Are the little leprechauns at your house looking for ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Offer to make one (or more!) of these holiday-inspired dishes or treats. From cookies and cupcakes to shepherd’s pie and corned beef hash, here are six recipes that are sure to please your kids – and all the parents at your dinner table, too.
Corned Beef
For the ultimate in Irish comfort food, Epicurious offers this homemade corned beef and vegetables recipe. The meal takes some time to prepare, including brining the brisket (soaking meat in a spiced liquid akin to marinating) for eight days. Yes, eight! But all that time is worth the effort – the brisket is infused with incredible flavor.
Corned Beef Hash
And what to do with all that leftover corned beef? Make it into hash, of course! Kitchen Riffs uses corned beef to make a breakfast hash. The hash is topped with a just-cooked egg for an ingenious, filling meal that would make for a good dinner, too.
Shepherd’s Pie
Make a traditional Irish shepherd’s pie with this recipe from Food Wishes. The recipe calls for lamb, pointing out, “shepherds raise sheep, not cows.” But you can still use ground beef in your version! Another twist: With the mashed potato topping, use a fork to create a crisscross pattern.
Irish Soda Bread
Whether you consider yourself a baker or not, this Irish soda bread from Simply Recipes is easy to make. The name says it all: Instead of yeast to help lift the dough, baking soda makes it rise – and keeps your prep time to 15 minutes. Bake for 40 minutes while you’re making the rest of your meal.
Clover Cupcakes
Your kids will love making these cute clover cupcakes from Spoonful. The recipe calls for you – or your wee ones – to make three small balls out of aluminum foil for each cupcake. You place those next to the filled cupcakes before baking (outside of the paper) so that once they’re cooked, they’re in a three-leaf clover shape. Now, time for some green frosting, right?
Shortbread Cookies
Shortbread cookies are the ultimate holiday indulgence. Packed with butter held together with just a bit of flour, powdered sugar and cornstarch, this recipe for shortbread cookies from Just a Pinch tastes like real Irish shortbread. Splurge on the best butter you can find for creamy, rich cookies!
Rainbow Cake
When you cut into this colorful cake, your kids will think it’s magic! This rainbow cake recipe from Martha Stewart uses food coloring to fit every color of the rainbow into an edible work of art. You might even want to get some gold, foil-wrapped chocolate coins to serve with it.
