St. Patrick’s Day is almost here. How do you plan on celebrating?

It seems that on St. Patrick’s Day (at least in the United States) everyones gets to be an honorary Irish person for a day. Though the holiday was originally created to commemorate Saint Patrick, the most commonly recognized of the patron saints of Ireland, it is now a holiday that is celebrated all over the world. And generally, it’s a holiday that is celebrated by wearing green attire, eating and, of course, drinking. With that in mind, I’ve compiled some recipes that can help you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in your own way. Enjoy!

Special Savory Ideas

• Corned Beef Hash: here’s an easy and cheap Irish staple to make that also creates wonderful, varied leftovers for days to come!
• Irish Stew: this Irish stew, featuring lamb shoulder, could be the perfect meal to get you in the St. Paddy’s Day spirit. And the best part about it is that once you add the ingredients to the pot, you simply let it simmer for 2 hours until it’s ready to enjoy.
• Traditional Irish Shepherd’s Pie: this is an easy, tasty pie that your whole family should enjoy. If you make a lot, it freezes well to save for dinner another day!
• Irish Soda Bread: check out this recipe for an authentic Irish soda bread from a real life Irish grandmother. Serve it warm or cold with your meal and enjoy!

St. Paddy’s Sweet Treats

• Lucky Lunch: this charming lunch is easy to put together but sure to put a big smile on your little one’s face. Create a “leprechaun sandwich” by cutting a chicken sandwich into a circle. Then use a green apple for the hat and some carrot shavings for a a beard and hair. Rainbow colored sunflower seeds, vanilla yogurt and a cut up banana help you create a rainbow belt and a bot of “gold.”
• Green Velvet Cupcakes: use green food coloring to create a take off of red velvet cupcakes. Top these with icing and shamrock sprinkles for ultimate presentation.
• Irish Pound Cake: this easy and delicious cake is made special with the help of a bit of Irish whiskey.
• Rainbow Jello Jigglers: just use 3 colors to create rainbow jello cubes that your kids will love.
• Thin Mint Truffles: use Girl Scout Thin Mints or Keebler’s Grasshopper Cookies to create a delicious homemade candy that you can give as a treat or enjoy yourself on St. Patrick’s Day.

“Big Kid” Treats

One of the most popular ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Going out drinking, of course! Save yourself some money by creating some holiday-themed drinks of your own:

• Irish Coffee: here’s a traditional cocktail that’s great if you like a little kick to your coffee.
• Emerald Isle: this is a great minty cocktail that’s perfect for gin lovers on St. Patrick’s day. Serve in a chilled martini glass.
• Green Dublin Apple Cocktail: use Irish whiskey to create a yummy apple-flavored cocktail. Garnish with a fresh green apple slice for an even more festive cocktail.
• Ice Cream and Stout: what could be better than the combination of two amazing things: ice cream and beer? Mix a dark stout with some vanilla ice cream for a unique little treat.
• Bailey’s Espresso Martini: Bailey’s Irish Cream helps create this delicious drink that’s great after dinner.

How do you plan on celebrating St. Patrick’s Day? Do you have any favorite Irish-inspired recipes that you like to cook up? We’d love to hear about them in the comments section below. Thanks for being a Tip Hero!