Irish Potato Candies Are the Best St. Patrick’s Day Treat You’ve Never Heard Of

Sometimes the best-tasting treats are the most unassuming. You’d never expect a tiny brown lump to be so delicious. In fact, some might be turned off by the color and shape altogether. But that’s half the magic of Irish potato candies, a confection the vast majority of our country may not even be aware of in the first place.

For the uninitiated, Irish potato candies contain absolutely no potatoes whatsoever—they simply resemble miniature versions of the root vegetable in their color and shape. Instead, they are round balls of coconut buttercream (usually composed of some combination of coconut, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, and cream or cream cheese) coated in cinnamon to achieve a dark brown outer layer.

These confections are staples of St. Patrick Days festivities in the greater Philadelphia area. They’re just as, if not, more prominent than soda bread or corned beef and cabbage on tables across the region. Local candy company Oh Ryan’s has been manufacturing them since 1989. As of 2015, they shipped an average of 82,000 pounds of Irish Potato candies between January and March each year, mainly to local supermarket chains and candy stores. Even though there is technically nothing “Irish” about them, the product description on Amazon assures me that they are named after Irish potatoes “in remembrance of the great potato famine.” I gladly accept this explanation and I hope that after I die, the great tragedies in my life are memorialized with name-saked candy. There is no higher honor.

Amazon

Like 90 percent of Americans, I too was unaware of these delicious bite-sized treats. It wasn’t until I started dating a guy from southern New Jersey that I was introduced to Oh Ryan’s candies. At first I was confused when he asked if I wanted to snack on Irish potatoes. Did he mean french fries? When I bit into a brown lump of coconut, I was pleasantly surprised, albeit still puzzled. But after eating one sugar bomb the size of marble, I saw the light—a shiny potato-colored light—and became almost evangelical in my new food love.

To this day, my primary associations of the starchy staple involve tastes of coconut, vanilla, and cinnamon. When I think potato, I think candy. And it’s a shame the rest of the world is missing out.

The only other region of the United States that has a similarly shaped and named candy is San Francisco. The city is home to See’s Candy, which sells its own sweet take on a St. Patrick’s Day potato. The brown coating is cocoa and cinnamon and the cream inside is white chocolate fudge, with English walnuts. Oh the irony!

For those of you live beyond the reaches of these major cities, there is hope for you. Oh Ryan’s products are readily available on Amazon, so you can order a whole sack’s worth of the things. And if you’re feeling more adventurous, you can even try making them at home. They sure beat green bagels any day!

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13 Pasta Recipes to Keep You Cozy Through a Winter Storm

There are few foods that can adapt and change with the seasons quite like pasta. It opens its embrace to vegetables like asparagus and artichoke in the spring, gets along famously with fresh tomatoes and basil in the summer, and plays host to mushrooms and squashes in the fall. But I find myself eating the most pasta during the chilly depths of winter (especially during winter storms), and not just because I’m trying to store energy by carb-loading before facing the freezing temperatures and imminent snow frenzy. This is the time for reveling in rich sauces, layers upon layers of cheese, and filling bits of meat—the things that turn pasta into a luxuriant, sumptuous feast. It’s the season for breaking out the Crock-Pots and casseroles, and for simmering and baking your way to strands of noodle drenched in ragu, or rigatoni crowned with a crispy, singed top. In case you needed any convincing that winter is the best pasta season of them all, here are 11 pasta dishes that come on strong and warm from the inside out.
Header recipe and photo of Swiss Chard Stuffed Shells from Chowhound

1. Creamy Mushroom Pasta Bake

Chowhound

It doesn’t get more comforting than rich, creamy penne pasta paired with earthy mushrooms and thyme. This easy pasta bake is the ultimate dish to hunker down with during an epic snow storm.

2. Orecchiette with Sausage, Brown Butter, and Sage

Brown butter and sage are a match made in pasta sauce heaven, but when you throw sausage into the mix, it’s pretty near impossible to resist this orecchiette dish. When winter is getting you down, take advantage of the cold and cook up a batch of this addictive pasta, and you’ll be warmed you up in no time.

3. Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese

Snow days are the perfect time for putting together a pot of something slow-cooking, rib-sticking, and hearty. Our spaghetti Bolognese fits the bill perfectly, with spices and a healthy dose of red wine to make your place smell of something wonderful as you pass the hours watching Netflix or curled up with a book.
Photo and recipe from Chowhound

4. Tortellini in Broth

Speaking of things to do on those days when you’re stuck at home, why not put a bit of elbow grease into making some fresh pasta? Rolling and folding little tortellini like the ones in this recipe will have you embracing your crafty side, while the soothing broth is sure to cure any wintertime blues.
Photo and recipe from Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

5. Pumpkin, Feta, and Pea “Pastitsio”

You could describe pastitsio as Greek lasagna, but that doesn’t quite convey the fact that it’s based around layers of tubular noodles just waiting to catch all the rich béchamel that’s spread on top. This recipe also features puréed butternut squash and is studded with feta crumbles and peas, taking the creamy factor to new heights.
Photo and recipe from Souvlaki for the Soul

6. Cavatelli with Pork Ragu

Real-deal ragu demands the right shape of pasta to soak up the thick and meaty sauce. Cavatelli couldn’t be better suited for the job, with its little grooves and pockets that hold every bit of flavor. In this particular recipe, kale and currants round out the dish, resulting in a satisfying one-plate meal.
Photo and recipe from Bon Appétit

7. Four-Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Drunken Pasta Bake

Some people may spend the beginning of the year picking at salads or gulping juices, but in my opinion, it’s just the season for feasting on indulgent hibernation fare. Four cheeses and a layer of rigatoni doused in a wine-infused sauce? Bring it on. I’ll be sipping from the rest of the Cabernet bottle while it bakes.
Photo and recipe from Half Baked Harvest

8. Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake

Creamy, buttery, cheesy—alfredo sauce has all the elements that dairy lovers’ dreams are made of. And when you put it into a pasta bake, you get an added bonus: a layer of crispy stuff on top, for some crunch along with all that oozy, gooey goodness.
Photo and recipe from The Wicked Noodle

9. Pasta with Cauliflower, Sausage, & Breadcrumbs

Cauliflower is one of those vegetables that play well with whatever you pair them with. In this dish designed for a crowd, pasta, sausage, tomatoes, and breadcrumbs are no exception, making for a pan-full of happy bedfellows.
Photo and recipe from The Kitchn

10. Pappardelle with a Duck Ragout

Wide and long pappardelle noodles team up with tender, braised duck for a combination that slithers and twirls around your fork in a way that could only be described as sultry.
Photo and recipe from Urban Cookery

11. Pasta e Fagioli

Pasta e fagioli may be more of a soup with pasta than a proper pasta dish in its own right, but I’m letting it sneak onto this list because it has something special: You can cook the tubes of ditalini right in the broth. That’s one less pot to deal with, plus the pasta soaks up all that flavor while releasing starch to help thicken things up.
Photo and recipe from Martha Stewart

12. Egg Yolk Ravioli with Bacon-Sage Sauce

Eggs and bacon aren’t only for breakfast. In this dinner-party-worthy stunner, the yolks are tucked into ravioli sheets and cooked for a brief moment, releasing a stream of runny, golden goodness waiting to be sopped right up when served.
Photo and recipe from CHOW

13. Baked Lamb & Orzo Noodles

Eva of the blog Adventures in Cooking calls this dish “a warm and comforting hug,” and I’d say she’s right. Lamb and tomato are folded into orzo and left to bake in this take on Greek yiouvetsi, infusing each grain of pasta with a gamy and tangy-sweet cloak of flavor.
Photo and recipe from Adventures in Cooking

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Skittles Are the Latest Candy to Get the Spicy Treatment

It’s taken awhile, but spicy Skittles are finally here. Mars announced the new flavor back in May and, nearly a year later, they’re about to hit grocery store shelves nationwide. So get ready for your taste buds to experience massive confusion. The Sweet Heat mix contains five flavors: Sizzlin’ Strawberry, Fiery Watermelon, Flamin’ Orange, Lemon Spark, and Blazin’ Mango. Muy picante!

Skittles Sweet Heat, as the product is officially known, is the latest junk food to jump on the spicy-sweet candy combo bandwagon. Hot & Spicy Cinnamon Oreos hit stores in January, and Sour Patch Kids Fire are also supposedly on their way out soon. This is one trend that, for better or worse, doesn’t seem be dying down, so expect to see a lot of formerly sweet foods up their spice level in the year to come. Or you could just stick to regular old Skittles for your sugar rush. Nothing’s wrong with a classic.

And to usher in their arrival, Skittles asked football player Marshawn Lynch to visit a senior living community to get some honest opinions about these weird candies. Trust me, if my grandma is any indication, old folks never hold back! One lady opts to eat them one at a time because she’s so scared they’ll burn her throat. Another remarks, “It’s sweet then it sneaks up on you!” Some of their facial expressions are priceless too. One wide-eyed look says more than words ever will.

The whole thing is actually really cute. Lynch even joins in with the seniors’ daily activity schedule, going for power walks, playing pickle ball and puttering around in a golf cart. I’d watch a whole half hour of these shenanigans. Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if he got a TV deal out of this. You can watch the entire clip below.

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Vegan Tofu and Herb Salad

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Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff is a very adult-sounding dish, isn’t it? To think, when I was a teenager, I was desperate to become an adult so that I could get out there to conquer the world! Now, I’m grateful to be able to sneak in a nap on the weekend—adulthood brings so many responsibilities.

Thankfully, I have a slow cooker at my disposal, which helps me make the most out of busy days. Because once those ingredients are in the pot, it’s hands-off cooking for hours at a clip.

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13 Cereal Recipes for Morning, Noon, and Night

Cereal can be so many things: nourishment, comfort, a quick fix, nostalgia, even art. It can also transcend meal times, and not just in the way that eating a bowl doused in milk is occasionally an acceptable—even necessary—supper. There are other, far more inventive guises in which to consume cereal for breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks, and dessert, and there’s no better day than today (National Cereal Day!) to try one of them.

Admittedly, the sweet options far outnumber the savory, but there are several less-sugary cereal applications too, primarily using cornflakes, but sometimes Shredded Wheat or even Cheerios (honey nut breaded pork chops, anyone?). When it comes to the sugary end of the spectrum, there’s much more flexibility, so if you practice cereal monogamy, feel free to swap in whatever childhood breakfast treat still has your heart.

Just leave the bowl in the cabinet for a change, and try something a little different. But feel free to cue up some Saturday morning cartoons for old times’ sake.

Fruity Pebbles Cereal Milk Donuts

Marilyn’s Treats

Why not start the day off with donuts? They’re perfect topped with cereal of all sorts; you can simply use it as a garnish on basic yeast donuts to lend color, crunch, and extra flavor, or if you prefer cake donuts, try infusing the batter with cereal milk that matches the topping of choice, as in these Fruity Pebbles beauties. (And what better way to wash them down than with cereal milk lattes?) Get the recipe.

Crunchy Cereal Crusted French Toast

Kitschen Cat

Try crusting your French toast with cereal for extra crunch. Pretty much any kind should work (Cap’n Crunch is a classic and Cinnamon Toast Crunch would be deliciously meta), but this version uses Honey Bunches of Oats with a drizzle of more honey instead of syrup. Get the recipe.

Peanut Butter Cap’n Crunch Banana Crumb Cake

Sweet Recipeas

This straddles the line between indulgent breakfast and light-ish dessert, but either way, it sounds like a perfect match for coffee. Get the recipe.

Cornflake Chicken Tenders

Dinner at the Zoo

Using cornflakes as a crust on fried or baked chicken is a time-honored tradition, and probably the most common savory cereal move. The principle works on all sorts of other proteins (for instance, our Breakfast Sausage and Cornflake Scotch Eggs), but for a classic, easy dinner, these perfectly crunchy chicken tenders are great. Get the recipe.

Whole Wheat Cheddar Garlic Snacks

Foodie with Family

If you’re looking for more of a snack but still skewing savory, you can use Shredded Wheat for a twist on the usual Chex Mix. Crispy, buttery, cheesy, and garlicky, you may end up eating enough of these for it to count as a meal. Get the recipe.

Honey Nut Cheerios Milk Punch

Super Call

When you’re ready to unwind with a drink at the end of the day, cereal can come into play again. Cereal milk martinis and similar cocktails abound, so you can definitely find a way to drink your fave, but this milk punch infuses the booze itself: honey nut Cheerios are steeped in rum, to be exact. Get the recipe.

Lucky Charms Milkshake

House of Yumm

If you require something even richer, these Lucky Charms milkshakes are just the ticket, and if you’re only serving them to adults, feel free to slip in a little booze for good measure. They won’t let you do that at Burger King. Get the recipe.

Trix Krispies Treats

Cravings of a Lunatic

We all know Rice Krispies Treats, and while there’s nothing wrong with them, they do start to seem a little boring next to these rainbow-bright confections. The recently revived, artificially neon-colored, original-formula Trix is the most striking choice for these treats, but you can use the same formula to showcase any kind you can’t get enough of. Get the recipe.

Grape Nuts Pudding

New England Today

On the other end of the color spectrum, there is this endearingly beige Grape Nuts pudding, which is actually a classic New England dessert, and ultra comforting even if you’re not normally a fan of the much-maligned grain-pellet cereal. Get the recipe.

Count Chocula Ice Cream

Club Narwhal

Cereal milk ice cream started with Christina Tosi, but the brilliant idea has since been adapted by countless other cooks. In this case, Count Chocula is used to infuse the milk that becomes the ice cream, and chocolate-coated Muddy Buddies made with more Count Chocula are mixed in for crunch. If you can’t find monster cereal, try using Cocoa Puffs, Cocoa Pebbles, or Cocoa Krispies instead. Get the recipe.

Cinnamon Pebbles Pudding Cookies

Crazy for Crust

Basically super-easy snickerdoodles with crunchy cereal bits that complement the soft crumb, these call for Cinnamon Pebbles, but you could also use Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Get the recipe.

Cereal Killer Cheesecake

GYGI

Puns and pretty colors? Not to mention a no-bake filling and the always-satisfying contrast of creamy and crunchy textures? This is a legitimately adorable dessert. Get the recipe.

Apple Jacks Cereal Milk Ice Cream Sandwiches with Applejack Brandy Caramel Swirl

Honestly Yum

These are a mouthful in every which way, but who would have thought Apple Jacks (which, as every commercial obnoxiously reminded you, don’t actually taste like apples) could ever be so sophisticated? The addition of a very grown-up applejack brandy caramel swirl, and the chewy ginger-molasses cookies that sandwiche the cinnamon-scented ice cream make it clear that this is cereal that has gone way outside the box. Get the recipe.

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