Saint Patrick's Day Tablescape 2016 + Recipes

Wishing you a Happy St. Patrick's Day.  Celebrate whether you are Irish or not...

I am Irish, with the last name of McGuinness.  You couldn't get more Irish than that!

We always celebrated this day in my childhood home.  Having the Irish-American meal of Corned Beef and Cabbage.  I would make Shamrock shaped sugar cookies and take them to school each year from about 1st grade on.  It was a fun tradition for me.

My tablescape for this year was fun to do and I am featuring the meal as my centerpiece.  My St. Patrick's Day tablescape from last year you can see here was more decorative.  This year I have included 2 great recipes.

I plated up the corned beef, red potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and at the end of the plate some adorable multi-colored mini potatoes.  The corned beef is organic and naturally brined, so the beef when cooked doesn't turn out as pink as other commercially prepared corned beef.  I do know how to do my own brining but I purchased this one at Whole Foods.

I always enjoy Irish Soda Bread.  You wouldn't think that there wouldn't be much difference in taste but the recipe I now have is the best I have ever tried.  It melts in your mouth.  You can use raisins or currants, but I really really prefer currants in this bread.  They are smaller and you get a little bit of sweet in every bite.  You are not overwhelmed by the larger raisins.  You probably all know but if you keep about a Tablespoon of flour out of the recipe and sprinkle it over the currants or raisins and mix the flour with the fruit, the fruit won't glob up but spread around evenly in your recipe.

Irish Soda Bread (the best recipe I have found)
3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder (higher altitudes may need a little less)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup raisins or currants (again I prefer currants, as I stated above)
1 1/2 cup fresh Buttermilk (must be buttermilk)

In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients (in the order listed), stirring until it forms a soft dough.  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead just until it's a smooth ball (don't do too much kneading).  
Flatten and place in a greased baking pan.  I prefer to shape it in a round loaf on a cookie sheet.  Slash the top with a sharp knife.  I do some diagonal slashes, not too many.  Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake 40-45 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.  
If you want a sourdough flavor you can leave out the sugar, but I prefer the sugar, it is not a large amount at all.  Enjoy as it is delicious.  With butter on top it melts in your mouth.

Keeping true to my heritage my butter is from Ireland,  Kerrygold.  Irish butter has a higher fat content and smoke point.  The cattle are grazing grass fed cows.

Another of my favorite recipes for any cut of beef and great on baked potatoes or potato salad, as well as a great veggie dip.  You have to try this.  So delicious!  


Creamed Horseradish Sauce

2 Tablespoons Horseradish (not horseradish sauce, I used a prepared horseradish in a glass jar)
2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise (I prefer Kraft mayo and not the diet kind)
2 Tablespoons Sour Cream
1 Tablespoon Tarragon Wine Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon mustard (I like Grey Poupon)
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash of cayenne pepper or red pepper
1/2 cup Heavy Cream, Whipped (DO NOT sweeten the cream)
Sweet Hungarian Paprika, (for garnish)

In a small mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients, EXCEPT the heavy cream and paprika.  Mix until smooth.  Whip the cream (again do not add anything to the cream).  Fold the whipped cream into the first mixture slowly-do not beat.  Place the sauce into a serving dish and then into the fridge to chill until ready to serve.  Just prior to serving, add a dash of paprika and or parsley flakes over the top for a garnish.
Makes 1 1/2 cups.
This really makes a wonderful sauce for any beef recipe or to top a baked potato, added to potato salad or a wonderful dip for vegetables.  The flavor is deep, rich, and oh so creamy.  The flavor of the horseradish is actually quite mild and not overpowering.   

A photo of my Daddy.  He was a Staff Sargent in World War II.  I was taking photos of my Tablescape today.  It was bright bright sun with a snow blizzard at the same time.  Amazing and beautiful to see but not good for photos.  So Daddy dear I am sorry.  He had a great sense of humor so I am not really serious.

Please feel free to leave a comment below.  Thanks for looking.
I will be posting this for Tablescape Thursday 
at Between Naps on the Porch.