DIY Thursday: Throw a St. Patrick’s Day Party on Any Budget

St. Patrick’s Day was made an official Christian feast day in the early seventeenth century commemorating St. Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland while celebrating the heritage and culture of the Irish.

Every March 17th we wear green attire, display shamrocks while attending local parades, festivals, and parties.

If you are one of the many who love to throw a good St. Patrick’s Day party, look no further as we have great party ideas that are perfect to fit any budget. From invitations to fun foods, we are here to help you stretch your dollars.

Invitations

Places like Punchbowl.com and Evite.com are the perfect place to create and send out email invitations to your friends and family. Just search for St. Patrick Day themed party invites and you are set. There is no limit to the amount of invitation you can send out, so have fun with it. The best part is these sites are free and will cost you absolutely nothing to use.

Recipes

Mini Shepherd’s Pie

This is just like you mom’s Sheppard’s pie recipe with a new twist.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of ground beef
• 3 tablespoons chopped onion
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/3 cup of ketchup
• 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 1 3-oz package of cream cheese
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 1 tube (12-oz) of refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
• 5-6 large potatoes, cooked and mashed
• 2-4 tablespoons shredded cheese

Instructions:

1. Peel and cook potatoes until tender.
2. Mash potatoes with cream cheese and butter.
3. Add garlic and cook for one minute or until tender.
4. Drain off fat if necessary.
5. Stir in ketchup, vinegar and salt. Then set aside.
6. Lightly spray a muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
7. Press one biscuit dough onto the bottom and sides of each muffin cup.
8. Fill with a spoonful of beef mixture.
9. Top with a spoonful of mashed potatoes.
10. Sprinkle with cheese.
11. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 – 25 minutes.
12. Serve immediately.

Loaded Red Potatoes

This is just like a regular loaded potato, but with much less work which saves you have the time.

Ingredients:

• ½ to 2 pound bag of Red Potatoes
• 3 tablespoons of melted butter
• ½ teaspoon of seasoning salt
• ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon of paprika
• ¼ teaspoon of black pepper
• Shredded cheese
• Bacon bits
• Sour cream
• Green onions

Instructions:

1. Boil potatoes for 20 minutes, drain water, and allow them to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Cut a small slice off the bottom so the potatoes can sit upright.
4. Cut an “X” in the top and squeeze sides of the potato and gently push open.
5. Mix butter and seasonings, brush on potatoes, tops and sides.
6. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
7. Remove from oven, add cheese and bacon bits.
8. Place them back in the oven for about 1 – 2 minutes, just long enough to check melt cheese.
9. Serve with sour cream and green onions.

St. Patrick’s Day Punch

This simple recipe serves between 15 and 20 people and only takes about 10 minutes to prep.

Ingredients:

• 1 container (2 quarts) of lime sherbet
• 1 46-oz can of pineapple juice
• 1 2-Liter bottle of ginger ale

Instructions:

1. Add the lime sherbet to a large bowl.
2. Pour in the pineapple juice until it is about ¾ full.
3. Fill with ginger ale
4. Garnish each cup with lime wedges, cherries, or plastic shamrocks.

Jessica Williams is Consolidated Credit’s Marketing Communications New Media Coordinator. As a member of the education team, Jessica focuses on helping consumers make better financial decisions while living debt-free. She has previously worked with Take Stock In Children, where she was a mentor and communications specialist, and SouthPromo.com, where she managed community relations, event planning, marketing, and public relations. Jessica attended both the University of Florida and the University of Central Florida where she received her B.S. in Interpersonal/Organizational Communications and Marketing. Connect with Jessica on Google+.