Tag Archives: St. Patrick’s Day

Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2017 (now that we are both Irish)!

“If you’re lucky enough to be Irish, you’re lucky enough.”

Our mantra has always been that everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. This year, we have found out that it is actually true for us. Kevin is Irish and is named for his Irish roots. Recent new family DNA testing reveals that Roy is 13 percent Irish! Erin go Bragh!

TASTY GREEN ICE CREAM

We love our new ice cream maker and have been experimenting with different flavors. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, it’s Andes Candies Green! We made a standard vanilla ice cream, added some drops of green food coloring and 1/2 teaspoon of mint extract. Five minutes before the ice cream was done, some chopped Andes Candies were added to the mix. Fittingly green, minty, and festive!

If you have an ice cream maker, follow your directions for vanilla ice cream and add the last three ingredients listed below.

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 6 drops green food coloring*
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract*
  • 1/2 cup chopped Andes candies*

Source: Cuisinart ice cream maker recipe booklet

*These are ingredients we added to the recipe.

SHAMROCK DECORATION

Place a small pot of shamrocks (ours were bought at Stop and Shop for $2.99) in a holiday pot picked up at a party store. Attach chocolate gold coins around the edge using double stick tape. A rainbow wall decoration adds the perfect background for our “pot at the end of the rainbow”. This works well for a party, but for a more permanent decoration, use plastic gold coins and attach them with craft glue.

Work in Progress

We have been learning to create signs with stencils and stamps. Here is a work in progress for St. Patrick’s Day:

Some of the materials used: acrylic paints, stencils, stamps, old boards.

Here is a sign we created for St. Valentine’s Day based on a quote by Broadway’s “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda in response to the Pulse nightclub shooting.

“Love is love is love is love is love…”

A TRIO OF IRISH JOKES

What’s Irish and stays out all night? Paddy O’furniture!

How is a best friend like a 4-leaf clover? Because they are hard to find and lucky to have.

Never iron a 4-leaf clover because you don’t want to press your luck!

Source for all jokes : Jokes4us.com

THE BEARS

The bears followed the rainbow to the Pot o’ Shamrocks!

Slainte!!!

Roy and Kevin

 

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St. Patrick’s Day 2016

We love St. Patrick’s Day, and this year we came up with some fun things suitable for the whole family. Find out about our easy shamrock cake, a traditional potato recipe, a simple holiday drawing tip, some gifts for the wee ones, a garden update and, of course, the bears!

EASY SHAMROCK CAKE

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This no-bake cake was easy to create. We were going to stencil the shamrocks onto the cake with green decorating sugar, but early attempts didn’t go well. After looking around the candy aisle for an alternative, we thought that mint dark chocolate M&M’s would make perfect shamrocks. They did!

For the shamrock cake we used:

  • store-bought angel food loaf cake
  • 1 can white frosting, dyed with 2 drops green gel food coloring
  • green, dark chocolate mint M&M’s
  • 1 tube green cake decorating gel
  • green decorating sugar

How to prepare:

  • Place cake on plate lined with pieces of parchment paper (will keep plate clean).
  • Frost thoroughly with green frosting.
  • Sprinkle entire cake with green decorating sugar.
  • Arrange M&M’s in groups of three as shown above.
  • Create shamrock stem with decorating gel.
  • Remove parchment from beneath cake.
  • Clean excess frosting from plate with a paper towel.
  • Surround cake with leftover M&M’s.

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OH, AND WE LEARNED SOMETHING:

Shamrock tip

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To draw a shamrock: Left over St. Valentine’s Day hearts can be used to make shamrocks. Trace 3 foam heart stickers and add a stem. Instant shamrock!

POTATOES

Here is a traditional Irish recipe.

http://chefgeorgehirsch.com/dailyfood/colcannon.html

GIFTS FOR THE WEE ONES

We love to send little holiday fun packages to our great and great-great nieces and nephews. They enjoy getting mail and having special items to celebrate the holidays. We are now sending holiday-themed photos of ourselves in the mailing so the little ones can know who sent the packages.

For St. Patrick’s Day, the mailings include barrettes, stickers, sunglasses and green toy cars. Candy would be a great addition, but we decided to skip it this time.

A fun and inexpensive surprise.

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TRIVIA

The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was not in Ireland but in Boston in 1737.

PLANT UPDATE

We have had a great time with our Amaryllis plant!!!

Here it is in full bloom.

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FOOD ART

Brussel  O’Sprouts!

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JOKE OF THE DAY

Why should you never iron four-leaf clovers? Because you don’t want to press your luck!            Joke and trivia source: Examiner.com

THE BEARS

The bears (above) have decided to wear a bit o’ the green for St. Paddy’s Day and so have we!!!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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Enjoy!!!

Roy and Kevin

 

 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!!

We love St. Patrick’s Day! (See the subtle picture above.) For this post, we share a variety of things to help you celebrate this fun holiday.

BANNER:                                                                                                                                                      We make banners for everything! We took these St. Patrick’s Day wall decorations found at a dollar store, hole-punched the sides and strung them together with green and gold ribbon to make this banner. The hats are cardboard and the shamrocks are made of foam.                                   Cute, simple, & economical!

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CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE:                                                                                                               We put our new slow cooker to the test by making delicious corned beef and cabbage. Very tasty and really pretty easy. Here is Martha Stewart’s recipe:

http://www.marthastewart.com/274310/slow-cooker-recipes/@center/854190/comfort-food-recipes?xsc=eml_msl031115#1056546

MINTY CHOCOLATE PUDDING:                                                                                                              For a minty treat, add some peppermint extract (to taste) to instant or pre-made chocolate pudding. Want a more grownup dessert? Add creme de menthe. Top with whipped cream and  a sprig of mint! Delicious!!!

 STRAIGHT FROM DUBLIN AIRPORT:  Who knew, right?                                                                                                                         

March 17

JOKE OF THE WEEK:                                                                                                                                       What do you get when you cross poison ivy with a four leaf clover? A rash of good luck!

A GREAT SONG:                                                                                                                                               We love the song “Four Green Fields” by the great Makem and Clancy. Check out this video:

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtube+4+green+fields&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=3A2EF7242B92FED05EBD3A2EF7242B92FED05EBD

AN IRISH BLESSING:                                                                                                                             Kevin’s mom, Irene, who we lost on April 3rd, 2014, sent us this traditional blessing in a                 St. Patrick’s Day card in 2010.

 We extend this beautiful wish to you!

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We hope you all find your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!

Enjoy!!

Roy & Kevin