Celebrate St. Patrick's Day all day long with these recipes

St. Patrick's Day falls on a weekday this year.

That won't stop the hard-core revelers from spending the entire day in celebration, but for me the day will still be business as usual -- work, commute, change diapers, make dinner. I wear a lot of green, anyway, so even my wardrobe won't be out of the ordinary.

It's not too hard to incorporate some Irish spirit into the everyday grind, though. Even if your St. Patrick's Day probably won't include parade-watching or green beer-drinking, you can celebrate all day long with these recipes. Cue up a playlist of Irish music as a backbeat.

ST. PATRICK'S RECIPES

Matcha Hot White Chocolate

1/4 cup white chocolate chips

2 cups unsweetened almond milk

2 tablespoons matcha powder

1 cup hot water

Makes two 12-ounce servings.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the white chocolate together with 1/2 cup of almond milk. Stir until smooth, then add remaining 1 1/2 cups almond milk.

Sift matcha into the hot water and whisk until combined and frothy. Stir into the almond milk/white chocolate mixture and pour into two mugs.

Irish Soda Bread Muffins

21/4 cups flour

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar (divided)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) butter, melted

1/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup dried currants or raisins

Makes 12 muffins.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda and caraway seeds. In another bowl, beat egg, buttermilk, butter and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in currants or raisins.

Fill greased muffin cups three-fourths full. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Minted Mashed Peas on Toast

4 cups frozen peas

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon minced shallot

2/3 cup coconut cream

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 loaf sourdough bread or baguette, sliced and toasted

Serves four.

Add frozen peas to a medium saucepan and add water to cover. Bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, add mint leaves to a food processor and process until chopped. Add garlic and shallot and process again until chopped.

Once cooked, drain peas and add to food processor along with remaining ingredients except bread. Pulse until combined and mixture has a rough texture, or continue pulsing to reach desired texture.

Spread on toasted bread slices to serve.

Celtic Trinity Knot Bread

1 can crescent roll dough (preferably seamless)

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Serves 24.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Unroll the dough and, if necessary, pinch seams together on both sides. Use a pastry cutter or pizza cutter to slice dough into 24 equal strips.

Roll each strip between your palms to make it round rather than flat.

Lay one strip on counter so it forms a wide arch in front of you. Cross the left end over the top of the arch so the dough crosses slightly right of center and forms a loop on the left. Repeat on the right, so the right end crosses over the left loop and leaves a small hole in the center. Pinch the two ends together to form a point at the top. Pinch the two loops into points as well. All three loops should be even.

Repeat with each strip of dough to form 24 knots. Place half the knots on the prepared cookie sheet. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake in preheated oven until tops are browned, about 11 to 13 minutes. Repeat with remaining knots.

Remove from cookie sheet and serve warm.

Spiked Shamrock Shake

2 cups vanilla ice cream

1 1/2 ounces Irish whiskey

1 1/2 ounces creme de menthe

2 to 3 drops green food coloring (optional)

Whipped cream for garnish

Serves one.

Blend ice cream, whiskey, creme de menthe and food coloring in a blender until just combined. Pour into a glass and top with whipped cream.

This story was originally published March 15, 2016 at 9:52 PM with the headline "Celebrate St. Patrick's Day all day long with these recipes ."