The last of the decorations for St. Patrick's day have been added to the display on the buffet in the dining room. I couldn't resist these little lasses and if you'd seen what they looked like before I got my hands on them you would have thought I was crackers for wanting to lay out the whopping 25 cents apiece I paid for them. They were hideous and in a marked down bin at one of my favorite stores. I could imagine how they would look after I had repainted them.
The complete display. Since green is the main color of my living room and dining room using green to decorate doesn't have the same impact as the colors I'd use for decorating at Easter or Halloween or any other holidays except for Christmas but then I use a lot more red.
March 17 or St. Patrick's day has been celebrated by the Irish as a religious holiday for over 1,000 years. Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. The people would feast on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.
My mother-in-law would make what she called, Irish Stew and this dish has become a favorite with my family and the meal I will be serving today. I don't think she would have minded me sharing the recipe with you.
My mother-in-law would make what she called, Irish Stew and this dish has become a favorite with my family and the meal I will be serving today. I don't think she would have minded me sharing the recipe with you.
Ruth's Irish Stew
1 corned beef brisket [5 1/2 pound]
2 large onions, quartered
12-15 small white [Irish] potatoes
2 heads cabbage, cored and cut into wedges
Rinse the beef brisket under cold water, and place in a large pot. I use my largest stock pot.
Add enough water to cover the roast by about 5-6 inches.
Peel and quarter the onions, and place them in the pot with the roast.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low so that the water is at a gentle boil, cover, and cook for 3-4 hours.
Remove the lid from pot and place the cabbage over the roast and onions and the potatoes on top of the cabbage.
Cook on medium heat for another 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
Remove the beef from the kettle and slice. Place the sliced beef on a platter and add the cabbage and potatoes.
For dessert we have some delicious cookies baked for us yesterday by my two kitchen helpers.
Enjoy your day~
~Happy St. Patrick's Day~
