A Better Bag of Groceries

How to Throw a Green Party

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 10:09 AM

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  This fun holiday is one of my favorites.  A couple of years ago, I decided to throw a “Green Party” and it has become an annual event.  While both my husband and I have just a smidgin’ of Irish in us, it wasn’t the dominant heritage we celebrated growing up.  Maybe it’s all that Celtic Woman you see on PBS or the fact that our daycare would have the leprechauns “visit” the night before St. Pat’s, leaving little green footprints everywhere that gave me the idea to start celebrating this holiday in fun, family-friendly manner.  It certainly is something that the kids look forward to and if you plan it right, it’s easy on the hosts.  So here is my Guide to How to Throw a Green Party.

Step 1:  Send out an Invite (or Evite)

Invite your friends or family and tell them the rules of the Green Party.  Basically, your job is to make some corned beef and cabbage.  Your guests’ job is to be creative and make some green foods and wear some fun green costumes.  So, I tell my guests that “green hors d’oeuvres and desserts are welcome”.  Also, we have contests for the following:

• Best Green Outfit
• Outfit Incorporating Most Clashing Shades of Green
• Most Creative Use of Green in a Culinary Way
• Most Likely to Be Mistaken for a Leprechaun

I buy some fun green prizes (St. Pat’s t-shirts, green kitchen gadgets, a green water bottle) to award to the winners.  I have some pretty competitive friends and family, so my guests bring the entertainment.

Step 2:  Get some Irish music

Speaking of entertainment, make a playlist of good Irish party tunes for your Ipod.  I highly recommend you check out your local library to see what they have in this department.  Some favorites on my St. Pat’s playlist include:

• Tessie by the Dropkick Murphy’s
• Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shoreby the Young Dubliners
• The Rocky Road to Dublinby the Young Dubliners
• Riverdance from The Celtic Album (The Boston Pops)
• Anything by Celtic Woman, Loreena McKennit or the Cheiftains

Step 3:  Decorate – and don’t be afraid to be tacky

You can’t get all Martha Stewart about it.  I don’t think you could if you tried for St. Pat’s!  The greener and gaudier, the better!

4.  Make some corned beef and cabbage.

Longtime readers of A Better Bag of Groceries have probably heard me moan about my tiny kitchen.  Space really is tight and entertaining in the cold weather if difficult at best.  So this where I get creative.  I make corned beef 3 different ways:

1. In my slow-cooker, I made Guinness Braised Beef Brisket, a Cooking Light recipe
2. In my oven, I make Corned Beef Special in my Schlemmer Topf – a clay pot (recipe below)
3. On my stovetop, I make Irish Boiled Dinner, using a recipe found on allrecipes.com

I would have to say that the Guinness recipe is my favorite.  In addition to the Guinness, the recipe calls for a lot of dill, an herb that just tastes like spring time to me.

The Schlemmer Topf recipe is also a big favorite among our party guests. 

Corned Beef Special from The Complete Guide to Claypot Cooking

1 large onion, sliced

4-lb piece rolled corned feef or beef brisket

salt and pepper

1 T. pickling spice

1 c. red wine

4 bay leaves

4 springs parsley

1 small green cabbage, cut in wedges

6 carrots, sliced

6 large potatoes, halved

Separate the onion slices into rings and spread them over the bottom of the soaked clay pot.  Place the chosen cut of beef on top.  If using brisket, sprinkle with salt.  Add pepper and the pickling spice, then put in the wine and 1/2 cup water.  Add the bay leaves and parsley springs, tucking them around the meat.

Cover the pot and place in the cold oven.  Set the oven at 450 degrees.  Cook for 1 1/2 hours.  Arrange the cabbage, carrots and potatotes in the pot.  Pour in 1/c cup hot water.  Cook, covered, for a further 1 hour, until the meat is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.  Transfer the meat and vegetables to a serving platter.  Carve the meat into thick slices to serve.  Offer the cooking juices separately. 

5.  For one day, try not to think about the NuVal scores of what you’re eating.

Corned beef, with a score of 23,  is one of the lowest scoring meats out there.  Only bacon and spare ribs score lower.  That’s why we only do this once a year!

6.  Make some space for the green food that’s coming.

Everyone coming to our party hopes to win the prize for Most Creative Use of Green in a Culinary Way. 

7.  Feed the kids first so you can enjoy a Guinness

And, no, sorry NuVal has not scored Guinness!

8.  Get ready to be entertained!

I did mention that my family and friends are quite competitive, didn’t I?  The costumes are always great!

My Mother and my Sister usually vy for ”Best Green Costume”

Our friend Scott always wins “Most Likely to Be Mistaken for a Leprechaun”

Usually, one of the guys takes home the prize for “Most Clashing Shades of Green”, although I thought my husband’s “Go Green” costumer was particulary creative.  That’s him on the right with the  reusable shopping bag, LED light bulbs, picture of a Prius and a turbine. 

And this year, my son really did make me laugh!

9.  Make some memories

As soon as we start seeing the St. Patrick’s Day decorations in the stores (like December!!), my kids already start asking about our Green Party.  It’s low-cost, easy on the hosts, and it’s a hoot.  So, no matter what your heritage, try having a Green Party.  It’s something your kids will remember.

Question of the Day

What is your favorite low-stress “fun” holiday?

Winner of the Snack Bar GiveAway

Congratulations to Commenter #112, Blair!  You’ve won yesterday’s giveaway!  Lots of Larabars, Luna Bars, Clif Bars and a NuVal t-shirt coming your way!  Email me your address and t-shirt size @ abetterbagofgroceries@gmail.com.

Posted by: Melissa 6 comments

Posted in: Dinner Recipes

Tags: corned beef, St. Patrick's Day