Whether you are Irish or not, I believe we all need the luck of the Irish right now! St. Patrick’s Day is special in our home as it is the birthday of both my daughter and my mother. To learn more about the history of this holiday, please click here. Today, I have two recipes for you: Guinness Pie and Baileys Irish cream cheesecake.

Most people think of corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day. But I am not a huge fan of the traditional dishes. Each year, I make both of these recipes and since they are so delicious, I make them again and again! The original recipe for Guinness Pie was published in the New York Times but if you try and get it online, they make you pay for a weekly subscription. Not sure how I scored a paper copy of it, but the printable recipe is below. I will provide a link to the cheesecake recipe.

Guinness Pie

If you need a pie crust shortcut, I strongly recommend Trader Joe’s pie crust. These are a staple in my freezer as I use them for both sweet and savory pies. You can find them in the freezer section of your local Trader Joe’s. This is my favorite preferred alternative to a homemade crust and super easy to use. However if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s, you can make your own crust or use another store-bought brand.

Before I start any recipe, I gather all my ingredients.

Since this recipe requires a bit of chopping, having sharp knives is important. The sharper the knife the safer the chop. Before you sharpen your knife, please note the type of knife you have. We have a sharpener for my Asian blades and a different one for the German blades. Here are several choices in knife sharpeners.

With all the vegetables chopped and ready to go, cooking commences.

Carrots, celery, onion, garlic, mushrooms are cooked in a oven-safe pot. I used my Le Creuset pot~~which I love (and wish I had a few more!). But any Dutch oven or heavy stock pot will do.

A side note about my Le Creuset~ this signature porcelain enameled cast iron Dutch oven is an investment, but you will not be disappointed. Mine is 5.5 quarts (or #26). With this recipe I believe you could go with a smaller one, maybe a 4.5 or 3.5 quart size.

I use my Le Creuset frequently. It’s perfect for everything from baking homemade bread to making soups and stews. This pot will be passed down to the next generation. You really can’t go wrong with purchasing it.  

While this cooks, your kitchen will smell so good!

The recipe calls for 3 pounds of brisket. Though it does not instruct to trim the fat from the brisket, I did~~about 7 oz. of it. The fresh rosemary is clipped from the garden. If you don’t have an herb garden, I really encourage you to have fresh herbs in a pot. Simple pleasures and how intoxicating is the smell of fresh rosemary?

The recipe also calls for 4 cups of stout beer. I had two bottles of Guinness but when I measured it, the volume was only 3 cups. However, the beer did cover the beef in the pot, so I didn’t feel a need to add more.

What makes this stew so delicious, is that, after sautéing all the vegetables and beef, is the slow-baking in the oven for 2 1/2 hours. After the appropriate baking time, freshly shredded cheddar cheese is added (or trotter gear, if you have it). Look at the rich texture and color of the stew! While the stew is cooking you can work on the crust.

Just a side note on trotter gear. It involves pig’s feet (ewww) so the cheddar cheese option is fine with me. But here’s a recipe if you are interested in making it.

The pie crust can be placed in either a 8-inch square Pyrex dish or a pie pan. I like using a 9″ deep dish glass pie dish. After I add the beef stew, I put the remaining cheddar cheese on top and then top it with a basketweave crust using different widths of dough. With the leftover dough, I use shamrock cookie cutters for a decorative touch.

If you are not familiar with a basketweave top crust, a standard pie crust top is fine.

Using green food coloring, I paint the shamrocks with a pastry brush. I did this for the first time last year and really thought it made the Guinness pie look more festive. Then pop the pie into the oven for another 45 minutes until the crust is puffy and golden.

This is such a flavorful, hearty pie, which is perfect for this time of year. Though the recipe yields 6 servings, I could easily get 8 out of the pie. Since we are having guests for dinner on Thursday, I will be making 2 pies. Plus the leftovers are equally delicious!

In addition, I will serve my arugula salad with lemon dressing so we have more greens for St. Patrick’s Day. We have a bumper crop of arugula that will bolt soon as the temperatures rise, so I am trying to harvest as much as I can from the garden.

Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheesecake

The next recipe is very decadent but such a festive dessert for St. Patrick’s Day. Just a note: The recipe recommends a 5 hour refrigeration time so plan accordingly. Here is the direct link to the cheesecake recipe~~click here. I will be making this the day before and finishing it on St. Patrick’s Day before company arrives.

For the crust, put whole Oreo cookies in the Cuisinart to get 2 cups of crumbs~~approximately 18 to 20 cookies. Mix in melted butter.

The recipe tells you to put the crumbs in a spring form pan, yet isn’t clear on if they only go on the bottom or up the sides. Keep the crust on the bottom (per the pictures on the link). Bake for 8-10 minutes. If you need a 9″ springform pan, see one here.

The directions are a little vague about wrapping the springform pan. I wrap the bottom and the sides with double foil to make sure no water will enter the inside of the pan during the hot bath.

Once the cheesecake is finished baking and has cooled, it needs to be refrigerated for at least 5 hours or overnight.

I let mine cool overnight and will make the chocolate ganache the next day.

Last year I failed to get a photo of an individual piece, so this is from 2 years ago. My ganache last year is much shinier, which is the trademark of a successful ganache. Regardless, the taste of the cheesecake is just amazing.

I hope you will try these recipes because I only recommend the ones that I have personally tried and tasted. There’s nothing worse than spending time in the kitchen only to have an underwhelming dish.

Also, if you missed the post on decorating a St. Patrick’s Day table to go with these fabulous recipes, you can see that here. Enjoy!

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Saturday’s All Things Lemon class, with 10 eager participants, is a resounding success. It is the perfect time to celebrate citrus season here in Phoenix, Arizona. You cannot beat the quality and freshness of picking a lemon, orange, grapefruit, tangelo or tangerine right from the tree. This class is an opportunity to gather and learn, meet new friends, and taste fresh recipes.

Making and Baking

We start in the kitchen, with our first recipe, an easy Meyer lemon tart. We learn how to blind bake a sweet pastry crust and whirl all the filling ingredients in a blender.

Adding a dusting of confectioner’s sugar, thin lemon slices, fresh berries and mint sprigs dresses up this dessert for company.

Typically, I make most of our cakes from scratch, but I realize that store-bought cake mixes makes life easier. The next recipe (thank you, Chloe!), Limoncello Bundt cake is made with both a white cake mix and an instant lemon pudding. With only 15 minutes to prepare, this recipe is a stunner.

While things are baking in the oven, we head out to the back porch. It is a beautiful, moderate day and we use the outdoor table to make preserved lemons.

The preserved lemon recipe I have shared before and you can find it in detail in this previous post. We have fun smushing the lemons into a jar, adding fresh lemon juice and spices.

Participants are given instructions on shaking the jar for the next 2 to 3 weeks until the lemons are preserved. Additional recipes for using preserved lemons is also provided, including my favorite pasta one.

Making Limoncello

Next up is making limoncello from scratch. Since this recipe takes a few weeks of macerating the lemon rinds in Everclear, I make it ahead of time to maximize our time in class. Providing each attendee with their own simple syrup, they can adjust the sweetness according to their own tastes.

Is limoncello better with Everclear or vodka? Everclear is a good choice because when mixed with simple sugar, it dilutes to the correct alcohol ratio of 28-32%. Vodka is a bad choice because it will lower the alcohol ratio to about 14-18% which is less than the traditional Limoncello.

In addition to traditional limoncello, I make Meyer lemon Limoncello, again a few weeks ahead of time. Providing some sips, some participants prefer it to the original limoncello.

The class concludes with taste testing the lemon tart, limoncello bundt cake and of course, limoncello. New friendships are made and everyone goes home with their bag of goodies.

Recommended Supplies

Recommendations are made regarding supplies: lemon squeezer, zester, bundt and tart pans.

The bundt pan I use for the limoncello cake I find at a local thrift store for $6.00. However, you can also find many sizes and styles online. Here’s one made by Wilton and is carbon steel now 25% off for $13.99 with 4.8 rating with over 15,000 reviews.

The best pan for the easy lemon tart is one with a removable base and a fluted edge. I made this tart in both a removable base pan and a springform pan. Clearly, the removable base tart pan works best.

As I conduct classes here at Bella Terra, I am learning so much. In researching different varieties of lemons, I discover that most store bought lemons are treated with a wax coating to protect them while shipping and to make them more visually appealing (shiny).

The wax is either beeswax (which isn’t too bad) but another is petroleum-based. So if you are using the rinds of store bought lemons, soak the lemons first in hot water and watch the wax rise to the surface. The thought of zesting wax in your recipes is a bit yucky.

I want to thank all those who donated freshly picked lemons to this class ~Sandy, Anne, Tevia, Dawn, and Steve. You are very generous! I am also very grateful to those who signed up for this class. We did have fun!

I am addicted to the Great British Baking Show which airs on Netflix.  The 15 seasons, now hosted by Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood (swoon~~ah those blue eyes!), is a must see. Each season brings the best home bakers from across the country vying for a chance to be named the winner. Since this show ignites the baking desire in me, I am inspired to share how to make these delicious tea cakes, known as lemon madeleines.

Have you Watched this show?

Amateur British bakers face off in a 10-week competition whipping up their own dishes hoping to be named the best in the U.K. The show is so informative-who knew the British had so many different cakes, breads, puddings, and pastries! Even though Madeleines are French in origin, it is the Great British Baking Show that encourages me to step out of my comfort zone and try new recipes.

What are Madeleines?

Madeleines are a very traditional French breakfast or tea cake.  Perfect madeleines should have a nice hump at the top, indicating a good rise and a lightness in texture. The thinner edges should be golden brown, caramelized and crunchy. According to this recipe, a madeleine pan is nice but not necessary. You can also use a miniature muffin pan. Personally, I like the shape of this tea cake and prefer to use the correct pan.

Ingredients and Recipe

This recipe for madeleines is from Dessert University by Roland Messier, executive pastry chef at The White House for 25 years. My friend, neighbor and chef, Barb Fenzl, hosted Roland’s cooking class years ago. His cookbook is a treasure trove of delicious desserts and you can find it here.

Not only was his class informative, but he entertained us with food stories of various presidents and their families. Working at the White House for 25 years, I’m sure there are many things he cannot share.

Simple, Fresh ingredients

The ingredients are rather simple~~flour, baking powder, lemon, sugar, eggs and lots of butter!

Blend the flour and baking powder together.

Zest the lemon~~later the fruit will be juiced for the lemon glaze. Zesting is very easy if you have the right equipment. This is clearly my favorite zesting tool here.

Using the paddle attachment on your mixer, blend the sugar, butter, lemon zest and salt.

Be careful not to over beat.

With the mixer on low, add the eggs and then the egg yolk until well combined.

Stir in the flour mixture and mix until dough is smooth.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Baking Preparation

Butter and flour the madeleine pan.  The only one I have is a Tefal silicone one with 8 cakes. Though the recipe stated there isn’t a need to butter and flour the non-stick pan, I did so to prevent any sticking. Updated note: I do not like this silicone pan. It buckles in the oven and prevents the batter from laying evenly. Maybe it works better laying on a cookie sheet? See another pan resource here.

Fill the cups 3/4 full.  The batter is almost cookie dough-like and it’s hard to tell when it’s 3/4 full. My first batch produced rather large madeleines.  I measured the batter in the second batch (a low heaping tablespoon) and the madeleines were a more normal size. Below is a picture of the first batch pre-oven.

With my convection oven so I set the temperature at 400 degrees (recipe calls for 425 degrees) and baked them for approximately 8 minutes.  That time will vary depending on the how much batter is in each hole.

Finishing Touches

After baking, remove the madeleines immediately from the pan.  Mine pop out nicely.  Brush each one with the lemon glaze. This silicone basting brush works very well with the delicate cakes (see here).

This is only the second time I’ve made madeleines and I really love this lemon recipe.

These are a big hit with my family!  I wonder what Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith would say 🙂

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Happy Saturday from the chilly mountains of Arizona. I am here with my friend, Christine for a few days, enjoying the crisp temperatures, snow on the ground and the quiet solitude. Storms are predicted for later on this weekend but hopefully we will be back on the road to the Valley before any front moves in. Thanks for joining me today for Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week.

Passion Fruit

Have you ever eaten passion fruit? It is not something we typically see in our produce section in the grocery store, since it is cultivated in tropical climates. Our local store, Safeway, surprisingly have some in stock and I am excited to try it. Rather expensive and quite odd looking, these wrinkly globes aren’t very visually appealing.

Cut them open to reveal and even stranger looking substance. The fruit is tart, slightly sweet and tangy.

Needless to say, I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I am glad I tried it. Will I buy it again? Maybe if it’s on sale. Have you ever had passion fruit and if so, do you just eat it or use it in a recipe?

Cold Weather

I know many parts of the U.S. are getting hit with extremely cold temperatures. As you know my son, Benjamin is attending grad school in Chicago. Here is a shot of the weather one day this week. How a Phoenix born and raised person fairs in this type of weather, I do not know.

Having the appropriate layers and clothing is the key, I guess. Here’s a photo of Benjamin’s girlfriend, Delaney ready for the extreme weather.

Perhaps I should stop complaining when it gets under 60 degrees here! I’m just cold looking at her photo.

Forcing Branches into Blooms

This week I did a heavy trimming of my fruit trees (peaches and apricots) as small, new buds are now appearing. Instead of composting the cut branches, I grab an armful and decide to try and force them into bloom indoors.

Using a large green glass jug, I fill it with branches and bring it inside to our breakfast room table. Placing it adjacent to the fireplace, I believe this will be a nice warm spot for the blossoms to explode.

I will keep you posted on their progress. Also, my friend, Kim from Shiplap and Shells has a blog post about forcing blooms and her pictures are great too. Have you ever done this?

Tangerine Sidecars

My sweet neighbor and friend, Tevia brings over a large basket of fresh tangerines this week. In addition to just squeezing and drinking the tangerine juice, we make these delicious Tangerine Sidecars. The ingredients include tangerine juice, lemon juice, ginger simple syrup and bourbon. I always think of these as a healthy cocktail (getting your Vitamin C), if there even is such a thing. Recipe is here.

Getting Small Projects Done

One of my New Year’s goals is to check projects off the Big and Small Project Lists. This week, I touch up paint the back staircase steps. If you recall, re-doing the back staircase was a beastly project (see it here). The staircase has a navy stripe going up the center of white painted steps. Though the paint seems to be holding up, there are normal chips from wear and tear.

What makes this project easy, is that I keep a Mason jar of paint labeled and handy to use. A quick shake of the jar and a small paint brush, and now all the chips are gone! Small project done!

Around the Internet

Coco, from The Crowned Goat, has a lovely inspirational post about “You can’t finish what you don’t start”. If you are feeling a bit stuck in your life, this is a really good read. You can find it here.

I am a big fan of vintage quilts. Each bed at our cabin has its unique one with its own story. Cindy, from Country Road 407 has a delightful post on ways to use and decorate with vintage quilts. Don’t you love these quilt tags? You can see it here.

Mary’s Must Haves

Though it may not be gardening season for some of you, this is the ONLY product that works on eradicating the nasty worms that eat my geranium blooms. As seen on Shark Tank, First Saturday Lime is an organic alternative to pesticides. It REALLY works! I applied this to my geraniums 2 years ago and all the worms disappeared. The little buggers are back on a few of my plants so my husband quickly ordered more. I cannot say enough about this product. It also removes and prevents algae from ponds and birdbaths. Here is their product description: Easy, Eco-Friendly, and Effective monthly insect barrier that Repels , Neutralizes, and Deodorizes (homes, coops, kennels, ponds) and prevent ants, fleas, ticks, aphids, mosquitos, algae. You can find it here.

This is my new go-to noodle. Lotus Foods Millet and Brown Rice Japanese- style noodles are gluten-free, and easy to cook. Millet and brown rice are some of the most nutritious and easily digestible grains. Ready to eat in 4 minutes. This week I made an Italian chicken dish and broke these noodles into it. So delicious and can be used in numerous ways. You can find these at Costco in a 12-pack or you can order them online here in a 10-pack. Perfect for soups and each pack has 8 grams of protein.

My hands are EXTRA dry at the cabin. These hand masks infuse collagen, vitamins and natural plant extracts to help dry, cracked and aging hands. After I finish writing this post, I plan to use one of these masks to help improve the condition of my hands. Great price for 5 hand masks at $11.99.

I hope you have some fun things planned for the weekend. Stay safe and warm out there!

Can it possibly be mid-January already? I hope this year isn’t another one on fast-forward. All my efforts to slow time do not seem to be working. Happy Saturday to you and I hope this blog post finds you comfy and cozy. It is very cold here in Phoenix as we are not used to freezing morning temperatures very often. Let’s get started with Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week.

Christmas and Holiday Decorations

The goal was to have all the decorations put away last weekend. However, a bulk of those decorations go into the Christmas room in the basement (see that post here). Monday morning I went to put the last of the boxes away and the Christmas room was flooded. In addition to storage, there are two 80 gallon water heaters in one corner. One of the water heaters split and hence the flooding. We also have flood alarms in the basement and even though one was under water, did it alert us? NO!

By Wednesday, our plumber replaced the water heater (when did they become so expensive?). Clean up follows and we are now storing the balance of the boxes. There is always something that doesn’t go according to plan.

A Wildlife week

Since our big dog, Cooper passed away, we are experiencing more wildlife in the yard. I don’t know if it was due to Cooper marking his territory, but we are seeing more critters. A few cute ones~bunnies and a cat who strolls around like he/she owns the place. However, I believe this display of small animals is also attracting a very large coyote.

Cooper did a great job keeping coyotes out of the property, but they are back. I fear for the cat and bunny, but hoping they are very fast and good at hiding. Hard to believe we have coyotes, foxes, raccoons, bobcats, peccaries and various birds of prey in our relatively urban environment.

What’s in Bloom

In spite of the freezing temperatures, we still have things thriving and blooming. The ornamental cabbages planted in the fall look their best now, with their shades of purple and blue/green leaves. Lately I’ve been so drawn to the color purple, lavender and plum. Not sure what that is about but I checked online and it says it represents feeling a strong connection to spirituality. Hmm.

Even though lavender loves a warm climate, it is doing just fine in our cooler temperatures.

Along the same colors as the lavender flower and sage colored leaves, is our Texas sage.

In this new year, do you find yourself drawn to a specific color? In March 2018 I actually wrote a post on why we are drawn to color. It appears then, purple was the big attraction. How odd as it is not a color that is one of my favorites.

Soup Weather

It is the perfect time of year to make soup. This week I made chicken noodle soup from chicken bones and loosely referenced Half Baked Harvest’s recipe, Lemony Pesto Chicken Noodle Soup. Typically my stock consists of lots of bones/parts, onions, celery, carrots and seasoning. Once the stock has simmered for hours, I strain it and then add more chicken, vegetables, seasonings, noodles or rice or orzo.

Normally, I don’t add lemon juice, fennel or pesto, but I must say, adding these ingredients elevates my chicken soup. Probably the best chicken soup I’ve ever created. If anyone makes the Half Baked Harvest recipe please let me know how it goes.

You have heard me reference the Fast Metabolism Diet book. It has a Chicken and Barley soup recipe that is full of vegetables such as butternut squash, yellow summer squash, zucchini, broccoli and mushrooms. It is more of a stew vs. a soup because of the barley. I tend to season it more as I feel it’s on the bland side, but another great soup that sticks to your bones.

Artificial Intelligence

I am not sure how I feel about artificial intelligence, or AI. However, apparently the images below are created by AI. On one hand, I am amazed at what AI can do. On the other hand, like most things in life, there are those who will manipulate it. The long term impact is unknown but I see many jobs becoming obsolete as a result.

There is an AI tool that you can use for interior design. DecorAI is a comprehensive AI-powered interior design tool that helps users come up with new decorating ideas. Users can take a photo of their room and get up to five free design ideas. I haven’t tried this yet but here are some of their before and after photos.

Technology is certainly changing the world.

Mary’s Must Haves

Each night before bed, I heat up my microwaveable aromatherapy blanket and slip it in between my fitted and top sheet. Then I am off to wash my face, brush my teeth and get into my jammies. By the time I actually get into bed, my sheets are so nice and warm. Heavenly!

This blanket measures 44″ x 18″ and weighs 5 lbs. The lavender scent helps promote relaxation. You can even freeze the insert to help alleviate muscle soreness. The removable cover is washable and oh so soft! It comes in 5 different colors/fabrics. See it here.

With the cold weather, my cuticles seem to get so dry. Again, a nighttime ritual is applying cuticle oil to soften and repair damaged cuticles. This particular one has over 121,000 views on Amazon with a 4.7 star rating. Not only does the 2.5 oz oil come fragrance-free, but also has 12 other fragrances to choose. Currently it is 38% off. See it here.

There is something to be said for writing with a pretty pen. The Rifle Paper Company has such cheerful designs and I love this affordable set of gel pens in these happy colors. Whether you journal or just need a good-looking pen, here’s an affordable way to do so. Four Estee gel pens at $18.00~what a nice treat to yourself.

The link will take you to the home page of Rifle Paper and then click on the New Arrivals box. Scroll down about 8 rows and you will find it there.

For years, I have been using Oil of Oregano. Oregano oils have antioxidant, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. These oils may also play a beneficial role in weight management and infection treatments. It’s a natural antibiotic and may improve gut health. The minute I feel a little off, I take it. When I travel or am surrounded by large crowds, I take it as a precautionary measure. This little gem is instrumental in keeping me healthy. Note: I do take it with food as it can upset an empty stomach.

Naturally always research products before you start taking them. Also make sure you are getting a high quality supplement. If you’re interested in taking oregano oil extract but currently taking prescription medications, make sure to consult your healthcare professional before adding it to your regimen.

That’s a wrap! Have a terrific weekend. Stay healthy and warm!