How to Not Eat Green for St. Patty's

Happy Monday! Now that the Oscar parties have come and gone, it's time to move onto the next celebration. Lucky for us, you can find a holiday basically any day on the calendar (National Pig Day? National Salad Month?)...but this next one's legit. St. Patrick's Day is coming up soon, and it's time to start thinking ahead. No need to get the green food dye for today's post, here are a few recipes to liven up the party (adults only for this one).

Rum Raisin Rice Pudding
Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup raisins
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• 3/4 cup white basmati rice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 5 cups half-and-half, divided
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 extra-large egg, beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the raisins and rum. Set aside.
2. Combine the rice and salt with 1 1/2 cups water in a medium heavy-bottomed stainless steel saucepan. Bring it to a boil, stir once, and simmer, covered, on the lowest heat for 8 to 9 minutes, until most of the water is absorbed. (If your stove is very hot, pull the pan halfway off the burner.)
3. Stir in 4 cups of half-and-half and sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, until the rice is very soft. Stir often, particularly toward the end. Slowly stir in the beaten egg and continue to cook for 1 minute. Off the heat, add the remaining cup of half-and-half, the vanilla, and the raisins with any remaining rum. Stir well. Pour into a bowl, and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Serve warm or chilled.

Bacon-Bourbon Brownies with Pecans

Kat Kinsman

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/2 pound sliced bacon
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 packed cup light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons bourbon
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing 2 inches of overhang on 2 opposite sides. Spray the paper with vegetable spray. Spread the pecans in a pie plate and toast for about 8 minutes, until fragrant. Let cool, then coarsely chop the nuts.
2. In a skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat, turning once, until crisp, 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels and let cool; reserve 3 tablespoons of the fat. Finely chop the bacon.
3. In a saucepan, combine both chocolates with the butter and stir over very low heat, until melted; scrape into a large bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat in both sugars with the reserved 3 tablespoons of bacon fat. Beat in the bourbon. Add the eggs and salt and beat until smooth. Sift the cocoa and flour into the bowl and beat until blended.
4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the bacon and pecans on top. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the brownies are set around the edges but slightly wobbly in the center; a toothpick inserted into the center should have some batter clinging to it. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the brownies cool completely. Lift the brownies out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into squares or rectangles and serve.

Chocolate-Stout Tiramisu

Jason McCullar

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups dark cane syrup, such as Steen's (see Note)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Reduction

• 1 cup chocolate stout or other stout
• 1/2 cup triple sec or orange liqueur
• 1/4 cup honey

Filling

• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 cups mascarpone (about 1 pound)
• Unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk the syrup, oil and egg. In a glass cup, stir the hot water with the baking soda. In 3 alternating additions, whisk the syrup mixture and soda water into the dry ingredients.
2. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and let cool. Unmold the cake from the pan.
3. In a saucepan, combine the stout, triple sec and honey. Boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, 8 minutes. Pour into a shallow dish; let cool.
4. In a bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the mascarpone.
5. Cut off and save one-third of the cake for eating. Slice the rest of the cake 1/3 inch thick. Cut the slices into 3-inch pieces, saving the scraps. Dip the slices into the reduction and place in the bottom of eight 1-cup ramekins. Dip the scraps into the reduction and use to fill in the gaps. Spread 1/4 cup of the filling over the cake in each ramekin. Repeat the layering of dipped cake and filling. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
6. Before serving, let the tiramisu stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Sift cocoa powder over each ramekin and serve.

MAKE AHEAD: The recipe can be prepared through Step 4 up to 3 days in advance. Store the cake at room temperature. Refrigerate the reduction and filling separately.

NOTES: Steen's cane syrup is available from cajungrocer.com.

Happy baking!