Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Food For St. Patrick's Day...!


Here it is...St. Patrick's Day already!

I'm not Irish, but I thought this recipe sounded pretty good...so I thought I would share it!

Of course, it came from the Almanac! Where else?

Irish Potato Pie

This recipe, with slight adjustments, was brought over "on the boat" by the cook's great-great-aunt shortly after a potato famine in the 1880s. When asked why she had brought a potato pie (rather than a fruit pie) recipe with her, she'd answer that she had hoped that America would have an abundant supply of potatoes, as in Ireland there was "nary a sound potato to be had there. May God bring them back." Of course, God did, and we celebrate that with the fine legacy of Aunt Bridget's potato custard pie.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

3 eggs
2 cups half-and-half or light cream
2 cups mashed potatoes (whipped smooth with no lumps)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Irish whiskey, brandy, or sherry (optional)
1 unbaked 10-inch deep-dish pie shell with high fluted edge
Freshly grated nutmeg
Toasted slivered almonds


Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs slightly. Stir in the half-and-half or cream, potatoes, sugar, vanilla, salt, and liquor (if using). Beat well until smooth. Cover the fluted edge of the pie shell with aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning. Pour the filling into the shell and sprinkle with nutmeg. Place on the center rack of the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 15 to 18 minutes more, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle the almonds around the outer edge and dust with additional nutmeg. Serve at room temperature; store in the refrigerator.


I like potatoes, and I like sweets...so it stands to reason I would like this pie! I hope you do too!

Now, my friends, let's get some coffee and sit at the kitchen table...raining outside today!

Happy St. Patrick's day!


16 comments:

Kyddryn said...

Wow, Mister Hermit, sir, sounds good - but I'll have to pass at the moment. We're having corned beef, cabbage, 'taties and carrots here at Casa de Crazy...and soda bread, too...so I'm thinkin' 'tatie pie will have to happen another day. Happy St. Pats to ye!

Shade and Sweetwater,
K

HermitJim said...

Hey K...
I would LOVE me some good ol' corned beef and cabbage! One of my favorite things, for sure!

Nearly any kind of cabbage is good, as far as I am concerned...and fried cabbage rates very high on my long list of cabbage favorites!

Heck, now my mouth is watering!

Hey, I appreciate you coming by today!

Baby Sis (Texas Red) said...

Bubba -
Glad to hear you mention fried cabbage, just about the only way I really like it. Can't stand the boiled stuff! I like mine fried until it's just crispy around the edges, y'know? Guess we grew up on it, like fried carrots, but many folks say "What? You FRY cabbage??" Yep, and I'd rather have my beef grilled,or even chicken fried, thank you very much. Guess that's why I have to take Lipitor now, huh?
Anyway, top o' the mornin' to you and all your gentle readers - Slainte!

FarmerGeek said...

Corned Beef and Cabbage... Corned Beef and Cabbage. I hope you all realize that is not an Irish tradition! :-) Ok, it is an Irish-American tradition, but it is not what they do in Ireland. (Heck, we are having that at my house as well!)

Just had to drop in and mention that!

Happy St. Patrick's Day all.

TEAM HALL said...

Morning Jim!!! Happy St. Patrick's Day!! Recipe sounds great - we'll just increase the whiskey part though, okay? hehe

Ummmm, can I ask about the fried cabbage? I steam it so it doesn't go all soft and gross! I'm really intrigued about the frying though. Do you slice it? Shred it?

You have a good one today! Hugs to yah way up here in Canada!

Unknown said...

The fried cabbage is great. I butt against my southern tradtions on that one (Most cook it raw with a slab of fatback..Yuck! or raw bacon and then boil it for hours around here). I will have to wait til pay day to try out the potato pie thing but it's on my list for my Saturday cooking. Found a recipe for Easy Irish Sheperd Pie for today (fresh out of corn beef til friday too). This will be the first time I have ever tried my hand at this so it should be interesting. Will post pics on both.

JoJo said...

Good Morning My Special One and Happy ST. Patty to you and all.
I am invited to dinner tonite and need to bring something maybe this tatter pie.
Bringing the coffee this morning, maybe I can con you into making it for me. lol you know I'd do anything to not have to go into the kitchen. HUGS

Mechanic in Illinois said...

We're (wifey and I) are going to have corned beef and cabbage right now. I can always count on you for good food and good company. Thanks for the good posting.

HermitJim said...

Hey Sis...
Fried cabbage, fried cornbread, fried pies...anyone might think we are from the South,huh?

Kinda wish you hadn't mentioned the grilled meat! Now I have a hankering for some grilled beef! Must be BBQ time!

Thanks for coming over, sis!


Hey FarmerGeek...
Long time, no see, my friend!

Lot's of our favorite things are modifications of other traditions, I think! Kinda like the jack-o-lantern at Halloween!

Still, no matter where it came from, I like it!

Sure is good to hear fromyou again...and thanks forcoming by today!


Hey Cath...
Many different ways to fry cabbage, but since you already steam it try this!

When the cabbage gets as tender as you want it, put some grease in a frying pan...drop in the cabbage, and there ya go!

By the way, don't use too much grease, cause the cabbage will make a LOT of juice!

If you want to try something similar, open a can of kraut and fry it! Gotta drain it first!

Hey, thanks for the visit today!


Hey K.D....
I got faith in ya! Never hurts to try something a little new...!

Nice thing about cooking, is that you can eat the mistakes! Sort of destroy the evidence, as it were!

Thanks so much for coming by today!


Hey JoJo...
I'll bet you could make it with no problems, sweetie!

I like to cook...and you can tell from the size of my middle! Heck, I even like my OWN cooking!

I sure am glad you came by this morning, Girl! Makes my day!

HermitJim said...

Hey Mechanic...
Tell the wife to set another plate!

Somehow I knew you would be eating along those lines today! Guess we have a LOT of the same likes and dislikes!

have a good day, my friend...and thanks for coming by!

Felinae said...

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Uncle Hermit.

I thought everyone was Irish on St.Patrick's Day? ;) if not by blood then in spirit. Me? my Grandpa was 1/2 Irish, so it runs through my veins just a wee bit. :D

Thanks for the recipe, I'll be keeping it for sure. It sounds as good as Irish Potato Cake and Irish potato cake is pretty darn good. :)

Have a wonderful day. I'm sorry it's raining there again, over here we're looking at temps at or above 75. I'll trade you for your rain. :)

Hugs~Felinae~

HermitJim said...

Hey Felinae...
So good to hear from you again, pretty lady!

I think that the spirit of the Irish lives in us all a bit on this day!

Even though I'm not Irish, pour me a touch more Jameson's...OK?

I appreciate you coming by today!

FarmerGeek said...

Hey Jim, if the spirit lives in us all today, then what's your choice, Guinness, Harp, or Smithwick's? :-)

*yeah, I kinda disappeared for a while... but I am hoping I will be back for a good long while!

HermitJim said...

Hey Farmer...
The answer to all the above is "YES" some of each, please!

I figured that you just got busy around the home place...but it sure is good to see you back on the air, my friend!

I, too, hope you'll be here for a long stay!

Thanks so much for coming by!

Catman said...

Anything featuring spuds is a welcome recipe! Thanks!

HermitJim said...

Hey Catman...
Certainly have to agree with you on that!

I love potatoes! All kinds, all sizes, all ways...!

Hey, good to see you dropping by again, buddy!