Ingredients:
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons unsalted chilled butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup buttermilk (1 Tablespoon lemon juice, plus 1% milk to equal 1 cup used here)
3 Tablespoons honey
1 large egg, beaten
2/3 cup raisins (optional)
Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 12-cup muffin tin using butter or spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add butter to the bowl, and use two knives or a pastry cutter to cut in the butter. It should resemble coarse crumbs when finished.

In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk, honey and egg.

Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

Stir in raisins if using them.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove muffin ton and cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Allow muffins to cool completely on a wire rack, or serve warm.

Store any leftover muffins on air-tight container.

(Recipe inspiration found here.)

Ingredients:
3 lbs. lean beef chuck roast, cut into 1” cubes
Salt and pepper to season
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 medium onions, chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½” pieces
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup flour
2 sprigs thyme
2 bottles (12-oz. each) Guinness stout
1 Tablespoon sugar
Directions:

Season beef with salt and pepper.

Heat Dutch oven on the stove over high heat and add olive oil.

In batches, sear beef quickly on all sides. Do not overcrowd pan, or it will not brown properly. Set browned meat aside on a plate.

Reduce stove heat to medium high. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

On the stove, add onions and carrots to the Dutch oven along with red wine (or water) and cover with lid. Cook over medium-high heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Drain liquid and set aside.

Add browned beef to the vegetables in the Dutch oven and sprinkle with flour, stirring to cover evenly.

Place Dutch oven in the preheated oven uncovered. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to toast flour on beef and vegetables.

Add beer, sugar, thyme and reserved liquid from vegetables and stir to deglaze the Dutch oven.

Cover Dutch oven and cook for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Remove thyme sprigs. (Leaves will fall off and cook into the stew.)

Serve hot over mashed potatoes or in crocks topped with mashed potatoes and baked again to brown the tops.

Makes 6-8 servings. Leftovers can be frozen and reheated for an easy meal at a later date.

Ingredients:

For chocolate cupcakes:
1 cup Guinness® stout
16 Tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup light sour cream

For ganache filling:
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons butter, slightly softened
1 Tablespoon Jameson® whiskey

For buttercream frosting:
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened
3 cups powdered sugar
4 Tablespoons Baileys® Original Irish Cream

1 Tablespoon milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a small saucepan, heat stout and butter over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly while preparing dry ingredients.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl beat together the eggs and sour cream with an electric mixer. Add the stout-butter mixture and beat just to combine. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing on low speed just until incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 to ¾ full. Bake about 17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the ganache filling, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering, then pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for one minute and then whisk until smooth. If the chocolate still isn’t melted, heat over a double boiler or in the microwave in 10 second increments. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined.

Allow the ganache to cool and thicken. Meanwhile, cut out a portion from the center of the cupcake using a small knife or cupcake corer. Transfer the ganache to a piping bag or simply use a spoon to fill the holes in each cupcake.

To make the frosting, cream the butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar mixing well. Add the Baileys and milk in just a little at a time until it reaches a good consistency for piping or spreading.

Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, decorate as desired.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter, softened

4 oz. cream cheese

3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

14-oz. bag of sweetened coconut

Approximately 2 tablespoons cinnamon

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until combined. Mix in the coconut.

With a small cookie scoop, measure out balls of the mixture. Roll gently in your hands to smooth and place on a cookie tray covered in parchment paper. Lightly cover the tray and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Candies will be easier to roll when cold and just slightly dried this way.

On a small plate, sprinkle cinnamon. To avoid overly coating the candies, sprinkle about a teaspoon of cinnamon onto the plate at a time. Roll coconut cream balls in the cinnamon, lightly coating. Add more cinnamon to the plate as necessary. Store Irish potato candies in the refrigerator until ready to eat.