Review: More Than I Expected - Great Recipes, Fun, and History, too
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 12, 2013
I expected the usual green recipes and assortment of crafts, but right from the beginning I was in for a few surprises.I loved reading the short history of the man, Patrick, and how his love of Ireland came to be - a good lesson and reflection.  The story was a refreshing change of pace from the usual shamrocks and leprechauns.Of course, once I got my lesson in history, I was ready to dig into the fun.  There are plenty of crafts, but my real love is cooking, so I headed right for the recipes.  I knew I'd find some good recipes to choose from (the Hillbilly Housewife always delivers), but I was surprised to find such a great variety.There are a few classic 'corned beef and cabbage' recipes, of course, but also a few with twists (like Dijon and dill) that I know I will like.  You'll even find a recipe to make your own corned beef instead of buying those prepackaged ones with the spice packet.  The recipe looks like something I could do, and would do in order to control the salt and other ingredients.I was delighted to find a variety of recipes that included healthy ingredients to create green meals.  There's an avocado pasta sauce, a kale pesto, green smoothies, and a Shepherd's Pie topped with green potatoes courtesy of broccoli mixed in.  Of course, I'll also enjoy some minty chocolate treats and maybe even an Irish Coffee.  This book is one I'll keep handy.  There are plenty of recipes to enjoy year 'round.Also included are suggestions for songs, movies, and other fun for St. Patrick's Day; a complete guide so, like the cover says, everyone can be Irish on St. Patrick's Day.