Get Your Irish On for St. Patrick's Day!

"Enough and no waste is as good as a feast," was an old Irish saying that was an apt description of Irish cuisine of former times, when plain but plentiful was the most you could hope for in a meal. But eating in Ireland these days is anything but boring and predictable; Ireland is now one of Europe's top eating destinations with cooking that honors its culinary traditions, but is fresh, light, and sophisticated with multicultural influences everpresent. Whether you're having a curry at the local pub or a special occasion meal at a critically acclaimed restaurant, you will feast in Ireland.

With St. Patrick's Day coming up, we thought we'd share a couple of recipes fit for the occasion. Try them out for St. Patrick’s Day, or any time you want to put a delicious, healthy, easy meal on your table! As the Irish say, "What butter and whiskey won’t cure, there is no cure for!"

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Pork Chops in Irish Whiskey Cream Sauce

It’s hard to go wrong with juicy Duroc pork chops, mushrooms, and a Whiskey-laced creamy sauce.

serves 2; prep time: 35min.

Ingredients

• 2 pork chops, bone-in (thawed & patted dry)

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 Tbsp butter

• 1/2 medium onion, chopped

• 7 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced

• 1/3 cup Irish whiskey

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup heavy/whipping cream

• Pinch of nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tsp mixed peppercorns or to taste (optional)

• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1.               Preheat oven to 400F and move the rack to the middle position. Season pork chops generously with salt and pepper.

2.               Add the olive oil to a large, oven-proof skillet on medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, sear the pork chops for 4-5 minutes on each side (don't move them around until it's time to flip them) until they're nicely golden/browned. Turn the heat down if they start to splatter a lot. Remove chops from the pan and set aside.

3.               Add the butter and onions to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the whiskey and garlic; cook for 3 minutes.

4.               Add the cream, nutmeg, Worcestershire sauce, and peppercorns (if using). Put the pork chops back in the pan.

5.               Place the skillet in the oven until the pork chops are cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 145F in the thickest part (10-15 minutes is typical for 1" thick chops.)  Season with extra salt & pepper if needed. Serve immediately.

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Green Mac & Cheese (or “Lucky Leprechaun Stew”)

Rich, cheesey, and delicious, but also full of veggies- don’t worry, we won’t tell!

                            Serves 4; Prep & Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups Chopped Spinach (partially thawed under running water or in microwave)

• 1.5 cups frozen Broccoli Florets (partially thawed under running water or in microwave)

• 1 cup frozen Sweet Peas (partially thawed under running water or in microwave)

• ½ cup fresh parsley

• 2 ½ cups milk, divided

• 5 qt water

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1 lb. good quality elbow macaroni

• ¼ cup butter

• ¼ cup flour

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 2 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 lb white cheddar cheese (shredded)

• ½ cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)

Instructions

1.     In a food processor, combine the spinach, broccoli, peas & parsley with ½ cup milk, and process until evenly blended.

2.     In a large pot, bring water and 1 tbsp salt to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, roughly 6-7 minutes. Rinse with cold water and drain.

3.     In a large pot, combine the butter and flour on medium-high heat, and stir until the mixture has become golden brown. Add 2 cups milk, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, pepper, and salt to the pot and stir until well incorporated.

4.     Add in the cheddar cheese and mix until well incorporated.

5.     Add in the veggie mixture and stir until fully incorporated and the green color is consistent.

6.     Mix in the pasta and pour into a casserole dish. Top the macaroni with mozzarella and broil for 5 minutes.

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Shortcut Version: Preheat oven to 350F. While the pasta is cooking according to instructions, follow step 1 above and, when the mixture is blended, add in the cheese sauce from the package, garlic powder, onion powder & paprika and blend again. When the pasta is cooked, stir in the “green sauce” (and any additional grated cheese you would like to add) and add to a buttered casserole dish. Bake, covered, about 15 min. Optional: Top the macaroni with mozzarella and broil for 5 minutes.

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