Most Irish families would have relished the fact that at least one member was in the religious life.  A particularly proud moment for an Irish Mammy would be the ordination of her son as a priest.  And there would be the requisite celebration.  Of course if it happened to be on a Friday, well tradition would also dictate that fish be on the menu.

While I don’t have anyone from the “religious orders” in my immediate family, I almost did.  The story goes that my mom had unusual means of disciplining us children.  Sometimes she would make us go out for a run.  Maybe to burn off a little energy?  One time, though, my brother and I veered off into an apartment complex with a pool.  We just stared into the glistening water.  It was a gorgeous sunny California day (like usual) and the cool water was very tempting.  My bother happened to be wearing his roller-skates (trying to avoid the dreaded punishment run, he opted to pop on some wheels).  And he being the ‘lil devil that he was, dared me to push him in to the pool.  And I did.  But the old fashioned skates had metal wheels.  And so he began to sink.  No joke!  I screamed for my life, and luckily the residents came to help and he survived.  Needless to say, I don’t take people up on dares anymore.

So my mom opted that for future disciplinary measures she would separate us.  She had my brother run around the block solo (sans skates) and have me run in our backyard.  It was actually quite a long and narrow backyard.  But one day in particular, I think she forgot I was back there running.  My brother had done his stint around the block and was back inside having a cool drink watching cartoons.  And because I was obedient, I kept running.  And running.  And running.  I was waiting for her to come outside and say enough was enough. But she never did.  This went on for hours.  I finally collapsed at the back door and with the little strength left in my eight year old body I reached up and knocked as hard as I could.  When she opened the door, she looked down and said, “Oops, I forgot you were still out here”.  I could hear my brother snicker a sinister laugh from inside.  I suppose it was his way of getting back at me from the near drowning pool incident.

Finally my mom resorted to sending us to church when we were out of line.  Out of line usually meant we were just doing the sibling rivalry thing, nothing too off the charts.  The punishment was that we were supposed to walk to church and pray about what we had done wrong.  It was only 2 miles away, but it felt much longer at the time.  On one day in particular, just after arriving inside the doors of St. Columban’s Catholic Church,  my brother asked me if I wanted to go to confession.  I hadn’t done my catechism classes so I didn’t know what that was.  But he, being a couple years older than I,  told me what to do.  He gave me all the instructions and guided me into the confessional telling me he’d wait outside.  It was a bit daunting, but I thought my mom might be happy that I was remorseful enough that I would be doing this.  After I received absolution, I exited the confessional to find my brother standing there laughing hysterically.  Like, doubled over laughing.  I got scared because I knew we weren’t suppose to talk above a whisper let alone laugh in church.  He finally admitted that he played a joke on me and that he was actually pretending to be the priest inside the confessional.   When we walked back home I burst into the house and announce, “Mom guess what, I went to confession, and Kenny was the priest!”  And so my mom said, “That’s it, Kenny, go back to church!”

So in honor of Father Kenny that was ne’r a figment of my imagination, I am sharing a fish inspired recipe.  So at least we can do one thing properly today, by not eating meat on a Friday!  It even has a black and white color accompaniment, like clerical clothing.  It’s a gorgeous Black Olive Tapenade Crusted Salmon.  And to top it all off, today is Ireland’s National Potato Day!!!!  Whoo HOO!  So I am making a beautiful potato+ cauliflower mash.  I call it Potat-iflower Puree!  But the secret ingredient is none other than my all time favs, Kerrygold’s Butter and Dubliner Cheese!!  And of course my chef’s assistant! I’ll have the demo up on Snapchat (user name blissbakery) if you want to see it.

Crusted Salmon with Black Olive Tapenade on Potat-iflower Puree

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 fillets of salmon

1 cup of Fresh or packaged bread crumbs

For the Tapenade:

100 g pitted black olives such as Kalamata Olives

1 medium clove garlic

2 Tbsp capers

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

For the Potat-iflower Puree:

1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

Salt

2/3 cups whole milk, divided

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) Kerrygold butter, divided

2 ounces coarsely grated Dubliner’s Cheese (about 1/2 cup packed)

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ head cauliflower, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces, including stems and core

2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

 

To prepare the tapenade, just combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blitz until a coarse paste is formed. Set aside

Prepare the Potat-ilower puree by putting potatoes and 2 teaspoons salt in a large heavy saucepan and generously cover with cold water (about 2 1/2 quarts). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

While potatoes are boiling, heat about 1/3 cup milk and 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan until butter is melted and milk is hot but not boiling. Keep warm off heat, covered.

Drain potatoes well in a sieve or colander and return to hot saucepan. Add milk mixture, ½ cup Dubliner Cheese, and pepper, and mash with a potato masher until smooth consistency. Season with salt and keep warm, covered.

Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil, then add cauliflower and garlic and simmer until cauliflower is very tender, 13 to 15 minutes.

Drain cauliflower in a colander and pulse with remaining 1/3 cup milk, 1/2 cup Dubliner’s Cheese, and 2 tablespoons butter in a food processor until it’s a purée.

Stir together mashed potatoes and cauliflower mixture in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside and keep warm

Preheat oven to 180 C/350 F. Line baking tray with parchment paper. Place salmon fillets in tray and season with a little salt and freshly ground pepper.

Spread a spoonful of the black olive tapenade evenly on each salmon fillet. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Bake in the oven for 15 -20 minutes until done

To serve, place a generous scoop of potat-iflower puree on the plate and gently top with the crusted salmon fillet. Garnish with some lovely petite pois and blistered cherry tomatoes.

 

I’m sure we all have funny stories from our childhood.  Likely even as adults when we get together we reminisce about them.  And this story is our family’s “go-to” and we still tease my brother about his priestly moment in the sun.  But I would encourage any of you reading this to actually take time to write your own stories down somewhere, somehow, someday, and someway.  It doesn’t have to be a blog like this, but in a notebook, or you can make a video of it.  Only today I ran across an old article online about the Importance of Telling Our Stories.  Maybe because of my Irishness, but I am excited by stories.  The Emerald Isle inhabitants defo have the gift of the gab and have endowed the world with using the tip of the pen to put the wit of its men (and women) onto paper.  Other cultures such as the Africans take great pride and pleasure in the tradition of storytelling.  However, all of this is getting harder to do so in a society that won’t read anything with more than 140 characters in it (think twitter).  So if not for anyone else, do it for yourself. Think of writing your story as entering into your own private confessional!

With love and laughter,

YDP

 

 

 

 

Okay,  so you’re probably thinking, what is this for a blog post title?  First off, I won’t be in the kitchen today so there is no “recipe” in front of the title.  Second,  I chose this funny title for the post because I just wanted to show how far I have come in the “tech” world.  I now know all about hashtags (#)!  And this one has to be one of my all time favs!  It is an acronym for Random Act of Kindness.  And if you have been under a rock for the past few years I’ll break it down for you.

Random:  made, or occurring without definite aim, reason, or pattern

Act: thing to do or be done; deed; performance

Kindness:  to be considerate, helpful, benevolent

By themselves, the definitions don’t really say much.  However joined together they are words that become a phrase that become a life changing event.  In essence this ground swell societal movement has been one of the most wonderful things I have witnessed in my time on earth.  And with the ‘plague like’ permeation of social media, even to the far reaches of the globe,  the movement has been supercharged!  Though I’m  a late joiner to snapchatown, twitterlands, and instgramville this is my kind of social media phenomenon.

I have been practicing this philosophy of giving to others since I was a child.  It is one of my purposes in life, to do for others.  And the more spontaneous the better.  It can be as simple as putting money in someone’s parking meter before it expires.  Though parking wardens (police) are figuring out ways to stop that by installing new high falutin parking meters.  But still, you can help someone in other ways like opening a shop door if their hands are full, giving a homeless person a hot cup of coffee and a scone, visiting a senior center and spending time just having a chat, or simply smiling and looking in the eyes at the person at the supermarket check out . Ultimately, it is about heartfelt human interaction.

While I have done all of those things, there are a couple of memories I have of helping others, strangers, without any strings attached, that have left my heart full long after the act was done.  The first time was when I was  in college.  On day one of an early American history course the professor announced he needed a volunteer to take notes for one of the students. She was hearing impaired, but had a sign language interpreter there to relay the professor’s lecture.   She couldn’t take notes because she had to stay focused on the interpreter.  I wanted to raise my hand but I was nervous to volunteer because of my limited computer skills.  It meant I would not only have to type up the notes, which wouldn’t have been too bad, but I had to send them as an attachment through email. Yikes!   Thank God my son, who was in high school at the time, had just taught me how to email an attachment!  In spite of my reluctance I decided to do it because it wasn’t about me and my lame lack of computer savvy, she was the one who really needed help.  So I did this every lecture, twice a week for an entire sixteen week semester.  Then the following year, I happen to have her brother in another class and as he was also hearing impaired I offered to do the same for him. Though I never saw them again, I still have their sweet email responses from all the times I sent the notes.  And I didn’t get extra credit from the teacher, mind you.  But I sure knew the class material super well!  And that helped with my grades!

Another time was when I went to church one day for some quiet prayer.  It wasn’t my normal parish church, but when I passed it I was compelled to go in.  Once inside I noticed only one other person there.  A woman was up near the sanctuary praying very fervently and though her back was to me I could actually hear her tears.  When she finally came down to sit in the pew, just the two of us alone in this church, I asked her if she was okay.  We began a lovely and tender conversation.  She was a widowed mom of six children and all of them were back in her home country of Tahiti.  She couldn’t support them on her wages as a hotel housekeeper there, so she moved to America to help care for an elderly woman.  Her kids were being looked after by her own mother and sisters, and through sending money, they were able to attend schools and were doing fine.  But she missed them so much.  Talking to them once a week and a text here and there just didn’t provide the physical needs a mother has for her children.  She hadn’t been home since she left eight years earlier and prayed that her eldest daughter, old enough now to travel, could come visit her.

I was crying listening to her story.  As a mom myself, I could relate to that feeling of desperately wanting to touch your kids and hug them.  I was overwhelmed with emotion and offered to help by giving her airline miles to fly her daughter over to LA.  If you can only imagine her response!  I think the folks driving by on the street with their windows up could have heard her!  I went home and started to book things, and then realized I didn’t have enough miles to cover the flight.  But I didn’t want to let her down, and so I actually paid for the ticket myself.  I knew in my heart from experience that money comes and money goes, but the joy that she would experience by being with her daughter would last in her heart forever!

She insisted  I meet her daughter when she visited.  A lovely girl who brought me little souvenirs.  We went to mass a couple of times and had a meal or two together.  Not long after we moved to Ireland.  I have never seen her again.  But every so often I get a text from her thanking me.  Or an email from her daughter thanking me.  And I thank God that, though it was a stretch for me financially,  I was able to help her.

I suppose an aspect of this challenge is that, it is a challenge. It could be monetary, or physical, or maybe going outside your comfort zone by talking with a stranger and sharing a smile is enough.  But when you do these things, the goodness comes back.  Not that you do them for any gain at all, but it is inevitable.

Even science confirms that being kind is good for your health!  The Irish Times just today has an article about the research findings.   And though kindness is contagious, it isn’t lethal!  They even have a #Raktivist group if you are so inclined!

While I love to do these acts of kindness myself as I said, I absolutely adore witnessing them. Last year in response to the wave of deadly dares on Facebook, the RAK challenge became a trend.  One night while working in the shop, a lady was about to buy food for her dinner, when another customer came up to the cash register/till and said, “Here’s my credit card, I’d like to pay for her.”  I think the lady was in a state of shock (as you can see by the picture) and I was so excited I almost burst into tears myself.  The lady who paid for the food shared that the night before someone had paid for her petrol/gas (which was about 60 euro) and the only caveat was that she had to do a random act of kindness within 24 hours.

I am inspired by some of my new Snapchat friends that are going out of their comfort zones to make a positive difference.  Fashion illustrator Holly Shortall is on a ferry as I write this heading to Calais, France to lend help with the Refugee crisis.  And Katrina Kelly is incorporating her give away Freebie Friday with a contest for her followers to do a random act of kindness and then snap it.

If this Random Act of Kindness movement had a theme song it would have to be Magic Penny.  It was one of my favorite songs to sing for my kids when they were little. The lyrics are:   

“Love is something if you give it away, give it away, give it away Love is something if you give it away, you end up having more. It’s just like a magic penny. Hold it tight and you won’t have any. Lend it, spend it and you’ll have so many They’ll roll all over the floor. For Love is something if you give it away, give it away, give it away Love is something if you give it away, you end up having more”

My hope is that you will make time in your day to spread the love!  And trust me you’ll end up having more!

Here’s to Random Acts of Kindness and love!

YDP

ps. Though I told Katrina I was exempting myself from her competition (I won another one of her Freebie Fridays a couple of weeks ago) I still wanted to do some #RAK.  So I shared some of my baked goods with several appreciative folks.  But the best was when I brought these roses to a local daycare/creche.  The teachers there were in shock that here was I, some strange Yankee Doodle Paddy lady, who just wanted to thank them for taking care of our most precious asset in this world, the children.

Today is the 33rd birthday of my first born, my daughter, Heather Ann.  This day forever changed my life.

I think becoming a parent is the most precious honor that could be bestowed on a human being.  In the olden days people might have had children as it was simply the thing to do.  No questions asked, everyone did it etc., etc.  I CHOSE to become a mommy.  It was my calling, my vocation, and also my healing.  It has brought me joy and yes at times pain.  But it is the single most rewarding thing I have accomplished in my fifty years on this earth!

As I have shared a bit before, I was abused and neglected as a child.  Being a parent didn’t bring joy to my mother, I don’t even know if she loved us kids.  But once she and my father got divorced things went from bad to worse.  She moved us to California, as far away from him as possible.  She became a drug addict who also dealt drugs to support her habit.  And though she didn’t want me, she needed me.  One of the ways was that (unbeknownst to me at the time) the money I made acting in TV commercials went into her pocket.  As well, even as a small child, I looked after the family, the cleaning, the cooking.  That is why becoming a mom at a young age wasn’t the least bit daunting for me.  I had been doing it already.  The irony, she was actually quite intelligent believe it or not.  And from what I was told, she won a scholarship to college.  But she didn’t go because in those days, most women got married and had children.  Even if they weren’t suited for it, as she wasn’t.

When I decided to become a mother at the tender young age of seventeen,  it was a natural and conscious desire, but also a subconscious need.  I realize now looking back that in a way I was able to heal through being a young mom by pouring my love and attention into my children.  I wasn’t what current pop culture seems to glorify of the  “Sixteen and Pregnant” variety.  I finished school, was married and had a career.  So starting a family filled that next and most crucial chapter.  But I didn’t want to repeat the sins of the mother, and the opposite of dysfunctional can also be dysfunctional.  So I read every book I could get my hands on that had to do with pregnancy, child development, and parenting.  I took classes and attended lectures on the topic.  I knew I wanted to break the proverbial cycle of abuse.  And I did prove to myself and others that it is possible to make a new way!  A good, happy and healthy way.

Of course, it wasn’t always easy.  My then husband was gone a lot.   In essence I was a single mom before the divorce.  And there were some that didn’t always have the most respect for a young mom.  In fact many thought I was the nanny, not the mommy.  Some wrongly assumed I was pregnant when I got married but in fact I wasn’t.  It was actually six months after the wedding that I got pregnant.

But because I was so young, I guess you could say I was able to relive my childhood.  I was growing up with my kids.   Even now I have the best memories of those times that my kids and I would literally go everywhere and do everything together.  People called us the “Three Musketeers”.  And though we are now living spread out around the globe, the times when we are able to be together are amazing and precious.  These days I love seeing the two of them navigate their adult sibling relationship and helping each other out when needed, it is very touching.

This past mother’s day Heather posted this pic of us (taken when we lived in New York) on her Instagram and wrote the most beautiful note.  “Happy Mother’s Day to the best mom in the whole entire world!  Thank you for everything you are and for everything you have done.  I am beyond blessed to have you in my life.”

Wow, okay, throat burning, tears in the eyes response for sure!  The thing is, I am blessed to have her in my life.  I have learned as much from her as she has from me.  My guess is most parents actually learn loads from their kids.  But they don’t like to admit it because of a fear of showing weakness.  Like “I’m the parent, I’m supposed to know it all” mentality.

I am grateful for all she is and all she has done.   In my daughter’s 33 years she has indeed made the world a better place.  She has worked as a social worker serving the most difficult communities with various disabilities.  She is currently getting her masters at U.S.C. (my son’s and my alma mater, yeah).  She is unbelievably smart, talented, hard working, creative, funny and beautiful.  She has a wonderful husband and together they have given me truly the best gift I have ever received, which is the gift of being a grandma (or “Amma” as they call me).  Since both my grandmas passed away before I was born, I didn’t know what to expect.  But I am blown away by of the amount of love I have for them.  And I am awe at what a wonderful mommy she is!  This photo (by Paper Tiger)  was taken this summer just after Hope was born joining big sister Harper…now I have three H’s to love!

So to honor Heather on her birthday, here is a recipe of a fav of hers,  a Cookies and Cream Cake.  I baked a multiplied version of the recipe for my daughter and son in law’s wedding (a mini three tier cake and 150 cupcakes).  As you can see from the pic at the top of the page,  it is laden with Oreo Cookies!  The color scheme for their wedding was black and white so it was perf.  And this pic of her as a seven year old in the black and white dress reminds me of this cake too!  All black and white and fluffy!  It was taken at the Miss Universe Pageant in Los Angeles where she was in a group of “little sisters” to the contestants.  And funny enough, she was paired with Miss Ireland!  So she was one of the original Yankee Doodle Paddy Peeps!

Ingredients:

½ cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, room temp

1 cup (8oz) whole milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

3 large egg whites, room temp

1 cup OREO chocolate sandwich cookies (about 10) lightly crushed

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C degrees. Prepare baking tins by greasing/flouring 2 round cake tins  or if making cupcakes, insert paper liners into cupcake pan.
2. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
3. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Slowly add egg whites to butter mixture, mixing well between each addition. Stop the bowl and scrape down the sides from time to time. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until only a few streaks of flour remain. Stir in the crushed cookies until batter is evenly blended.
5. Fill the baking tins or cupcake liners. Bake for about 15 min for cupcakes and 25 mins for cake or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. For the cupcakes let cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove to wire rack

 

For the frosting: This is enough for the cupcakes but you will need more to ice a whole cake

Ingredients:

2 sticks (226 g) unsalted butter, firm but not cold

1/8 tsp salt

3 ½ cups (350g) confectioners sugar, sifted

½ tsp vanilla

½ tsp milk

finely crushed Oreo cookie crumbs

In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat paddle attachment, beat the butter and salt on medium until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, gradually add the confectioners sugar and beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla and milk and beat until smooth and creamy. Do not overmix or the frosting will incorporate too much air. It should be creamy and dense, like ice cream. Add additional milk, 1 tsp at a time if frosting does not have a spreadable consistency.  Spread frosting on top of cupcakes and then sprinkle with crushed cookie crumbs.**To have enough frosting to ice a whole cake, double the batch (for a 2 layer cake, and  spread frosting in middle and outside)

 

In keeping with the black and white/cookies and cream cake theme, I’ll let a line from the Michael Jackson song “Black or White” sum this whole thing up in a nutshell..

“…Now I Believe In Miracles
And A Miracle
Has Happened Tonight…”

…well at 10:45 at night, on that night of 29th of September, 1982, the miracle of a 9 pound baby Heather being welcomed into my grateful arms!

I love you Hun!

Mom (aka YDP)

Is it just me or does it seem like this Monday in particular everyone has the blues?  Maybe it was the Red Moon last night?  Or depending on your allegiance,  too much celebrating the Irish Rugby win or moaning over the U.S. and  English losses ? Or folks just getting back to work after being away on holidays?  Or it could simply be that some had a few ‘tee many martoonies’!  Well, I have the for sure cure!  And even if you awakened bright as a bunny this morning, you will still love this miracle mixture.

I call it Lemon-Aid.  It is my special lemonade made with tea.  Irish brand Barry’s Tea.  Most Irish don’t even like to use the words iced and tea together.  So I won’t say it is iced tea okay?  It is a variation of what some people call an “Arnold Palmer” after the famous golfer.  Only this is better. You get a hit of vitamin C from all the freshly squeezed fruit juice in it and a jolt of caffeine from the tea.  Hence the name Lemon-Aid!  This can be enjoyed on its own, or you can use it as a cordial and add some sparkling water if it is too strong, which is what I like to do.  My hubby likes it straight up!

I make it in a pitcher but then decant it into a big glass bottle. This makes it handy to shake before you pour (as there are nice pulpy bits in it).  As well, it makes a super hostess gift!  If you are going on a night out but will be driving home, this is a fun drink to have in your glass as you will still feel festive.  Even if you aren’t planning to use this non alcoholic drink as a  go-to substitute, like some people I know, you could actually add a bit of vodka or other spirits to it just the same!

As a little touch, I make homemade gift tags as well.

Ingredients:

 

2 bags (they come stuck together as you can see) of Barry’s Irish Tea (or other black tea) steeped in 500 ml (16 oz) hot water (plus more water added after the tea has steeped to equal  1 and 1/4 pints)

225 ml (8 oz) Stock Syrup (see instructions at bottom if you don’t have on hand)

Juiced 1 lime, 3 lemons, 1 orange

Mix all together in a pitcher. Voila!  Decant to a bottle if you desire. This will last a couple days in the fridge but best on the first day it is made.

To make the stock syrup, slowly bring to the boil 450 g of sugar and 600 ml water in a saucepan on the stove top (hob).  Let it slowly boil for a few minutes then take it off the heat to cool.  There will be loads more than you need for one batch. So place the rest into an airtight jug and pop it into the fridge to have on hand when you need to make more LemonAID!

Here’s hoping you have a better Monday once you taste this miracle mixture!  Hey, when life gives you lemons there are lots of possibilities! And I think LemonAID is a great one!

Calming Caring Love,

YDP

P. S. I did a tutorial of this on Snapchat today (user name blissbakery) if you want to see.  But it is a pretty straight forward recipe to follow. I refrained from my usual singing and carrying on in light of some people’s hurting heads!  Instead I spoke in just a whisper, I didn’t dance or make any quick moves, and I  played some peaceful and relaxing music…..aaaahhh…Monday is almost over folks!

 

 

 

And on the seventh day, YDP rested!  It was actually more than the seventh day however.  Research says it takes 30 days to make something a habit.  Well I have written for this blog everyday for 33 days, and then I paused….to catch my breath!  And maybe give your eyes a break too!  Hence no post yesterday.  I just have so many stories and so many recipes to share with all of you!  But.. Whew…..it is okay to pace myself,  don’t you think?

Nevertheless I did play a bit more on Snapchat.  I got to see some of the footage of Pope Francis’ visit to America on the Live Snapchat feed. That was especially nice because though we own a tv we still haven’t gotten it connected.  I loved seeing all the clips of the Americans welcoming him and the different celebrations.  It was pretty cool to watch a group of nuns dancing to Sister Sledge who were performing their song ‘We Are Family”.  At one event the MC was the actor Mark Wahlberg (yeah the Marky Mark one), the queen of Soul Aretha Franklin sang some gospel and the Irish band The Fray performed their song “How to Save a Life”.  I literally had tears in my eyes!

I also did a another food demo for Snapchat.  I made some awesome “paleo pancakes” and my luck I think it might have actually been National Pancake Day?  They are super easy to make and really all you need is an egg and a very ripe banana.  But I added a drop of vanilla extract and a teensy weensy bit of baking powder.

But then I realized I had no maple syrup!  Oh dear!  The good news was I still had some peanut butter and a bit of dark chocolate left over from the gorgeous bars I made the other day.  So I threw together some homemade peanutella!  So yummy!  I made two large pancakes (they are the consistency of a crepe) in my biggest skillet using hot coconut oil (so then they are dairy free too) and rolled them up with the peanutella.  Of course, then put more on top!  Goodness gracious me oh my!  This pic is from the Snapchat feed, and I was rocking out to “Don’t Stop Believing” from Journey.  It was during the part of the song where the lyric goes, “Working hard to get my fill.”  So of course I had to belt that out while trying to stuff my face with this amazing brekkie!  Ah, the things I do for entertainment.  This is why I say, I am truly never bored!

 Suddenly I noticed the peanut butter jar was nearly empty.  But for me, that means possibilities!  So I actually did a quick snapchat tutorial on how to make some overnight oats in the almost empty peanut butter jar.  Mine happened to be the famous American brand Jif Peanut butter.  And I used the  wonderful Irish brand Flahavan’s Organic Oats.  How perfect is that for YDP?  America + Ireland = Love ( and a healthy brekkie the next day).

There are endless variations, using chia seeds, or various fruits.  You can use any nut butter jar too.  For my version I simply used 1 cup of milk (I like almond milk), 1/3 cup oats (of course, I like to use Irish oats),  one ripe banana mashed, and a drop of vanilla extract and a sprinkle of cinnamon.  Put them all together in the jar and give a nice stir, making sure to scrape up the bits of peanut butter from around the sides.  Put back on the top.  Give a little shake for luck.  And do a little sing song and dance to Taylor Swift or Florence and the Machine (funny, they both have songs with the name `’shake”in the title) and pop it into the fridge until morning.  Some people eat it the next morning straight up cold. Yuck, not me!  I like my porridge just the way Baby Bear’s tastes (from the story Goldilocks and the Three Bears).  Not too hot, not too cold,  but just right!

Today was a super duper Rugby World Cup day!!!  As I said here before, I love rugby.  The first match was USA against Scotland.  Stella and I wore all our Yankee Doodle red, white and blue patriotic garb and headed to our local pub.

Honestly, my food focused dog was just excited because she knew I was going to share my Sunday roast dinner with her! Which of course I did!

Sadly the U.S. lost, but they gave it their best effort!  So we regrouped, changed clothes and got ready for the Ireland vs. Romania match.  While there were no American fans apart from us, there were tons of people cheering on the Irish!  And they all loved Stella’s Irish flag cape!

All the kids thought Stella was “Super Paddy Dog” which actually is kind of a cool moniker.

And lucky for all of us, Ireland won the match handily!  It was a practically perfect Yankee Doodle Paddy, America + Ireland = Love,  kinda weekend.  But hubby coming back home tonight will really make it complete!

As the back of my shirt say, “peace is the lucky charm”.  I hope you all have a wonderful and peaceful week ahead.  Thanks for the love!

God bless,

YDP

 

Dear Peanut Butter,

We have a storied past.  A love/love relationship.   My mom would use you to remove chewing gum from my hair.  An old wive’s tale (now called a hack).  Let’s just say, I would regularly get gum in my hair just to smell your fragrant sweetness.

As an adult, playing a “Choosy Mom” in the wildly successful Jif Peanut Butter commercial was a glorious day indeed.  And I’m not talking about the paycheck.  Or even the ground breaking interracial friendship between my TV daughter and her African American pal on a pretend sleepover.  No, it was the unlimited, all day long supply of peanut butter on the film set.

Even now, living in London, I search you out on a weekly basis.  Though the epitome of an American diet, you have only just begun to make a significant presence over in this part of the world.  So I go looking.  High street, and low.  And when I find you, I do a touchdown victory dance in the grocery store aisle.  Then, I race home to make you into something beautiful.  I honor you in such as way as to say, thank you for being you!  In all your gyrations, nutty or smooth.

When I go back to America for visits I stock up like a bear getting ready for the winter hibernation never knowing when spring will come.  You are my contraband.  On one occasion,  my checked luggage was over weight, so I ‘chanced my arm’ and popped one of your Super Sized Jif Jars into my carry on bag.  Aw, my eyes twinkled thinking I might tuck into you whilst the rest of the plane was forced to eat a ‘mystery meat’ meal.   But then it happened.   Like a baby being ripped from its mother’s arms they took you away from me.   Those mean TSA people called you a “liquid, gel or paste”.   I said, NOOOO and tried to cover your invisible ears.  I know you’re more than that!  I shouted, “Well I hope you meanies have some nice peanut butter sandwiches for lunch, cut down the middle, not the side!”  I finally calmed myself down as I didn’t want to get arrested.  I almost did once before because of my love for you!

It happened when I was a child of six years old.  I was walking home from school and passed by a Circle K store.  A little corner shop that would catch my eye every day.  From time to time I would poke my head in and maybe walk around a bit.  But because we were so poor, I was relegated to the old “window shopping” experience.   One day in particular however, my desire for your peanutty goodness, was turned into badness.  I came up with a plan, yet, allowed for a bit of improvising in case things went awry.   I happened to be wearing a dress that had a huge pocket in the front.  So I went inside and wasting no time strode straight to the candy and sweets aisle.  No joke, it was literally in front of the check out counter.  I proceeded to stuff every peanut butter flavored candy into my pocket until it looked like I was practically  pregnant.  Now I know I was a young mommy, but not that young!

Then I boldly and brazenly walked right past the counter avoiding eye contact with the man at the cash register.  As I neared the door and felt the cool autumn breeze hit my face I thought, YES!  I’VE MADE IT!  Until I heard the man say, quite sternly,  “Excuse me little lady, come back here!”   I may be bold,  but I am obedient.  So I turned around like a little army soldier and marched back to the counter.  He asked me what I thought I was doing and I told him straight up, “I’m gonna have a peanut butter party.”  He clearly wasn’t in a celebratory mood and ordered me to hand over the goods.

So I started, slowly, and sadly, removing each item from my pocket.  First the Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup (sniff), then the Chick o Stick (whaa), next the Butterfinger (ouch), and so on and so on.  “There,” I said “that’s it.”   This guy clearly had been around the block, because he knew there was one last love in there. “What’s that in there?” he said. “Oh, that? That was in there before. That’s MY Abba Zabba.”  OMG I can’t even believe it myself when I retell it.  I was such a liar!  But at that juncture, he must have thought, this girl clearly has a problem, but I’ll let her off simply because she is darn persistent and quite pathetic.  Well, guess what? I had my little peanut butter party with you all the way home and truth be told, it was the last Abba Zabba I ever ate.

To this day, I suffer from guilt over that incident.  I have gone to confession over it and even a priestly absolution hasn’t wiped away that oily stain left behind from my naughtiness.  A few years ago I had an idea that if I went back to the scene of the crime I might be able to expunge myself of this cruel criminality hanging over my head.   I thought if I went back and offered to reimburse the cost of the Abba Zabba, with interest,  it might assuage the gnawing remorse.  But the Circle K had changed hands and was now called,  7-11.

So, I honor you my beloved friend, by creating treats from your deliciousness.  I do penance with peanut butter pastries.  And someday when I write my cookbook of all peanut butter recipes I promise to pay homage to you in the prestigious way you so deserve.  Yes, I am a converted thief, but forever a fan.

Until then, here is just a tasty sampling of my offer to you!   Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars! And when cut small enough, they can even fit into a pocket!

I demoed them on snapchat yesterday and from some of the snaps back, I think they liked the look of them. But wait until they taste them!  Well, let’s say that it just might get a bit easier to find your precious self over here on this side of the pond.   Because stores will just have to cater to the eminent demand!  In fact,  I might have to open a Peanut Butter Pub!

Ingredients

Crust:

8 medium sized butter cookies (you can use gluten free like I did)

¼ cup (2 oz) Irish Kerrygold Butter, melted

Chocolate Layers:

2 ½ cups (15 oz.) milk chocolate

Peanut Butter Filling:

1 ½ cups (12 oz/354 g) Jif Peanut Butter (chunky or smooth)

½ cup (4 oz/115 g) Irish Kerrygold Butter, softened

3 cups (15 oz/427 g) Icing/Powdered Sugar

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

 

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F/170 C then line 8×8 square baking tray with parchment paper
2. In a food processor blend cookies until finely ground (or you can put in a Ziploc bag and bash with a rolling pin). Then mix with melted butter and press crumb mixture into pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
3. Melt chocolate in a double boiler over slow simmer. Or you can microwave gently. Pour half of the melted chocolate over the cooled base. Place in the refrigerator for a bit until the chocolate sets (or for quicker results put in freezer). Make sure to keep the remaining chocolate warmed.
4. Make the filling by putting peanut butter and softened butter into an electric mixer or food processer. Blend together and stop to scrape down the sides. Slowly add the sugar a little at a time. When mixed, add the vanilla and beat until completely combined. It will be a bit like playdough consistency. Spread filling over the chilled chocolate layer base.
5. Finish by pouring the remaining half of melted chocolate over top of the filling/choco/base. Spread smoothly and evenly. Chill in the refrigerator approximately one hour until firm. Cut into squares or bars and serve!

Since I don’t want my pretty Pit Stella to feel left out, I share.  Dogs aren’t supposed to eat chocolate, but they can have peanut butter!  But being a “Choosy Dog Mom” I only let her have Jif!

Smooth and Extra Crunchy Love,

YDP