SAINT PATRICK'S DAY

When St. Patrick's Day rolls around, it seems there's a wee bit o' the Irish in most of us – same things holds true when Columbus Day rolls around there is a little bit of Italian in everyone.  No matter what the nationality, we all wear the green, watch the parade, and partake in the festivities.  We become Irish for one day and that day is St. Patrick’s Day! 

Parties, get-togethers, and family dinners wouldn't be complete without corned beef and cabbage and traditional Irish soda bread. How many of us have built a meal with a "green" theme, spinach, asparagus, any leafy greens, potatoes or rice with parsley, and a green dessert?  Who of us have not made the green cupcakes or the green cake with the green frosting?   I am sure if we all checked out spice cabinets, way in the back somewhere there would be that lonely little bottle of green food coloring.

In the Green household on Saint Patrick’s Day, we always celebrated the day along with the Irish.  Corned beef and cabbage, Irish soda bread, lots of Irish ale, and a cake with green frosting, these items were always on the Green’s menu. Finally finishing the day off watching John Wayne in The Quiet Man, along with Irish coffee laced with good Irish whiskey.  In fact this particular meal was one of Irwin’s favorites and he looked forward to it every year.  So although neither of the Green’s were Irish we celebrated as though we were and enjoyed every minute of it!  Irwin:

"May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you
In the palm of his hand."

IRISH SODA BREAD 

This is a simply-made bread that involves no rising, and only 2 minutes of kneading...a perfect way for the non-baker to enjoy the satisfaction of making bread, and offering delicious loaves of homemade bread to family and friends.  I double the recipe, leaving two loaves plain; adding 1 tablespoon caraway seeds to one loaf for caraway bread, and 1/2 cup raisins to one loaf for raisin bread. Thus, with one recipe (doubled) you have four loaves of fresh, homemade, delicious bread--plain, raisin, and caraway. And don't forget the butter. Try imported Irish butter as a treat!

Ingredients:

·         4 cups flour

·         1 teaspoon baking soda

·         1 teaspoon cream of tartar

      3/4 teaspoon salt

      1/2 cup sugar

      6 tablespoons melted and cooled butter

      1 3/4 cup buttermilk

·         2 teaspoons buttermilk, additional

Directions:

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Add cooled butter and buttermilk and mix well. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface (sprinkling dough with additional flour if too sticky to handle). Knead for 2 minutes, until dough is firm. Shape into 2 round loaves. Rub each loaf with 2 teaspoons buttermilk, then sprinkle each lightly with flour. Cut an X into the top of each loaf with a knife or scissors. Place on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray, and floured. Bake in a preheated 375ºF oven for 1 hour, or until a deep, golden brown color.

Optional Variations

For caraway bread, add 2 tablespoons caraway seeds
For raisin bread, add 1 cup raisins
For one loaf of each: divide dough in half, and add 1 tablespoon caraway seeds to 1/2 of dough and 1/2 cup raisins to 1/2 of dough.

To make four loaves of bread (2 plain; 1 caraway; 1 raisin)

Double the recipe
Leave two loaves (half the dough) plain
Add 1 tablespoon caraway seeds to one loaf (1/4 of the dough) for caraway bread
Add 1/2 cup raisins to one loaf (1/4 of the dough) for raisin bread

CORN BEEN & CABBAGE

This is a classic corned beef and cabbage recipe, perfect for St. Patrick's Day or any family meal. I like to add rutabaga to my corned beef and cabbage, and others prefer parsnips or turnips. Feel free to add an extra cut-up vegetable to your dinner, leave one out, or go with the ingredients listed below.

Ingredients:

·                  8 allspice berries

·         1 teaspoon black peppercorns

·         2 medium bay leaves, crumbled

·         2 fresh thyme sprigs or about 1/2 teaspoon
          dried leaf thyme

·         1 corned beef, about 4 pounds

·         3 cups beef broth

·         Water

·         1 large onion, cut in 6 to 8 wedges

·         1 medium clove garlic, minced

·         2 1/2 to 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and quartered
          (peel if desired)

·         4 large carrots, halved and cut into 3-inch lengths

·         1 small head savoy cabbage or green cabbage, cored and
          cut into 6 to 8 wedges

·         1 medium rutabaga, cut into 2-inch chunks,
          optional

·         Chopped fresh parsley, optional

Directions:

Combine the allspice berries, peppercorns, bay leaves, and thyme in a bouquet garni bag, or fashion a small bag from a double piece of cheesecloth. Tie the bag tightly to keep the herbs and spices inside.

Put the corned beef in a 6- to 8-quart saucepan or Dutch oven; add beef broth and the bouquet garni bag. Add enough water to cover the corned beef brisket. Add garlic and onion. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours. Remove the corned beef to a platter, cover with foil, and keep warm in a very low oven or warming drawer.

Skim fat from the broth and add the potatoes and carrots to the broth (remove some of the broth if there is too much liquid). Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes. Add cabbage wedges and continue cooking for about 20 minutes, or until cabbage and vegetables are tender.

(If you add other vegetables, such as sliced or diced parsnips or rutabaga, add with the potatoes.) Slice the corned beef and serve with the vegetables. Sprinkle parsley over the potatoes and cabbage, if desired.