Irish Cream & Mint Iced Mocha

Chocolate, mint, Irish cream, & coffee- you simply cannot go wrong with this Irish Cream & Mint Iced Mocha for St. Patrick’s Day (or any day!)...

This post first appeared over at Real Housemoms where I’m a contributor.

Back in my younger days, St. Patrick’s Day used to be an all day celebration for me. It was a day filled with dancing to Irish bands, drinking green beer, and just basically acting like a fool. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but at least a good 7 or so years have passed since I pulled my last all day’er for St. Paddy’s Day. 





These days I might dance a goofy jig with my 4 year old and wear a little green, but long gone are those all day parties to celebrate our favorite Irish holiday. And long gone is my affection for pitchers of green-tinted beer too… thank goodness. I would much rather be sipping on one of these Irish Cream & Mint Iced Mocha’s nowadays. :)

This spiked iced mocha starts with a very simple to make Andes Mint infused vodka. You are literally a little vodka, a handful of Andes Mint, a glass jar, & 24 hours from having the best chocolate-mint flavored vodka ever. Then you shake that Andes Mint-infused vodka with a little Irish cream & your favorite espresso and pour over ice. 





Chocolate, mint, Irish cream, & coffee- you simply cannot go wrong with that flavor combo for St. Patrick’s Day no matter how you find yourself celebrating it this year...

Bailey's Nutella Mug Cake

Ready in less than 3 minutes, this Bailey's Nutella Mug Cake is a fudgy, yet fluffy chocolate cake for one that is drizzled with a simple Irish cream glaze...

For years, I have been celebrating St. Patrick's Day without giving it very little thought as to why. I mean, I am not Irish. (There may be a teeny fraction of a percent of Irish blood in me somewhere. ;) ) I am not Catholic. I have never even traveled to Ireland. But without fail it is a holiday that I gleefully and willingly take part in year after year. 

In my younger years, St. Patrick's Day was a blur of green beer, dancing to bands with Irish sounding names, and seeking out the nearest local "Irish" pub. In more recent times, it has become the perfect excuse to enjoy some of my favorite Irish-inspired foods. 

It wasn't until this past week that I actually asked myself why. Why do we- Americans who may be 100% Irish or 100% not Irish- celebrate St. Patrick's Day each and every year? The former history teacher in me got the better of me, and I did a little researching...

35 Recipes to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day All Day Long

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day all day long with these 35 tasty authentic Irish & Irish inspired recipes...

St. Patrick's Day is a little over a week away, but who is counting? ;) Okay, I am. I am counting. Not that I am Irish or anything. (I went over all of that in my post earlier this week.) But I do love any holiday that gives me an excuse to enjoy good food- especially if it happens to be good ethnic food. 

Growing up in an area with a pretty substantial Italian population, I didn't fall in love with Irish food until I moved to Columbus, Ohio in my early 20's (years ago). 

Have any of you all heard of Dublin, Ohio? It is a quaint suburb right outside of Columbus, and I lived there for more than half of my time as an Ohio resident. Dublin is home to a handful of local Irish pubs & the widely popular annual Dublin Irish Festival. 

It was during my time living in and near Dublin that I acquired my love for corned beef & cabbage, shepherd's pie, Bailey's Irish Cream, and celebrating all things green & Irish on St. Patrick's Day. 

Just like Buckeyes football, it was hard not to get sucked right into all the fun, food, fanfare, & excitement while living in a city that celebrated all things Irish pretty much every day but especially so on March 17th of each year. ;)

Whether you celebrate St. Patrick's Day out of pride for your ancestry or you happen to just be in it for the food, you are going to love today's recipe collection I have for you all. 

I rounded up 35 of the tastiest authentic Irish & Irish inspired recipes so that you can celebrate St. Patrick's Day all day long on March 17th. From sunrise to sundown, there is a little something for every meal of the day and everything else in between... 

17 Boozy Recipes Using Baileys Irish Cream

From dreamy cocktails to booze infused desserts to a decadent breakfast recipe, you will have all the bases covered for your St. Patrick's Day celebration with these 17 Boozy Recipes Using Baileys Irish Cream...

I think by now that it is no big secret to you all that I love me some Baileys Irish Cream. ;) I love adding a splash of it to my coffee or hot cocoa on a cold winter night or drinking it straight over ice after a particularly long day. 

And I always seem to find a way to sneak a little Baileys into some of my dessert recipes & boozy concoctions for the blog. It is smooth and creamy and pairs perfectly with everything from chocolate to caramel to coffee.

Of course, one of my first experiences with Baileys is when I was challenged to do an Irish Car Bomb on one particular St. Patrick's Day some years ago. Let's just say that is NOT my favorite way to enjoy a little Baileys Irish Cream. ;) 

I am not much for chugging, and that is a drink that must be chugged. If you have ever happened to have had one, then I think you will know exactly what it is that I am talking about. 

While I am a fan of Baileys all year round, I especially get excited about Irish cream as we near closer to St. Patrick's Day. And with St. Patrick's Day just a couple of days away, I decided to scour some of my favorite food bloggers' sites to find the best Baileys spiked recipes to share with you all. 

From dreamy cocktails to booze infused desserts to a decadent breakfast recipe, I got all the bases covered for your St. Patrick's Day celebration with these 17 Boozy Recipes Using Baileys Irish Cream...

Irish Coffee French Toast Casserole

This delicious, make-ahead Irish Coffee French Toast Casserole is spiked with Irish cream, coffee, and whiskey...

I originally posted this recipe for Irish Coffee French Toast Casserole about two years ago for St. Patrick's Day.  The recipe itself has been always been amazing, but my photos of this recipe from two years ago were seriously lacking...

Green Mint Chip Mudslide

Confession time.... I don't like downing Irish Car Bombs.  I can never chug them fast enough, & most of you all probably know what happens if they are not chugged properly.  It's isn't pretty.

I pretty much gag on all whiskey and scotch.

But Irish Cream?

You could could say that Bailey's & I get along well.  And one of my favorite drinks to make with Bailey's is a creamy mudslide...

Easy Thin Mint Stuffed Brownies

These Easy Thin Mint Stuffed Brownies are stuffed with your favorite Girl Scout cookies & a double dose of Andes mints. A chocolate & mint lover's dream come true...

If you are in need in a last minute dessert idea for St. Patrick's Day weekend, then you all are in luck! Because I made the most perfect chocolaty mint brownies to share with you all today. 

These easy to make brownies were just meant for the ultimate chocolate/mint lover out there (ahem... like my teenage son). Plus, chocolate & mint is always a winning flavor combination for St. Patrick's Day, am I right? ;)

Not only did I stuff each of these fudgy brownies with a whole Thin Mint cookie, but I also tossed in some Andes baking chips just for good measure. In fact, there are Andes baking chips IN the batter & ON top of the baked brownies. 

Say what?!? Yeah, I know. Absolute chocolate/mint brownie perfection, folks...

Easy Turkey Sausage Irish Pasties

These Easy Turkey Sausage Irish Pasties have a hearty, tasty filling wrapped in a light, flaky crust and served with a quick and creamy homemade gravy... 

With St. Patrick's Day just two weeks away, I have been busy conjuring all kinds of Irish-y recipes for you all.  Last Friday, I posted the recipe for my to die for Bailey's Irish Kiss Brownie Thumbprints.  Today, I am sharing with you all an easy savory dish based on a traditional Irish staple- pasties.

Traditionally Irish pasties are stuffed with beef, but you all know I had to give it my own twist- I used fully cooked Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Crumbles instead.  I mean, St. Patrick's Day is on a Monday this year.  That requires a tasty Irish dinner that is also weeknight friendly and easy. ;)

Luck 'O The Irish $200 PayPal Cash Giveaway

Are you all ready for another lucky giveaway? I have joined up with six of my food blogger buddies to bring you all a chance to become $200 richer! :) Is the Luck O' The Irish with you this month? Find out when you get entered to win below... 

And we also decided to help you all plan your holiday party or get-together this coming St. Patrick's Day  with some delicious Irish inspired recipes we cooked up in our kitchens...

Irish Coffee Brownies

 Inspired by a classic Irish cocktail, these fudgy and decadent Irish Coffee Brownies are a must-bake for St. Patrick's Day (or any day of the year!)...

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Can we just chat about my love for Irish whiskey for a quick second? Because prior to about a year ago, I was absolutely not a whiskey drinker at all. I didn't like the smell of it or the taste of it, and I definitely wasn't sitting around on a Saturday night sipping it on the rocks. 

But it just turns out that I had been experiencing the wrong whiskey for pretty much my entire life. Who knew?

You see, my only experience with whiskey for most of my adult life was either the Canadian variety (ahem... Crown) or Kentucky whiskeys and bourbons. Other than a few sips of Jameson here and there, I had never really tasted Irish whiskeys before. 

Then last year I discovered what has now become my go-to whiskey- Tullamore Dew.

I have to give credit where credit is due. My boyfriend introduced me to the right kind of Irish whiskeys. Being a mixologist, he was able to pinpoint just what it was that I hadn't liked about the whiskeys I had tried before and was able to finally help me find one that I not only actually like, but that I absolutely enjoy as well.

Chocolate Raspberry Truffletini

This decadent Chocolate Raspberry Truffletini is a smooth & creamy combination of Bailey's Irish cream, Godiva liqueur, raspberry vodka, & muddled fresh raspberries... 

St. Patrick's Day happens to be just one week away, folks! And guess what? I made you all a creamy, decadent cocktail just for the occasion. 

Now I know it isn't green (who really likes green beer anyways?), & it doesn't have any whiskey in it. But it does have Bailey's Irish Cream in it, so that totally makes it St. Patty's Day worthy, right? ;) (Everyone just nod your head in agreement, okay?)

This Chocolate Raspberry Truffletini is actually inspired by a cocktail that I had at a local Italian restaurant where I live. My husband & have seriously upped our date night game over the last month (go us!). 

Life had did that thing that it sometimes does, and we found ourselves only making date night a priority once or twice every couple of months. But over the past month and a half, we have had a date night almost every week. 

During one such date night last month, we decided to hop over to the bar at this Italian restaurant for a cocktail or two after dinner. I asked the bartender to whip me up a martini that tasted just like dessert, and this truffletini is more or less what he made for me- a smooth & creamy combination of Bailey's Irish cream, Godiva liqueur, raspberry vodka, & muddled fresh raspberries. 

I knew I was going to have to recreate that boozy deliciousness at home and share it with all of you...

Irish Coffee French Toast Casserole {Spiked! Recipe Challenge}

St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow, and I know quite a few of you may be celebrating all things green tonight.  So I am giving you all an Irish Cream spiked french toast casserole that you can put together before you head out the door for the evening.  You just have to wake up tomorrow morning, preheat the oven, and then pop it in the oven.  No matter how much tonight hurts tomorrow morning, you all could manage that much, right? ;)

What you will need:

4 eggs, beaten

1 14 oz can of coconut milk

1 cup of strongly brewed coffee

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream

1 tsp vanilla

1 shot of Irish whiskey (I used Jameson. This is optional, but it isn't truly Irish coffee unless there is a little whiskey in it, right? ;))

About 8 slices of day old French or Italian bread (would also be great with Irish soda bread if you happen to have some of that lying around ;) )

Spray a 13x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat your 4 eggs.  Whisk in the coconut milk until well incorporated.

Add in the rest of the ingredients- the coffee through the whiskey- and continue whisking.  

Slice your day old bread into 8 thick slices.  Arrange the bread slices in a double layer in your prepared baking pan.

Now pour your egg/coconut milk/coffee mixture over top of the layered bread slices.  Using the back of a wooden spoon, press the down the bread slices into the liquid to make sure each layer is absorbing it.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight.

The next morning just preheat your oven to 350 degrees, take your french toast casserole out of the fridge, and bake for 40-45 minutes.   It should be somewhat set in the middle and the edges should be crispy and golden when done.

I served my Irish Coffee French Toast casserole with a simple sprinkling of powdered sugar. Fresh whipped cream would also be wonderful with this.

Tuesday marks the start of submissions for the second ever Spiked! Recipe Challenge.  I have to admit- I am pretty excited about the recipe ingredient for this month- Irish Cream!  Even if you happened to miss the Spiked! Challenge sign-ups, you can still get in on the fun.  Just be sure that the Spiked! button is in your actual post & you come back here to link up your Irish Cream spiked recipe posts on Tuesday and Wednesday. :)  You can grab the HTML for the button here.

Are you all ready for Tuesday's Spiked! Recipe Challenge submissions?  I can't wait to see everyone's recipes! :)

Irish Coffee French Toast Casserole

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: Overnight

Cook Time: 40-45 minutes

6043830

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 14 oz can of coconut milk
• 1 cup of strongly brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 shot of Irish whiskey (I used Jameson)
• About 8 slices of day old French or Italian bread

Instructions

Spray a 13x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat your 4 eggs. Whisk in the coconut milk until well incorporated.

Add in the rest of the ingredients- the coffee through the whiskey- and continue whisking.

Slice your day old bread into 8 thick slices. Arrange the bread slices in a double layer in your prepared baking pan.

Now pour your egg/coconut milk/coffee mixture over top of the layered bread slices. Using the back of a wooden spoon, press the down the bread slices into the liquid to make sure each layer is absorbing it.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight.

The next morning just preheat your oven to 350 degrees, take your french toast casserole out of the fridge, and bake for 40-45 minutes. It should be somewhat set in the middle and the edges should be crispy and golden when done.

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Tavern Style Shepherd's Pie

This Tavern Style Shepherd's Pie combines two traditional weekend classics into one delicious, family-pleasing meal...

I think you all pretty much know by now that if I can utilize my slow cooker during the day to help make evening dinner prep easier and quicker, I am all for it.  When I was approached to give one of Campbell's new Slow Cooker Sauces a go, I was more than game.  

I picked up a package of the Campbell's Slow Cooker Sauce in Tavern Style Pot Roast and started brainstorming how I could transform the well-loved, slow-cooked pot roast into an amazing and tasty weeknight meal.  

The Rainbow Birthday Bash Round-Up

Whew!  This has been a fun week on the blog just full of rainbow hued goodness! :) Next week I will get back to our regularly scheduled blogging here, but I thought I would give you all a little round up post of all the Rainbow Birthday Bash posts from this past week first.   

(Psssttt... some of these ideas would also be excellent for some upcoming St. Patrick's Day festivities.  You know, rainbows. Pots of gold. Leprechauns. That sort of thing. ;) )

Let's start with cake.  I mean, a birthday party isn't a birthday party without some cake, right? 

CLICK HERE for the recipe and how-tos of making the Rainbow Bundt Cake & Rainbow Layered Smash Cake with Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting

And what is cake without the ice-cream??

CLICK HERE for the recipe for the homemade Happy Birthday Cake Batter Ice Cream

I made one colorful snack for the party...

CLICK HERE for the recipe for an easy Sweet & Salty Rainbow Popcorn from your microwave

Of course, there were plenty of colorful party decorations. (And all the ideas in this post were budget friendly as well.)

CLICK HERE to see exactly how I made a rainbow explode in my house. ;)

And there would be no birthday party without the birthday girl, of course...

And if you happen to be interested in just where I got everything for baby girl's gorgeous rainbow birthday outfit, you can CLICK HERE for baby girl's full first birthday fashion post. ;)

I also have an entire Baby Girl's 1st Birthday Party Pinterest board if you would like some more rainbow splattered inspiration.

I really had so much fun planning and putting everything together for my sweet girl's first birthday.  Even though I know she will not actually remember this day years from now, I know that she can look back on the photos and my posts and know just how special this day was for us all. :)

Are you planning a birthday party for a little one soon?  

What theme are you going with?