Going Green on Studio 5

I am need of more luck in my life, and I hear the Irish have a lot of it. I thought if I tried a little more this year on St. Patricks day to celebrate, that life would lend me a little more luck. 

So in celebration and hope for some GOOD LUCK ... I decided to base my segment for Studio 5 all on Green St. Patricks day food!

(Segment will be posted MST around 2:00 pm)

Now lets rewind to last year ...

(picture before they tried the cereal...no tears yet!)

I was super overwhelmed, and didn't even realize St. Patricks day was coming until the day before. So me, being "supermom" (sarcastic) I bought me a box of Lucky Charms and dyed the boys milk green. I honestly don't buy lucky charms on a regular bases ... and so my sweet "picky" Chad with crocodile tears refused to eat the Lucky Charms. 

The only ounce of creative juice I had had been smothered by a 2 year old!

Lucky charms is a great idea ... it really is ... but seeing that my little guy won't touch the cereal, I decided to search out some ideas for myself and for Studio 5 viewers that may help us overwhelmed mommies out! 

WORD OF CAUTION!!! 

These ideas are meant only as ideas for one or maybe two meals ... not to show you that you need to make all food the entire day Irish themed. Seeing that I have run myself RAGGED the last two days cooking non stop, I would highly suggest not doing all three meals! 

Pick one idea (even it if is Fruit Loops on a straw) and roll with it. 

Your kids will love any effort you give!

Cooking Green for St. Patrick’s Day

Everyone these days talk about going “green” … but today we thought we would take that literally. Come join us on a journey of fun ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s day with your meals.

Word of caution … these ideas are meant to be chosen separately, not to cook all of them in one day. So pick your favorites and don’t overwhelm yourself!

KID FRIENDLY WAFFLE RECIPE

Pull out that heart waffle maker that you only seem to use once a year. Now you have a second reason to use it. Four hearts make a shamrock, mixed with a great waffle recipe, and topped off with a whipping cream cloud and fruit to match the colors of the rainbow! Your kids will not disappointed!

Sources:

Straw – Target dollar section (but have also seen them at Old Navy)

Fruit Loops threaded on straw

Green Stripe wrap – Printable included at end of post

Waffle Recipe

(Traditional Recipe)

2 ¼ cups white flour

4 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 ½ TBSP supar

2 beaten eggs

2 ¼ cups milk

¾ cup oil

**optional green food coloring

Mix all ingredients together. Use butter to grease waffle maker. Cook according to waffle maker instructions

(Healthier version)

1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour

1 cup white flour

4 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 ½ TBSP Agave or Honey

2 beaten eggs

2 ¼ cups milk

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup apple sauce

Mix all ingredients together. Use non-stick spray to grease waffle maker.

ADULT / SOPHISTICATED GREEN BREAKFAST

I don’t know about you, but I am not too keen on “dyed green eggs” (although when paired with the favorite “Dr. Suess, Green Eggs and Ham”, I guess you could say that I might be willing to try it!)

Here is a spin on naturally green eggs, with a green smoothie, and a green fruit skewer to enjoy this St. Patrick’s day.

Sources:

Green Fruit – Grapes, Kiwi, Green Apples

Printables included at end of post

Spinach Omelet

1 TBSP chopped onion

1 handful of fresh spinach

1 handful of fresh mushrooms

1 handful of cheddar cheese

2 eggs

Sauté veggies together with 1 tsp olive oil. Add scrambled eggs to pan when veggies are warm and spinach is just starting to wilt. Add cheese and salt & pepper to taste. Flip in half and keep flipping until done to your taste.

Green Smoothie

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

1 banana

1 cup fresh spinach

½ cup greek yogurt (I like vanilla honey)

1 cup apple juice

Puree in blender until all green spinach is blended.

Likable Leprechaun Lunches

Bento Boxes are the latest rage with lunches these days, so why not create a really fun lunch for your kids, roommates, spouse, or significant other to show them how lucky you are to have them in your life!

Bento Lunch

(kid approved)

Did you know you can go to your local bakery and order bread in any color? Why not surprise your loved ones by ordering some a few days in advance and surprising them with this fun sandwich idea!

Sources:

Green bread – Ridleys in Highland

Mint Oreos – found mine at Target / Walmart

Green Jello cup

Mint M & M’s – found at Bed Bath & Beyond

Sprite

Rainbow Goldfish crackers - Walmart

Printables included at end of post

Create a sandwich to fit your loved one. Could be fancy with Ham, Cheese &  avocado, or just the standard PB&J. Then cut it out with your favorite cookie cutter

Bento Lunch

(Adult approved or maybe just for wrap lovers)

Sources:

Spinach Tortillas – Good Earth (but saw them at Walmart)

Guacamole Chips – hard to find but finally found them at Fresh Market

veggies- grape tomato, carrots, yellow pepper, cucumber

Dip – Dill dip in Cucumber cup (not shown)

Spinach wrap

Spinach tortilla

Garden Veggie Cream cheese

Avacado

Turkey

Precooked Bacon

Spread cream cheese on tortilla. Stack turkey, avacado, bacon. Roll and cut in half

Dill Dip

1 cup sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

2 TBSP minced onion

1 tsp Dill Weed

2 tsp Bon Appetite Seasoning

Mix ingredients. Best if chilled in fridge for an hour before serving.

DECADENT DINNERS – GREEN STYLE!

It seems like all of us make one meal a day, so why not make it green and fun! While not out of the box recipe’s, these ideas will make the ordinary meal festively green!

Who knew pizza could be green?

Sources:

Green dough – Scone dough from Ridleys in Highland. Ordered special green

Fruit Rainbow – Watermelon, Strawberries, Pineapple, Cantelope, Kiwi, Green Grapes, Blueberries, Red Grapes

Small cups – Walmart

Printables Included at end of post

Shamrock Pizza

Green dough

Green pepper slices

Pizza Sauce

Mozzarella Cheese

Italian Seasoning Spice

Heat Pizza Stone to 500 degrees in oven. (10 minutes in oven before you place dough on) Form pizza (have kids help). Add sauce, cheese, and top with “Shamrock” green peppers. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Place pizza in oven and cook for another 10-15 minutes.

Rainbow water

Ice cube trays

food dye color of the rainbow

Put water in trays, place 1 drop of food coloring in each ice cube square. Freeze. Place in glass in the order of a rainbow. Add water.

Fruit Rainbow

Place fruit in half circle to form rainbow on white platter

Fruit Dip

8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)

1 can marshmallow crème

½ cup greek yogurt (vanilla honey)

Blend cream cheese until all lumps are out. Add marshmallow cream and yogurt. Place in individual cups to look like clouds.

Upscale green dinner

Who said shamrocks couldn’t be sophisticated? Try this dinner to impress your dinner guests!

Sources:

Spinach Tortallini – Walmart refrigerator section

Pesto – Costco’s pesto is divine!

Irish Brew – Beer or IBC Rootbeer

Pesto Tortallini

Spinach Tortallini

Pesto

Broccoli stems

It is as easy as you think!  Boil pasta, add pesto to your liking, arrange on plate as shown. Be sure to have additional pasta for your guests in a bowl on table!

Asparagus Spirals

1 package of Puff Pastry, thawed

1 Herb or veggie cream cheese

Procuitto Ham

1 Bunch of Fresh asparagus spears

           

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Spread cream cheese on open puff pastry sheets. Then

place slices of prosciutto on top of cream cheese. Use sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut 1/2” x 6” strips of pastry. Wrap pastry strip tightly around the asparagus spear and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until puff pastry is golden brown.

Divine Desserts

Rainbow Dip, with golden coin

snickerdoodle cookies

Rainbow Cheesecake Dip

(Recipe source http://www.crazyforcrust.com)

8 ounces room temperature cream cheese

1 small box cheesecake pudding mix

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 ounces (1 container) whipped topping

Food Coloring

                       

Beat cream cheese until fluffy and all lumps are gone. Add pudding mix and milk. Beat for 2 minutes on medium. Stir in vanilla. Fold in whipped topping.

Separate dip into 6 zip-lock baggies.  Dye each baggie a different color of the rainbow. Cut off a small end of baggie and pipe into a clear serving dish, layer the colors. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Gold Coin Snicker doodles

½ cup butter

½ cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg

½ t. vanilla

1 ½ cups flour

1/4 t. salt

½ t. baking powder

1/3 t. cream of tarter

Cinnamon sugar or Gold sprinkles / sugar

Beat together butter & sugar. Add remaining ingredients (minus cinnamon sugar). Put in fridge from 30 to 60 minutes. (I have made them without this step and they work out okay). Take 1 TBSP dough, roll into balls, and then into sugar. Put on an un-greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 12-14 minutes. (may look undercooked. May want to cook them on the crispier side for the dip)

Irish dessert

Knock off those knickers with these Irish treats!

Irish Crème Brownies

1 cup margarine

2 cups sugar

1/3 cup coca

1 ¾ cup flour

4 eggs (one at a time)

½ t. salt

1 t. vanilla

Mix all ingredients together. Place in a ½ cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Then put on irish cream topping:

TOPPING:

12 oz cream cheese

1/3 cup + 2 TBSP sugar

1 egg

¼ cup Irish Cream coffee creamer

green food coloring

Mix cream cheese until there are no lumps. Add remaining ingredients. Spoon on top of brownies. (ONLY USE about ¾ of the mixture. there will be some left over!)

Mix topping and brownies in a swirling motion with end of butter knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool completely and put in freezer. Let brownies freeze pretty firm before cutting!

 More on my blog tomorrow about details on a few of the recipes ... OH

and Don't forget to download your Free Printables

For personal use only!!

Click HERE