Irish eyes...

I wish I'd known before I left for my trip to Ireland, exactly how Irish I really was.  Apparently, my great-grandfather was an Irish immigrant.  Coming to America with his mother and sisters.  When he was about ten years old, his mother was unable to care for him and his sisters so she left them at a Catholic orphanage.

If I'd known all of these details before I arrived on the Emerald Shores...I probably would've paid more attention to the tour guides!  But alas!  I did not have the knowledge.  So I probably missed out on some prime opportunities to learn about our family.  But never fear...I thoroughly enjoyed the meals on the trip!  And the scenery was romantic and breathtaking!

There's a reason they call it the Emerald Isle.  Ireland is beautifully, richly, green.  It's as simple as that.  It rained almost the entire week long.  We just went anyway.  As did the Irish locals.

From the time we landed at the Shannon airport until the time our plane departed from Dublin, my little tour group saw some of the most gorgeous scenery, ate rich meals, and tasted a pint of Guiness from one coast to the other.  I learned two interesting things that I'll share with you now.  One...Guiness is nasty!  I'm sorry to say...but to me, it was like drinking the worst burned coffee.  I pretended to sip every time I was offered a glass.  But I just couldn't make myself drink it after the first taste.  Yuck!

The second thing I learned...that the Irish LOVE their potatoes!  Every single meal we ate contained potatoes...with a side of potatoes.  Not fries, but boiled potatoes.  And they set them on the table in a bowl like other restaraunts would serve bread.  It's crazy!  But as much as I love potatoes myself...it was perfect!

So today being St Patricks Day, I felt the pull of my Irish heritage.  I need to make something Irish!  And what could be more Irish than a hearty stew?  Nothing!  Just make sure you've got lots of potatoes!

A good stew is so simple to make and can really be done in under an hour.  Although you'll find recipes that have much longer cooking times, it's not necessary.  And the only thing different between my stew and one more likely to be found in Ireland, is the meat.  I use beef, and they typically use lamb.

Gather a few ingredients: a package of stew meat, 6 or 7 potatoes, 4 large carrots, 1 1/2 cups of frozen corn, a can of green beans, a carton of beef stock (32oz), half an onion, salt, pepper, and a bay leaf.

It's always most time effecient to chop the veggies first.  Toss the chopped onion into the pot with a tablespoon of butter (or vegetable oil) and saute until translucent.  For my stew I like to slice the carrots into rounds.  If you keep them pretty slim, it helps with the cooking time.  But since this is a stew, you'll want to keep your potatoes a little more substantial.

The last thing I do, while the onions are cooking away over low heat, is chop the stew meat.  Yes, I said chop the stew meat!  I know!  I know!  It comes already chopped!  But the pieces are very big.  So I cut them into cubes about 1/4 inch each.  It makes the package of meat go farther, and makes the bites smaller and easier to eat.  And of course, it helps with the cooking time as well.

Once the onions are looking pretty, toss in the meat and turn up the heat. Brown the meat with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and about a 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.  As soon as it's brown and smelling fabulous, add the potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Then add the carrots, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  And then the frozen corn, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Last veggie...open the can of green beans and after draining the juice off...toss 'em in the pot.  But DON'T add extra salt for them.  I realize it sounds like we just added ALOT of salt.  But potatoes take up alot of salt, so if you don't add plenty with each new vegetable, you won't get the flavor right.

Stir the pot after adding each ingredient.  Then pour the 32oz carton of beef stock into the mix, stir, and toss a bayleaf on top.   Cover the pot and let it boil for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.  Don't forget to pull out that bayleaf before you serve it.  It's kinda yucky getting that in your bowl!

Serve up your amazing Irish stew and pretend you're in a pub in Kilkenny.

Need dessert?  How about an Irish Cream Pie?  Easier than the stew!  You'll just need a package of instant chocolte pudding, Cool Whip, a graham cracker crust, milk, and some Baileys Irish Cream.  This dessert is NOT for the little ones!

Make the pudding according to the directions on the box (the ones for a pie filling).  I used a   1.4 ounce package, sugar free.  The only variation will be to substitute the Baileys Irish Cream for 1/4 cup of the milk.  Let the pudding set for just a few minutes to thicken, then add about 6 ounces of CoolWhip and stir.  Mix it thoroughy and then pour this creamy dream into a 10 inch graham cracker crust.  Top the pie with another 6 ounces of CoolWhip and then sprinkle some mini chocolate chips on top.  Cover the pie and refrigerate until after dinner, at least an hour or two.  That's it!

How Chinese should taste...

I recently returned from a quick cruise getaway with my sweetie.  The weather was perfect! Plenty of sunshine.  Lots of rest and relaxation.  And oh!  The FOOD!

If you've never cruised, you don't understand the 24 hour food orgy at all!  Eat breakfast in the dining room.  Then an hour later head on up to the buffet on the Lido deck and have second breakfast.  And then another hour later...make your way over to the 24 hour pizza station for a slice or two of the gourmet pizza! Well...then it's time for lunch!  And you start that process all over again.  Give yourself a couple of hours in the evening before you start on dinner.  And that's just so you can get dressed up (if you choose) to go to the dining room.

In the dining room, they'll place your napkin in your lap for you and put a leather bound menu in your hands.  Choose a "starter," an entree, or two of each.  There's no extra cost! And as soon as your meal is finished, your waiter will already be anticipating your desire for dessert and coffee.  The chocolate melting cake is my favorite on Carnival Cruise Line.  Some day....I'll learn to make it for myself!

There are plenty of spots to find good food.  And usually a very large variety.  The ship we were on last weekend, also had a little deli, a burger joint, and a Chinese "take-out."  No fear!  I tried it all!  And I LOVED...most of it.

I was so very disappointed in the Chinese "take-out."  It didn't satisfy my craving for Chinese food.  And it made my honey's tummy hurt.  It just wasn't good!  This made me sad.  But I assure you, I held back the tears.  Because the reality is...it's very hard to find good Chinese food anywhere near me anyway.

Having started the Chinese food craving while on the ship...I came home realizing that I was just going to have to take matters into my own hands.  So I made some pork fried rice. And EVERYONE was happy!

Over the last couple of years I've watched many TV chefs, researched online, and finally just experimented for myself and developed a recipe that beats the heck out of anything we've ever ordered...anywhere!

Chinese food doesn't have to be scary.  And as I mentioned in my Chinese New Year post, neither does the Chinese market.  You need to be sure what flavors you are really looking for, and don't be afraid to ask someone.  When you check out the "sauce aisle" you'll understand exactly how confusing it can be if you go unprepared.  I'm lucky enough to be married to a very handsome Chinese/Canadian that loves to cook.  So he guides me through it.

To make one recipe of fried rice, I use 2 cups of white rice (really any kind will do), about a pound of ground pork, 2 cups of chopped carrots,  cup of frozen petite peas, 1/2 cup of finely chopped onion, 3 eggs,  1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1/3 cup of "light" soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of "dark"soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sweet chili sauce, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, and that's all!

Go ahead and cook up your rice in advance.  If you can use day-old rice it's best, but if not don't worry.  Just use what you've got!  I honestly don't know how to make anything but "sticky" rice.  It doesn't phase my family at all!  Keep in mind, it takes about 30 minutes for your rice to cook.  So just don't leave it until last.

Now for the prep-work.  Finely chop those onions, and then peal and chop the carrots.  I REALLY like carrots.  So I always use at least 2 cups of chopped carrots.  Sometimes more.  But make sure you chop them pretty small so that they cook easier and faster.

Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to your wok (or large skillet) and turn the heat on low.  As soon as your onions are chopped, add them to the already hot oil and let them sautee until they're translucent.  When they're ready, turn the heat up to high and add the tablespoon of minced garlic just before putting the ground pork into the wok.  Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and stir this together and break it up very well.  I have a handy little tool that I got from Pampered Chef for just that purpose You'll need to brown it like you do ground beef, it just won't get as dark.

Once you can see that the pork is cooked through, add in the tablespoon of sweet chili sauce.  You can leave this step out if you'd rather.  I just like a little "zip" in my fried rice!  Sometimes...I even get adventurous and add TWO tablespoons of sweet chili sauce!  But that makes it a little more on the spicy side.

Stir in the chili sauce and add the chopped carrots.  Cook the pork and carrots for two or three minutes stirring often.  Then add the frozen (but defrosted!) peas to the mix.  Let this all cook together for about 5 to 7 minutes.  You don't want mushy carrots...but you do want to make sure they are good and cooked!

Now you're going to add the rice to the wok.  Go ahead!  Just dump it in!  It's almost fried rice!  Once it's in...stir it around and break up all of the clumps.

Doesn't look like fried rice yet?  The next steps will make that happen...and you'll be as amazed as I was the first time I made it.  Pour in 1/3 cup of "light" soy sauce and stir.  Try to make sure that all of the rice is covered.  It'll be a light brown color.  Then add 2 tablespoons of "dark" soy sauce.  This should bring it up to the pretty caramel color we're all used to.  There's just barely a difference between "light" and "dark" soy sauce.  Mostly it's in how they're processed.  And the flavor is only slightly different.  So if all you have is store-bought soy sauce...just use that instead, making it 1/3 cup and 2 tablespoons of the same soy sauce.

It should be starting to look familiar to you now!  Just one more step and we're ready to taste!  Turn the heat down to medium and take your spoon (I use a bamboo spoon on my non-stick pans) and make a "well" in the center of your rice.  Drop the tablespoon of butter (or use vegetable oil if you can't use butter) into the center of that well.  Break your three eggs into a small bowl and scramble them up with either a fork or a wisk.  Now pour the eggs down into that well and let it sit for a minute or so.  As soon as you see the eggs start cooking on the bottom of the pan, begin slowly incorporating the rice down into the eggs.  Then just stir it all up.  You should start seeing "chunks" of scrambled egg throughout.

Now does it look like fried rice?  It should!  Because as soon as you see that all of the egg is thoroughly cooked, you're done!  Grab a tasting spoon and take a bite!  Be careful!  It's hot!

Pour the whole pan of pork fried rice into a nice serving dish and put it on the table.  This usually feeds my whole family of 7 with a bit of leftovers.  Be prepared for compliments galore!  Need a dish to take to a potluck?  This one travels well!

One quick note...unlike my other dishes that include multiple vegetables in them, do NOT add extra salt for each ingredient!  Just salt the pork and the rice...and let the soy sauce do it's thing!  It'll be way too salty if you add to the carrots and peas.

When you're done eating this amazing dish...call my favorite travel agent (my sweetie!) and book yourself on a cruise!

Comfort food...yes!

What could possibly taste better than shepherds pie?  In an English pub?  With a view of the outer walls of Windsor Castle?  Well...not much!  But I have learned to make a variation of this dish that I enjoyed all those years ago with my mother and sister sitting in that pub in Windsor.  Aaaaahhhh...it was a dream come true...and so was the trip!

I make a lot of dishes using ground beef.  But let's face it...it's cheap!  And when you have this many mouths to feed, you can stretch a pound of ground beef pretty far.  Especially in casserole type dishes.  And shepherds pie is one of my family's favorites.  It's fresh, full of veggies, and very comforting.

I use just one pound of ground beef for this recipe, and it makes a full pan.  So it feeds a lot!  You'll also need 4 packages of instant mashed potatoes, two jars of gravy, four good sized carrots, a bag of frozen corn, a can of green beans, Worchestershire sauce, garlic, a quarter of an onion, salt, and pepper, and about 1/2 a cup of shredded cheddar cheese.

Before you get started, the only prep-work you'll need to do is to chop the onion, and peal and chop the carrots.  Chop them small, so that they'll cook faster.  Not crazy about super crunchy carrots in my pie.

As with all of my recipes, I start by sauteing the onions with a tablespoon of butter, on low heat, until they're translucent.  Then add the ground beef to the skillet along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and turn the fire to high.  Next add a tablespoon of Worchestershire sauce and stir the meat.  Break it up finely and cook it until it's good and brown.

As soon as the meat is browned, add the carrots, corn, and green beans to the pan.  You'll need to make sure you add at least 1/4 teaspoon of salt for each new ingredient.  Stir these around with the meat and then add the jars of gravy.  I use one beef gravy and one mushroom gravy.  Both are beef based.  You could make your own gravy...but why?  This is so much faster and easier!

Stir this all really well and cover the pan.  You want this to cook for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Now you need to heat your oven to 350 and start making your mashed potatoes according to the instructions on the package.

Once your mixture has cooked for a while, pour it into a 9 by 13 baking pan.  Cover the pie with your mashed potatoes, completely.  Then sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.

Pop the whole thing in the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and the pie is bubbling around the edges.

Take it out...and serve it hot!  I promise...it'll be eaten...fast!  Then close your eyes...and imagine a pub in England...