Kelli Avila July 17, 2026

Hi and Happy Friday!

St. Patrick’s Day is one of those holidays that feels a little silly in all the best possible with all that luck, rainbows, and pots of gold. But around here we’re mostly interested in what it means we get to bake! Here are some fun (and delicious) ways to get into the Irish spirit on Tuesday March 17th!

Guinness Braised Beef Pot Pie Rich Guinness-braised beef is baked under a flaky pie crust for the ultimate comfort food dinner. This Beef Pot Pie can be made as four elegant single servings or as one whole pie. get the recipe

Over on ​Everyday Family Eats​ there is also a recipe for a Slow Cooker Irish Stew that is very similar in flavor to the beef pot pie, but without the pastry!

Beef Shepherd's Pie This Shepherd's Pie uses beef (but you can swap it from traditional lamb) and is hearty and warm and surely takes the trophy for ultimate comfort food. It also is a pretty simple dish to prepare, making it both work for weeknight dinners or more celebratory feasts with family. get the recipe

Pistachio Muffins This recipe uses real pistachios (and real everything else), and not a box mix of anything to be found. Because it's all real actual ingredients, the color isn't bright green; but that pistachio flavor is spot on! get the recipe

More Muffin Recipes (over on my other website Everyday Family Eats):

• ​Wild Blueberry Muffins​
• ​Apple Oat Muffins​
• ​Carrot Cake Muffins​
• ​Whole Wheat Banana Muffins​

Shortbread "Biscuits" Okay, these shortbread are a bit of a stretch for St. Patrick’s Day, since shortbread lean more Scottish than Irish. But they’re so good thanks to the use of Irish Kerrygold butter, which really makes them something special. It’s a must use ingredient for this must make recipe. get the recipe

More Shortbread Recipes:

• ​Pistachio Shortbread​
• ​Black Cocoa Chocolate Shortbread​

Pistachio Pudding Continuing on with a green theme, this Pistachio Pudding is one of the most simple, delicious, and underrated desserts out there. It has a nutty and creamy taste and can be utilized in many ways, including digging in with a spoon! get the recipe

More Pistachio Recipes:

• ​Pistachio Cream Pie​
• ​Pistachio Snack Cake​
• ​Pistachio Mascarpone Pie​
• ​Pistachio Ice Cream​

Lemon Meringue Pie This beautiful and equally delicious pie feels like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It’s a bit more of a project bake, but a rewarding one that delivers a bright, golden dessert and a little hint that spring is on the way. get the recipe

🍀 🌈 🍯 A personal update from me 🍀 🌈 🍯

As I shared in my last newsletter, my husband John was scheduled for a kidney transplant from a living donor in February. I hesitated to share too much beforehand for fear of jinxing anything, but maybe there really is a little Irish luck out there, because I'm happy to report that John’s surgery was successful, and he is doing incredibly well as he heals from surgery and really years of illness with a new lease on life.

He still has a long road of recovery as his body adjusts to the lifelong medications. But everyone who has seen him since the surgery says the same thing: you don’t look like you just had surgery. He’s like a real life Superman.

But I held back the most important part of this story. The living donor who came forward was my best friend, Heather.

She has been there for every hard season of my life since we were 18 years old. She officiated my wedding to John, helped deliver my first child alongside John, and stood by me through cancer treatments and unexpected family losses. Over the last 20 years, if something happened in my life, Heather was there.

Because of all she has already done for my family, when it came time to ask people publicly to consider living donation, I specifically asked her not to do it. She had already given so much to us. I couldn’t ask for anything more. And truthfully, she’s family to me. She’s my best friend and a sister in every way that matters. I couldn’t bear the thought of her and my husband both being sick at the same time.

Well, Heather didn’t listen.

She felt deeply called to the act of giving life. She went through the long and difficult process to see if she might be a match, and through what feels like some actual (Irish?) luck, she turned out to be the perfect match for John despite all their differences.

And just like John, I’m so happy and relieved to share that Heather is doing incredibly well and healing beautifully. Everyone in my orbit has been deeply changed by this experience and by Heather’s selfless act of love. The humanity of it all is just so beautiful.

I’ve been pretty disconnected from social media and my blogs while my family has navigated this major surgery and recovery for two loved ones at the same time. But as they continue to heal, I’ll slowly be making my way back to the work I love so much.

I’ll probably share more on Instagram, but after this newsletter specific update, and after a long stretch of personal updates necessary over the past several months, we’ll be getting back to the strict business of what we all collectively care about here: food.

For now, I’ll just say thank you for all the kind and caring messages I’ve received through the newsletter and on social media.

Wishing you all the luck this year, my friends 🍀 💛