St Patty's Supper- Corned Beef and Colcannon and three desserts

So here is the after St Patty's day feast recap!

I set the table in a mix of white plates I've had for years, and green ones that I am slowly collecting at Goodwill. I had 12 guests and have gathered 5 plates, so it made for a nicely even table! Duane got a gold souvenir plate from California. I figured gold goes with leprechauns, so it matched too ;) The green goblets were from the Dollar Tree. I got back when we were so strapped that I had to get them a couple at a time, and pray they didn't sell out before I collected twelve!

Linen napkins went in vintage napkin rings. And the kids all got different animal knife rests beside their plates, the "grown-ups" got glass ones. And, YES, I know I committed a terrible sin of table setting. I put the knives and rests on the left side! They should have been to the right with the napkin, but I didn't have enough space to do things properly (eye roll). I still thought it made a nice table. 

Under the name tags were chocolate golden coins, from a pot of leprechaun gold, of course. I had been looking in a fancy magazine and saw some adorable name tags, menus, and invites, all done in watercolor. Then I looked at the price and blanched! It made me remember how much I used to enjoy playing at watercolors. So I painted us some with shamrocks and toadstools. No, I don't think they are fantastic, but they were free, and I had fun making them. Now I'm excited to think of ones to paint for other parties. I already did some with rabbits I might use for Easter... 

I told the hubby on Friday night, "I get to cook all day tomorrow; I'm so excited!" The next morning I smilingly repeated my sentiments. By 3:00 I told the hubby, "I am sick of cooking! I'm going for a walk!" I went down to the creek and saw not one, but two, gorgeous snakes. It was so peaceful and lovely that I came back refreshed and finished the rest of my cooking and set the table. I wanted to have as much done beforehand and ready to cook the next day as I could. Why? Because I would be gone to church for half the day, and then I wanted to actually enjoy the preparations. Everything went off so well that I had time to go outside and shoot with my oldest son and the hubby before I needed for finish up! I love shooting the AK-47 so much ;)

 This is my dear mother and father-in law who shared the corned beef recipe with me. They wouldn't miss St Patrick's Day supper for anything!

I had told my friend, Ms Jenny, that I would share the colcannon recipe. Then I realized that I couldn't until I made it for the party! It is not so much a recipe as just eyeballing things and then throwing them together. But I took pictures as I went this time and wrote thing out. So the recipe is coming. Suffice to say it is two heads of chopped cabbage and green onions cooked down in butter, salt and pepper. Then you make 6 pounds of mashed taters with cream and butter and mix the two together. Top with cheese and bake. This is MY version, created off of one I found. If you are Irish born and bred, feel free to spit at me for ruining your national dish!

The corned beef was fall-apart tender and everyone liked it. I am still toying with the amount of salt, but with our sides it was very good. And my middle son said he will make some Reuben sandwiches for us out of the leftovers! He makes the most amazing homemade Reubens!

I love a salad with fruit and nuts in it. I layer the greens with handfuls of mandarin oranges, dried cherries, and sliced almonds. This, along with butterhorn rolls was the sum total of the dinner. Few components, but all wonderful together. Instead of a ton of various dishes, I like to do one comprehensive plate and not stress so much. Plus it leaves time for more desserts!!

I used a new tart pan that one of my babies got me for Christmas, and made a shortbread crust filled with a chocolate custard spiked with a tiny amount of peppermint oil. It was just the right amount, not too overpowering, and it turns out that everyone loved the chocolate and mint combo. I also made a big batch of lime sugar cookies and sprinkled them with green sugar, but that was so beside-the-point that I didn't even get a picture. It was this pie, this glorious, decadent pie that had captured my whole attention. Honestly folks, I was ready to skip our special meal just to get to this pie...

This recipe was in an issue of Better Homes and Gardens that our former preacher's wife saves for me. I don't find a lot of recipes in them, but this one clutched me by the taste buds as soon as I saw it. This is a Lime Cream Pie with Blackberry Syrup. I tasted every component as I made it and was crazy about them all. So I was very excited to taste it all combined. OH my heavens! It was sumptuous! There was enough lime zest and juice in the base to make it pleasingly tart, but it also has condensed milk, which made it rich. The blackberry syrup was so good, and also tart, that I could have sucked it straight from it's little pitcher. But put it all together with some fresh berries-- and this was a delightful dessert! It is so wonderful to be that excited about something and it not disappoint. Of course, you know there are some things I will change when I make it again. The pretzel crust for one. Not a fan. But overall, I'm gonna play with this darling and eat it again and again.

In fact, I ate it again for breakfast. I looked at the stacks of dirty dishes and piles of napkins that I abandoned the night before, so that we could sit outside by the first fire of the season and watch the dogs play, and talk, talk, talk. The day after is when you pay for when you play ;). But first I had a cup of coffee and a lovely slice of pie. A little sweetening for a day of cleaning. And I can't wait for the next party!