Green it up for St. Patty’s Day celebrations

My mother used to say, “Everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.” So, here are a few fun foodie ideas to help you find your inner leprechaun and enjoy this St. Patrick’s Day because, whether you’re Irish or just Irish at heart, everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day!

A fun holiday tradition is the “Eating O’ the Green” foods. Kids generally get a big kick out of this and they can get to the point where if it isn’t green, don’t try to give it to them on St. Patrick’s Day! Dyeing the food is relatively simple but know that some things dye well and others don’t.

Here are some foods that dye easily: Mashed potatoes, potato salad (and even baked or boiled potatoes), butter, milk and milk drinks, pancake batter, syrup, honey, peanut butter, eggs (scrambled, hard boiled or deviled), apple juice, lemonade, vanilla or light-colored cake and cupcakes, sugar cookies, vanilla or other light-colored frosting, homemade bread, vanilla pudding, vanilla ice cream, coconut, whipped topping, whipped cream, coffee creamers, tuna salad, coleslaw, mayonnaise, beer, the list goes on and on. You could eat a salad. It is green, but where’s the fun in that?

Here’s a special treat:

DIY Shamrock Milkshake. Pour into blender: 2 cups vanilla ice cream, 2 cups milk, 1-1/2 tsp. peppermint extract and 6-7 drops of green food coloring. Blend until smooth. Makes 2 large 16 oz. servings, or 4 small 8 oz. servings.

St. Paddy’s Day Bacon and Cheese Quiche

This is the festive breakfast of choice in our house.

You’ll need:

1 (9-inch) pie crust OR deep dish frozen pie crust pre-baked according to package directions

6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled

1/2 cup chopped onion — sauteed until soft in rendered bacon drippings and set aside

1 cup sliced mushrooms — sauteed until soft in rendered bacon drippings and set aside

4 eggs

2 cups half-and-half

Green food coloring

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 cups shredded cheese of your choice — Swiss or cheddar works great.

Optional — 1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and well drained

Here’s How: Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare pie shell. Saute bacon, set aside; saute onion and mushrooms, set aside. Mix together eggs, half-and-half, salt and pepper and add food coloring to your artistic satisfaction. Sprinkle crumbled bacon, onion, mushrooms and cheese, (and spinach if using), evenly over the pie shell. Pour the egg mixture into pie shell. Place pie pan on a baking sheet and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Allow 10 minutes before serving to cool. Serves 4-6.

Frugal Festivity contributed by Patti Diamond author of Divas On A Dime – Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! www.divasonadime.com Join us on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom.