Celebrating St. Pat's Day

I know St. Pat's is actually tomorrow but we are celebrating it here today.  We are combining St. Pat's Day, Mom's homecoming and Dick's birthday in one big bash!

There will be eleven of us for dinner tonight.  I started cooking today with the Corned Beef and Cabbage.  I like to cook my corned beef in the slow cooker.  This is really a very easy meal.  You just throw everything into one pot and let it alone for 6 hrs.

When slow cooking for a crowd I like to use my electric roaster set at  270*

Start by cutting your onion in half and cut it into chunks leaving the root intact.

The root helps to hold the onion intact.

Place the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker.

Add the potatoes and carrots to the onion on the bottom of the slow cooker.

Rinse your corned beef and lay it on top of the vegetables.

Sprinkle with seasoning packet included in the corned beef.

Cut the cabbage in the same manner as the onion.

Layer the cabbage onto the corned beef.

Cover and cook for 6 hrs.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner for a Crowd

2 pkgs Corned Beef with Seasonings (each will be approx. 4 lbs)

2 lg. sweet onions

3 lbs. mini red potatoes

2 lbs. baby carrots

2 sm. heads of cabbage

4 c. apple juice

Peel onions, leaving root end intact.  Cut onions into chunks, leaving a piece of the root end on each chunk to hold the onion chunks together.  Place onion in the bottom of an electric roaster.  Add the potatoes and carrots.  Rinse the Corned Beef Briskets and lay on top of the vegetables in the roaster. Sprinkle with the spices included with the corned beef.  Cut the cabbage into chunks in the same manner as you cut the onion.  Layer on top of corned beef.  Pour the apple juice over all.  Cover and cook at 270* for 6-7 hrs.

Note: This can be made for a family of 4-6 people by halving the recipe and using a slow cooker instead of the roaster.

Print Recipe

When I was finished getting the Corned Beef and Cabbage together I started working on the Baked Potato Soup by placing 4 large Russets, wrapped in foil, in the oven at 350* for an hour or until they are easily pierced by a fork.  I adapted the Baked Potato Soup Recipe from Allrecipes.com.

Baked Potato Soup

adapted from recipe submitted by Sherry Haupt to Allrecipes.com

4 lg. Russet Potatoes

12 slices bacon

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 small onion, chopped

4 T. flour

2 T. butter

3 c. chicken broth

5 c. low fat milk

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 c. light sour cream, divided

2 T. fresh chives, chopped 

salt and pepper to taste

Scrub potatoes, wrap in foil, and bake at 350* for an hour or more, until easily pierced with a fork.

Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.

While potatoes are cooling, dice bacon and saute in a dutch oven until brown and crispy. Remove to a paper towel to drain.  

Saute the onions in the bacon grease until soft and translucent.  Add the garlic and saute until fragrant but not brown.  Add the butter to the pan and allow to melt.  Add the flour and make a roux, cooking until brown and bubbly.  Gradually whisk in the chicken broth until smooth.  Reduce heat and whisk in the milk, half of the cheese and half of the sour cream  Whisk until incorporated. Add half the bacon and the 3 of the potatoes. Using a hand blender lightly puree the soup until it reaches the texture and thickness desird.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.  Add the remaining potato chunks.Heat gently stirring often. Do not bring to a boil.  Serve garnished with remaining sour cream, cheese, bacon and chives.  Print Recipe

The Shades of Green Salad was simply a tossed salad in which I tossed everything in my refrigerator that was green.  Romaine, Spinach, Celery, Broccoli, Cucumbers and Parsley.

The dressing was simply a Ranch Dressing dyed Green for St. Pat's day.

You can find the recipe for the individual Shamrock Cheesecakes here.

I drizzled them with chocolate before serving,