St. Patrick's Day Ideas at the Spencer Magnet

This week, I focused on St. Patrick's Day in my articles for the Spencer Magnet. I featured a "Lucky" mini-scrapbook that I made 5 years ago, and my favorite Irish soda bread recipe (mentioned in this post 2 years ago).

• Soda Bread offers a mild, smooth texture, flavor - I love this recipe! It tastes just like the one at the Irish Rover, one of our favorite restaurants. As far as I know, it is the recipe that they use.
• A tad bit 'luck: Tell Your Stories of Good Fortune on the pages of a "luck book" - This was a fun book to put together, and look through years later. It is simple enough for a quick project for a parent and child to do together.

As I promised in the article, I found addition recipes from the Irish Rover. My favorite dessert there - ok, the only dessert I've tried there - is the chocolate Guinness Cake (someday, I will try the Irish Cream Cheesecake). I was thrilled to find the recipe at Louisville Originals. While that link is directly to the recipe, out of concern that the page could disappear someday, I am including the recipe here. Other recipes from the Irish Rover at Louisville Originals include:

• Sauteed Scallops with marinated portabellos and tomato
• Smoked Salmon Pate

Chocolate Guinness Cake

3 cups chocolate chips
22 oz butter
12 eggs
2/3 cup Guinness

INSTRUCTIONS:
Melt 3 cups chocolate chips with 22 oz butter. Beat 12 eggs into cooled chocolate mix one at a time. Add 2/3 cup Guinness; blend. Pour mixture into springform pan dusted with cocoa powder.
Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes – 1 hour; makes two cakes.
When cool, cakes may be topped with chocolate mousse, or ganache, or whipped cream.

Cook Time: 45 minutes