With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, the folks at Lindyspring Systems thought it'd be a fun idea to provide you with some fun festive recipes that you and your family can enjoy! So get your green on, grab the family and check out some of these great "Irish" dishes that'll have your entire family feeling lucky and full!

Corned Beef and Cabbage
A corned beef supper makes a glorious Irish feast, and this one couldn't be any simpler to make!

Here's what you'll need:

• 2 celery stalks, cut into 3-inch pieces
• 3 carrots, cut into 3-inch pieces
• 1 small yellow onion, cut into 1-inch wedges (root end left intact)
• 1/2 pound small potatoes, halved if large
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 1 corned beef brisket (about 3 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon pickling spice
• 1/2 head Savoy cabbage, cut into 1 1/2-inch wedges
• Grainy mustard, for serving

In a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker, place celery, carrots, onion, potatoes, and thyme. Place corned beef, fat side up, on top of vegetables and sprinkle with pickling spice; add enough water to almost cover meat (4 to 6 cups). Cover and cook on high until corned beef is tender, 4 1/4 hours (or 8 1/2 hours on low). Arrange cabbage over corned beef, cover, and continue cooking until cabbage is tender, 45 minutes (or 1 1/2 hours on low). Thinly slice corned beef against the grain and serve with vegetables, cooking liquid, and grainy mustard. (Get recipe and ingredient list here)

Traditional Irish Shepherd's Pie
When you're in the mood for a meaty, savory comfort-food classic, a traditional Irish shepherd's pie is an excellent choice!


Here's what you'll need:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lb ground beef or 1 lb lamb
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 3 -4 large carrots, finely diced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3 -4 sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 glass red wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 large quantity mashed potatoes (estimating 1L or 6 cups, fresh or leftover)
• 1 egg, beaten
• grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Green Water is NOT Okay!
While the American-Irish way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day is to deck yourself (and your foods/beverages) out in green, your drinking water should NOT be green coming from the tap! Green or blueish tinted water can be harmful to your body and usually means your home’s water has excessive levels of copper. And if humans absorb too much copper (either via skin, inhalation or ingestion), it can cause a number of problems such as vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and increase your risk of liver and kidney problems.

If you're gearing up to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and notice a green tint to your tap water, contact Lindyspring Systems to come out and test your water source! We can determine what type of water treatment system is best for your household needs to ensure your drinking water is safe to consume! Got questions about our water treatment services? Give us a call today! We're happy to answer your questions. We hope you enjoy these "Irish" recipes and have a great St. Patrick's Day weekend!

For All Your Household Water Conditioning and Treatment Needs Count on LINDYSPRING!