St. Patrick's Day Mania

St Patty's day is such a great holiday. I am celebrating in a number of ways. With a little bit of this:
A little bit of that:
a lot of this:
And a pair of these:
Monday night I made a St Patrick's Day Chocolate Mint Oreo Pie.
I was inspired by a blog I came across called Iowa Girl Eats (How on earth did I decide to follow a blogger who lives in Iowa?) She's adorable, we share the same real name, and she has some really fun recipes. Adapted from hers, here is a simple list of ingredients you will need:

-1 package instant chocolate pudding

-2 cups of 1 or 2 % milk

-12 mint Oreo cookies

-1 1/2 cups of Cool Whip

-1/4 teaspoon mint extract

-green food coloring

-1 pre-made Oreo cookie pie crust

1) Place the Oreo's in a plastic bag and crush. (or if you happen to be out, plastic wrap wrapped up nice and tight works well too. )
2) Combine pudding mix and milk. Whisk until batter has been dissolved. Fold in 3/4 cup cool whip and 1/4 tsp mint extract. Gently add in 1 cup of the crushed Oreos.
3) Pour filling into pre-made pie crust and spread evenly.
4) In a seperate bowl combine 3/4 cup cool whip and green food coloring. Pour on top of the pudding and spread until even.
5) Top with remaining Oreo cookie pieces and chill for at least one hour before serving

And behold a delicious puddin' pie!

It was quite a day at work - meetings galore, green shirts a blur, solved a minor crisis in the nick of time, I deserved a Guinness or three when I got home.
Tonight was the 2nd annual tradition of our Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner at Durgin Park.
We strolled over to Faneuil Hall around 8:30 where the streets are packed and the bagpipes are playing loud.
Durgin Park has an upstairs section called the Market Dining Rooms. (Street level is their bar, The Black Horse Tavern.) You are seated at a banquet style dining table with a red and white checkered table cloth. You're all one big Irish family here at Durgin Park.
Order a Guinness but make sure you request that it come green!

Everyone gets cornbread

Nothin' beat's a green Guinness 'stache

Except maybe a piping hot plate of boiled beef, cabbage, carrots, parsnips and potato.
I slathered mine in butter and dug right in. Last year was the first time I ever in life ate this Irish feast.
I made quite a dent, but still had a few leftovers to take home after all said and done. I was also sporting a new shade of green lip gloss.
P.S. I am 1/4 Irish. Just in case you were wondering. Durgin Park has fulfilled my St Patty's day needs once again. Looks like I will see them next year!