St. Brigid Irish Tater Tot Nachos

St. Brigid feast day is February 1. National Tater Tot day is February 2. 

When two dates collide and an idea is born. I have a soft spot for the tater tot. It originated at Ore-Ida Labs in the area where my family lived in Eastern Oregon. And this year in September they are having the first annual Tater Tot festival.  So when I made a chance discovery that National Tater Tot Day was the day after St. Brigid's feast is seemed a perfect pairing.

The idea of tater tots as a substitute for chips to make a potato "nacho" (or totchos) is making the rounds as an appetizer. And the potato is an Irish staple, one of the foods most associated with Ireland, making it perfect for our Irish saint. St. Brigid is the patroness of dairy farmers and milk maids, so pile on the cheese and sour cream.  I suggest Kerrigold Dubliner Irish cheese if available. Several stories connect her to pigs as well so add the bacon. Also avocados (or guacamole) and green onions for the Irish green.  A tasty and easy Irish feast day recipe - for a multitude of Irish saints, not just Brigid.

St. Brigid Irish Tater Tot Nacho Ingredients

Directions:
Fry or bake tater tots per package instructions. Once tots are cooked, top with grated cheese. Place back in the oven or microwave until cheese is bubbly and melted. Top the tots with guacamole or avocado, sour cream, crumbled bacon, and green onion (and extra cheese if desired). If you want them spicy you can add salsa. I had some green taco sauce that I added in keeping with the Irish color theme.

St. Brigid, Pray for Us!

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Lamb Ragout over Potatoes for St. Agnes

Ragout is a thick, rich stew. Serving this lamb ragout over mashed potatoes creates a hearty meal for a cold January day, such as the feast of St. Agnes, January 21.  I was particularly attracted to this version of a ragout recipe, as it is served over the mashed potatoes and the fluffy mashed potatoes remind me of lamb's wool - a fitting St. Agnes association to go along with the actual lamb roast.  St. Agnes is typically pictured holding a lamb, and her name means lamb. 

Lamb Ragout

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds lamb stew meat, cut in cubes

1 cup chopped onion

2 medium carrots, sliced 

2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

2 cans (14 ounces each) beef broth

3/4 cup dry red wine

2 teaspoons dried rosemary

1 teaspoon salt

Mashed potatoes

Directions

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add stew meat and onion. Cook and stir occasionally until meat is browned. Add remaining ingredients (except mashed potatoes). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Continue cooking about 2 hours until meat and vegetables are tender.

Serve ragout over mashed potatoes in bowls.

St. Agnes, Pray for us. 

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Mini Ground Lamb Pot Pie Cupcakes for St. Agnes Day

I was looking for a lamb dish to make on the feast of St. Agnes and came across this cute idea for mini pot pies. Combining tender lamb with sun-dried tomatoes in a mini pastry crust and topping with mashed potato icing makes pretty “cupcake” looking pot pies.  

Lamb Pot Pie Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb. ground lamb
• 8 oz sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ cup onions, chopped
• 1 T. Olive oil 
• Salt, pepper to taste
• Mashed potato – for 'Icing' topping
• Mini crusts, pre-made

Directions:

In skillet, saute onions in olive oil until tender. Add ground lamb and cook until browned.  Add sun dried tomatoes, cook for about 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Fill 12 mini pastry crusts with the ground lamb mixture.  Fill a piping bag with mashed potatoes. Pipe a swirl on top of the meat mixture to cover.  Place under a hot preheated broiler for 2-3 minutes to brown the mashed potatoes. Serve hot or cold. Good for a buffet, snack, lunch or dinner.   Makes: 12 mini pies

St. Agnes, Pray for us!

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St. David's Day Soup

This post was written by Catholic Cuisine contributor, Charlotte from Waltzing Matilda. 

The feast of St. David is coming up on March 1st. In honor of the Welsh tradition of wearing leeks and husband's family's Welsh heritage, it's become our tradition to celebrate with leeks for dinner.

Creamy Chicken Potato Leek Soup

2 Tbl. butter
1 Tbl olive oil
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
4 small-medium leeks, cleaned and sliced
6-8 cups chicken broth
1-2 Tbl. cornstarch
4-6 cups of yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1C. of heavy cream
1 C. leftover chicken, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
shredded cheese to top, opt.

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter.
Cook leeks in butter and oil until tender, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes.
Stir cornstarch into broth and pour broth into pot. Add the potatoes and chicken and bring to a boil. Pour in the cream, reduce heat and simmer at least 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
Mash potatoes for a chunkier soup or blend with an immersion blender for a smoother consistency.  Season with salt and pepper before serving.
Serve with shredded cheese on top.

Roasted Butternut Squash "Croutons"

2 C. butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 Tbl. olive oil

kosher salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss the squash cubes in the oil. Place on cookie sheet in single layer. Sprinkle with salt. Roast in hot oven for 25- 30 minutes. They won't be crispy like regular croutons but they will be incredibly flavorful.

God our Father, you gave the bishop David to the Welsh Church to uphold the faith and to be an example of Christian perfection. In this changing world may he help us to hold fast to the values which bring eternal life.

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Molokai-Mainland Sweet Potato Palau

The following post was submitted by Islander at HI Cookery, in honor of today's feast of St. Damien of Molokai, Hawaii's patron saint!

May 10: Feast Day of St. Damien of Molokai

We took a an inter-island trip with Islander’s parents and brother a few years ago when her Daddy turned 70. The family flew on a small plane from Oahu to Molokai to see where Hawaii’s recently canonized St. Damien served those who were afflicted with Hansen’s disease (leprosy).

Damien de Veuster came to Hawaii from Belgium in 1864 and was ordained a priest in Honolulu. A few years later, on May 10, 1873, Father Damien volunteered to minister to the people with leprosy who were exiled to Kalaupapa and Kalawao on the island of Molokai. He himself contracted the disease and, on April 15, 1889, died among those he lovingly served in the name of Christ.

During our family’s private pilgrimage to Kalaupapa and Kalawao, we were able to personally place floral lei at St. Damien’s gravesite on the grounds of St. Philomena Church that he built. We also toured the other solemn and historical areas where Blessed Mother Marianne Cope and Brother Joseph Dutton worked to support St. Damien’s mission to help the patients physically and spiritually.

In honor of St. Damien of Molokai, Hawaii’s patron saint, we made Molokai sweet potato palau. As we do not have Hawaiian ingredients readily available on the mainland, such as purple Molokai sweet potato and Maui onions, we needed to make some substitutions for this side dish.

Serve sweet potato palau—Molokai or mainland style—on the Feast Day of St. Damien. Aloha!

Recipe

(Adapted from Chef Peter Merriman on Hawaii Magazine)

Ingredients

• 3 large purple Molokai sweet potatoes (we used regular sweet pototoes)
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup Maui onion, diced (we used Texas sweet onion)
• ¾ cup butter, divided use, softened
• 1 teaspoon Hawaiian sea salt

Directions

Wash and peel the sweet potatoes. Dice into 2-inch cubes. Place in a large pot and cover with water. Simmer until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the sweet potatoes.

Place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl with ½ cup (1 stick) of butter. The heat from the sweet potatoes should melt the butter. Stir in the the coconut milk and 3 tablespoons of butter. Mash until smooth. Set aside. In a skillet, saute the onions with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the cooked onions to the mashed sweet potatoes. Season with salt. Stir well or whip with a hand mixer until creamy. Serve hot as a side dish.

Notes

• Palau is a traditional Hawaiian-style pudding made of sweet potatoes and coconut cream, which inspired the chef to adapt the cooking method for a savory side dish. It has a pudding-like texture similar to whipped sweet potatoes. 
• St. Damien was buried on Molokai but his body was exhumed in 1936 and brought back to Belgium, his home country and final resting place. Remains of his right hand were returned to Hawaii and re-interred in his original grave on the grounds of St. Philomena Church in Molokai. His relic (foot bone fragment) travels around the world for veneration. 
• St. Damien was canonized on October 11, 2009. In addition to observing his feast day on May 10, Hawaii also celebrates St. Damien’s Day on April 15. 
• The background fabric in the final food photo above is from Highlander’s aloha shirt showing motifs of St. Damien.

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Irish Spud Strips

Everyone loved these home made fries!

Following after Charlotte with the K.I.S.S. version of St Patrick's day,

We had Green Bread for Breakfast and these for supper!

Irish Spud Strips

6 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

9 tsp Cajun seasoning

4 Baking size potatoes (the huge ones)

peeled, sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips

Canola oil for frying

Combine the Parmesan cheese and Cajun seasoning in a plastic bag.

Heat oil in skillet.

Pat potatoes dry with paper towels

Cook a handful at a time, turning once in a while

until golden brown.

Place on paper towels to drain.

Repeat with the rest of the potatoes.

Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese mixture if desired.

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