A traditional Irish breakfast famously pairs Irish bacon and sausages with a European delicacy known as white and black pudding. (Hint: It's not the sweet dessert Americans associate with the word but a blood sausage made from - you guessed it - pigs' blood and liver mixed with oatmeal, lard and bread crumbs.) Delicious as that might sound, the dish can be a tough one for even the most ardent St. Patty's Day celebrant to swallow. So we offer this Celtic turn on the classic eggs benedict instead.

Perfect for dinner as well as breakfast, it substitutes a tasty pesto for hollandaise (green the presiding color March 17), and proscuitto for bacon or ham. Feel free to spike your coffee with a shot of Bushmills or Jameson Irish whiskey or trade it for a pint of Guinness. And as they say in Dublin, Beannachtam na feile Padraig! Happy St. Patrick's Day.

- Gretchen McKay

Green Eggs and Ham

• 2 whole-wheat English muffins, split into half
• 4 slices prosciutto or thinly sliced ham
• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 4 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons Buitoni or other brand refrigerated pesto with basil

Toast English muffins; top four halves evenly with prosciutto.

Melt butter in medium, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crack eggs into skillet; cook for about 4 minutes (for eggs with runny yolks) to 5 minutes (for eggs with yolks that are slightly set). Season with salt and ground black pepper, if desired.

Transfer eggs to muffin halves with prosciutto; top each with 1 tablespoon pesto and remaining English muffin halves.

Serves 4.

- Nestle (meals.com)

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