St Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day in my kitchen means Guinness in something, potatoes in something else, and at least one recipe that makes the whole house smell like a proper Irish pub. This is a small but mighty collection — 13 recipes that cover every part of the day, from the first Irish Cream Coffee to the last bite of shepherd’s pie.

The star of the table is Irish Bangers and Mash with Guinness Gravy — it’s the recipe that earns its place on the St. Patrick’s Day table every single year and takes 30 minutes flat. If you want to go bigger, the Lamb Shepherd’s Pie with Red Wine Gravy is the one that takes the whole afternoon and is absolutely worth it. Both are best served with Brown Butter Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Creamy Mashed Potatoes — your call, no wrong answer.

For drinks, Irish Cream Coffee is the one that gets the day started on the right note. The Guinness Beer Bread with Sausage and Cheddar doubles as a side dish and a reason to open another Guinness. And the Beer Cheese Dip with Bacon is the appetizer that disappears before anyone sits down.