Irish Spread for St Patricks Day! Boxty, Broccoli and Peas Casserole and Irish Coffee

I usually think too much while preparing new recipes. Google and blog search and the works. But this meal was easy. Irish food is meat, cabbage and potatoes. No meat and I don't like cabbage so potatoes it was. And there has to be green... so that is peas, spinach and broccoli. I picked peas and broccoli, nothing against spinach, but I am trying to finish broccoli. And drink? Whiskey of course but not neat, in Irish coffee! So here was the spread, Irish potato pancakes called boxty, broccoli and peas casserole and Irish coffee. Boxty is usually topped with butter and syrup, and eaten along with eggs and bacon, but I cant do syrup on potatoes. So my version had salt and pepper. They were delicious! The portion below for boxty and casserole is for four people.

Boxty

 Ingredients:

1/2 cup potato grated

1 cup potato boiled and mashed

6 tablespoons AP flour

1 egg

1 cup milk

Butter

Salt

Pepper

Mix the potatoes and add the flour to it. Add egg and milk to make a thick batter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat a non stick pan and apply a little butter to it. Pour about a ladleful on the pan. When the side starts to brown flip it and cook on the other side. Serve hot or warm!

I am sending this to Priya's Pancake event

Broccoli and Peas Casserole

Ingredients:

2 cups broccoli chopped

2 cups rice cooked

2 cups milk

2 tablespoons AP flour

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon cheddar cheese 

2 tablespoon Pepperjack cheese

1/2 cup peas

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 onion chopped

Salt 

Pepper

In a non stick sauce pan, heat the butter and add the flour. Cook for a couple of minutes till the flour becomes a pale brown. Add the milk while continuing to stir. Heat for about 5-8 minutes till it starts to thicken up. Add the cheddar and half of the pepperjack cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well. The cheese sauce is ready. 

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. In a deep pan, heat the oil and add the onions. When the onions turn translucent, add the broccoli and peas. Saute for a couple of minutes. Add the cooked rice and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the cheese sauce and mix well. Transfer to a baking dish and top with the remaining pepperjack cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes till the cheese is melted. Serve hot or warm. 

Irish Coffee

 Ingredients:

1 cup brewed coffee

1 teaspoon sugar

1 shot Irish whiskey (I skipped this as it is early evening)

Whipped cream

Pour the coffee into a serving glass. Add the sugar and whiskey and stir well. Top with whipped cream and serve hot!

I am sending this drink to KO Rasoi’s ‘Wear Your Food’ competition. This drink was part inspired by her cocktail and part by coffee cup charm. I am also sending it to Jagruti's Joyful Eating whilst Traveling Event. My Colorado trip was with a bunch of friends and at the end of the day, after skiing, skateboarding, snow-shoeing (I did that) we would hang around at the bar and swap stories about our day. We were together but each one's fall was different :) Along with beer and cocktails, this Irish coffee was perfect. It perked you up to head towards dinner and warmed you enough to brave the snow again. Below is a pic of the ski lifts from the trip...

And the beer ;)