In honor of my Cavanaugh grandfather, I like to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a corned beef dinner. And this is the easiest method ever -- only 15 minutes of prep in the morning for a piping hot dinner in the evening. Round it out with a salad and rye bread -- plus, see the "Irish" brownie recipe below for an appropriate dessert. If you are still hungry, scan to the bottom of this post for a real treat -- a recipe tip from the royal celebrities of one of the funniest St. Patrick's Day parades in the country: the Sweet Potato Queens. They'll get you into a festive mood quicker than you can cook a rasher of bacon!
Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner, from a Pillsbury brand slow cooker cookbook
Dinner:
2 pounds small red potatoes
1 1/2 Cup baby carrots
1 medium onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 (2 to 2 1/2 pounds) corned beef brisket with seasoning packet
2 Cups apple juice
8 thin wedges cabbage
Place potatoes, carrots and onion in a 5 to 6 1/2 quart Crock Pot. Top with corned beef brisket; sprinkle with the contents of the seasoning packet. Pour the apple juice over the top; add just enough water to barely cover the brisket. Cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours.
About 40 minutes before serving, remove the beef from the slow cooker and cover to keep warm. Add cabbage wedges to the vegetables and broth in the Crock Pot and increase the heat to high. Cover and cook for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cabbage is crisp/tender.
Horseradish sauce:
1/2 Cup sour cream
1/4 Cup mayonnaise
2 Tbs. prepared horseradish
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Slice the corned beef across the grain; serve with horseradish sauce and vegetables. (I like to crush the potatoes with the tines of a fork and ladle on a bit of broth, too.)
Brownie Dessert with Irish Cream Topping
Base:
1 (10.25-ounce)package fudge brownie mix
1/4 Cup vegetable oil
2 Tbs. Irish cream liqueur
2 eggs
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom only of an 8-inch square baking pan.
In a large bowl, combine all brownie base ingredients; stir with a spoon for about 50 strokes or until blended. Spread the batter in the greased pan and bake for 23 to 26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for about an hour.
Irish Cream Topping:
1 (8-ounce) carton (1 Cup) whipping cream
1/4 Cup milk
1/2 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding and pie filling mix (this is equal to 1/4 Cup plus 1 1/2 tsp. of the pudding mix)
3 Tbs. Irish Cream liqueur
1 (1.4-ounce) bar chocolate-covered toffee candy, crushed
In a medium bowl, combine the whipping cream, milk, pudding mix and 3 Tbs. Irish Cream liqueur. Beat at high speed for 4 to 6 minutes or until soft peaks form. Spread it over the cooled brownies -- it will be a thick layer of frosting. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Just before serving, sprinkle with crushed candy and cut into 9 squares.
And now, I know I promised you a treat from the Sweet Potato Queens. This hilarious group, founded by and chronicled by Jill Conner, divides its favorite foods into four categories: salty, sweet, fried, and cheese. I think this qualifies for all (except the cheese) -- it's from The Sweet Potato Queens' Big-Ass Cookbook and Financial Planner:
Pig Candy
You need several strips of bacon and enough brown sugar to coat them all. Once the bacon is covered in brown sugar, bake it at 350 degrees F. for about 20 minutes.
In case you don't believe that someone could actually eat this, rave about it, write it down and publish it as a real recipe, check out this book review. Better yet: buy the book and laugh yourself silly.
My own St. Patrick's Day observance will be much more tame than their adventures, believe me. But we'll be licking our plates after this dinner.