As "the day off" from SO MANY FESTIVITIES AT ONCE, it gives me some time to get prepared for St. Patrick's Day!
I know I BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE, but I have really come to want to do the Irish thing right!
With me having quite a bit of Irish in my blood...it seems fitting to tap into that. And I'm not talking about wearing emerald green & attempting to look like a leprechaun.
As the weather suddenly cooled & it appears to be a cold & dreary, wet day tomorrow...I'm excited to pull out a more authentic-like cable-knit sweater! This pleases me greatly!
And I am going to challenge many of you to do something different:
Don't eat something green or color it green...actually find something with some Irish authenticity! And, I've said before, that corned beef & cabbage is an American version of Irish. I think I have sensed several Irish roll their eyes at us when any American gets excited about making this "traditional" dish for St. Paddy's Day.
* Note: Shortening Patrick down to "Patty" makes him effeminate. Patty is a female. "Paddy" is the male version. Back to our regularly scheduled programming... *
I have been truly excited about the meal I have chosen for this year's family feast tomorrow since the moment I found it! I think I have convinced a couple of other people to try it, too...
DUBLIN CODDLE! There's several recipes out there for it...it has Irish sausage, potatoes, onions, bacon, and is cooked in a broth.
Now since we have a non-pork eater in the house, I am going to adapt it a bit. I'm using turkey smoked sausage & turkey bacon. I am going to add a few of the seasonings to the pot that is in Irish sausage to give it the same kind of taste. And I found a recipe that has it in the lazy cooker. We have a busy day tomorrow...so the lazy cooker is perfect!
* Note: Bacon in Ireland is actually cured pork loin...not the sizzling strips of piggy goodness that we know it to be...but that's for future reference...I'm still using lean strips of fake-porky of turkey variety goodness.
Back to our regularly scheduled programming...*
I am also going to do up the cabbage slaw that I made last year, but I am adapting the recipe. It was REALLY strong when I FIXED IT LAST YEAR. So, I found a copycat recipe for KFC's slaw dressing (Yummy!) that I have done before. Hubby loved it! And we love some KFC slaw, too. I think I'm going to do it up, add some dry mustard (so it's less potent), and throw in a little dill. I think it might go over better that way. I'll prep it today/tonight so that it's all ready to go for tomorrow! I'll let you know...
Because of time constraints in our schedule tomorrow...I won't have time to bake the traditional Irish soda bread. Bummer. So I had to cheat & get a loaf of sliced potato bread that will just have to hold us over. I hope to use the Irish soda bread again next year.
So...I have some prepping to do for tomorrow. I am so looking forward to it!! Even though there's so many other things on the calendar that we have to give into with our time...I want that meal & a movie to bring us back down & end our day in an Irish way.
Also, another quick note: We make such a big deal about wearing green. But Protestants were about the orange...however...here's the shocker...
The color of St. Patrick...is...BLUE! D'oh!
So let's start getting into a mode of learning & research. Meals, attire & all!
And I can't wait to hear how everyone else will be celebrating! I know of someone else who may be trying the Dublin Coddle & can't wait to compare notes afterward. Let me know if you want to join in the Irish Challenge! Do you want to join me in making Dublin Coddle?
Erin Go Braugh!
Stay tuned...
God Bless, AM~Erica
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