Here’s a great meal idea for your St. Patrick’s Day celebration: ground beef and vegetable casserole pie topped with creamy and cheesy mashed potatoes. I decided this year, after spending lots of time in my very own “cottage,” to serve this classic Irish pie for my St. Pat’s dinner—a lucky dish indeed! Cottage Pie is also known as Shepherd’s Pie; the only difference is that Cottage Pie is made with ground beef, unlike the traditional Shepherd’s Pie made with ground lamb. This delicious and savory comfort food, (of English origin), is sure to make your family and friends feel lucky and blessed! It’s easy to make ahead of time and just needs to be refrigerated until ready to bake. Have some cold Guinness beer on hand and serve with a sweet Irish soda bread, then you’ll be all set to share the love and luck of the Irish! “May your troubles be less and your blessings be more and nothing but happiness come through your Cottage Door.” Happy St. Patrick’s Day from my cottage to yours! Xoxo Denise

1 large Vidalia onion diced
¼ cup olive oil
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 carrots peeled and diced
2 celery stalks diced ½ cup petite frozen peas
½ cup frozen corn
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 T fresh chopped thyme
1 T fresh chopped rosemary
Fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste
½ cup red wine
2 T of tomato paste ½ cup beef broth
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2-3 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled cut into chunks and boiled until soft
3 T of butter ½ cup grated cheese (parmesan or white cheddar)
¾ cup half and half

In a large skillet add onion, carrots, celery and olive oil over medium heat until vegetables become soft. Add ground beef and break up while browning. Blend in tomato paste, red wine, beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Cook on low heat for about 15 minutes. Next, add parsley, rosemary, thyme, frozen corn (optional) and salt and pepper to taste. Boil your potatoes, then drain and whip with an electric beater – the potatoes, butter, cheese and half and half. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the meat mixture evenly at the bottom of your deep dish pie plate, then carefully spread mashed potatoes evenly on top. Bake uncovered in 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes and serve.

Prep Time: 20 min.
Servings: 10 – 12

Here’s What You Need:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup or ½ stick of unsalted butter, softened
½ cup buttermilk: to make buttermilk, use 1/2 cup milk plus ½ tsp. lemon juice or white vinegar
1 large egg at room temperature
¼ cup raisins
1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon milk

Here’s How You Do It:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. In a large bowl, whisk or mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Using your fingertips, work butter, then add in raisins and seeds. Stir in ½ cup buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly-floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round shape and place on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with milk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a knife to score an “x” into the top of the loaf, to allow steam to escape. Place bread in oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm and wrap any left-over bread tightly in plastic wrap.

Denise Gianatasio is a Northport Village resident, freelance writer and licensed agent at Signature Premier Properties in Northport. Please feel free to contact her for any advice you may need at dishinwithdenise@yahoo.com.

This classic Greek chicken soup (pronounced av.go.lemono) is also known as Greek penicillin. A heavenly, velvety chicken soup with tart lemon, egg yolks, and orzo. It was an absolute favorite of mine as a child—made with love by my backdoor Greek neighbor, “Theia Betty” (Theia meaning auntie in Greek.)  I fondly recall her walking through the backyard bringing our family a pot of this aromatic, tangy, yellow, and delectable soup. Often, she’d invite us kids inside on those cold sleigh riding days, to warm up our tummies and soothe our souls. It was the perfect fix before heading back outdoors to play for many more hours in the fluffy snow. She was a good neighbor! Avgolemono, literally meaning eggs and lemon, is loved by the Greek culture and considered to be their signature version of chicken soup. This tasty twist on classic chicken soup has a unique combination of ingredients which makes it smooth and comforting. It’s perfect to share with your family or your neighbors and is certain to put a smile on their face! Speaking about good neighbors…I am reminded of the late great, Mr. Fred Roger’s, and his message of kindness, empathy, and neighborly love. While we all get wrapped up in everyday life, we may not see our neighbors as often as we’d like. If that’s the case, go check on them by bringing a nice pot of this delightful soup, which is bound to brighten their day.
As Mr. Rodgers would say, “It’s such a good feeling…a very good feeling…the feeling you know that we are friends”. So, make it a beautiful day in the neighborhood, prepare some soup, and bring joy!
xoxo  Your friend & neighbor, Denise

Ingredients & Prep

1 large diced Vidalia onion
4 green scallions sliced thin
¾ cup tiny diced celery
¾ cup tiny diced carrots
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 bay leaves
¾ cup lemon juice
2 1/2 large cans of College Inn chicken stock
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (4 large boneless breasts)
2 large eggs beaten
2 large egg yolks beaten
2 lemons zested for garnish
Fresh dill for garnish
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
1 cup uncooked orzo or Arborio rice

In a large pot, sauté all onions until soft. Add celery, carrots, bay leaves and spices. Add 4 boneless chicken breasts and sauté a couple minutes on both sides.
Add chicken stock and cook on medium heat for 25-30 minutes.  Turn soup off. Remove breasts to plate and let cool. Remove bay leaves. Shred chicken with fork when cool and put aside.  Bring soup to a boil and add the orzo. Lower heat and cook until done (about 20 minutes). Add shredded chicken back into soup.
To prepare avgolemono sauce: Beat eggs with lemon juice until well mixed. While whisking, add a ladle of your soup to mixture as you continually blend quickly with wire whisk. Then, add another ladle and continue to whisk (this is called tempering the sauce so you don’t scramble your eggs). Add the sauce to your big pot and immediately remove pot from heat, ensuring that your eggs and soup don’t separate. Taste for your desired tartness. Lastly, garnish each bowl with lemon zest and fresh dill.