posted on March 15, 2003 11:48:26 AM new
Anyone here ever celebrate or even acknowledge St. Patrick's Day?
My MIL always acknowledged it by sending our whole family St. Patty's Day cards. [She was part Irish]. We never did.
But since moving here one of our friends celebrate's it big time. He spends a couple of days preparing wonderful delights [lots of different Irish treats] for our group to enjoy.
He's a never married bachelor, and we eat at his table with just our plates. This year, as a small way of saying 'thank you' to him for starting this new tradition for all of us to enjoy, I'm been making matching placemats, napkins and a table runner. Using fabric that's covered with shamrocks, pots of gold, little leprechauns, etc.
Takes my mind off the war too. So thought I'd ask if any of you ever celebrate this Irish day.
Also....if anyone has any suggestions for anything else I might consider making, out of fabric [one of my loves] please offer them.
posted on March 15, 2003 01:46:19 PM new
Wow Linda, that sounds really neat!
Yes we do or did... since the kids moved out, it may be out for some Baileys
I don't have any suggestions, what you've done, sounds great!
My grandparents (mothers side) were from Ireland, so of course we ALWAYS did, but more 'religious' since they were Irish Catholic. but they would always do the corned beef and cabbage... my grandmother made thee best Irish Soda bread, and for the life of me, I cannot find the recipe. It did NOT contain any raisins or anything... rather plain really, but really good.
Up until last year (not sure if I'm doing it this year) I would wrap the corned beef in cabbage leaves, put in baking pan, pour one bottle of 'Ale' in, and it was really good
Happy St Patricks Day!
btw your friend, does he know the real Irish soda bread recipe by chance?
Art Bell Retired! George Noory is on late night coasttocoastam.com
posted on March 15, 2003 02:17:21 PM new
NTS - He has served a very plain bread, but I don't know if it was a soda bread or not. I've sent him an email to ask. Told him he'd be our hero if he did have a recipe. May not get a quick answer. Today is the only the second day we've had here, of really beautiful weather...so he may be taking the opportunity to get out. When he answers, I'll post here to let you know either way.
Happy St. Patrick's Day to you too.
I have no Irish blood in me, but I'm learning. He makes wonderful drinks, with different types of alcohol, but I can only take a sip to taste...[meds]. But they all have a great time...especially with the Baileys.
Your way of cooking the cornbeef and cabbage sounds yummy too.
posted on March 15, 2003 03:25:20 PM new
We decorate the entire house for all the holidays - yes, even the bathrooms and laundry room have decorations in them. I combine St. Urho's Day and St. Patrick's Day together, so we have lots of green and purple decorations everywhere!
For those not familiar with St. Urho's Day, it is March 16th - legend has it that St. Urho chased the grasshoppers out of Finland. The traditional colors for St. Urho's Day are green and purple. Some people say this is a completely made up holiday - I don't know if that's true or not. There were a lot of Finnish people in my howntown where I grew up and we celebrated it every year. When we started decorating the Hoffman home for the various holidays, it seemed appropriate to include this one too!
Linda_K, how about making your friend some St. Patrick's Day throw pillows for his couch, hand towels for kitchen/bathrooms, wall decorations (cloth draped over a dowel would make a neat wall hanging, or how about scraps of fabric made into a design and placed in a frame?), small quilt/throw blanket that can be placed on the back of a couch or chair, coasters for drinks on coffee tables or end tables, pot holders. Those are just a few ideas as I look around my home and see what we have out to celebrate the holiday!
How about getting a plain teeshirt or sweatshirt and sewing on a fabric shamrock or leprechaun? Or an apron made from the same fabric as the placemats/napkins/table runner?
posted on March 15, 2003 04:03:30 PM new
Thanks for all those wonderful suggestions. Think I'll make hot pads and coasters I shoul be able to get them done in time. I'm going to save your other suggestions for next year That will be nice, I can add to the 'theme' each year.
Thanks so much for your suggestions. Think he'll be thrilled. He was three years ago when I made him a patchwork stocking. He almost cried...said he'd never had a Christmas stocking before. 'Course that made me beam. Then he found the coal I'd put inside...
posted on March 15, 2003 04:19:39 PM new
wow, sallyhoffman, you do go out, my kids think I do, and I don't do half as much as you! well except Christmas, then its EVERYWHERE
That is really neat and interesting about St. Urho's Day!
Linda here I go again, wanting a sewing machine.... but I've already hinted to Mike about a certain radio I REALLY want (I'm a total radio freak-amateur and shortwave stuff) so I think he's getting it for my bday, no, I KNOW he will
Linda! you put coal in his stocking! LOL!
Art Bell Retired! George Noory is on late night coasttocoastam.com
posted on March 15, 2003 04:21:47 PM new
oh yeah that would be great if he had the recipe and you could post it! thanks! (in advance, and in case you can get it! )
Art Bell Retired! George Noory is on late night coasttocoastam.com
posted on March 15, 2003 04:59:04 PM new
NearTheSea, I only listed a small fraction of the decorations we have! The mantle above our fire place gets covered with various knick knacks, themed garland is hung around each hallway archway and around the mirrors in the bathrooms, I use themed table runners as dresser scarves in each of our bedrooms, themed liquid soap dispensers are next to each sink (kitchen and bathroom).
Oh, then there's the light-up window decorations for each of the 13 windows facing the street (even the ones in the garage!) - I put these all on timers so they turn on when it gets dark and then turn off at bedtime. Yes, our electric bills some months are huge, especially during the winter months when it gets dark so early!
We have the Malibu landscaping lights in the front yard by the sidewalk going up to the front door - I either replace the clear light bulbs with appropriately colored bulbs (red for Valentine's Day, purple and green for St. Patty's Day, red/white/blue for Memorial Day/4th of July/Labor Day, etc.) or use decorative plastic buckets placed over the lights. At Easter time a few years ago I found the cutest plastic Easter baskets/buckets at Wal-Mart for 50 cents apiece - I bought 12 of them, had hubby cut a hole in the bottom, then placed them over the landscaping light fixture. Instant decorations! We also use the orange Halloween jack-o-lantern type buckets at Halloween time - the first few years we just used the orange pails, now we have a variety of colors including orange, green, purple, and pink.
This all started innocently enough. When my son was a baby, I hung up some vinyl clings in the windows next to the rocking chair where I'd sit and rock him - I thought it would give him something to look. Well, it didn't take long before the decorating sort of exploded and now literally every room gets decorated! Hubby thinks I'm crazy, but I have a lot of fun doing it and the kids really enjoy seeing all the decorations.
A few years ago my husband and my Dad finished off the attic above our garage so I'd have extra room to store holiday decorations. I am not kidding when I say that space is entirely full of decorations and I still need more room! I have boxes piled up in the garage too! I have been trying to downsize a bit - I used to use stuffed animals in my decorating, but we think my son has allergies, so I've been trying to get rid of most of the animals and using glass/ceramic/resin things instead.
One really fun thing we do at Christmas time is to wrap our bedroom doors with wrapping paper/ribbon/bows to make them look like giant Christmas presents! My aunt used to do that with all the cupboards in her kitchen when I was growing up and I always thought that was so neat! She would also do the same thing with all the pictures/paintings hanging all the walls. I don't do the cupboards or pictures, but I used her idea to do the bedroom doors. It takes awhile - to make it look right, you need to take the door handles off, but once they are done, they really look neat!
You DO do a lot! that is so neat! I think it would be a lot of fun too!
My daughter did that a few years at Christmas, not the doors (but thats a great idea!) she wrapped all the pictures on the wall, I had to admit, it did look very Christmassy!
Woaw! I bet your glad they built the room to store it all!
Art Bell Retired! George Noory is on late night coasttocoastam.com
posted on March 15, 2003 05:28:21 PM new
From my my Irish wife..
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted
Directions
1 Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2 Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda. Blend egg and buttermilk together, and add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix just until moistened. Stir in butter. Pour into prepared pan.
3 Bake for 65 min.
posted on March 15, 2003 05:52:33 PM new
Linda_K, since he liked the Christmas stocking so well, maybe you could make him a hangable shamrock! All the closet doorknobs in our home get decorated too - at Christmas time we hang Christmas stockings on them, using the loops to hang them, at Valentine's Day little heart-shaped pillows are hung, etc.
NearTheSea, a few more decorating things we do - I have themed coffee mugs for each holiday (I haven't broken down and bought dishes for each holiday, just the coffee mugs...well, at least for now...); silk flower garland gets draped over our china hutch, curio cabinet, cupboards above the washer/dryer, and grandfather clock - I intertwine strands of clear Christmas lights (usually the smaller sets of 35 lights) throughout the garland and put these on a timer as well (red and pink silk flower garland for Valentine's Day; pastel pink and purple for St. Patrick's Day and Easter; red, white, and blue silk flowers for Memorial Day, etc.).
I sometimes use cotton throws as wall hangings, using wooden dowels to hang them.
posted on March 16, 2003 04:48:29 AM new
Good Morning to All -
Colin - Looks like you know how to enjoy the holiday
Fred - Thank your lovely Irish wife for sharing the recipe for the soda bread.
NTS - Our friend came through for us last night. The first recipe was what he said his mother used to make. The second is the one he says he also makes. He also sent two others, one with raisins and one with raisins and caraway seeds. If you want those too, just say the word and I'll post them.
IRISH SODA BREAD
Ingredients
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a cup or small bowl, stir together the milk and vinegar. Let stand 10 minutes, or until curdled.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, salt and baking soda. Stir in the curdled milk mixture until smooth. Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a floured surface, and shape into a disc. Place the disc into a cast iron skillet.
Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the crust feels firm to the touch.
-----
IRISH SODA BREAD
Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup buttermilk
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a
large baking sheet.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on prepared baking sheet.
In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an 'X' into the top of the loaf.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick
inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 30 to 50
minutes. You may continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture
while it bakes. Makes 1 (1-1/2 pound) loaf.
-----
posted on March 16, 2003 05:15:39 AM new
sallyhoffman - WOW, you really do go all out....and for all the holidays too. That's great. Thanks for sharing all your great idea's too. Many great suggestions there.
We used to go all out for Christmas and Valentine's Day....then just a 'touch' of decorations for the other holidays. Think we're on a reverse course now. Each year we put out less and less.
For the past few years we've been shipping out our long kept, favorite, decorations to our sons and their families....they love it. And when we visit them...it's just like being at home.
Over the years I've made everyone, family and friends, patchwork everything in the Christmas fabrics. Tree shirts, table mats, stockings, placemats, runners, full tablecloths, wall hangings, aprons, and baby blankets, throws, picture frames, on and on. Oh...what great memories......
----
It's nice to hear how others celebrate different holidays. Like a 'peak' into your lives. Thank you.
posted on March 16, 2003 08:59:56 AM new
Here you go..
IRISH SODA BREAD WITH RAISINS
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 cup raisins
1 egg, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a cast iron skillet.
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and sugar. Toss the raisins with the flour mixture until coated. Make a well in the center and add the egg, buttermilk, and melted margarine. Stir until all of the dry ingredients are absorbed.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a few quick turns just to even out the dough. Handle the dough as little as possible. Pat into a flat circle, and place into the prepared pan.
Bake the bread for 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are golden
------
IRISH SODA BREAD - with RAISINS AND CARAWAY SEEDS
Ingredients
1/2 cup white sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups raisins
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 cup sour cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch round cast iron skillet or a 9 inch round baking or cake pan
In a mixing bowl, combine flour (reserving 1 tablespoon), sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, raisins and caraway seeds. In a small bowl, blend eggs, buttermilk and sour cream. Stir the liquid mixture into flour mixture just until flour is moistened. Knead dough in bowl about 10 to 12 strokes. Dough will be sticky. Place the dough in the prepared skillet or pan and pat down. Cut a 4x3/4 inch deep slit in the top of the bread. Dust with reserved flour
Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 65 to 75 minutes. Let cool and turn bread onto a wire rack.
posted on March 16, 2003 10:15:29 AM new
Thank you Linda and Fred! Gonna have to make me go shopping now! LOL! But thank you both! (Besides had to get the beer, hey its for the corned beef! LOL)
Sallyhoffman, double wow! I wish I had more creativity in me! I did, it seemed when I had kids at home, I think they are the ones that prompted me to do the stuff.
But now I get the phone calls The oldest calls and says, 'are you doing the corned beef and cabbage thing tommorow?'
So, now I have to! And with the Irish Soda bread!
I remember going into a couple different grocery stores that had actual bakeries, and asking them if they had it, they look at me funny they did have a packaged one with raisins, but that is not what I wanted.
So a Big Happy St Pattys in advance and a big thank you to Fred and Linda for the recipes!
Art Bell Retired! George Noory is on late night coasttocoastam.com
posted on March 17, 2003 05:04:06 AM new
a few Irish blessings for you...the first is one I learned from my grandmother many years ago...
May there always be work for your hands to do;
may your purse always hold a coin or two;
may the sun always shine on your windowpane;
may a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;
may the hand of a friend always be near you;
may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
May those who love us,
love us.
And those who do not love us
May God turn their hearts;
And if God cannot turn their hearts,
May God turn their ankles
So we may know them by their limping.
"Be kind. Remember everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." - Harry Thompson
posted on March 17, 2003 06:47:59 AM new
Linda_K, I made the Irish Soda Bread with Raisins this morning - it's in the oven right now and the whole house is smelling wonderful!!
posted on March 17, 2003 06:58:27 AM new
~ Happy St. Patrick's Day to All ~
sallyhoffman - Sounds soooo good. Please let us know how it tastes.
colin - too much green beer?
Hope your tummy settles down soon.
wgm - Thanks for the Irish blessing and a way to be aware of who our enemies are.
NearTheSea - My friend asked if I wanted to invite the "Irish waife" who was interested in the soda bread recipe, to join us in his gala. I said I'd ask you, but since you lived across the country I wasn't sure if you could get a flight out in time. Besides I said, she's married with grown children. He was sooo disappointed. [He never quits trying] So...just know you were invited.
posted on March 17, 2003 09:57:30 AM new
LOL Linda! Yes, unless Mike is invited, I don't think he'd go for that LOL!!
And Top of the Mornin to all of you!
Well I blew it! LOL! We are house hunting, and spent the ENTIRE day going through homes!By the time I got to the store (and I printed out the recipes to KNOW what to get!)
it was so late, and thought, man I am going to be so tired tommorow, that I BOUGHT THE BAKERY loaf of Soda Bread with Raisins!!!!!
But do thank your friend, and thank you again Fred!
I also bought already made cupcakes with Leprechauns on them!
The girls are coming over, so I have to take them out of the store container and put them out, to make it look like I made them
Happy St Patricks Day all!
Art Bell Retired! George Noory is on late night coasttocoastam.com
posted on March 17, 2003 02:57:44 PM new
Linda_K, the Irish Soda bread with raisins is yummy! The flavor and texture of it reminds me of scones I've made in the past (usually scones are made with real cream, but a lot of times I'll use buttermilk instead). We had a jar of lemon curd in the fridge from the last time I made scones, so I tried some on the bread - it was really tasty! Please tell your friend Thanks for the recipes! I can't wait to try the rest of them, particularly the one with raisins and caraway seeds - when I make beef stew, sometimes I'll make dumplings with caraway seeds, so next time I'll have to serve the stew with this bread.
