Celebrate St. Patrick's Day the Home Made Simple way. We've adapted several traditional Irish recipes to suit American taste buds.




Here's our delicious version of an Irish Stew. Just toss all the ingredients in a slow cooker, and enjoy your day. Then come home to a delicious meal.

Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds beef stew meat
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed (2 cups)
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
1/2 cup sliced celery
1 9-ounce package frozen cut green beans
1 tablespoon instant beef bouillon granules
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 16-ounce can tomatoes, cut up
1-1/2 cups water

Instructions:
Cut meat into 1/2-inch cubes. In a large skillet, brown meat, half at a time, in hot oil. Drain well.

Meanwhile, in a 3-1/2-, 4-, 5-, or 6-quart crockery cooker, combine potatoes, carrots, onion, and celery. Add frozen beans, bouillon granules, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir in browned meat, undrained tomatoes, and water.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours. Makes 6 servings.



Colcannon is a popular Southern Ireland side dish featuring potatoes and either cabbage or kale. Our version features cabbage, and we've added cheese for kick.

Ingredients:
4 potatoes, boiled and peeled
1 small or medium head of cabbage, cooked
1/4 cup milk
3/4 tablespoon grated onion
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt, to taste
1 teaspoon pepper, to taste
3 ounces grated cheddar cheese (optional)

Instructions:
Mash the potatoes, butter, salt, pepper, and milk with mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in cabbage, grated onion, and cheese. Serve at once.



The traditional Irish dish, Boxty, combines already-cooked mashed potatoes with uncooked shredded potatoes. Our Easy Potato Pancakes omits the mashed potatoes—with delicious results.

Ingredients:
1 large potato, shredded
1 egg
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions:
Mix together shredded potato, egg, flour, onion, and salt.
Heat the oil in a medium-sized heavy-bottom skillet on your stovetop over medium-high heat until hot. Place spoonfuls of potato mixture onto the hot oil, pressing down. Brown on one side, then turn and brown on the other. Let pancakes drain on paper towels. They taste best when served hot.

You can serve the pancakes with applesauce, sour cream, ketchup, or horseradish sauce—whatever you desire.



Instead of using yeast for leavening, most Irish Soda Bread recipes use baking soda and buttermilk for the task.

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup raisins (optional)
2 tablespoons caraway seeds (optional)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, blend egg and buttermilk together, then add to the flour mixture. Mix just until moistened. Stir in raisins, if desired. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with caraway seeds, if desired.

Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Wrap in foil for several hours, or overnight, for best flavor.