Corned Beef & Cabbage - Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Here in Chicago most people are Irish by blood, but on St. Patrick's Day ALL of us are Irish! I am not Irish by blood, but my husband is - his great-grandfather's last name was Harrington. Around here the name Harrington is synonymous with corned beef because of Harrington's Deli, but we are not related to them. We live pretty close to the deli and have been there for sandwiches, but today you can't get near the place! There was an article in the Chicago Suntimes last week that said corned beef and cabbage is NOT a traditional Irish meal, yet it is what pretty much everyone (including us) will be eating today.

I got this recipe from the Chicago Suntimes Food Section years ago. My mom always made corned beef on St. Patrick's day, but she would boil everything on the stovetop which requires lots of really big pots and constant supervision - this way is much easier. So while my slow cooker works I'll be listening to my favorite Irish music; U2 and The Cranberries! LOL :)

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CORNED BEEF & CABBAGE

1 onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 - 3 lb. flat cut corned beef brisket, with seasoning packet
2 cups baby carrots
1 head green cabbage, cored and quartered
1/4 tsp. black pepper
water

Place onion and garlic in bottom of 6 quart (or bigger) slow cooker, then put in cabbage. Place corned beef on top of cabbage then add the carrots. Sprinkle with the seasoning packet and pepper. Pour in enough water to just cover the meat. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8 hours. Remove meat from slow cooker and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with the cabbage and carrots, discard the onion.
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I will also be boiling some red potatoes to serve with this meal; potatoes are a very Irish food. I will also have spicy mustard and rye bread on the table, as my husband prefers to make a sandwich out of his corned beef. Oh, and don't forget the Guinness beer!

Yesterday my daughter was very excited when I picked her up from school - leprechauns had been in the kindergarten classroom! The class had gone outside for a short recess with their teacher, and when they returned to the classroom there were green streamers and gold doubloons everywhere and chairs were knocked over and books on the floor - chaos! Then they made leprechaun finders, which are cardboard toilet paper rolls decorated with shamrocks and covered at one end with green cellophane. When you peer through this device you can see them if you have a quick eye (and a good imagination). :)

Slainte!
Happy eating!