Foodie News
Savory Favorites to Make St. Patrick’s Day Special
Hearty recipes for celebrating from the comfort of home
(Family Features) While some St. Patrick’s Day celebrations call for green beer and large gatherings, you may instead opt for a cozy evening at home with comforting foods and close friends. Whether your shamrock spirit leads you out for a local parade or you’re more of a stay-at-home leprechaun, there is one tradition all can agree on: delicious Irish food.
If a quieter night cooking at home is up your alley, you’re in luck. You can put a meal worthy of gold on the table with these festive Irish favorites from “Cookin’ Savvy.”
A hearty home-cooked meal loaded with flavor and sure to fill you with cheer, Irish Beef and Beer Pot Pie is made piping hot to warm up any St. Patrick’s Day party. Full of hashbrowns, carrots, peas and beef, it’s a twist on tradition served with puff pastry topping the tasty stew. A cup of your favorite stout beer, of course, will come in handy for deglazing the skillet to ensure you enjoy every bit of beefy flavor.
Perfect for serving as a sweet complement to coffee or tea, or all on its own as a nightcap nibble, Irish Sweet Soda Bread comes together in a snap so you can let it bake while enjoying the main course. Offering an easy way to participate in the festivities, it might just become a household favorite to be savored year-round.
Make your home a St. Patrick’s Day haven with these hearty recipes then discover more celebratory meal ideas from “Cookin’ Savvy” by visiting Culinary.net.
Irish Beef and Beer Pot Pie
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 4-6
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup stout beer
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 bag (28 ounces) hashbrowns with peppers and onions
- 1 can (14 ounces) carrots, drained
- 1 can (14 ounces) peas, drained
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg
- Heat oven to 400 F.
- In large skillet or Dutch oven, brown ground beef; drain and set aside.
- Over medium heat, deglaze skillet with beer and whisk in flour. After thickening, whisk in tomato puree and add Worcestershire sauce. Mix in ground beef, garlic powder and beef broth. Add hashbrowns, carrots and peas. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Place puff pastry sheet on cookie sheet. Beat egg and brush over pastry. Bake 10 minutes. Place hot puff pastry on top of beef mixture and serve.
Irish Sweet Soda Bread
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 4-6
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 4 cups self-rising flour
- 1 cup currants
- 2 tablespoons sanding sugar (optional)
- coffee or tea, for serving (optional)
- Heat oven to 375 F.
- Mix melted butter and sugar then add buttermilk. Mix in flour and currants.
- Flour hands and counter. Add sanding sugar to dough, if desired, and knead into ball.
- Grease small Dutch oven or pie plate and bake 40 minutes. Serve with coffee or tea, if desired, or as a dessert.
Substitutions: Raisins can be used in place of currants.
SOURCE:
Culinary.net
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Food and Beverage
Complement Game Day with a Crispy Snack
Game Day Treat: During peak homegating season, a successful game day host should offer tasty snacks, like Crispy Potato Skins, to keep fans engaged. This hearty classic features russet potatoes, bacon, cheese, and optional toppings like sour cream and green onions, providing an easy, delicious addition to any watch party.
Last Updated on February 7, 2026 by Daily News Staff
Complement Game Day with a Crispy Snack
(Family Features) In the midst of peak homegating season, with football championships taking center stage and action heating up on the hardwood, a good game day host knows you can never have too many delicious snacks on hand. Kicking off the madness can be as easy as these Crispy Potato Skins, a hearty watch party classic that keeps fans fueled and engaged with the game on the big screen.
Enjoy all the touchdown tosses and alley-oop action with more recipe inspiration at Culinary.net.
Crispy Potato Skins
Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Servings: 6
- 6 medium russet potatoes
- extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 slices bacon
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
- shredded cheddar cheese
- sour cream (optional)
- thinly sliced green onions (optional)
- Heat oven to 400 F. Clean potatoes then pierce with fork.
- Rub potatoes with olive oil then bake 1 hour until cooked through.
- In frying pan over medium heat, cook bacon 10-15 minutes until crisp. Drain on paper towel-lined plate then crumble.
- Cut cooked potatoes in half then scoop out insides, leaving about 1/4 inch of potato inside skins. Rub with olive oil then season with salt, to taste. Place on roasting pan and cook 10 minutes. Flip and cook 10 minutes.
- Arrange potatoes skin-sides down and season with pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with cheese and crumbled bacon then broil 2 minutes.
- Serve with sour cream and sliced green onions, if desired.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
SOURCE:
At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.
Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience. https://stmdailynews.com/food-and-drink/
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Food and Beverage
Mix a Little Luck into Your Big Game Menu
Picture this: Your team is down three points, but the taste of victory is just one field goal away. Sometimes, all you need is a little luck and a whole lot of guac. Dip into good fortune this football season with help from this Good Luck Guac recipe.
Last Updated on February 6, 2026 by Daily News Staff
Mix a Little Luck into Your Big Game Menu
(Family Features) Picture this: Your team is down three points, but the taste of victory is just one field goal away. Sometimes, all you need is a little luck and a whole lot of guac. After all, an estimated 250 million pounds of avocados are consumed during the Big Game each year, according to Hass Avocado Board Volume Data. That’s enough to fill 30 million football helmets with guac – but filling your belly instead is a win-win for good luck and great flavor. Dip into good fortune this football season with help from Avocado From Mexico’s Guac Guru, Rob Riggle, whose visionary Good Luck Guac recipe is ready to share just in time for the Big Game. Whether you’re in it for the football, the commercials or the snacks, this recipe can score major points with your entire crew.
Crafted for fans of every team, this bold, golden twist on a favorite football snack is infused with ingredients associated with good luck – edible gold flakes and pomegranate seeds – to get you through the most nail-biting moments of the game. The star ingredient is fresh, high-quality Avocados From Mexico that offer good taste, good nutrition, and good times. Beyond delicious dips, chips and lots of fun, hosting a watch party can also be a lot of work. Make sure your hosting duties don’t create interference or put you on the sidelines with these tips: Get a jumpstart on party prep. The day before the game, tidy up your space and prepare as much of the food as you can. For dishes best served fresh – like guac – take care of the ingredient prep, like chopping veggies. Create comfortable seating and viewing areas. For a watch party, you’ll want plenty of room for guests to sit comfortably where they can see the screen and have easy access to the guac. If there’s not enough space in the living room to fit everyone, consider bringing a TV to the kitchen so people can snack and watch at the same time. Know your guests. From non-alcoholic beverage options to additional entertainment like board games and kid-friendly activities, become a next-level party host by providing a setup tailored to your guests’ needs. One thing almost everyonecan agree on: Guac made with Avocados From Mexico can be the star of nearly any party’s snacking lineup. Make it your team’s lucky day with more game day recipes at AvocadosFromMexico.com/recipe. 
Good Luck Guac
Recipe courtesy of Rob Riggle on behalf of Avocados From Mexico- 4 Avocados From Mexico, halved, pitted and peeled
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon onion, minced
- 3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch edible gold leaf flakes
- In large bowl, mash avocados until chunky-smooth.
- Fold in lime juice, onion, pomegranate seeds and salt until well combined.
- Garnish with edible gold leaf flakes.
At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.
Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience. https://stmdailynews.com/food-and-drink/
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Food and Beverage
Ghirardelli Brings Back the Chocolocket for Valentine’s Day—Now Made for “Perfect Pairs”
Ghirardelli reintroduces the Chocolocket for Valentine’s Day 2026, featuring a pair designed for sharing. This limited edition celebrates all meaningful duos, emphasizing inclusive connections through chocolate and personalized gifting.
Ghirardelli is putting a new spin on Valentine’s Day this year with the return of its viral limited-edition gift: the Chocolocket. The big twist for 2026? Each set includes two Chocolockets—built for sharing with your “perfect pair,” whether that’s your partner, your best friend, your sibling, or the coworker who keeps your week running.
The campaign centers on Perfect Pairs Day, a broader take on the holiday that celebrates the meaningful duos in our lives—romantic and not-so-romantic. Think: work besties, pickleball partners, brunch buddies, squadmates, travel twins, and more.
What is a Chocolocket?
If you missed the first wave, here’s the quick version: the Chocolocket is a custom-crafted 14K gold-plated locketdesigned to hold one mini GHIRARDELLI® SQUARES® inside. The keepsake is styled to resemble Ghirardelli’s iconic gold-foil wrapped SQUARES, turning a familiar candy shape into a wearable, giftable moment.
It’s part novelty, part collectible, and part snack—because yes, it’s literally designed to carry chocolate.
The “Perfect Pairs” idea (and why it works)
Ghirardelli is leaning into a simple truth: the best moments are usually shared. In the brand’s words, the Chocolocket is meant as a playful tribute to the people who make life sweeter—whether that’s a romantic partner or the friend who always shows up.
Bobby Oliver, Ghirardelli’s VP of Marketing, framed it as a celebration of all kinds of connections—best friends, siblings, coworkers, and couples—tying the message back to a classic pairing: chocolate and caramel.
The result is a Valentine’s concept that feels less like a single-lane “couples only” holiday and more like an invitation to include the people who actually fill your calendar.
What comes in the 2026 set
This year’s edition launches as a matching pair of Chocolockets—one for you, one for your person. Each set includes:
- Two Chocolockets (a matching pair)
- A bag of mini Ghirardelli SQUARES® to enjoy together
- A heart-shaped tin
- A personalized message celebrating your “perfect pair” category (examples include Soulmates, Work Besties, Pickleball Partners, Brunch Buddies, Dinner Dates, Squadmates, Travel Twins, and more)
- Shipping included
It’s also limited to one set per household, which signals this is meant to stay in “special drop” territory.
Release date + where to buy
The limited-edition Chocolocket set will be available starting February 10 at Chocolocket.com, while supplies last.
For updates, Ghirardelli is directing fans to follow @Ghirardelli on Instagram and TikTok.
A quick refresher on Ghirardelli
Founded in San Francisco in 1852, Ghirardelli is known for its premium chocolate and its bean-to-bar approach. The company emphasizes control over the full process—from cocoa sourcing through production—using a proprietary bean blend and specific roasting/processing methods.
In other words: the brand’s long-standing quality story is still the backbone, even when the product is a playful, social-media-friendly collectible.
Bottom line
The Chocolocket’s return isn’t just a Valentine’s gimmick—it’s a smart “shareable” product idea that matches how people actually celebrate: with the person who feels like the right fit, whatever the label.
If you’re the type who likes limited drops, keepsakes, or gifts that come with a built-in story, this one’s worth watching when it goes live on February 10.
Related External Links
At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.
Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience. https://stmdailynews.com/food-and-drink/
SOURCE Ghirardelli
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