If you feel like having a traditional Irish meal this St. Patrick’s day, what better way than having Steak & Guinness Pie? Exported from MasterCook, check out the below recipe to make your own…

Steak & Guinness Pie

Ingredients:
2 1/4 pounds of Round Steak
1 tablespoon of Flour
1 teaspoon of Brown Sugar
1 tablespoon of Raisins (optional)
5 Onions
10 fluid ounces of Guinness
8 slices of Bacon
Parsley Chopped
1 Recipe of short Pastry*

*For double-crust pie in deep pie dish, Cut the steak into bite sized cubes, roll in seasoned flour and brown in the lard with the bacon-chopped small.

Directions:
Place the meat in a casserole dish. Peel and chop the onions and fry until golden before adding them to the meat.  Add the raisins (if wanted) and brown sugar.  Pour in the Guinness. Cover tightly and simmer over a low heat or in a very moderate oven (325-350F) for 2½ hours.

Stir occasionally and add a little more Guinness or water if the rich brown gravy get too thick.  Meanwhile, line a deep pie dish with half the pie crust and bake it blind.  Then add the Guinness/beef mixture from the casserole dish, cover with the top layer of pie crust and bake until finished.  Probably about 10 more minutes.  Serves 4

Source: http://fp.enter.net; Exported from MasterCook

“The Quiet Man” Movie Review

I’m not sure how many of you have actually seen this classic film of an Irish tale.  But I truly recommend it. Being that I have a father who is a John Wayne fanatic, I have seen numerous movies starring him. ‘The Quiet Man’ is probably one of only two that I am able to sit all the way through!

This movie is of an unusual love story between a man and a woman with their cultures colliding.  John Wayne plays a gentle man from America, Sean Thornton. He has returned to the Irish village where he was born to retreat from a horrible memory of his last fight as a prize fighter where he accidentally killed his opponent. Burdened with his death, he seeks peace and comfort.  After his welcome home he encounters Mary Kate Danaher, played by Maureen O’Hara, in one of the most breathtaking scenes of the movie.  The red-haired colleen is herding a flock of sheep across a meadow. With the lush Irish landscape, Sean is mesmerized by her presence.  Once he realizes she is unmarried, he is determined to pursue her. This is where Sean is forced to learn the education of Irish culture and tradition. “Uh uh, no patty fingers if you please.”  From their first encounter Mary Kate and Sean reveal a passion and desire to be with one another. But the constant conflict between Sean, Mary Kate and her brother, Will, makes for an engaging story. The momentous retrieval of Mary Kate from the train station, where Sean literally drags Mary Kate 5 miles to a field where her brother is working, is compelling. With the cute and quaint town joining in all the festivities of this dispute, including waging who the winner might be, you’ll be laughing at the whirl wind brawl!

I’d recommend ‘The Quiet Man’ to anyone. It’s a heart-felt romantic movie that is such a joy to watch!

Source:  speakeasy.org

If you plan on celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day this year, make sure you do so with traditional Irish foods.  Here’s a great recipes for Corned Beef and Cabbage that you can make this holiday!

Corned Beef & Cabbage with Horseradish Sauce

Serving Size: 8               
Categories: Beef, Irish                            

Ingredients (Amount & Measure)
——–  ————  ——————————–
   1      Onion
   4      Cloves-whole
   4      pounds Corned beef
   2      Parsley sprigs
   8      Peppercorns-whole
   2      pounds of Cabbage
   1      cup Sour cream
   1      tablespoon Prepared horseradish

Work Time: 15 minutes   
Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes

Directions:
Peel onion and stick with cloves.  Put corned beef, onion parsley and peppercorns in a large pot and cover with water.  Cover, bring to a simmer and cook gently until tender, 2-1/2 to 3 hours.  Cut cabbage into wedges and core. Add to the pot, cover and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Combine sour cream with horseradish.  Serve the meat and cabbage with some of the broth ladled over all and the horseradish on the side.

Nutritional Value:
Per serving: 553 calories, 36g protein, 40g fat, 2808 mg sodium, 11g carbohydrates, 135 mg cholesterol.

*Exported from MasterCook*

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Source: http://fp.enter.net

I’ve always been fascinated by claddagh rings. I’ve seen them all over jewelry stores and a friend of mine from high school had one. So I decided to do a little research and let everyone, who didn’t already know, what it’s true meaning is!

This traditional Irish ring is a symbol of love, friendship and loyalty. It originated in the Irish fishing village of Claddagh, located just outside the walls of Galway. The designs of the ring give you its meaning: the heart symbolizes love, the hands represent friendship and the crown signifies loyalty.

Depending on how the claddagh ring is worn on the hand usually tells the wearer’s romantic availability, or lack thereof. When worn on the right hand with the heart facing out, the person is still searching for love. When worn on the right hand with the heart facing in, he or she is in a relationship or ‘someone has captured their heart’. When the claddagh ring is worn on the left hand ring finger, facing outward, it indicates the wearer is engaged, and when the ring is worn on the left hand, facing in, it generally means the person is married.

The claddagh ring is recognized worldwide and many people of Irish and non-Irish descent wear it. It is used as both a cultural symbol and as an engagement/wedding ring. What I found amazing was that there are many legends of how this ring came about, including gifts from the heavens for doing charity work and unforgettable love. However it came to be, this ring is truly valuable to the Irish culture and indeed signifies the cherished qualities of love: heart, friendship and loyalty.

Source: thecharmingtouch.com

ForRent.com would like to bestow a wish on all our friends with the following Irish Blessing this Saint Patrick’s Day!

Always remember to forget
The things that made you sad.
But never forget to remember
The things that made you glad.

Always remember to forget
The friends that proved untrue.
But never forget to remember
Those that have stuck by you.

May your neighbors respect you,
Trouble neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And heaven accept you.

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

May the Irish hills caress you.
May her lakes and rivers bless you.
May the luck of the Irish enfold you.
May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.

Source: corsinet.com & ireland-information.com

So this year you want to host a fun green filled St. Patrick’s Day party, huh? Well, follow these tips and you’re sure to not disappoint!

Tip 1: Invitations
As always, we start our hosting parties with letting the guest list know who, what, where, when, etc. These invitations can be hand crafted, store bought or emailed! Chose whichever suits the party you’re throwing or guests attending. Regardless of the medium chosen, have the St. Patrick’s Day theme clear with lots of green, shamrocks, leprechauns, etc. Think of clever phrases or jokes to get a rise out of the receiver, such as: ‘Knock Knock, who’s there, Irish, Irish who?, Irish you a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!’ Ha ha ha!!

Tip 2: Decorations
Think green and silly when it comes to decorations for your party! Shamrocks and leprechauns are a must on the walls and windows. Take a look at our St. Patrick’s Day Crafts blog for ideas on how to create some of your decorations or go with store bought ones. I always advise using balloons as I think they scream party! But additional decorations would be needed on the buffet table such as green table cloth, napkins, cups, confetti, centerpieces, etc. Also make attire a decorative element by having everyone wear green and leprechaun hats!

Tip 3: Food & Drinks
Keep the green theme going with your food too! You can have green cookies, green M&M’s, chips with guacamole, fruit that’s green, green beverages, etc. Let your imagination run wild! And if you can’t think of enough foods that are green, you can always use food coloring! The obvious drink choice for a St. Patrick’s Day party is beer. Traditional Irish beers, such as Guinness or Murphy’s Irish Red Ale, would be served. If your party does have alcohol please be responsible for all your guests. Have someone as the designated driver for those that drink or offer guests to stay the night.

Tip 4: Entertainment
A must in every party is to have entertainment for your guests. You can have contests such as a limerick contest, St. Patrick’s Day games or just music or videos playing in background for noise. A suggestion would be having the music/movie coordinate with the theme, i.e. St. Patrick’s Day party having Irish music or one of the Top 10 St. Patrick’s Day Movies playing on your T.V. Either way, you’ve got to have something fun and interactive so your guests won’t be bored!

With these four tips your St. Patrick’s Day party should be a blast! Your guests will have a smashing time and you’ll be regarded as the best host! Enjoy!

Source: ehow.com

St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations

In the United States there are many festivities to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. It goes back to the first celebration in Boston, Massachusetts in 1737 where the first Saint Patrick’s Day Parade took place on March 17th.

From the major cities like Boston or New York to your home town. Here is a brief list of some major festivals, parades and events happening in the U.S. Feel free to add your city’s celebrations to our list!

Savannah, Georgia
Savannah’s Saint Patrick’s Day parade usually takes place on March 17th, regardless if it’s during the work week. However for 2008, the parade will take place on Friday, March 14th to honor Holy week in the Catholic faith. The parade route changes each year but usually travels through Savannah’s Historic Park District and Bay Street. In additional to the parade, Savannah’s Waterfront Association has an annual celebration on Historic River Street which mimics Mardi Gras on Bourbon Street.

New York City, New York
According to Wikipedia, the New York parade has become the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world with more than 150,000 marchers and close to 2 million spectators on the street! The parade marches up 5th Avenue in Manhattan and ends by the U.S. 69th Infantry Regiment.

Seattle, Washington
A unique fact I did not know is that Seattle and Galway, Ireland are sister cities given that Seattle has many Irish residents! The annual Irish Week Festival is enormous and includes activities such as Irish step dancing, food, historical and modern exhibitions and Gaelic lessons. It starts on March 14th and goes through the 17th.

Chicago, Illinois
The dyeing of the Chicago River has been a tradition for over 40 years. While many cities have tried to mimic it, none can get as true of a St. Patrick’s color as Chicago’s river can. This year the dyeing is to take place on March 15th. Chicago also has a St. Patrick’s Day parade that takes place on the same day.

San Francisco, California
On March 15th, San Francisco will have the 156th anniversary of its Saint Patrick’s Day parade. At the end of the race there will be a family festival with games, music and various other ‘green’ activities!

If you enjoy celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, there are many options to choose from! Regardless of where you are, cheers to you having a great time!

Source: Wikipedia.com

With St. Patrick’s Day approaching the theme of merchandise available in stores will be shamrocks. And when you see one this holiday season, you’re going to know why it’s the symbol for this holiday and what it means to the Irish people.

The shamrock is a symbol of Ireland and is also a registered trademark of the Republic of Ireland. Its shape is a three-leaf old white clover which is frequently used as a name and symbol for Irish pubs throughout the world. Many (especially those of non-Irish origin) confuse the four leaf clover with the Shamrock.  While the four leaf clover is a symbol of good luck, the three leaf shamrock is mainly an Irish Christian symbol of the Holy Trinity and has a much greater significance.  The Holly Trinity is taught by Christians to represent the “three persons in one God”, the Father, Son and the Holly Spirit.  Traditionally the shamrock was used for it’s medical properties as well as being a popular motif in Victorian times, but today it is commonly associated to represent St. Patrick’s Day in decorations, face paintings, signs, etc.

When you’re thinking of images to decorate your Saint Patrick’s Day party this year, definitely use the shamrock. Not only for good luck but also for it’s meaning & representation to the Irish.

Source: wikipedia.com

We all know to wear green on St. Patty’s day or else you’ll get pinched! But do you know who the day actually celebrates? Do you know who Saint Patrick was and why he is remembered? If you’re like me and don’t know or simply want to read more on Irish culture, read on!

The holiday to commemorate St. Patrick takes place on March 17^th, the date on which Patrick is said to have died. He was taken into slavery by Irish Raiders and escaped after six years of captivity. Guided by visions from God, Patrick began religious training and returned to Ireland after his ordination to be a priest. Saint Patrick was known for bringing Christianity to Ireland so the Irish had a feast to honor him and from there the holiday has emerged. To many Irishmen this holiday is a religious one to memorialize St. Patrick and to others it is a day to celebrate their heritage and all things Irish. Originally March 17^th was a holiday in Ireland where all pubs were required to close, however in 1995 the Irish government decided that this would be a good day for tourism and a way to showcase Ireland to the rest of the world. Today, especially in North America, there are many celebrations all over the world such as parades & festival, wearing green, eating Irish food and/or green foods and drinking is how’s it’s celebrated. The symbols of this holiday are usually leprechauns and shamrocks.

So this St. Patrick’s Day when you put on your green clothing and shamrock head bands, remember Saint Patrick and all he had done for Ireland.

“May good luck be your friend in whatever you do and

may trouble be always a stranger to you.”

-Irish Blessing

Source: History Channel

I don’t know about you, but I am horrible with plants! I always see them in stores and think ‘Oh, that one is so pretty’, so I buy it and bring it home. The first couple of days I’ll water and nurture that plant but within two weeks I will have managed to kill yet another one. There has to be plants that are low maintenance enough for people like me!

Well, I’m in luck because there are several plants that will survive with me and my apartment conditions. So I thought I’d share a few of them with you!

These low maintenance or ‘hard to kill’ plants don’t require a lot of care such as specific sunlight for x amount of time or be watered two-three times daily. These plants are perfect for an on the go apartment dweller, like me!

	Ivy Ivy is super easy to take care of, just be sure you don’t over water it and leave it in your low light apartment & it’ll thrive! There are also a plethora of varieties of Ivy, such as: Glacier and Irish Lace, English Ivy and Persian Ivy.
	Spider Plants They usually do well as hanging plants and with a littler water now and then, they’ll stay healthy.
	Snake Plants This plant is extremely common in apartments and is notoriously known as ‘hard to kill.’ The snake plants don’t require much sun at all and only need a modest supply of water in the summer months (none in the winter).
	Bamboo This may be the ultimate ‘hard to kill’ houseplant. All you need to do is occasionally refresh the water in it’s water bowl and pull off the leaves that have died & the bamboo will do well. Simple!

I can tell you after learning this information; I went out and got a Bamboo plant. With very little maintenance, I have kept that plant alive for over a year now!

What about you? Do you have any other plants that might survive well in an apartment environment? Do you have any stories about plants? Let us know!