Skip to main content Share
& Save

Paula’s Perfect St. Patrick’s Day Menu

By

When Savannah’s fountains run green, the Azaleas begin to bloom and those darlin’ little Girl Scouts start selling their famous cookies on just about every square, I know that St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner. You can’t miss it. It’s the second largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the world and one of my most favorite parades. I get so excited seeing the marching bands play and the crazy folks waving from their floats. And I always get choked up when the service men and women who protect our freedoms come marching by. My favorite part is running up on our troops, to plant big, lipstick kisses on their cheeks. I think they’re a little surprised when they realize that Paula Deen is puckerin’ up, but they’re good sports.

But St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah is hardly a one-day affair. No sir, down here we set aside a couple of weeks for some proper Celtic celebratin’. From rugby in the parks and a running race around the squares to family-friendly festivals and revelry on River Street, the city runs the gamut. And I suppose the word has gotten out: this year we expect some 300,000 visitors from around the world to come looking for a taste of Savannah’s St. Paddy’s Day spirit. And I always aim to give them what they came for by offering up an irresistible traditional Irish menu.

There are a couple of traditional dishes that you simply must have on an Irish menu, whether you’re bringing a dish to a parade potluck or you’re enjoying a themed party with some friends and family in the quiet comforts of your home. For me, Corned Beef and Cabbage always tops the list—it’s as important as the turkey is to Thanksgiving. And I have a recipe that’s so simple and quick, you can have an authentic supper ready in no time—30 minutes to be exact!

“Colcannon,” or Irish Potato Salad, is another quick and easy must-have on the table. And y’all have to have a sturdy loaf of Irish Soda Bread to sop up what’s left behind. I also recommend rounding out your supper with my Guinness Chocolate Cake. Now I’m not much of a beer drinker, y’all, but the rich brew instantly elevates this cake to Grand Marshall status.

But nothing, nothing, holds a four-leaf clover to my Creamiest Mac and Cheese. It’s like a pot o’ gold at the end of the rainbow—and every bit as rich. And the best part is you don’t have to exhaust yourself chasing some pesky little Leprechaun just to find it. You can make it faster than two shakes of a lamb’s tail and you probably already have all the fixin’s in your pantry.

Good food and celebration go hand-in-hand, but I’ve never believed in exhausting yourself in the kitchen while your guests feast in the next room. The festive food I’m sharing with y’all is not only delicious, it’ll leave you ample time to search for shamrocks and throw back some green beer or green grits—whatever suits your fancy. Erin Go Bragh, y’all!

Paula Deen - As a young girl growing up in Albany, Georgia, Paula Deen never dreamed she would become an American icon. As a young mother, Paula was living the American dream — married to her high school sweetheart and raising two adorable boys — when tragedy struck. Her parents died, her marriage failed and she began a prolonged battle with agoraphobia. With her boys in their teens and her family near homelessness, Paula took her last $200, reached deep inside her soul and started The Bag Lady, a home-based catering company that marked the start of Deen's professional cooking career. With sons Jamie and Bobby delivering lunch-and-love-in-a-bag, beginning in June 1989, Paula turned her life around by sharing what she knew best, traditional Southern cooking.

Featured Recipes

Comments

YOU’RE NOT SIGNED IN. LOGIN OR JOIN TO POST A COMMENT.

Erica 03/16/2015

Dear Paula, I hope u had a very nice Wedding Anniversary, thank u so much for been perseverance in all you do. I know you have a big heart for everyone, please do not change and continue your path of love, hugs :D

Erica 03/16/2015

Dear Paula, I hope u had a very nice Wedding Anniversary, thank u so much for been perseverance in all you do. I know you have a big heart for everyone, please do not change and continue your path of love, hugs :D

Elaine 03/16/2015

You are the cutest little thing! I've never made corned beef and cabbage. Thanks for the recipe! Have a great St Patty's Day!

Elaine 03/16/2015

You are the cutest little thing! I've never made corned beef and cabbage. Thanks for the recipe! Have a great St Patty's Day!

Bonnie 03/14/2015

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I love mac & cheese and chocolate cake...yummy. I'll be trying those recipes this week. Wish I could be there for the greening of the fountain and all of the other celebrations, but my pilgrimage to Savannah is set for the week of the 22-28 this year. I'm hoping the flowers are in bloom. I'll be donning my photographer's hat to take some shots of the city and cemeteries for my upcoming paranormal suspense novel. Looking forward to the evening meal my husband and I will have at Lady and Sons Wednesday. Bonnie Lynne :-)

Bonnie 03/14/2015

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I love mac & cheese and chocolate cake...yummy. I'll be trying those recipes this week. Wish I could be there for the greening of the fountain and all of the other celebrations, but my pilgrimage to Savannah is set for the week of the 22-28 this year. I'm hoping the flowers are in bloom. I'll be donning my photographer's hat to take some shots of the city and cemeteries for my upcoming paranormal suspense novel. Looking forward to the evening meal my husband and I will have at Lady and Sons Wednesday. Bonnie Lynne :-)

Fran 03/14/2015

I miss you on the cooking channel. I really do not even watch it now. I think you are a great lady.

Fran 03/14/2015

I miss you on the cooking channel. I really do not even watch it now. I think you are a great lady.

Luci 03/14/2015

Hi Beautiful Blue Eyes, I'm SOOOOOOOOO beside myself with indescribable joy that you've made the AWESOME come back that you have. To "somewhat" paraphrase a VERY special female vocalist: You Are Woman - Hear You Roar !!!!!!! :) :) :) Words cannot begin to describe the incredible heartbreak, anguish & unbelievable anger I went through, both when I heard about what people had done to you AND when I saw you crying on T.V. THAT AB-SO-LUTE-LY tore me up !!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess it's now time for me to "let go & let GOD" as the saying goes, but it is a very difficult thing to do. The vision of you, whom I adore & idolize, crying as you were, & hearing all the ugly things people were saying about you, haunt me to this day. I'm finding it very difficult to forgive those who hurt you. I know that you didn't want us to boycott the people who were against you back then, ( & I will NEVER lie to you) but A LOT of us did anyway, & still are. If they CAN'T be loyal to you, then we CAN'T be loyal to them. My loyalties WERE & ARE TO YOU & ALWAYS WILL BE, regardless !!!!!!!!!!!! I will not be able to pay for a subscription to your site for about two years (I'm a Senior Citizen on a VERY fixed income.) Each year the landlord continues to raise our rent unbelievably & my daughter & son-in-law will be buying a new home then. We (my sister & I) will then rent the one they own now, for a much better price & BE ABLE to afford to do the things we want to do. The first item on MY list, is a subscription to your site. I already have a "label" in my g-mail account w/your name on it, waiting for more cooking items to be added to it. I LOVE YOU PAULA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS on your MUCH DESERVED comeback. Luci

Luci 03/14/2015

Hi Beautiful Blue Eyes, I'm SOOOOOOOOO beside myself with indescribable joy that you've made the AWESOME come back that you have. To "somewhat" paraphrase a VERY special female vocalist: You Are Woman - Hear You Roar !!!!!!! :) :) :) Words cannot begin to describe the incredible heartbreak, anguish & unbelievable anger I went through, both when I heard about what people had done to you AND when I saw you crying on T.V. THAT AB-SO-LUTE-LY tore me up !!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess it's now time for me to "let go & let GOD" as the saying goes, but it is a very difficult thing to do. The vision of you, whom I adore & idolize, crying as you were, & hearing all the ugly things people were saying about you, haunt me to this day. I'm finding it very difficult to forgive those who hurt you. I know that you didn't want us to boycott the people who were against you back then, ( & I will NEVER lie to you) but A LOT of us did anyway, & still are. If they CAN'T be loyal to you, then we CAN'T be loyal to them. My loyalties WERE & ARE TO YOU & ALWAYS WILL BE, regardless !!!!!!!!!!!! I will not be able to pay for a subscription to your site for about two years (I'm a Senior Citizen on a VERY fixed income.) Each year the landlord continues to raise our rent unbelievably & my daughter & son-in-law will be buying a new home then. We (my sister & I) will then rent the one they own now, for a much better price & BE ABLE to afford to do the things we want to do. The first item on MY list, is a subscription to your site. I already have a "label" in my g-mail account w/your name on it, waiting for more cooking items to be added to it. I LOVE YOU PAULA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS on your MUCH DESERVED comeback. Luci