🍀Celebrate St. Patricks Day!🍀🍀🍀🍀

“Legend says that each leaf of the clover has a meaning: the first is for hope, the second for faith, the third for love, and if you can find a 4- leaf clover, the fourth leaf represents luck.” -Jean LeGrand

Hello, sweet friend…

There are a number of ways to celebrate “wearing of the green”….

And whether you are Irish or not…this year might just be a great time to celebrate…

However if you are like me… You probably want to keep it easy and simple….

Here are 2 delicious recipes just in case you too are feeling a bit of the Irish Charm…

Shamrock Milk Shake

Ingredients

• 2 cups vanilla ice cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 4 to 6 drops mint extract
• 2 to 3 drops green food coloring
• Whipped cream for topping 
  (*optional Maraschino cherries)

Instructions

• Place the vanilla ice cream, milk, mint extract, and food coloring in the blender.
• Blend all of the ingredients until smooth.
• Serve immediately, topped with whipped cream and a cherry.
  

Shamrock Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
  

• 1 cup  unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 ½ cup  confectioners’ sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1 cup  semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• ¼ cup green sprinkles

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 400° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together softened butter and confectioners’ sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until thoroughly incorporated. Scrape down sides as necessary.
• With mixer on low, slowly add flour mixture to the bowl. The dough is ready when most of it sticks to the paddle. When touched it, it has a little give, but does not stick to fingers.
  

• Flour the work surface and roll dough to about 1/4 inch thick, using flour for dusting as necessary. Use a shamrock cookie cutter to cut out cookies. Place cookies on prepared baking sheet and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the edges start to turn golden.
  

• Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Gather up scraps and reroll dough. Repeat until no dough remains.
  

• In a double boiler, melt chocolate with shortening Dip half of the cookie in the chocolate and place on a wire rack set over a cookie sheet (to catch the drips and sprinkles). Immediately add the green sprinkles on the chocolate. If you have more discipline than me…Wait for chocolate to set and then enjoy!