Holidays | onedadskitchen

Savor the Luck of the Irish Today with Homemade Irish Cream

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to everybody out there today! While many people may have done their celebrating this past weekend or are making plans for the upcoming weekend, I am sure some people are having a traditional Irish meal today or are planning on going out and doing some celebrating of their own at a local restaurant, club or bar. While making your own corned beef and cabbage dinner is pretty traditional today, at least here in America, you may want to give some different recipes a try to branch out a little bit for this particular holiday. We did our St. Patrick’s Day meal this past Sunday since Michelle was leaving on business today and would not be around. We had our corned beef and cabbage of course and some boiled potatoes to go with it, but we also tried a few new recipes for a couple of different things along the way. One in particular that I gave a shot to was making some homemade Irish cream. Now people may be familiar with the Irish cream that you can buy at your local liquor store (I know Bailey’s is Michelle’s particular favorite), but I was surprised at just how easy it is to make your own right at home with just a few ingredients. The recipe is really simple and you can have it put together right away and be able to use it for your dinner tonight. I got this particular recipe from Saveur.

Homemade Irish Cream

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon instant coffee powder

1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder

3/4 cup Irish whiskey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

In a medium-size bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the heavy cream and the instant coffee and cocoa powders to make a smooth paste. Slowly add the remaining heavy cream, whisking the ingredients until they are smooth with. Add the Irish whiskey, vanilla extract, and the sweetened condensed milk. Stir all the ingredients together until they are well combined. Pour the mixture into a 24 ounce jar and keep it refrigerated until you are ready to serve, up to 2 weeks. To serve, pour the Irish cream into a tumbler filled with ice.

That is all there is to it and you can have Irish cream in an instant. I used Jameson’s Irish whiskey, which is my personal favorite, but you can use whatever Irish whiskey you like best. For me personally, Irish cream is not something I drink very often but I can appreciate it and the smell of Irish cream is very recognizable. You can certainly tell right away when you smell the mixture that it is exactly like what you would buy in the store. It makes an excellent drink all on its own with some ice or you can use it in any of the typical mixed drinks that you might use Irish cream for. It also makes a great addition to a nice cup of coffee, whether it is hot coffee or iced coffee. You could even pour some over your ice cream if you wanted a little bit of a different flavor to it or mix it in with a milkshake or even use it in some of your cake frosting to give a little bit of a sweeter flavor. I have to say I made the 24-ounce jar of Irish cream and we did not have any left by the end of the meal on Sunday night. Everyone seemed to really enjoy it and since it is so easy to make I could certainly see making it again, particularly because buying a bottle of Irish cream at the liquor store can run you anywhere from $25-$35 and up. It is definitely one worth trying for St. Patrick’s Day or for any time.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day, have a happy St. Patrick’s Day, and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on March 17, 2015 in Beverages, Holidays

Tags: homemade Irish cream, Irish Cream, irish cream recipe, Irish whiskey, Saveur, Saveur Irish cream recipe, St. Patrick's Day, St. Patrick's Day drinks

A St. Patrick’s Day Treat – Skillet Soda Bread

16 Mar

Most people really only give much consideration to Irish soda bread on St. Patrick’s Day and may not think about it much the rest of the year. The problem is that most of the soda bread you find in local stores this time of year is very dense, very dry and very crumbly and just does not taste that good. Even some of the mixes I have tried over the years have been disappointing and I wanted to try to make one this year that would have the great crust a soda bread should have but the tender bread that was not tough to eat. I came across this recipe from America’s Test Kitchen last week and it was simple, basic and sounded perfect so I went about giving it a try to see how the bread would be.

Skillet Irish Soda Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cake flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk

1 tablespoon melted butter, optional

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and adjust an oven rack to the center position. Place the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour using your fingers until it is completely incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the buttermilk. Work the liquid into the flour mixture using a fork until the dough comes together in large clumps. Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead it gently and briefly until the loose flour is just moistened. The dough will still be scrappy and uneven.

Form the dough into a round about 6 to 7 inches in diameter and place it in a cast iron skillet. Score a deep cross on top of the loaf and place it in the heated oven. Bake the bread until it is nicely browned and a tester comes out clean when inserted into the center of the loaf, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and brush the top of the loaf with the tablespoon of melted butter, if desired. Cool the bread for at least 30 minutes before slicing it. Serve the bread slightly warm or at room temperature.

I have to say it was the best soda bread I have had in a long time. No it does have raisins, or currants or any of that other stuff in it, but it doesn’t need all of that and that is more of the American version of Irish soda bread anyway. The crust on this bread has a wonderful crunch to it just like you want without it being all crumbly so it doesn’t fall apart when you slice it. The bread itself is nice and tender as well and goes really well with your corned beef and cabbage meal, if that is what you are having. You can make this on a baking sheet if you don’t have a coast iron pan or want to use one, but I think the crust comes out great thanks to the cast iron pan. If you can eat it while it is still warm it is that much better, but this will be okay for a day or two covered before it starts to dry out if you want to make it ahead of time. This will be my go to soda bread recipe from now on.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on March 16, 2015 in Breads, Cooking, Holidays

Tags: America's Test Kitchen soda bread, americas test kitchen, irish soda bread, Irish soda bread recipe, skillet Irish soda bread, skillet soda bread, soda bread, soda bread recipe, St. Patrick's Day, St. Patrick's day irish soda bread

Our Best Irish Recipes – Bon Appétit

04 Mar

Our Best Irish Recipes – Bon Appétit.

St. Patrick’s Day is under 2 weeks away so now is a good time to start planning out some of those great Irish recipes in advance of the day that is everything Irish. Bon Appetit has put together 18 recipes that are Irish-inspired recipes to help you celebrate the day with great drinks, corned beef and fun desserts. Check it out!

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Posted by MikeG on March 4, 2015 in Appetizers, Beef, Beverages, Breads, Cakes, Cooking, Dessert, Dinner, Holidays, Potatoes, Sandwiches, Side Dishes

Tags: best Irish recipes, bon appetit, Bon Appetit Irish recipes, corned beef and cabbage, guinness, Irish food for St. Patrick's Day, Our best Irish recipes, St. Patrick's Day, St. patrick's Day recipe ideas

Valentine’s Day – NYT Cooking

13 Feb

Valentine’s Day – NYT Cooking.

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow and if you are still looking for some ideas of what to make for you and your special someone, the New York Times has put together a great list of recipes for your dinner, chocolate, desserts, cocktails and more so that you can have a nice romantic meal right at home. Check it out!

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Posted by MikeG on February 13, 2015 in Appetizers, Beef, Beverages, Cakes, Candy, Cookies, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dessert, Dinner, Holidays, Lamb, Pasta, Pork, Potatoes, Poultry, Salad, Seafood, Side Dishes

Tags: chocolate desserts, NYT Cooking, NYT Cooking Valentine's Day, romantic dinners for two at home, Valentine's Day cocktails, Valentine's Day dinner ideas.Valentine's Day recipes, Valentine's Day meals

Romantic Dinners for Two | Epicurious.com

12 Feb

Romantic Dinners for Two | Epicurious.com.

With Valentine’s Day this weekend, you might be looking for some ideas to make a nice, romantic meal at home instead of spending time at a noisy restaurant perhaps not getting as a good of a meal as you can make on your own. Epicurious has some great ideas for a romantic dinner for two followed by some nice chocolate dessert ideas as well to cover everything you need. Get yourself a nice bottle of wine and cook at home to enjoy some quiet time with your sweetie. Check it out!

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Posted by MikeG on February 12, 2015 in Beef, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dessert, Dinner, Holidays, Lamb, Pasta, Pork, Poultry, Seafood, Vegetables

Tags: cooking Valentine's Dinner at home, Epicurious romantic dinners for two, romantic dinners for two, Valentine's Day dinner ideas

A Week of Side Dishes, Part Two – Creamed Spinach

27 Jan

Okay, I know not everyone likes spinach and maybe you have tried to avoid it like the plague since you were a kid, but in my opinion I would much rather have spinach as a vegetable than a side of kale. I know it seems sacrilegious to say that about kale today since it is a “super food” and all, but there is just something about kale that I makes me rather have something else – like spinach. Surprisingly, we never had a problem getting Sean to eat spinach either and it ranks among the family favorites in vegetables. Besides, you can do a lot of things with it besides just steaming it. It is great raw in a salad or on sandwiches instead of lettuce and of course, one of the favorites around the holidays is always creamed spinach, which is the recipe I am posting today. I actually made this right around the holidays and forgot to post about it, but here it is today and it is easy enough where you can really make this any time of the year. This particular recipe comes from the Food Network’s Sunny Anderson and comes together pretty quickly in the oven and makes use of frozen spinach.

Creamed Spinach

4 tablespoons butter, plus more for the pan

1/2 red onion, chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons red chili flakes

1 3/4 cups heavy cream

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup sour cream

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/2 cup packaged fried onions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter and 8 by 8-inch baking dish. Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the chopped red onion and a pinch of salt. Saute the onion for about 3 minutes, then add the minced garlic and the red chili flakes and saute the mixture for 2 minutes more. Add the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese and the nutmeg. heat the mixture until the cream is just beginning to bubble, stirring often, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the burner off and stir in the sour cream and the spinach. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed to taste. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top evenly with the fried onions. Bake the spinach until the top is golden and bubbly, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Granted this may not be the healthiest version of eating spinach out there but it does taste pretty good. It does seem a lot like the typical green bean casserole that you might also find around the holidays and the flavors will remind you of that. One thing you want to remember is to make sure to thaw and dry the frozen spinach as much as you can to get as much liquid out as possible otherwise you will end up with a very runny dish. I did leave out the red chili flakes in my recipe but if you like a little added heat to your dish you should put it in. You end up with a very creamy, tasty side dish that goes really well with just about any type of beef, poultry and pork meal. this also works well if you need to bring a side dish to a party or buffet dinner. Unfortunately, this is also one of those dishes that I neglected to take a picture of so I don’t have one to share with you as to how it came out. Sorry about that. I am trying better, I promise.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on January 27, 2015 in Cooking, Dinner, Holidays, Side Dishes, Vegetables

Tags: creamed spinach, creamed spinach recipe, food network, frozen spinach, holiday side dishes, spinach recipes, Sunny Anderson

30 Quick, Last-Minute Appetizers for New Year’s Eve Slideshow – Bon Appétit

30 Dec

30 Quick, Last-Minute Appetizers for New Year’s Eve Slideshow – Bon Appétit.

There’s still time for you to put together some quick and easy appetizers for yourself or for a get-together you may be having for New Year’s Eve tomorrow. Bon Appetit has put together 30 last-minute appetizer recipes to fill every niche and wow your guests for a late-night party. Check it out!

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Posted by MikeG on December 30, 2014 in Appetizers, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Holidays, Snacks

Tags: 30 quick last minute New Year's Eve appetizers, bon appetit, Bon Appetit 30 quick appetizers for New Year's Eve, last-minute appetizers, last-minute appetizers for a party, New Year-s Eve appetizers, quick appetizers for New Year's Eve

Best New Year’s Eve Recipes : Food Network

29 Dec

Best New Year’s Eve Recipes : Food Network.

New Year’s Eve is just two days away and if you are planning a party, big or small, Food Network has some great recipe ideas for you for appetizers, snacks, main courses, cocktails and more so you can ring in the New Year. Check it out!

I will be back with more of my own recipes once the holidays are are all over with so stay tuned for some great, exciting new things to try for the New Year. Thanks for following!

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Posted by MikeG on December 29, 2014 in Appetizers, Beef, Beverages, Cookbooks, Cooking Websites, Dessert, Dinner, Fruit, Holidays, Pantry, Pasta, Pork, Potatoes, Poultry, Produce, Salad, Sandwiches, Sausage, Seafood, Side Dishes, Snacks, Turkey, Vegetables

Tags: appetizers for new year's eve, best new year's eve recipes, food network, Food Network New year's eve recipes, new year's eve recipe ideas, snacks for new year's eve, thingsto make for new year's eve

Christmas Brunch Recipes and Ideas : Food Network

24 Dec

Christmas Brunch Recipes and Ideas : Food Network.

There’s still time to put together some ideas for a great Christmas breakfast or brunch. Food Network gives you some ideas that are easy to put together and look fantastic. I’ll be back after the Christmas holiday with some fun recipes I have tried. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and thanks for following along!

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Posted by MikeG on December 24, 2014 in Biscuits, Breads, Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Eggs, Fruit, Holidays, Potatoes, Sausage

Tags: Christmas brunch, Christmas brunch ideas, Christmas brunch menu, Christmas brunch recipes, food network, Food Network Christmas brunch ideas

Christmas Dinner Recipes & Ideas : Cooking Channel

23 Dec

Christmas Dinner Recipes & Ideas : Cooking Channel.

You still have time to plan a great Christmas dinner if you have been sidetracked with other holiday chores and haven’t come up with some ideas yet. Cooking Channel has 70 dinner recipes and ideas for you to cover everything that you will need to make a memorable Christmas meal. Check it out!