 hours.

Roll dough into 1 inch balls, roll in sugar to coat. Place about 2 inches apart on sheet. Bake in preheated 300 degree oven 15 minutes or until tops are almost firm. Makes about 36 cookies.


** NOTE: I baked mine for about 8 minutes.

Microwave Peanut Brittle

from Cindy A., 1997

1 cup raw peanuts
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1/8 t. salt
1 t. butter
1 t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda

Mix peanuts, sugar, syrup and salt in a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Cook 8 minutes on high, stirring after 4 minutes of cooking time.
When done, add butter and vanilla, stirring well. Cook 2 minutes longer and remove from oven. Add soda and stir.
Pour on greased cookie sheet.
When cool, break into pieces.
*If using salted peanuts, omit salt.

Sausage Corn Bread Stuffing

from www.familyfun.com

8 oz. breakfast sausage
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 t poultry seasoning
1 pound corn bread stuffing mix
3/4 cup cooked rice
2 to 3 cups milk

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until brown. Add the vegetables and cook until they are soft. Stir in the poultry seasoning, then set the skillet aside.
Prepare the corn bread stuffing according to the package directions. Add the sausage mixture and the rice. Stir in enough milk to evenly moisten the dressing. Pour the dressing into a large baking dish and bake uncovered for 1 hour or until a crust forms on top.
Makes about 10 cups.