This year, St. Patrick's Day falls on a weekend. Why not put together a festive holiday gathering that will have you and your friends feeling the luck of the Irish? A great selection of recipes that includes everything you need to make the occasion properly festive is provided below, compliments of writer and Food TV celebrity, Sandra Lee. Happy St. Paddy's Day!
Potato Leek Fondue Soup
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 large leeks, white part only, chopped
- 4 cloves roasted garlic, Christopher Ranch®
- 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, Swanson®
- 1 bag (24-ounce) frozen garlic-seasoned potatoes, Ore-Ida® Steam n’ Mash
- 1⁄2 cup cream or milk
- 1 1⁄2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, Sargento®
- 1⁄2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
- Salt and pepper
- Thyme sprigs for garnish
- In a large saucepan or soup pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add leeks and garlic; saute about 5 minutes or until tender. Add chicken broth and frozen potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in a blender, filling the blender only half full for each batch. (Soup can be stored in refrigerator for up to 2 days at this point.)
- Return soup to pan. Stir in cream, cheese, and corn; cook and stir over low heat until heated through and cheese is melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with thyme sprigs.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 25 minutes
- Excerpted from the book, Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade The Complete Cookbook, by Sandra Lee
Copyright © 2010 Sandra Lee Inc. www.sandralee.com
Gold and Green Salad
- 1⁄4 cup light mayonnaise, Hellmann’s® or Best Foods®
- 1⁄4 cup fat-free sour cream, Knudsen®
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ReaLemon®
- 1⁄2 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce, Kikkoman®
- 4 cups spring salad mix, Fresh Express®
- 12 refrigerated mango slices, drained, Ready Pac®
- 1 avocado, sliced into 12 slices
- 12 slices cucumber (optional)
- 1⁄4 cup bias-sliced scallions (green onions)
- For Dressing, in a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, and soy sauce; set aside.
- For Salad, divide salad mix among 4 chilled salad plates. Divide mango, avocado, and cucumber slices (optional) among plates. Spoon dressing over salads; sprinkle with scallions.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 15 minutes
- Excerpted from the book, Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Cooking Light, by Sandra Lee
Copyright © 2006 Sandra Lee Inc. www.sandralee.com
Family-Style Chicken Shepherd's Pie
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
- 2 teaspoons salt free chicken seasoning - McCormicks Grill Mates
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons garlic blend - Gourmet Garden
- 1 bag (16oz) frozen mixed vegetables - C&W (carrots, corn, peas, green, beans), thawed
- 2 cans (10 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup - Campbell's
- 1 bag (24 oz.) frozen cut russet potatoes - Ore-Ida
- 2/3 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs - Progresso
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a shallow 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
- Season chicken pieces with chicken seasoning and set aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook until just cooked through. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in vegetables and soup until well combined. Cook until mixture is heated through. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
- Microwave potatoes according to package directions. Mash cooked potatoes with milk and butter in a medium bowl. Spread evenly over chicken and vegetable mixture. Sprinkle bread crumbs over top.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serve hot.
- Yields: 8 servings
- Excerpted from the book, Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Weeknight Wonders, by Sandra Lee
Copyright © 2007 Sandra Lee Inc. www.sandralee.com
Semi-Homemade Irish Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1⁄2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1⁄2 cup Irish whiskey
- 1⁄4 cup chocolate syrup
- 1⁄2 teaspoon instant coffee
- In the container of an electric blender, combine cream, evaporated milk, condensed milk, whiskey, chocolate syrup, and coffee; process until smooth. Let chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
- Yields: 4 1/2 cups
- Copyright © 2012 Sandra Lee Inc. www.sandralee.com
Irish Grasshopper
- 2 ounces Irish cream liqueur, Baileys®
- 1⁄2 ounce half-in-half
- 1⁄4 ounce chocolate liqueur, Godiva®
- 1⁄4 ounce crème de menthe
- Ice cubes
- In a cocktail shaker, combine Irish cream, half-in-half, chocolate liqueur, and crème de menthe. Add ice; cover and shake until very cold. Fill a glass with additional ice. Strain into glass.
- Yields: 1 drink
- Excerpted from the book, Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Cocktail Time, by Sandra Lee
Copyright © 2009 Sandra Lee Inc. www.sandralee.com
Pub Crawler’s Ice Cream
- 1 bottle (12-ounce) stout beer, Guinness®
- 1/2 cup egg substitute, Egg Beaters 99%®
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup Spanish peanuts
- 1 cup broken-up pretzel sticks
- In a small saucepan over high heat, bring beer to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer. Reduce by half. Remove from heat and let cool.
- In medium bowl, whisk egg substitute until light and frothy. Whisk in sugar 1/4 cup at a time. Add cream, milk, and beer. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours. Pour mixture into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s directions for freezing. When ice cream is just about set, fold in peanuts and broken pretzels.
- Yields: 1 quart
- Preparation Time: 2 hours
- Excerpted from the book, Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Cooking 3, by Sandra Lee
Copyright © 2007 Sandra Lee Inc. www.sandralee.com