St. Patrick’s Day Pudding

This is a light but tasty way to celebrate the holiday with your kids.  If you forgot to wear green today, at least you can remember to eat something green.

Ingredients:

1 package of Jell-O instant pistachio pudding

1 container of whip topping

1 bag of slivered almonds (or your favorite nut)

Milk

Sugar

Directions:

Mix up the pudding according to package instructions; pour into individual serving cups or bowls.  I got four servings per package of pudding.  Meanwhile, line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, pour out your desired amount of almond and spread them out so they are in a single layer.  Sprinkle with sugar and place in a 350 degree oven for about 5-10 minutes.  Don’t forget to watch them, nuts can burn very easily.  Cook the nuts until the sugar is melted and remove the nuts and let cool.  Once the pudding is done, top with the whip topping and the candy nuts. 

ENJOY!

Danielle

Learning Corner:

• Get together and read about St. Patrick’s Day
• Try different colored puddings for different occasions, as your child what colors go with holidays
• Explore fun and creative new toppings

If you are like me, you have a hard time coming up with dinner ideas week after week.  And the answer you always get when you ask for suggestions is “I don’t know whatever is fine”.  However once you make this recipe your family will always have something they are craving, just like mine.

Sheppard’s Pie

1 pound of lean ground beef

                For every 3 people

1 can of condensed tomato soup

1 large onion diced

1 bad of frozen and chopped green beans thawed and drained

                If fresh beans are available use them but blanch

 them for 30-45 seconds  before adding to pie

4-5 medium russet potatoes diced

Cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees

In a large frying pan brown meat, once meat is about half way done add the diced onion and continue to cook until onion is soft.  Place mixture in a 9/13 baking dish (use a larger one if you increased the recipe).  Meanwhile dice potatoes and add them to boiling salted water, cook until tender.  Use the tender potatoes to make smashed potatoes, add butter, salt, pepper and milk until you achieve your desired consistency.  Now add chopped green beans and tomato soup to beef and onion mixture.  Stir together until well mixed.  Pile the mashed potatoes on top of the beef mixture creating an even layer all over the beef mixture.  Now top with the best part, the cheese.  Add as much cheese as you want, don’t forget the edges, you wouldn’t want to miss out on the crusty browned cheese. 

Cover with aluminum foil and heat in the oven for 30-45 minutes or unit bubbly and delicious.  To help keep your oven clean place baking dish on a cookie sheet in case of bubble over.  Remove foil and allow the cheese to brown for the last 15 minutes or so. 

ENJOY!

Danielle

Learning Corner:

March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day, and Sheppard’s Pie is a traditional Irish dish.  Get together with your kids a learn some other facts about St. Patrick’s Day and the many other Irish traditions.