Enjoy the Luck O' the Irish with Two Free Recipes for St. Patrick's Day!

March 2, 2011 - PRLog -- It's the one day of the year when everybody's a little bit Irish! Celebrate St. Patrick's Day on Thursday, March 17 by whipping up one of these delicious recipes from Gooseberry Patch's newly-released cookbooks. Enjoy, and don't forget to look for Mom's Very Best Recipes and Best-Ever Cookies, available online and in stores now!

Irish Spud Soup
Shared by Kyle Fugate of Newburgh, IN...thanks Kyle!
2 T. butter
2 c. onion, chopped
1 c. celery, chopped
1 t. garlic, minced
8 c. chicken broth
3-1/2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 c. green onion, chopped
1-1/2 t. salt
1 t. pepper
Garnish: shredded Cheddar cheese, sliced green onion

Melt butter in a stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery and garlic. Cook for 4 minutes, or until vegetables are softened. Add broth and potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until soup is thick and only small chunks of potato remain. Add remaining ingredients except garnish; stir until cheese melts. Garnish as desired. Serves 8.

From Mom's Very Best Recipes (Gooseberry Patch, March 2011). Now available at http://www.amazon.com and retailers nationwide.





Irish Cream Bars
Shared by Annette Mullan of North Arlington, NJ...thanks Annette!

1/2 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. plus 1 T. all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 c. powdered sugar
2 T. baking cocoa
3/4 c. sour cream
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. Irish cream liqueur
1 egg, beaten
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. whipping cream
Optional: chocolate sprinkles

Stir together butter, 3/4 cup flour, powdered sugar and cocoa with a spoon until soft dough forms. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 8"x8" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together remaining flour, sour cream, sugar, liqueur, egg and vanilla. Blend well; pour over baked layer. Return to oven and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until filling is set. Cool slightly; refrigerate at least 2 hours before cutting into bars. In a small bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Serve bars topped with dollops of whipped cream and sprinkles, if desired. Keep bars covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Makes 2 dozen.

From Best-Ever Cookies (Gooseberry Patch, March 2011). Now available at http://www.amazon.com and retailers nationwide.

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About Gooseberry Patch: Started by two moms, Gooseberry Patch published its first community-style cookbook in 1992. Today, Gooseberry Patch is a national best-selling independent cookbook publisher with more than 150 titles and nearly 9 million copies in print. Cookbooks are geared toward today's time-strapped, budget-conscious family and are affordably priced at under $17.