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
Food and Beverage
McDonald’s Fried Apple Pie Returns June 23—A Limited-Time Summer Throwback
McDonald’s is bringing back its OG Fried Apple Pie starting June 23 for a limited time at participating restaurants nationwide—plus a 35-foot pie photo stop on Route 66 near Chicago.
Summer tends to fly by, but certain bites slow time down. McDonald’s is betting its Fried Apple Pie is one of them.
According to a new announcement from McDonald’s USA, the OG Fried Apple Pie returns to participating restaurants nationwide starting June 23 for a limited time. The classic dessert is described as featuring a signature filling made with 100% American-grown apples, wrapped in the same golden, crunchy, flaky fried crust longtime fans remember.
Why the Fried Apple Pie comeback matters
McDonald’s is framing the return as a nostalgia play with a patriotic twist, tying the seasonal rollout to the lead-up to America’s 250th birthday. If you grew up hearing people talk about “the fried pies,” this is the moment they mean: hot, sweet, and unmistakably old-school.
And if you’ve never tried it? McDonald’s is positioning June 23 as your entry point—an “if you know, you know” menu item that’s meant to feel like a summer memory in dessert form.
A classic that started as a family recipe
The company also shared a bit of origin story: the Fried Apple Pie traces back to the 1960s, when East Tennessee McDonald’s Owner/Operator Litton Cochran created a fried apple hand pie that became a local favorite. Over time, it made its way into McDonald’s history.
Eric Cochran, a McDonald’s Owner/Operator, said the pie is one of those foods that “take you back,” and credited his grandparents—Litton and Jo Cochran—with helping shape the recipe when McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc was looking for a dessert that would resonate with customers.
The 35-foot Fried Apple Pie (yes, really)
To make the return feel like a road-trip moment, McDonald’s is also unveiling a giant roadside installation: The McDonald’s Largest Fried Apple Pie, a 35-foot version of the dessert placed along Route 66—built to be a photo stop.
Fans can snap a selfie and pick up a McDonald’s souvenir map at:
- 920 N Broadway St., Joliet, IL 60435 (just outside Chicago)
If you’re near Chicagoland, here are the dates
- Kickoff event (June 23): 3:30–6:00 p.m. CT, with live music, an ice-cold Coca-Cola, and complimentary Arch Cards
- June 23–July 4: The installation remains up through the holiday stretch
How to get it
McDonald’s says the Fried Apple Pie will be available all day at participating restaurants nationwide, and can also be ordered via the McDonald’s App, while supplies last.If your summer plans include a long drive, a late-night snack run, or just chasing a little nostalgia, June 23 might be the date to circle. Some menu items are built for convenience—this one is built for the detour.
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Nourishing Our Heroes: Eight Years of Impact at Phoenix VA’s Veggies for Veterans
Pair Summer Favorites with a Simple
Potato Salad
(Family Features) Ideal for
neighborhood cookouts, quick family dinners and anything in between, potato
salad is a tried-and-true summer favorite. This version from Cookin’ Savvy
comes together in a snap so you can spend more time enjoying the sun and less
time in the kitchen. Pair this easy potato salad with more warm-weather recipe
inspiration found at Culinary.net.
Watch video to see how to make this recipe!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhUIPGWfbrw?si=UJ2zY8g_aHMcWTsV&controls=0]
Potato Salad
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 4-6
- 3 pounds
potatoes - 4 boiled
eggs, coarsely chopped - 2 dill
pickles - 1 tablespoon
garlic powder - 1 tablespoon
onion powder - 1 package
(2 1/2 ounces) real bacon pieces - 2 cups
mayonnaise - 2 tablespoons
mustard - salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- smoked paprika, for garnish
- Coarsely chop potatoes. In Dutch
oven, boil until fork tender. Drain then add coarsely chopped eggs and pickles. - Add garlic powder, onion powder,
bacon pieces, mayonnaise and mustard. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Mix well. - Transfer to large bowl and
refrigerate 1-2 hours. Garnish with smoked paprika.
SOURCE:
Nourishing Our Heroes: Eight Years of Impact at Phoenix VA’s Veggies for Veterans
Nourishing Our Heroes: Eight Years of Impact at Phoenix VA’s Veggies for Veterans
Food and Beverage
Harness Peanut Power for Improved Cognitive Health
A healthy brain goes beyond reading exercises and completing puzzles – it extends to the kitchen, too. Emerging nutritional science is clear that what people eat doesn’t just fuel the body; it shapes memory, mood and cognitive health.
(Feature Impact) A healthy brain goes beyond reading exercises and completing puzzles – it extends to the kitchen, too. Emerging nutritional science is clear that what people eat doesn’t just fuel the body; it shapes memory, mood and cognitive health.
Among the foods you can include in your diet to give your brain a boost are peanuts and peanut butter, staples valued not only for their convenience but also for their cognitive benefits. In fact, a study published in the “Journal of the Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease” found adults 60-80 years old who did not eat peanuts and peanut butter regularly were 30-50% more likely to perform poorly on tests measuring learning, memory, language, processing motor speed and attentiveness compared to those who did consumer peanuts and peanut butter.
It’s not just the older generation that can benefit. According to research published in “Clinical Nutrition,” a study of college students ages 18-33 showed consumption of peanuts and peanut butter was associated with improved memory function and decreased anxiety, depression and stress.
Consider this key information from the Georgia Peanut Commission before your next meal planning session.
Nutrients that Give the Brain a Boost
Despite their small stature, peanuts pack a nutrition punch. Their unique blend of various vitamins, minerals and bioactive compounds includes:
- Niacin, which can slow cognitive decline and reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s disease, according to the “Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry”
- Vitamin E, found to promote healthy brain aging and delay cognitive decline
- Resveratrol, believed to be beneficial in fighting against Alzheimer’s disease and other nerve degenerating diseases, per the “Journal of Biological Chemistry”
- P-coumaric acid, an antioxidant that appears to target the neurotransmitters in the brain that regulate mood, stress and anxiety
Peace of MIND
Peanuts are included in the MIND diet, a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, which specifically includes foods shown to benefit the brain.
Adding peanuts to your menu can be a breeze. Look no further than a powerful main course like Crunchy and Creamy Cold Green Pea and Peanut Salad, a perfect accompaniment at potlucks and cookouts as an easy side or light main course.
Brain Food for Thought
Supporting your brain starts with the right nutrition, and evidence makes clear peanuts and peanut butter should be top-of-mind as you head to the grocery store. For help getting started, find more recipes and nutritional information by visiting GAPeanuts.com.
Crunchy and Creamy Cold Green Pea and Peanut Salad
Recipe courtesy of The Peanut Institute
Servings: 8
Dressing:
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
Salad:
- 1 package (20 ounces) green peas, frozen
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1/3 cup red onions, chopped
- 1 cup dry roasted peanuts
- 6 slices thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 pinch salt, or to taste
- 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- To make dressing: In small mixing bowl, whisk sour cream, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar and sugar.
- To make salad: In large mixing bowl, combine frozen green peas, celery and onion. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
- Before serving, stir in roasted peanuts and crumbled bacon. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Nutritional information per serving: 230 calories, 17 g carbohydrates, 12 mg cholesterol, 3 g saturated fat, 9 g unsaturated fat, 5 g fiber, 11 g protein, 249 mg sodium, 6 g sugar, 1 g added sugar.
SOURCE:
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