food for thought

A silly proverb, but completely true.  The Hubby LOVES potatoes, and so I know he loves me when he shares his French fries/mashed potatoes/hash browns with me; that's true love right there!

Have a safe and fun weekend my friends!

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Guinness chocolate cake

I have a hard time finding a chocolate cake that is easy, delicious, and not rich.  This Guinness chocolate cake was out of this world!  So delicious and moist but not rich or heavy.  You can't even taste the Guinness, but I am 110% certain that it wouldn't be the same without it.

{Guinness chocolate cake top view}

{doesn't that look so delicious?  Go make one and see for yourself!}

Guinness chocolate cake
from www.food.com

makes 1 loaf cake

1 stick butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 oz Guinness stout
2/3 cup cocoa powder
4 oz dark chocolate (77%)
2 tablespoons Guinness stout
2 tablespoons butter
1/3-1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 oz walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Grease 1 loaf pan.
3. Cream butter and sugar together.
4. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together until combined.
5. Mix cocoa powder and Guinness together until combined.  **Cocoa powder it hard to mix into any liquid, let alone one that is carbonated.  Take your time; I had to let it set and settle a couple of times before I got everything mixed in**
6. Once butter and sugar are creamed, add eggs and beat until light and fluffy.
7. Add flour mixture and Guinness mixture alternatively, beginning and ending with flour (should be flour, Guinness, flour, Guinness, flour).  ONLY mix until just incorporated.
8. Pour batter in loaf pan and bake for 35-40 minutes.
9. Cool cake.
10. To make the icing, mix together dark chocolate, Guinness, butter, and powdered sugar; place in microwave for 30 seconds stirring after each round until chocolate and butter are melted.
11. Pour icing over cooled cake; top with walnuts.
12. Serve.

 {my secret hope/belief that there really is magic in this world}

Sláinte! (cheers/good health)

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Dublin coddle

Another Irish recipe as an option for your St. Patrick's Day celebration is this Dublin coddle. According to the recipe notes:

"This traditional supper dish of sausages, bacon, onions and potatoes dates back at least as far as the early eighteenth century. It seems to be more of a city dish than a rural one; it was a favorite of Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver's Travels and dean of Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin.... The name of the dish is probably descended from the older word caudle, derived from a French word meaning "to boil gently, parboil, or stew"...Serve with Guinness and Irish soda bread. Although this is an easy to prepare one pot meal and its simplicity belies its amazing taste and flavor - comfort food at its best!"

Comfort food at its best is the perfect description for this meal; The Hubby and I have a new favorite obsession!  I've made this before according to the recipe for a crock-pot, and I wasn't impressed.  I decided to give it another try on the stove, and I am so glad that I did!  I bit into it and about melted from joy.  It was what I had been craving without know it.  I mean, can you really go wrong with potatoes, onions, bacon and sausage! (Side note:  I didn't get around to making soda bread this year, but it's already on the list for next year!)

 

  {Dublin coddle}

{use a good quality bacon and sausage product; use your favorite too while you're at it.  I bought my meat from a KY Proud farmer}

one year ago:  roasted sweet potato salad

Dublin coddle
adapted from www.food.com

makes 6 servings

1 pound bacon (local favorite), diced
1 pound sausage links (local favorite), diced
2 onions, sliced
2 pounds potatoes (local), diced
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1. Heat a pot up to medium.
2.  Add bacon and cook until browned.
3. Add sausage links and onions to bacon; cook until browned.
4. Add potatoes and broth.
5. Boil potatoes until tender about 40 minutes.
6. Season with pepper (you shouldn't need salt).
7. Serve topped with parsley, bread, and Guinness (please drink responsibly!).

{a beloved and true proverb}

Sláinte! (cheers/good health)

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Irish whisky roasted salmon

Next week is St. Patrick's Day, and I know everyone becomes Irish for that day just to celebrate.  I've ALWAYS been infatuated with Ireland: the rain, the green rolling hills, the stonework, the food, the lightheartedness, the myths, the faeries, all of it.  The Hubby and I will make it there someday; I might never come back to America!

So anyway, I went all out for St. Patrick's Day this year.  I not only made some delicious Irish recipes that I will be sharing this week, but I also gathered my favorite Irish sayings and proverbs which I will be sharing too!

First up is this delicious salmon recipe.  I even researched to see if Ireland has salmon (which they do in case you were wondering).  I loved this salmon recipe because it was easy, and the leftovers work great on salads and such.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but I loved that the whisky toned down the strong taste of fish.  I will definitely be making this again!

 {Irish whisky roasted salmon}

{I served mine with peas for a light dinner}

one year ago:  lima beans with garlic butter sauce

Irish whisky roasted salmon
from www.food.com

makes 4 servings

4-6 ounce salmon fillets
2 tablespoons honey
1⁄4 cup cider vinegar
1⁄4 cup Irish whiskey (1 small bottle of Jameson is perfect!)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt & freshly ground black pepper

1. Place salmon in a container that is suitable for marinating.
2. Mix remaining ingredients until combined.
3. Pour over salmon and marinate for 4 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 450.
5. Remove salmon from marinate and place in a clean baking dish.
6. Roast for 10-12 minutes or until light pink and flaky.
7. Enjoy! 

{one of my favorite Irish blessings}

Sláinte! (cheers/good health)

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Beef and Cabbage

After a visit to some of my family (aka the future in-laws), Ben and I came home loaded with home grown beans and cabbage (YAY!!!).  Ben is strange in that he doesn't really like cooked cabbage, but he'll eat it raw all day long (seriously--I watched him bite into a head like an apple!).  My grandma makes a wonderful recipe she calls Beef and Cabbage; it's one of my comfort foods along with grandpa's cornbread.  :o)

Beef and Cabbage is simple yet delicious, and this one is healthy!

Beef and Cabbage

Serves 4

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 large onion, diced

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon steak seasoning

2 cans diced tomatoes, drained

1 large (or 2 medium) cabbage, cleaned and chopped into strips

1. Brown beef with onions and garlic.
2. Add steak seasoning.
3. Add diced tomatoes and cabbage.
4. Cook until the cabbage is softened (about 15 minutes).
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Serve and enjoy!

What are some of your comfort foods?

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