Slainte (Ireland)

We have made the Irish Tri-Color, written our names in a style that was inspired by the Celts, made table decorations, and stamped our passports. The only thing left to do on our tour of Ireland was eat. I found some Irish music and created the trivia questions to be asked during dinner. 

The table was set. 

The lovely tea towel in the middle of the table was another gift from my parents when they recently visited Ireland. 

The menu has been created and now it's time to get cooking. Irish Soda Bread, Irish Guinness Stew (a vegetarian and a beef version), and Butter Tart Squares were being cooked up in our globe spinning household. I made a nonalcoholic version of Irish Rose to drink (which is one part lemon juice,one part cherry juice and three parts soda water). 

I bought some Dubliner Cheese imported from Ireland at the grocery store.
I had never had it before, but it was really good cheese and I plan to buy it again.

Yummmmmm. This food was all so delicious, and as we were sitting and enjoying this scrumptious hearty spread, I realized that one of the best parts was how easy it all was. The bread took next to no time to make (and has only four ingredients). The stews, while there was some time involved with cutting all of the vegetables, were just left to cook once put together. To make this process a little easier, I did combine the two recipes a little bit, by picking my favorite ingredients from each recipe and then adding beef to only one. The dessert was only slightly more labor intensive than the bread. We decided that every part of this meal was something that we want to eat again, and since it was so easy to make, it is very likely that we will eat it all again. In fact, just writing about it is making me hungry again. I'm off to scrounge up some left overs. Slainte! (Cheers!)

Coming Soon: I'm asking you for your input, preparing for the winter holidays, and dishing up some honesty. 

JUST FOR FUN: If you're looking for a good book to read to your littles that offers some information about the Irish Monks and The Vikings, check out The Magic Tree House Book # 15 "Viking Ships at Sunrise" by Mary Pope Osbourne. It has Jack and Annie trying to rescue a book from the Monks before the Vikings attack and take it.