St. Patrick's Day recipes

Do you remember the wonderful shamrock shake McDonald's restaurants served many years ago? I loved them, and could not wait until March when they were offered for a limited time. After doing a Google search, I had about 45,000 options for this tasty treat. I read many of the recipes, and most were similar to the one below.

Just remember, mint extract is NOT peppermint. Mint refers to the green plant that folks like to put in tea and other treats. Using peppermint is a common mistake when making this tasty green treat. In keeping with the St. Patrick's Day theme, all of today's recipes will work nicely for your St. Patrick's Day menu.

Shamrock Shake

2 cups vanilla ice cream

1 1/4 cups low-fat milk

1/8 teaspoon, or to taste, of mint extract (not peppermint)

8 drops green food coloring

Combine all ingredients in a blender on high speed until smooth. Stop blender to stir with a spoon if necessary to help blend ice cream. Pour into two 12-ounce cups and serve each with a straw.

Baked Reuben Casserole

12 to 16 ounces deli corned beef slices, 1/4 inch thick and cut into pieces

1 (15-ounce) can sauerkraut, drained

12 slices mozzarella cheese

8 slices rye bread, torn or cut into bite-sized pieces

1 cup Thousand Island salad dressing

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the corned beef into greased, 12-by-8-inch baking dish. Dot beef with Thousand Island dressing and spread sauerkraut over top. Cover with sliced mozzarella cheese. Toss rye bread pieces in melted butter or margarine and spread over cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves six.

Confetti Corned Beef Hash

Skillet-fast hash with meat and potatoes has been a mainstay dinner dish for generations.

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups cut-up, cooked corned beef or lean cooked beef

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

2 medium potatoes, cooked and chopped (2 cups)

1 small bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup)

4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook uncovered eight to 10 minutes, turning frequently, until hot. Serves four.

St. Patrick's Day Punch

Children will appreciate the opportunity to join in the festivities with this sweet and sparkly beverage. Since it's made with milk, the punch is good for them, too.

1/2 cup milk

1 scoop of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt

4 drops mint extract (not peppermint)

2 ice cubes

2 drops of green food coloring

Frosted 16-ounce glass

Splash of seltzer water

Dollop of whipped cream

Combine milk, ice cream or frozen yogurt, extract, ice cubes, and food coloring in a blender. Mix until smooth. Pour into glass. Add a splash of seltzer water and top with a dollop of whipped cream.

Sweet Shamrocks

Here's a tasty new twist on the traditional St. Patrick's Day shamrock; sweet green pretzels fashioned from canned refrigerated bread stick dough and coated with a sprinkling of colored sugar and cinnamon.

Canned refrigerated bread stick dough (Pillsbury Original Breadsticks)

Colored sugar

Cinnamon

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat it with cooking spray.

To create the clover shape, mold 3 sections of bread sticks into hearts and press them together. Attach a small stem, decorate, bake according to the package directions, and serve them up nice and warm.

Have a great St. Patrick's Day, and don't forget to wear green. Have a wonderful week, and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail to P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes have not been kitchen-tested.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Casserole

1 medium head cabbage, shredded (about 8 cups)

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup water

1 (15 1/2-ounce) can white hominy, rinsed and drained

3/4 pound thinly sliced corned beef, chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

In a large Dutch oven or saucepan, combine cabbage, onion and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the cabbage is tender. Add remaining ingredients; simmer for five minutes. Makes six servings.

Irish Soda Bread

3 1/4 cups flour

cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter

1 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup currants or raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add buttermilk and currants; mix just until moistened. Place dough on floured surface; knead 10 times. Shape into round loaf, 2 1/2 inches thick. Place on greased baking sheet. Cut deep 1/2-inch "X" in top of dough. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake 1 hour or until golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into 16 wedges to serve.

To store leftover bread, place in resealable plastic bag for up to 24 hours. For longer storage, wrap tightly and freeze up to two months. Thaw at room temperature before serving. For a special little extra add 2 to 3 teaspoons caraway seeds along with the currants.