Many of the traditional Irish desserts are made with fruit.  These fruits come mostly from the orchards or people’s gardens, or even those that are found in the wild.  Puddings and custards are also very popular and are widely used in Irish desserts as well.  This dessert is a delicious blending of both.  Not so long ago, most of the traditional Irish recipes were passed down from one generation to the next orally, through their stories and shared family experiences.  The same basic recipe will vary from one family to the next, since every family always adds their own special secret ingredient to make a dish really stand out.  Luckily today, many of these treasured heirlooms are found in cookbooks everywhere.  This was our St. Patrick’s Day dessert, served along with the rest of our traditional Irish fare.  An Irish Celebration

Apple Custard Pie

The Filling

4-5 apples, peeled and chopped

2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp ground cloves

The Crust

1 stick of butter, cold, cubed

2 TBSP sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

1 egg

1 tsp salt

5-6 TBSP heavy whipping cream

The Custard

1 egg

1 TBSP sugar

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla

Place the flour, butter, salt and sugar into the food processor and blend until it is crumbly.  Then add the egg and the cream and continue to blend until the dough forms into a ball.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using.

Preheat the oven to 350* F

Cut the apples and mix together with the sugar and the cloves.

Roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface and fit it into a tart pan, then press it firmly into the pan.  Add the filling and spread evenly.   Cut the remaining dough into thin strips and layer it across the top of the fruit mixture in a criss-cross.  Make an egg wash with one egg and a dash of cream and brush the crust and the edges of the tart with the egg wash.  Place the tart into the oven to bake for about 30 minutes, or until the apples are almost done.  Then remove the pie and add the custard filling by pouring it into the open areas of the tart, making sure to evenly distribute the liquid to cover the whole tart.  Place the tart back into the oven and continue to bake for another 30-40 minutes, or until the dough is lightly golden and the liquid has set.

Once the pie is done, let it cool for at least 30 minutes or so before cutting it.  It is best when served warm, with a bit of ice cream on the side.

Though roasted peppers have not always played a prominent role in Irish cooking, onions certainly do and have always been a staple to the foods of Ireland.  With foods from around the world now readily available to most restaurants and locations, it is no surprise that more and more non-traditional foods are being introduced and featured along with the traditional foods everywhere.  Ireland is certainly no exception to experimenting with new foods and new taste combinations, and like chefs everywhere, new creations abound.   This roasted pepper and onion tart is one such creation that is served regularly at Lovin Catering, in Dublin.  I found this delicious recipe in one of my old Irish cookbooks while I was planning my St. Paddy’s Day feast.  An Irish Celebration  I was a bit surprised to find a recipe with roasted peppers in an Irish cookbook, but pleasantly so.

Lovin Catering, as it is now known, was formerly called The Gallic Kitchen.  It was bought out from the original owner by the former manager of the Gallic Kitchen, Kevin Doyle and his wife Natasha, in 2014.  It is a gourmet cottage that offers “sophisticated yet simple food”, located in the town of Abbeyleix, Dublin.  Their motto is that they serve “good, honest food from scratch with a diverse menu that offers something for everyone”.  Though I’ve never been to Ireland, and therefore have never been to Lovin Catering, based on this recipe alone, I know I will just love it when I do get a chance to visit.

This tart is delicious, warm comfort food.   I could eat this everyday and be a very happy camper.

Roasted Pepper and Onion Tart

1 red bell pepper, roasted, with skin and seeds removed

1 yellow or orange pepper, roasted, with skin and seeds removed Roasting Peppers

2 TBSP olive oil

1 onion, sliced thick

dash of sugar

basic dough Chicken Pot Pie

1/4 fresh basil, chopped

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

2 eggs

salt & pepper to taste

(the butter was for my dough)

Preheat the oven to 400* F

While the peppers are resting, slice and cook the onion in olive oil with the sugar, until the onions are soft and translucent.  Once the peppers have cooled, remove the skins and the seeds and slice into thick strips.  Mix the onions with the peppers.

Roll out the dough to fit your tart pan and press it firmly into the pan.  Add the pepper and onion mixture to the dough, making sure to spread it evenly overt the dough.  Combine the eggs, cream salt & pepper and basil and mix well.  Then carefully pour the egg mixture over the peppers and onions, making sure to evenly cover the vegetables.  Bake uncovered for about 30-40 minutes, or until the crust is lightly golden and the egg mixture is completely set and does not jiggle when moved.

The finished tart is a delectable treat to be enjoyed either on its own or as a compliment to your meal.

Let the Baking Begin …… I can’t wait to see all the fabulous cakes coming our way for the Great Bloggers’ Bake-Off.

All bakers are welcome, from the novice to the advanced pastry chef. Show us all your baked goods and tell us your stories. It’s going to be a fun, fun day.

Saint Patrick’s Day?  Why do we celebrate?  What is the significance?  Why is everything green? These are all great questions.

Patrick was born in Britain to Welch parents who had been “Romanized” or accepted Christianity, in the 5th century.   His Latin name was Patricius.  When he was 16, Patrick was kidnapped and taken to Ireland as a slave.  He managed to escape the shackles of slavery, and in so doing, became the voice of the oppressed Irish people.  Patrick, or Padraig as he was known by the Irish, is known as the person who brought Christianity to the Irish, around 432 A.D.  Before his death, he was responsible for the construction of many churches, monasteries and schools all throughout the land.  Patrick was canonized as a Saint by the Catholic Church around the 17th century.  The first recorded celebration of St. Patrick was held in 1631, when the Church established a Feast Day in his honor.  This original celebration of the day is nothing at all like what it has become today.

St. Patrick’s Day, as we now know it, actually started in the United States, in areas that had large populations of Irish immigrants.  The first “modern” St. Patrick’s Day celebration was held in Boston, MA in 1737, followed by New York’s celebration in 1762, and it grew from there.  Originally, Ireland did not celebrate the day how it is celebrated now, however, they have adopted the American customs and traditions, and today celebrate as we do here, mainly for the tourists’ sake.

There are many legends associated with St. Patrick.  Two of the more widely known legends are that he drove all the snakes out of Ireland by throwing them all into the sea, and that he used the shamrock as the symbol for the Holy Trinity, because of its three leaflets on a single stem.  Today, there are still no snakes in Ireland other than those that have been imported over.   Leprechauns and all their mischief, as well as the wearing of the green, are both also famously associated with this day of revelry.   The leprechauns are fictional, magical creatures who are known for their mischievous ways.  In today’s culture, you always see them dressed in green.  Wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day is supposed to make you invisible to the leprechauns, which allows you to go about your business without being pinched by them.  But green was not always the color worn to honor St. Patrick and St. Patrick’s day.  Origianally, blue, and specifically a dark blue, was worn, to represent the blue skies of Ireland.  The green was adopted later, after Patrick become canonized by the Church, because of the green shamrock and its reference to the Holy Trinity.

People with an Irtish heritage, even if only for a day, often celebrate the day with green beer and corned beef and cabbage.  I don’t drink beer (now wine is a completely different story), so that one is out for me, and I am not a huge corned beef and cabbage fan either, so I often make something totally different.  I do have a lot of Irish blood in me, and therefore I choose to make other traditional Irish dishes to celebrate and honor the day.  This year, it was curried lamb over rice, with roasted vegetables, a roasted pepper and onion tart, cheese and onion soda bread A New Twist to the Tradition and I ended the meal with an apple custard pie.

Some of my Irish cookbooks that helped me plan my menu for the day.

I know, curried lamb is not something you would normally think of when thinking of traditional Irish food, however, it is.  Lamb and mutton dishes are very popular all throughout the UK, Ireland, Wales, Australia and New Zealand (all at one time were Bristish or British colonies).  In the days of the Raj, many Irish men, (as well as military men from these other countries) served in the British military in India, where they devloped a taste for the different curried dishes of India.  When they returned back to the UK and its provinces, they brought back the spices of India to recreate their favorite curried at home.

Curried Lamb

I love curry, and often make my own curried blends.

2 oz almond meal (I used my almond meal from Living Tree Community Foods More Treats from Living Tree Community Foods)

1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream

2 lbs lamb, cubed

2 TBSP ginger

salt to taste

1 onion, peeled and sliced in thin rings

2 tsp sugar

2 TBSP garlic

1-2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp each, cardamon, cloves, cumin, tumeric, curry, cayenne pepper – add more of each or any combination thereof if you like a stronger, more pronounced curry flavor

1 TBSP lemon juice

butter and olive oil for cooking

fried onions, optional for topping

tomatoes or tomato chutney, optional

Mix the almond meal and the heavy whipping cream together in a sauce pan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let rest for at least 15 minutes.

Cut the lamb into cubes, about 2 inches in size, and marinate with the ginger and the salt.  Make sure everything is well incorporated together.  Let marinate for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

Slice the onion into thin rings and cook in a hot skillet with a combination of both butter and olive oil and the sugar, for about 7 minutes, then add the spices, and continue to cook until the onions are completely cooked.

Once the onions are cooked, remove them from the pan and set aside.  In the same pan, adding more oil/butter as needed, cook the meat until it is completely browned on all sides.

Once the meat is cooked, add the onions and the almond cream mixture and mix together well.  Reduce the heat to a simmer, and continue to cook for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

After the curry is cooked, add the lemon juice and mix thoroughly before serving over rice.

I topped my lamb curry with fried onions and tomatoes.  Because lamb is a red meat, and I had a heavier sauce, I chose to serve it with delicious, fruity red blend of malbec and mertlot to really enhance the dish and bring out all the flavors.

Get Ready …. The Great Blogger’s Bake-Off is Coming

Shrimp scampi has been a favorite dish for shrimp lovers for many decades  It is such an easy dish to prepare, but it is a true classic, loved by everyone.  The traditional way of preparing the dish is to saute the crustaceans in garlic, olive oil, butter, wine, and parsley.  That’s it.  But with any dish, there are always many variations, none of which are wrong, and all are delicious.  Some people add bread crumbs, and/or tomatoes.  I have tried and loved many of these different variations.   Shrimp scampi is almost always served with pasta, although it can also be served with rice or over bread, or even over steamed vegetables.

In the United States, we use the term “scampi” for shrimp prepared in the traditional way.  However, scampi are actually small lobster-like crustaceans with a pinkish shell, called langoustines or langostinos.  They are also known as Nephrons or Dublin Bay prawns.  In Italy and the rest of Europe, scampi is made with the langoustines.  When the Italian immigrants came to America, they adapted the recipe, using Italian cooking techniques and American ingredients.

Classic Shrimp Scampi

This is all you need to make a classic shrimp scampi.

1 1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 TBSP butter

2-3 TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP garlic

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or to taste

2 TBSP lemon juice

1/4 cup Peruvian peppers, optional

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped or about 1-2 TBSP dried parsley

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet.  When the skillet is hot, add the shrimp and cook until they are pink and cooked through on all sides.

Once the shrimp is cooked, add the white wine, lemon juice, the red pepper flakes and salt & pepper.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for an additional 1-3 minutes, or until the wine reduces by about 1/2.

At the very end of the cooking process, add the parsley and Peruvian peppers (if using) and serve over your choice of pasta, rice, bread or vegetables.

I served my shrimp scampi with some stuffed mushrooms, my garlic cheese bread, and a dry white wine.  Simple and delicious!

My husband is one of those self-proclaimed “geeky guys” that loves all things related to numbers.  He is a software engineer, with a degree in aerospace engineering, so I suppose that’s why he loves numbers so much.  Anyway, he pointed out that today, 3/14, is National Pi day, or the annual celebration for the mathematical constant π.  The first three numbers represented in Pi, or π, are 3.14, and then it goes on and on to infinity and beyond.  Pi, as it is mathematically known, is 3.14159265358979323……..  .  I am NOT a mathematician and do not understand all this mathematical mumbo jumbo at all.  All I know about Pi, or π, is that it is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, and that it is an irrational number.  Pi was configured back in the days of the ancient Greeks and ancient mathematicians and is still used by mathematicians worldwide today.  To the Ancients, it was maddening and frustrating because π is an irrational number and its exact value is inherently unknowable.  They also took it as an affront to God’s omniscience, because there was no way God would create something irrational, even if it was irrational to mere mortals.

National Pi day was organized by Dr. Larry Shaw, a physicist from the San Francisco Exploratorium.  On March 12, 2009, The U.S. House of Representatives passed a non-binding resolution (111. H. Res. 224) recognizing March 14, 2009 as National Pi Day.  The tradition has been growing in popularity ever since.  Today, it is celebrated in many ways, all of which are related to pie, or Pi.  Eating pies of any kind is a favorite way to “celebrate” the day.

We observed Pi Day by eating a beef pot pie.

Beef Pot Pie

I use my basic master dough for the crust. Chicken Pot Pie.  I usually only put the dough on the bottom of my baking dish and then cover the top of the pot pie with dough.  Some people like the dough and crust to go up the sides of the baking dish, but I find that makes the pot pie way to heavy and to filling.  If you like your crust around the whole inside of your baking dish, double the dough recipe.

2 lbs of beef, cut into small cubes

3-4 TBSP flour

salt & pepper to taste

4 TBSP olive oil or cooking oil

2 carrots, peeled and diced fine

1 potato, peeled and diced fine

1 cup frozen peas

4-6 mushrooms, sliced

2-3 bay leaves

1 TBSP garlic

1/2 cup dry wine

1 3/4 beef broth

1 TBSP soy or tamari sauce

1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

2 TBSP tomato paste

1 1/2 tsp thyme

1 egg and cream for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 350* F.

Spray coking spray into your baking dish or dishes.

Coat the meat with flour and salt & pepper, dice all the vegetables, and mix all the liquids together well.  In olive oil or cooking oil, brown the meat until it is completely browned, then remove from the pan.

In the same pan and the same oil, adding more as needed, add the vegetables and the bay leaves and cook until the potatoes and carrots are tender and the onions are translucent.

Once the vegetables are cooked, add the meat back into the pan and mix everything together well.  Then add the liquid mixture and most of the thyme  Adjust the seasonings as needed.  Mix everything together and let simmer for about 5-7 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Roll out the dough and cut out  your tops and bottoms.   Place the bottom pieces into the baking dishes and then fill with the filling.  Make sure to remove all the bay leaves before filling the pie dishes.  bay leaves are great for seasoning foo, but are poisonous to eat.  Place the top pieces and press down to completely cover the top of the baking dish.  Crimp the edges.  If you have extra dough, you can add it to the rim, to help seal the pot pies.  Score the top with a sharp knife.

Make your egg wash.  There are many different ways to make it.  Feel free to play around with it to find the method that works best for you.  For me, I use 1 egg and just a dash of heavy whipping cream and whisk them together.  I like using the cream because it has a little more sugar content, which enhances the browning process.  This time, I mixed the remainder of the thyme into my egg wash as well.  Brush the egg wash onto the tops of your pies right before putting them into the oven.

Bake the pies for about 1 hour, or until the dough is golden brown.  Let cool for a few minutes, then dig in and enjoy.  It’s time for pie, or Pi when it is eaten on 3/14.

Your Shopping List For The Great Bloggers’ Bake-Off

Please join in the fun with

and special judge A Jeanne in the Kitchen

on Sunday 24th March 2019

The shopping list for

We are very excited about our fun family day for the blogging community. To participate you will need some essentials. So check your cupboards to make sure you have the following or add them to your shopping list this week:

• flour

• eggs

• sugar

• butter or oil

• baking powder

• in addition – think about fillings and decorations (there is a clue as to what our challenge is)

Of course if you want to make a vegan, or sugar free, fat free or even flour free creation then please feel free to use any alternatives!

This is not really a competition, it is more of a fun family day for our blogging community. We would love you to be involved. We would be thrilled if you can take on our baking challenge and send us photos of your creation. If you don’t think you can bake – then ask a family member or friend or workmate to help you out. HAVE FUN!! Whatever you do have lots of fun!

If your oven decides to go on strike or anything prevents you from getting your hands messy – we would love you to join in the fun by supporting the bakers and commenting on their creations.

If you will be on holiday or in hospital or have to work on Sunday 24th March 2019 – then of course you could take on the challenge in advance and send us a photo. We will make sure your creation is included in the round-up posts for THE GREAT BLOGGERS’ BAKE-OFF.

Look out for this Sunday’s post –

THE GREAT BLOGGERS’ BAKE-OFF CHALLENGE!

I am already receiving and accepting some great photos and stories.  Please, add your stories and baking adventures with your pictures too.  The stories make it so much more fun.  🙂