By Beth Hillson

When I was in college, St. Patrick�s Day was a reason to have a green beer or two anytime of the day.� We started early with the Green Beer Parade in Syracuse�s Tipperary Hill, then headed to a local pub near campus to continue the celebration.

I confess, I am no longer a beer drinker.� I lost my taste for it when I became gluten free and before great gf beers appeared.� These days, I look forward to the festive St. Patty�s Day dishes instead � Irish Soda Bread, Corned Beef and Cabbage, and Grasshopper Brownies.

My first foray into making corned beef was to purchase a cryo-vac product on sale at a big supermarket chain.� The package was a slab of beef floating in not-so-appealing beet-red liquid and filled with flavorings and spices.� I knew the end results would be amazing so I worked my way past the packing and the extra contents which were quickly discarded.� I rinsed the beef and simmered it with pickling spice, garlic cloves and an onion.� In the final hour, I added cabbage in wedges, carrots and potatoes.� If the aroma wasn�t enough, the taste was surely addictive.

When we moved to Connecticut, I discovered our local market made its own corned beef.� That was a game-changer. Flat cuts of brisket bathed in a brine of proprietary spices and flavors.� And sold with complimentary potatoes, carrots, and cabbage.

I�ve already given you the simple recipe which I serve with a mixture of horseradish and sour cream and Dijon mustard.

Unfortunately, corned beef is a seasonal item and freezing changes the taste.� Get your fill while it�s available.

On the other hand, Irish Soda Bread, aka Soda Bread, is another tradition that can be enjoyed year-round.� In fact, I encourage it!

The version served with Corned Beef is usually studded with caraway seeds.� I�m not a fan.� My preference is the recipe here, laced with orange rind and currants.� It is easy and can be made gluten free with equally tasty results by simply changing out the flour for an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend.

Try this formula as delicious scones, too.� Scoop the dough into small rounds and bake at 375 for 15 to 18 minutes.� The scones are great with soups and portable for school or work, another reason this recipe should not be reserved for St. Patrick�s Day alone. This recipe is inspired by an Ina Garten recipe.

Irish Soda Bread with Orange and Currants��
Yield: 1 loaf

4 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour blend, plus 1 tablespoon extra for currants (I use King Arthur GF Measure for Measure Flour Blend)
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 � teaspoons kosher salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (about the side of peas)
1 � cups cold buttermilk, shaken
1 large egg plus1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 cup dried currants

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.� Line a 9-inch round pan with parchment paper.� Spray with PAM.� Set aside.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.

Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed in and flour resembles a coarse meal.� With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, egg yolk, and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the currants with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured board or a sheet of parchment paper and knead it a few times to form a round loaf about 7 � to 8 inches in diameter. Place the loaf on the prepared pan and lightly cut an X into the top.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.� Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with butter or jam.

Note: For Grasshopper Brownies, make your favorite brownie recipe.� (A mix is allowed.)� Let the brownies cool and top with this simple mixture.

��cup unsalted butter softened
2�tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
2�tablespoons cr�me de menthe
� to 1�teaspoon peppermint extract
Pinch kosher salt
2�cups confectioner�s sugar

Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours then top with � cup of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (broken into small pieces) melted in the microwave with 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter.� Chill until ready to serve.