With March being the month of the Irish, here are some traditional Irish recipes to make at home or to share with friends:

1. Irish Soda Bread Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons granulated white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup salted butter

1 cup buttermilk (low fat is fine)

1 large egg, beaten

3/4 cup currants, cranberries, raspberries or blueberries

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds (only with currants)

DIRECTIONS:

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease small muffin tins.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With pastry cutter or two knives used scissors fashion, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, stir together buttermilk and egg until blended. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Stir in currants, cranberries or blueberries and caraway seeds.

3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake 20 to 25 minutes (longer for the larger muffins), or until toothpick inserted in center of one muffin comes out clean.

4. Cool 5 minutes before removing muffins from cups and finish cooling on rack. Serve warm or cool completely and store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature, or freeze for future use.

*Tip – Substitute 1 cup of white flour and 1 cup of wheat flour

2. Leek & Cheddar Dip

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 leek, sliced into thin half-moons

8 oz cream cheese

2 cups shredded cheddar

1/4 cup mayonnaise

3 tbsp stout

coarse salt to taste

*baguette for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large skillet, melt one tablespoon of unsalted butter over medium. Add one leek to the skillet and sprinkle with coarse salt. Cook until tender and slightly caramelized, about 12 minutes.
3. Transfer leek mixture to a large bowl and add 2 cups of shredded cheddar, 8 oz package of cream cheese, 1/4 cup of mayonnaise and 3 tablespoons of stout (such as Guinness–I used an Oatmeal Stout). Mix until smooth and well incorporated.
4. Transfer to a 1-quart baking dish and bake until bubbling and browned on top, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve on slices of baguette.

3. Cheddar Ale Soup

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large shallots

2 large carrots (peeled and shredded)

3 garlic cloves

⅓ cup of flour

1 cup of Ale

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cups of milk

1 cups of vegetable broth

1 lb sharp cheddar cheese (preferably block)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt the butter in the pot on medium heat.
2. Add the chopped onion and shredded carrots, cook for about seven to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the minced garlic and stir well.
4. Sprinkle the flour, stir until combined and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the ale, while stirring, and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly.
6. Add the Worcestershire, milk, broth, salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.
7. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 to 13 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and puree the soup in a blender or food processor.
8. Pour back into the pot, set the heat to medium-low.
9. Add the cheese by the handful, stirring constantly (do not boil). Keep stirring until all cheese is melted.

4. Irish Cream Brownies 

For the brownies:

1 cup unsalted butter

2 ¼ cup sugar

4 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur

1 ¼ cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 teaspoon espresso powder

4 eggs

1 ½ cup flour

1 cup chocolate chips

For the frosting:

1 cup butter, softened

4 tablespoon Irish Cream

4 tablespoon heavy cream

4 cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch pan and set aside.
2. In a large microwave safe bowl, melt butter. Stir in sugar and return to microwave for a minute or until mixture is glossy. Stir in Irish Cream.
3. Stir in cocoa, salt, baking powder, vanilla and coffee. Stir in eggs until blended. Carefully add flour and stir just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 28 minutes or until edges are set. Let brownies cool completely before frosting.
4. To prepare the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixture, beat butter until creamy. Carefully mix in powdered sugar. Add Irish cream and heavy cream, adjusting the amount until you achieve a good spreading consistency.