St. Patrick's Day classics with a twist!
- 29 minutes ago
- 8 min read
Thursday, March 12, 2026
St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner and it often seems to bring
a little extra cheer to the kitchen when it arrives!
From savory bites to sweet treats,
it’s a fun excuse to add a touch of Irish-inspired flavor to the table!
In today’s post, Laura is sharing two recipes
that put a playful spin on classic flavors of St. Patrick’s Day.
We’ve also included a few bonus ideas
that might add a bit more Irish fun
to any St. Patrick's Day plans you may have!
My husband has always been a big fan of a good meat-and-potatoes meal, so the classic St. Patrick’s Day dinner is something he looks forward to every year.
The classic!
I, on the other hand, never pass up the chance for a delicious Reuben sandwich…
YUM!
We also love a cocktail or dessert drink that celebrates the season…
A dark Guinness or a bit of Irish whiskey for Hubby,
while I prefer an espresso martini or a sip of Bailey’s to cap things off!
What flavors of the season do YOU prefer?
St. Patrick’s Day is full of its own rich, delightful flavors but these days, with just the two of us typically at home celebrating, I decided it might be fun to give two classic flavors a fun little twist!
I figure this way Hubby will get his classic dinner on the BIG day
and I’ll get my yummy Reuben flavors in the days that follow!
Plus… there's a treat in the house to nibble on all week long!
Okay… this might just be the dish I find myself craving more than anything else,
especially this time of year... although, if I'm being honest,
I love a Reuben anytime of the year!
It has all the flavors of a traditional Reuben sandwich
but the crunch took it to a new level for me!
These are great as a light meal or when served as an appetizer
and it’s the perfect dish to make with St. Patrick’s Day leftovers, too!
INGREDIENTS (makes 6 quesadillas)
• 12 taco size (8”) flour tortillas
• 1 pound cooked & sliced corned beef
(I get mine at the deli other times of the year)
• 12 slices Swiss cheese
• 1 cup sauerkraut, drained (I used the Bavarian style w/caraway seeds)
• butter (or a neutral oil, like grapeseed oil works, too)
• Thousand Island dressing, for dipping (I used our favorite bottled version - Kens)
NOTE: Sometimes I make my own Thousand Island dressing - I included that recipe at the end of this one.
I only made 2 quesadillas..
As you may remember, my husband is gluten and dairy free
so while I LOVE a Reuben, he has to stay away from them!
No worries though - I can still enjoy one (with another saved for leftovers)
while Hubby has his classic leftovers!.
DIRECTIONS
Make each quesadilla by layering cheese, corned beef slices, drained sauerkraut and then another layer of cheese on top of a flour tortilla. Place a second tortilla on top and spread butter (or brush oil) on the outside of the top tortilla. Build the remaining quesadillas in the same way. (NOTE: I prepped the second one while the first one was cooking - this worked well for me!)
Heat a small bit of butter (or oil) in a large frying pan over medium heat. Keep a close eye on it as you don’t want it too hot. Carefully transfer the quesadilla to the pan (with the buttered/oiled side up) and cook, again watching carefully. - the tortilla can burn quickly if the heat is too high. When the bottom tortilla is golden brown and the bottom layer of cheese has melted, flip the quesadilla over and repeat on the other side (2-3 minutes/side). Take the quesadilla off the heat and drain any excess oil on a paper towel.
Repeat these first two steps with any remaining quesadillas.
Cut the quesadillas into wedges. Serve with the Thousand Island dressing on the side, using it as a dipping sauce.
HOMEMADE THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING: Combine 3/4 cup mayo, 3 Tablespoons ketchup, 2 Tablespoons sweet pickle relish, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Keep refrigerated.
I enjoy mine with some pickles and potato chips. Super simple and super delicious!
This recipe is one I recently rediscovered and I’m so glad I did!
While it has a bit of booze in it (so be mindful of that),
this bar hits the mark with its rich espresso and smooth cream flavors!
It is a sweet little twist that captures the spirit of that after-dinner treat
in a form you can slice, share and savor!
While these are delicious as a dessert after dinner,
they are equally tasty served with coffee as a morning or afternoon pick-me-up!
I brought them to a gathering and, before I knew it, they were gone!
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup butter, melted
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs, plus one egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 Tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 2 ¼ cups flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 ½ cups dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Coarse sea salt (to sprinkle over top)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 9-inch pan with parchment paper (I used an 11 x 7-inch pan). Spray parchment lightly with non-stick spray.
Melt the butter (I did so in the microwave). Cool slightly.
Transfer butter to a larger mixing bowl. Add both sugars and whisk all together. Add the Bailey’s Irish Cream and the vanilla and stir again. Then add the two eggs and the extra egg yolk. Beat until smooth.
The first secret ingredient… Bailey’s Irish cream!
In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and espresso powder. Fold the dry mixture into the wet one and mix well.
Two more secret ingredients - cinnamon and espresso powder!
Add the chocolate chips and gently stir to mix all together. Spoon the batter into your parchment lined pan. If desired, press a few extra chocolate chips into the top of the batter and lightly sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check. If edges are golden and the middle is ever so slightly soft, the bars are done. Cool completely before cutting to serve.
These are SOOOOOO good!
As an added bonus, we thought we’d share a few past ways
we’ve celebrated St. Paddy’s Day with food and drink!
Laurie first shared these ideas in March 2023
and they are still GRAND favorites to this day!
Shamrock Pretzels!
These are the cutest St. Patrick’s Day treats ever and are so fun to make!
You only need 4 ingredients to make these yummy treats…
When ready to eat,
these two kinds of pretzels, Rolo candies and M&M’s
will look just like shamrocks!
Here's how to make your own...
And… we love that these festive Shamrock Pretzels are easy enough
for your Littles to help make, too!
You can store the Shamrock Pretzels in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.
Make these festive treats to bring to a holiday party or to share with your Littles
OR
you can use them to lure in pesky leprechauns on St, Patrick’s Day…
Head to our last post if you’d like to learn more
about how to catch a leprechaun!
Boozy Shamrock Shakes!
4 cups vanilla Ice cream
¼ cup milk
2 oz. Creme de Menthe
2 oz. Vanilla Vodka
Green food coloring
Whipped cream and sprinkles for decoration
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Top with decorations and serve immediately.
To make a non-alcoholic version:
Simply, leave out the creme de menthe and vanilla vodka
and add 1 teaspoon peppermint extract!
To make things extra festive,
add a custom stir stick…
Tape a sticker or printed copy of a leprechaun or shamrock you’ve found online
to a short skewer or a plastic straw you''ve cut in half!
Individual Bailey’s!
What could be simpler!
Buy the mini bottles of Baileys (we bought a 6-pack)
and set one bottle by each adult place setting!
Sláinte!
Pronounced "slawn-cha" - An Irish/Gaelic, and Scottish Gaelic word meaning "health,"
used primarily as a drinking toast synonymous with "cheers"
Today’s recipes and ideas keep the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day alive
while adding a fun little twist…
Proving that even the most traditional favorites
can be reimagined in delicious new ways.
Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by!
If you have any simple menu ideas for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day,
PLEASE SHARE!
We learn so much from this community!
Please consider sharing your thoughts, ideas and insights with us
by commenting at the end of this post!
We may take a few days to respond,
but we always return every message we receive!
We’ll be back early next week with our next post!
Our attention will turn toward the spring season and the Easter holiday ahead.
You won’t want to miss it!
In fact, you may want to subscribe to our site,
so you don’t miss a thing!
And, of course, you can always Laurie sharing something new
We’d love it if you stopped by!
Whether you stick with the classics or enjoy giving them a fresh spin,
St. Patrick’s Day is a wonderful excuse to enjoy a special dish or two!
However you celebrate,
may your table be full, may your food be festive,
and may your day include plenty of good cheer!
We will leave you today with this Irish table blessing…
💗 We are delighted to join the following link up parties and blog hops! 💗
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