Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Irish Recipes:

St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday in Ireland and the term wearing of the green means to wear a shamrock on your clothing.  The shamrock and green ribbons became a symbol of the holiday dating back to the 17th century.  The 3 leaved shamrock was used to symbolize the holy trinity.   Today, shamrocks often just mean good luck.  The celebrations of the day have changed extensively, with many people becoming “honorary” Irish for the day and celebrating with good food, good drinks, and good friends.

St. Patrick’s day wouldn’t be complete without the traditional Irish recipes of which we have become so fond.  I love the smell of corned beef, cabbage and small new potatoes cooking.  Incidentally, the beef brisket is termed “corned”  because kernel size pieces of salt are used in the curing process.  Other spices that take this ordinary brisket and turn it into the flavorful brisket we love on St. Patty’s Day include allspice, garlic, bay leaves, and pepper corns.  Most of us buy our corned beef in a vacuum sealed bags from the grocery, and my advice is to buy more than one.  They freeze very well, cook without much supervision in a crock-pot, and will make a terrific meal weeks after the holiday has passed.  If you are lucky, you will have some leftovers for sandwiches.

You know, the Reuben sandwich which uses thinly sliced corned beef (often Kosher corned beef), originated in Omaha, Nebraska decades ago and was a specialty of the Blackstone Hotel.  The sandwich was so popular that it was entered in the National Sandwich Contest in the mid 50′s and won 1st place.  It’s a testament to the popularity of corned beef.

St. Patrick’s Day would not be complete without corned beef’s two best friends; cabbage and boiled new potatoes.  The Home Cooking Connection staff has been busy testing this wonderful meal, and with the luck of the Irish we have come up with your easy, no fuss dinner menu.  Pour yourself your favorite Irish beer while your dinner finishes cooking, and when this dinner is ready to serve, you will feel like you have found your pot of gold!

Reference for the Reuben sandwich: Toast to Omaha Cookbook