
Had your fill of dyed green eggs and lime Jello? Here's a list of some more sophisticated Irish treats, in honor of Saint Patrick's Day.
1) Beef Stew. Chunks of tender beef, potatoes, a shake of Worcestershire sauce, all hot and bubbling. Is there anything better on a cold damp day?
2) Irish chocolate cake. As dark and moist as the soil of the Emerald Isle, kicked up a notch with a dash of Irish cream liquor.
3) Cream scones. Lightly sweet and crumbly, with a shiny top, these with raspberry jam and clotted cream make me wish America had more of a tea time tradition.
4) Irish cheddar fondue. Sharp Irish Cheddar with a glug of stout; try it with steamed Brussels sprouts or chunks of Irish brown bread for a humble, warming dinner with friends.
5) Bread-and-butter pudding. Chunks of slightly stale bread, lavishly buttered and soaked in custard, become a sublime comfort dessert.
6) Steak and kidney pie. Cooking kidneys is not for the faint-of-heart (hint: soak, soak, soak), but this rich, velvety pie will really stick to your ribs.
7) Irish oatmeal. These steal cut oats beat the pants of the insipid instant variety. Try them with fruit and yogurt.
8) Corned beef and cabbage. The ultimate nostalgia food for Irish-Americans, and a perfect slow-cooking Sunday dinner for the rest of us.

When it gets chilly out, there is nothing more appealing than a hot bowl of soup or a big serving of chili or stew. Soup is comfort food that warms you up instantly and, by and large, is easy to prepare.

Slow cookers are one of the most useful appliances you can have in your kitchen, even more so if
you don't enjoy cooking or you have a busy schedule that keeps you running around and not working over the stove. You
can toss together a soup or meat dish in the morning in about five minutes and when you return from work in the
evening, you'll have a hot, home cooked meal waiting for you. In addition, everything cooks together, which means that
you'll only have one pot to clean. Some recipes will call for the meat (or even vegetables) to be browned before adding
them in, but this is almost never really necessary.







