(Family Features) If St. Patrick’s Day inspires feelings of hearth and home rather than leprechauns and green beer, you can celebrate tradition with warm, filling meals that harken back to Irish heritage. Soups and stews are certain to conjure up some nostalgia while soft, delicious cake is a perfect way to honor tradition regardless of your ancestry.

This Irish Sláinte Stew offers a warm welcome to guests with your own way of toasting to the holiday – Sláinte is “cheers” in Gaelic. This hearty meal is perfect for a crowd with traditional stew meat slow-cooked in a Dutch oven with beef broth, spices, carrots, potatoes, herbs and an Irish draught beer. Serve alongside crusty bread that’s ideal for soaking up each delicious drop.

Share a sweet way to complete the meal in style with Irish Apple Cake, a classic dessert to top off a filling celebration. This version is easy enough to prepare with a handful of everyday ingredients for the cake, a crumbly topping and homemade custard for the finishing touch.

If you’re looking for additional ways to honor tradition this St. Patrick’s Day, consider a few other cozy Irish dishes:

• Boxty (potato pancakes, similar to latkes)
• Boiled cabbage
• Irish soda bread
• Shepherd’s pie
• Corned beef and cabbage
• Potato soup
• Irish coffee
• Colcannon (mashed potatoes and greens)
• Coddle (typically including pork sausage, potatoes and onions)
• Seafood chowder

To find more ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, visit Culinary.net.

Irish Sláinte Stew

• Oil, for drizzling
• 1 pound stew meat
• 1-2 pinches salt, plus additional to taste, divided
• 1-2 pinches pepper
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 48 ounces beef broth
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 3cups potatoes, diced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons garlic pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon dried chives
• 1 bottle Irish draught beer of choice
• crusty bread, for serving

1. In Dutch oven over medium heat, drizzle oil and brown stew meat with salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over meat.
2. Add beef broth, carrots, celery, potatoes, onion, garlic pepper, thyme, rosemary and chives. Add Irish draught beer.
3. Bring to boil, stirring, 5 minutes. Simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
4. Serve with crusty bread.

Irish Apple Cake

Cake:

• 3 cups self-rising flour
• 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1 stick butter, cubed
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 apples of choice, peeled and cubed
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup half-and-half

Topping:

• 1/2 stick butter
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 cup brown sugar

Custard:

• 6 large egg yolks
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease and flour 9-inch round springform pan.
2. To make cake: In large bowl, sift flour with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger. Using fork, cut butter until mixture resembles crumbs. Add sugar and apples; mix well. Stir in eggs and half-and-half until mixture reaches thick, dough-like batter. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. To make topping: In bowl, mix butter, flour and sugar to create crumbled mixture. Sprinkle on top of batter in pan. Bake 1 hour. Check with toothpick to make sure middle is completely done. If not, bake 5-10 minutes. Let cool on rack.
4. To make custard: Whisk egg yolks and sugar. In saucepan, bring half-and-half to boil. Add one spoonful half-and-half at a time to egg mixture, whisking while adding. Once whisked together, return to saucepan and stir over medium heat until thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla.
5. Serve custard over cake.

 Source: Culinary.net

With Irish Classics and Green-Tinted Treats

(Family Features) It doesn’t take the Luck o’ the Irish to throw a great St. Patrick’s Day party. These tips and recipes will help you throw a festive celebration you’ll enjoy as much as your guests — including make-ahead corned beef and a minty-green cookie recipe both adults and little leprechauns will love.

For more St. Patrick’s Day recipes, check out www.McCormick.com and visit McCormick Spice on Facebook and Pinterest.“We’ve developed recipes that make the tastes of Ireland easy to create — from a simple Irish Soda Bread to a classic corned beef and cabbage recipe that can be made in a slow cooker,” said Mary Beth Harrington of the McCormick Kitchens. “And don’t forget the treats! Our Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies are the perfect ending to a perfectly green party.”

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1–1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick Green Food Color
• 1 teaspoon McCormick Pure Peppermint Extract
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, food color and peppermint extract; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chips.
2. Drop by heaping tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake 10–12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Savory Irish Cheese Soda Bread

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons McCormick Caraway Seed
• 1 teaspoon McCormick Garlic Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon McCormick Red Pepper, Ground
• 1/2 cup shredded Irish Cheddar cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and seasonings in large bowl. Stir in cheese. Set aside. Mix eggs and buttermilk in medium bowl. Add to dry ingredients; stir until well blended. Spread in lightly grease 9-inch round cake pan.
2. Bake 30–40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Tip: Make muffins instead of bread. Prepare dough as directed and divide among 12 greased muffin cups. Bake 20–25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

• 8 small red potatoes
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 1 small onion, quartered
• 1 corned beef brisket (4 pounds), rinsed and trimmed
• 2 tablespoons McCormick Mixed Pickling Spice
• 1 teaspoon McCormick Minced Garlic
• 1/2 head cabbage, cored and cut into wedges

1. Place potatoes, carrots and onion in slow cooker. Place corned beef brisket over vegetables. Sprinkle with pickling spice and minced garlic. Add enough water (about 8 cups) to just cover meat. Cover.
2. Cook 7 hours on high. Add cabbage. Cover. Cook 1–2 hours on high or until cabbage is tender-crisp.
3. Remove corned beef brisket to serving platter. Slice thinly across grain. Serve with vegetables.

Tip: For best results, do not remove cover while cooking in slow cooker.

Source:  McCormick & Company, Inc.