In the normal course of things, next Wednesday would find St. Patrick’s Day celebrants likely gathering at favored watering holes for green brew and beads. But we’re still beating back the pandemic, so hopefully most are being smart about keeping some distance. That doesn’t mean we can’t embrace being Irish for a day, as the saying goes. Get everybody in the family to wear a bit o’ green. Put on some Irish music. Watch “Riverdance,” or a feature film that puts you in the spirit. (One of my favorites is “Into the West,” with Gabriel Byrne and Ellen Barkin.)

It was of interest to me to read in a March 9 Newsweek article that, before being associated with the color green, St. Patrick’s feast day was tied to the color blue. The green affiliation really only began in the 17th century. (By the way, did you know that wearing green is supposed to make us invisible to leprechauns? So cites the article.)

But, back to celebrating around the table. If you’re in it all the way, you may choose to prepare a whole meal of traditional Irish dishes — corned beef, cabbage, colcannon, bangers and mash. But assuming you’re not going to transform your kitchen into one resembling an Irish pub’s, how about adapting a recipe or two to bring a taste of the Emerald Isle to your home? Recipes for the pizza swirls or the chocolate Guinness cake below can do just that.

Try one or the other, or both, and enjoy them while watching that movie or talking about your day around a table decorated in green next Wednesday, the 17th. And here’s to a spring filled with the luck o’ the Irish.

CORNED BEEF PIZZA SWIRLS

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 cup warm whole milk (110-115 degrees)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons caraway seeds

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For Thousand Island sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons finely diced dill pickles

■ Add sugar and yeast to warm milk; let stand 15 minutes. Beat yeast mixture, oil, kosher salt and caraway seeds until blended. Beat in flour, 1/2 cup at a time, just until combined.

■ With oiled hands, place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours.

■ Meanwhile, mix all ingredients for Thousand Island sauce; refrigerate.

■ Punch down dough. To assemble pizza swirls, turn dough onto a well-floured surface; roll into a 15-by-10-inch rectangle. Arrange corned beef and cheese slices to within 3/4 inch of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal and tuck ends under. Cut crosswise into 1-inch slices. Place slices, sides touching, on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

■ Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover pizza swirls with greased foil; let stand 20 minutes. Bake, covered, 20 minutes; remove foil and bake until golden brown, 15-20 minutes longer. Serve warm with Thousand Island sauce.

Note: If milk is too cold, it may not activate yeast. If too warm, it may kill it. Use a thermometer. Allow pizza dough to double in size before rolling out, which may take from 2-4 hours. If using prepared pizza dough, scatter 1 teaspoon caraway seeds on top before layering with corned beef and cheese.

(Source: tasteofhome.com)

CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE

1 cup Guinness (dark beer)

1/2 cup Kerrygold Salted Butter, cubed

3/4 cup baking cocoa

2 large eggs, beaten, room temperature

2/3 cup sour cream

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

For topping:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

■ Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. Set aside.

■ In small saucepan, heat beer and butter until butter is melted. Remove from heat; whisk in sugar and cocoa until blended.

■ Combine eggs, sour cream and vanilla; whisk into beer mixture. Combine flour and baking soda; whisk into beer mixture. Combine flour and baking soda; whisk into beer mixture until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.

■ Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Remove cake from the pan and place on a platter or cake stand.

■ In large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add confectioners’ sugar and cream; beat until smooth (do not overbeat). Frost top of cake. Refrigerate leftovers.

Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.

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