Ireland vs. America

I can’t help but think of my wonderful trip to Ireland when St. Patrick’s day rolls around.  One of the things I loved about that beautiful country was that there were so many beautiful shades of green!  With all of the rain that they have, the countryside is so lush.  I also enjoyed the adorable sheep that roamed freely.

Celebrating the Irish Holiday in the U.S.

I have not been to Ireland on the actual holiday so I don’t know how they celebrate it there, but I can only assume that they don’t dye their rivers green as Chicago does. Isn’t this amazing?

The holiday is a great excuse to travel to the wonderful city of Chicago.  Pictured here are my nieces and their friends enjoying St. Patty’s Day in Chicago last year.

Ok, this recipe had me at “Thin Mints”!   If I had a box of Girl Scout Thin Mints, not sure they would last long enough to make these festive Irish truffles!

via lilluna.com

I always enjoy perusing the Cupcakes and Cashmere Blog and thought this Luck of the Irish cake looked so elegant!

via Cupcakes & Cashmere Blog

I’ve had a sweet tooth lately so here I am posting more desserts!  Chocolate covered strawberries are fit for any occasion!

via blog.ebates.com

Such an easy way to add a festive luck of the Irish touch to your celebration.   Spinach clover leaf cutouts for tortilla chips.

via zakkalife.blogspot.com

If you want to go the elegant route to celebrate (heck, you can just invite friends over for Ombre cake, Thin Mint Truffles and Chocolate Covered Strawberries), this is a beautiful green and white tablescape.

via inspiredbythis.com

Lastly, what to do with any leftover corned beef?  One of my favorite indulgences, a Reuben sandwich with lots of thousand island dressing and sauerkraut!  Yum!

Recipe at whatscookingwithruthie.com

What are your plans for this St. Patty’s Day?