The green edition

I hope you all had a wonderful wearin' of the green day today! 

We spent the day playing, cooking and reading about the life of St. Patrick from his confessions/letters.

The menu? Shepherd's pie, and Irish brown bread.

Here are the recipies, I use. This is my husbands favorite meal, expecially since I use lamb instead of beef.

IRISH BROWN BREAD

3 cups flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 t salt

1 t baking powder

1 ounce butter (2 Tablespoons)

3/4 pint buttermilk (I used about 1 1/2 cups)

Mix dry ingredients and then add butter.

Mix ingredients together with your fingers until it resembles cornmeal.

Add the buttermilk, mix into a nice dough. Not to dry not to moist.

Don't handle to much.

Flatten into a round and bake in a large tin at 350 degrees(I used a cookie sheet)

for 45 minutes exactly. Put on a rack to cool.

Recipie from Marie Kelleghan-Grehan, Blackrock, Dublin Ireland.

 

SHEPHERD"S PIE

1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
(I cut mine into 1/4 inch pieces as that is the way my husband likes it)

1/2 cup  onion, diced

1 cup carrots, diced

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

1/4 cup Guinness draught stout

1/4 cup cabernet wine

7 ounces (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) beef broth

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried sage

1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 cup peas, frozen and thawed

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Brown lamb in  large heavy saucepot over low to moderate heat. Allow to simmer until cooked throughout, about 5 to 10 minutes. Drain excess fat when cooked and add onion, carrots, garlic, stout, wine, broth, Worcestershire sauce, basil, oregano, sage and marjoram. Stir and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook 15 minutes or until carrots are fork tender. Add peas.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour to make a roux (paste of equal parts butter and flour used to thicken liquids). Slowly incorporate roux into simmering lamb mixture achieved. Continue to cook for  about  5 minutes to allow roux and flavors to meld. Season with salt and pepper. Remove to a 91/2-inch round casserole dish.

While meat is simmering, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Potato topping

11/4 pounds russet potatoes, about 4 medium

4 tablespoons butter
1 cup finely grated Irish white Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup milk

1/3 cup chives, chopped

Salt and white pepper to taste

Scrub and peel potatoes. Cut into large pieces. In a large pot, simmer potatoes in water until fork tender. Drain well and return pot to low heat to remove excess moisture. Stir in butter and cheese, gradually adding milk, parsley and  chives. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon potato topping evenly over meat mixture.

 Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown and crusty on edges and mixture is heated throughout.

I make my ptoatoes before I start on the meat, so that they will be ready. It sounds quite involved but it is really quite east to prepare.

 Recipe adapted from here

ENJOY!

Looking Down

Every month I take one of these shots. As you can see in my header that have grown so much! We are well on our way to Gwen's 4th birthday, I'm noticing the changes in her the most right now. She is loosing the "baby/toddler" look and turning into a big girl! 

March 16th-Looking Down

Looking down St. Patrick's edition.
For those of you who are wondering why there is an edition. Here is what started it all. I was in a photo challenge on Scrapbook.com and one of our mini challenges was titled "Looking down". It was in October of 2007 and someone commented that it would be fun to do this every month to see the changes in the children. So that is what I have been doing ever since. Gwen was 18 months when I started and is now almost three. They have grown and changed so much it has been fun to see. I hope to do an album with these shots some day.

And just because I can't resist here is the one from October. Such babes.