When St. Patrick’s Day arrives next week, you might want to cook up some “Green Stuff and Potatoes.”

It’s a recipe I clipped from “the Fence Post” quite awhile back. It was contributed by Judy Ann Lorenz of Encampment, Wyo.

Don’t let the recipe’s name keep you from trying it. My husband and I found the “green stuff” to be quite tasty.

First of all, peel and boil some potatoes for mashing.

You’ll need enough for about 4 to 6 servings. While they cook, get out the “green stuff” ingredients: 1 pound ground beef, 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can green beans, 1 can cream of celery or cream of mushroom soup, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and some chopped onion.

I used regular cut green beans, though Judy said her family preferred French cut. I also used cream of mushroom soup, a pinch of basil and about 1/2 cup chopped onion.

Brown the ground beef. I browned it with the onion in a skillet. When the beef is browned, add the beans, soup, curry powder, salt, pepper and basil. Stir well. Simmer the mixture while you mash the potatoes.

Serve hot “green stuff” over the mashed potatoes. I think this would be a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes (that are reheated).

It’s great to be able to adapt a recipe so that it’s your own. That’s what Judy Ann did with this one. She found the original in a newspaper years before.

I don’t know if it’s the curry powder or the basil or a combination of the two, but this recipe is good.

Think of all of the green foods that you can serve for St. Patrick’s Day. When I was a child, my mother canned hundreds of jars of fruits, vegetables and jellies. When she canned pears, she tinted some green, and we had green pears for St. Patrick’s Day dinner.

There’s also asparagus, parsley, peas, beans, cabbage salad and guacamole dip. And for dessert, fix lime gelatin, pistachio or lime ice cream or sherbet, and green frosted cake, cupcakes or cookies.

This last weekend, I also made “Easy Coffee Cake” that isn’t green (but could be covered with green candies, I guess).

The ingredients for the cake are: 1 box yellow cake mix, 3 eggs, 1 (20-ounce) can apple pie filling, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon margarine and 1 cup chopped nuts.

Mix the cake mix and eggs. The batter will be stiff. Add the pie filling. Spread in a 9-by-13-inch greased and floured pan.

Mix together the brown sugar, flour, margarine, cinnamon and chopped nuts. Sprinkle on top of the batter. Bake for about 35 minutes at 350 degrees.

I used the apple pie filling because it’s what I had on hand, but you can use other fillings. I think cherry would be good. Serve with ice cream or put a little butter on top and microwave just until it melts (that’s what my husband does).

Send your recipes to me at Box 415, Craig 81626 or call me at 824-8809.