Saint Patricks Day "Celebration" Menu

St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner.  We like to celebrate with our parents.  About the word "celebrate", we don't necessarily celebrate the holiday, we just like to eat and prepare the Irish food and drink their Guinness.  I'm pretty sure Donovan's family has no Irish in them but I have a teeny tiny bit, hell, I'm not even sure it's enough to claim. Nevertheless, we get together and nobody can stop us, not even Saint Patrick himself.  Who does he think he is anyway?  I'll tell you what, he didn't convert me to religion but he certainly converted me to drinking his Irish beer.  You know something, he's not even Irish!  He's from Britain.  His story is very interesting.  For those of you who are interested, check out Wiki.

I found this post in my archives and thought I would dig it out, add a few more recipe's to it and share it with you...again.  It's a mouthwatering, good smelling meal.  What I'm trying to say is that you will use all of your senses throughout this "celebration" meal.  You should try it for yourself and you will find that I'm telling you the truth.

The menu consists of:
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Colcannon
Irish Soda Bread
Guinness and Baileys Irish Cream
Irish Cream Bundt Cake

Not necessarily in that order, sometimes the Guinness makes an appearance while I'm preparing the meal.  That's entirely up to you, though.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Ingredients:
1 (5 1/2 pound) corned beef brisket
2 tablespoons pickling spice
1 large orange, sliced in rounds
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
1/2 cup cold water
6 tablespoons margarine, divided
1 large head cabbage, cored and sliced
1 cup Golden Delicious apples, cored and quartered with peel
1/4 cup cold water

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a 9x13 inch roasting pan with aluminum foil, leaving enough extra extending over the sides to cover and seal in the roast.

Rinse the brisket, and pat dry. Rub with pickling spice, and place in the prepared roasting pan. Arrange celery, orange and onion slices on and around the roast. Pour in 1/2 cup of water, and wrap aluminum foil up over the roast tightly, making sure the ends are sealed.

Bake for about 4 hours in the preheated oven, or until meat is tender.

About 45 minutes before the roasts time is up, heat 3 tablespoons of margarine and 1/4 cup of water in a large pot. Add cabbage and apples, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes. Occasionally shake the pot so that nothing sticks to the bottom. Serve with remaining margarine and sliced corned beef.

Colcannon

Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 slices bacon
1/2 small head cabbage, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:
Place potatoes in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender.

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, reserving drippings, crumble and set aside. In the reserved drippings, saute the cabbage and onion until soft and translucent. Putting a lid on the pan helps the vegetables cook faster.

Drain the cooked potatoes, mash with milk and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the bacon, cabbage, and onions, then transfer the mixture to a large serving bowl. Make a well in the center, and pour in the melted butter. Serve immediately.

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredeints:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda. Blend egg and buttermilk together, and add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix just until moistened. Stir in butter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Wrap in foil for several hours, or overnight, for best flavor. 

 Irish Cream Bundt Cake

Ingredients: 

1 cup chopped pecans

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

4 eggs

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup Irish cream liqueur (go ahead and pour out a little extra for yourself)

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup water

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup Irish cream liqueur

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over bottom of pan. 

In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix. Mix in eggs, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup oil and 3/4 cup Irish cream liqueur. Beat for 5 minutes at high speed. Pour batter over nuts in pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto the serving dish. Prick top and sides of cake. Spoon glaze over top and brush onto sides of cake. Allow to absorb glaze repeat until all glaze is used up.  

To make the glaze: In a saucepan, combine butter, 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup Irish cream. 

How does your family "celebrate" St. Patricks Day?