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don't miss dairy

Emily Stokes
I'm a lady who loves cheese, sour cream, & ice cream, but I recently became lactose intolerant. My key focus in recreating dairy recipes is taste, but I try to be as health conscious as possible. Some of my recipes are low lactose rather than dairy free. I'm also a writer, teacher, nanny, dog mom, housewife, native Yinzer, current Californian, and social organizer extraordinaire.

Roasted Potato Wedges

Veggies & Sides,

I made these crispy potato wedges to go with my Irish Bangers as an appetizer for St. Patrick’s Day. I used Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Magic Salt Free Seasoning All Purpose Blend. I also recommend Mrs. Dash Salt Free Seasonings. I did add a little sea salt to bring out the flavor, but at least I can add the amount I want. I also used yellow fingerling potatoes because that’s what I had, but gold or russet potatoes will work well.

Be very careful when pulling out your potatoes from that dark, cool space in your kitchen. I had a near death experience when I lifted my bag of fingerling potatoes and a ugly brown spider was hanging from it. I almost had a heart attack along with my panic attack. Spiders are the scariest creatures on earth as far as I’m concerned. Eric knows me so well that as soon as he hears the involuntary scary spider sound coming out of my mouth (something between a scream and a yelp), it triggers his spider alert senses and he comes quickly with a fly swatter to save the day. Sigh…he is my hero.

Ingredients:

2 lbs of potatoes, washed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons salt-free all-purpose seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice potatoes into skinny wedges, like fry cuts.

2. In a large dish, add wedges and vegetable oil, then toss until wedges are completely covered in it. Sprinkle on some sea salt, then transfer wedges to a nonstick baking pan.

3. Bake wedges for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to brown all sides. Once wedges look browned and are crispy on the outside, remove them from the oven and sprinkle with all-purpose seasoning. You can place them in a paper towel lined tray or basket to absorb the excess oil and to serve less greasy wedges.

Irish Bangers and Whiskey

Snacks & Dips, Soups & Crock Pot, , , , , ,

These Irish sausages are a fun and simple option as an appetizer for your St. Patrick’s Day Party. I recommend using some Irish Whiskey, but whatever you have on hand will work great. Throw the ingredients together and walk away while they cook in the sweet whiskey sauce. Broil to make them crispy, transport in the Crock Pot, then serve them with toothpicks.

While I waited for the sausages to cook, I picked out my outfit for our couple’s St. Patrick’s Day Party. Unfortunately, I don’t have any fun t-shirts that say things like “Luck O’ the Irish,” or my personal favorite, “Patrick was a Saint, I ain’t.” But my family used to go all out for St. Patrick’s Day. We have a direct Irish heritage on my Dad’s side. Even my little brother’s name is Patrick. And Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the place to be on St. Paddy’s Day.

I’ve had some serious adventures on St. Patrick’s Day in Pittsburgh. I went to a women’s private college called Carlow University–it was founded by Irish nuns. They have a sister university in Carlow, Ireland. I was on the dance team, and one year the student activities director asked if we would learn an Irish step dance routine and perform in the city parade. Of course we said yes, since it sounded like a fun opportunity.

Learning Irish step dancing was really fun, but the parade was a total misadventure. First, we almost missed it, because trying to get a bus to the parade route was impossible. Public buses of college students passed us by because they were so full. We were just standing on the side of the road, a group of young college girls in our green Carlow hoodies, all done up for a performance. Eventually, a party bus decked out in St. Patrick’s Day decorations and flashing lights saw us waiting and picked us up. Whoever was running the bus took us to the parade route with no charge, blasting crazy music the whole way there. That was pretty awesome.

Then the parade started and we danced our routine for a few miles in icy cold, slushy Pittsburgh weather, right in front of the truck transporting Punxsutawney Phil, the Groundhog. I remember my tennis shoes and socks being completely soaked through. My black pants were wet all the way up to my knees. We were cold and miserable, and to top it all off, the drunk college guys threw green beads at us yelling “Dance! Dance!” I vowed to never do that again, but it was one of those experiences you just can’t make up, filled with memories I’ll never forget.

I was able to save my shoes, but I haven’t been to a parade since. I hope you have a positive St. Patrick’s Day experience filled with green drinks and lots of luck. Enjoy this Irish Banger recipe along with my recipe for Roasted Potato Wedges. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Ingredients:

2 lb. Irish Bangers (16 links), separated
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup whiskey
1/2 packed brown sugar, plus more to sprinkle on top

Directions:

1. Sear the sausages in a skillet with vegetable oil over medium heat until browned on all sides (about 10 minutes).

2. Let sit for five-ten minutes to cool down for cutting.

3. Cut sausages into 1/2 inch slices, perfect bite size pieces for appetizers. Add sausages to the Crock Pot and turn on low setting.

4. Mix together 1/2 cup whiskey with 1/2 cup packed brown sugar until blended but not dissolved. Pour mixture over sausage pieces in the Crock Pot and stir to coat. Slow cook for three to four hours.

5. You can serve them like this, or, to make them crispy, broil them. Turn off Crock Pot. With a slotted spoon, place sausages in a broiling pan, sprinkle with brown sugar, and broil for three minutes. Pour the excess liquid from the Crock Pot into a measuring cup. Add 1/8 cup of the whiskey liquid back into the Crock Pot and discard the rest.

6. Once sausages are browned, add them back to the Crock Pot with the small amount of liquid to stay warm. Transport them to the party and turn the Crock Pot on low to keep warm for guests. Serve with toothpicks.

Sweetheart Crackers

Desserts, Snacks & Dips, , , ,

I made these cute little crackers for my husband for Valentine’s Day, since he doesn’t like me to get him sweets. We took them to a dinner party were they were a big hit among our friends. We didn’t bring a single one home. This is the second year I’ve made them, first trying them out with the kids I watch. It’s such a fun and easy kid craft. They love rolling the dough and cutting out shapes, then, of course, eating them.

I first got this idea from Pillsbury, although I came up with my own seasoning and used a cultured pie crust from Whole Foods with no hydrogenated oils. Also, the idea on the Pillsbury website doesn’t give very detailed instructions, so I have my own. You will need your own cookie cutters. I used a heart shaped cookie cutter for Valentine’s Day but any will do. It’s the only cookie cutter I have besides a ginger bread man! I am not much of a baker.

I made half cinnamon sugar and half herb seasoned crackers. Both are equally delicious. Favorites depend on who’s eating. It’s a perfect treat for the kids and the Valentine who doesn’t eat sweets!

Ingredients:

2 refrigerated pie crusts, set out for 15 minutes
Vegetable oil
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Mrs. Dash’s Garlic and Herb Seasoning
Sea Salt
Flour for dusting

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine sugar and cinnamon mixture in a small dish.

2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper, make sure you spray on the cooking oil. Unroll pie crust onto a cutting board and roll over with a rolling pin to flatten and thin.

3. Cut as many shapes as you can into the rolled out crust, then lift the excess pie dough and set aside. Carefully lift the pie dough shapes and lie them on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet in three rows of four, or however many you can fit. Repeat with the second pie crust then set excess dough aside. If you run out of space on the cookie sheets, just cut a large square of parchment paper and place the dough shapes on the paper to wait for an available pan.

4. Combine and roll out the excess dough (dusting with flour if it becomes sticky) onto the cutting board and cut more shapes. Repeat until the amount of dough is too small to make a shape.

5. Brush pie dough shapes very lightly with vegetable oil. Sprinkle one tray of shapes with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Sprinkle the other tray of shapes with the garlic and herb mixture followed by a little sea salt.

6. Bake for six minutes, until crackers are lightly browned. Don’t leave them in for too long! They will burn very quickly. Let them cool for a few minutes, then set the crackers on a platter to enjoy. You can also arrange them in some cellophane and ribbons for a little gift.