Embrace Your Irishness

1. On St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow, everyone is a little bit Irish. Some more than others, of course. Embrace your Irishness!
2. Check out the recipes below and go shopping for those ingredients today!
3. Prepare a crockpot of corned beef and cabbage (you can do it today… it’ll taste better tomorrow after it sits in its flavorings overnight)
4. Play a medley of Irish jigs and reels to keep you in the mood
5. Bake some Irish cupcakes for dessert (see recipe from Better Homes & Gardens below)

Corned Beef and Cabbage

By Lena Abraham Mar 8, 2021 Ethan Calabrese

Synonymous with American St. Patrick’s day celebrations, corned beef and cabbage is the perfect hearty meal for a chilly mid-March night. Though this slow cooker version can be done in 4 to 4 1/2 hours on high, the brisket cooks best low and slow. If you’re looking to venture outside the spice packet, try out the homemade blend on this corned beef brisket.

Got leftovers? Check out our favorite corned beef leftover ideas. 

 
Yields: 6
Prep Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 9 hours

INGREDIENTS:

2 or 3 medium yellow onion, cut into large wedges

2 or 3 large carrots, cut into thirds

1/2 lb. stalks celery, cut into thirds

8 to 12 baby potatoes, halved

2-3 lb corned beef brisket 

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 or 3 Tblsp. pickling spice

2 sprigs thyme

2 or 3 bay leaves

1 head of green cabbage, cut into large wedges

Directions

1. Add onion, carrots, celery and potatoes to bowl of your crock pot. Place corned beef on top and season generously with salt, pepper, and pickling spices. Scatter thyme and bay leaves over meat and fill slow cooker bowl with water until it is almost completely covering the meat.
2. Cook on low for 9 to 10 hours, or on high for 4 to 4 1/2 hours, until meat is tender. Add cabbage to crock pot and cook on high for 45 minutes to 1 hour more until cabbage is tender and cooked through. Remove meat and vegetables from slow cooker, slice and serve.

Pot o’ Gold Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes

When it comes to St. Patrick’s Day cupcakes I instantly think of Guinness cupcakes. This cupcake idea comes with a festive surprise inside to wow anyone who takes a bite.

By Alissa and Elise McGeehan
Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Share: Pot o’ Gold Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes

Recipe Summary

hands-on: 1 hr
total: 1 hr 45 mins
Servings: 24
Nutrition Info

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup Guinness stout
• ¾ cup special dark cocoa powder (such as Hershey’s)
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup sour cream
• 1 ½ cups butter, softened
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 6 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur or caramel-flavor coffee creamer
• ⅓ cup butterscotch-caramel sauce (such as Mrs. Richardson’s)
• ½ cup assorted green and/or gold sprinkles

Directions

• Step 1 – Preheat oven to 350°F. Line twenty-four 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with cupcake liners. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
• Step 2 – Melt the 1 cup butter in a saucepan over medium-low. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in Guinness, cocoa powder, instant coffee, and granulated sugar. Continue stirring until smooth.
• Step 3 – In the bowl of an electric mixer combine brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Add melted butter mixture and beat on medium-low until cooled. Reduce to low. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until eggs are incorporated.
• Step 4 – With mixer on medium, add flour mixture alternately with sour cream, beating until combined and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. (They will be nearly full.)
• Step 5 – Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Let cool in pans 5 minutes; remove to wire rack. Let cool.
• Step 6 – For frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the softened butter on medium-high until creamy. Reduce speed; add powdered sugar, liqueur, caramel sauce, and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until frosting is smooth and fluffy.
• Step 7 – Push the large end of a large pastry tip into center of each cupcake, twist to remove a plug of cupcake; set plugs aside. Fill each cupcake with approximately 1 teaspoon of the sprinkles. Trim off half the cupcake plugs and place in holes to seal in sprinkles. Pipe or frost cupcakes. Makes 24 cupcakes.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow!
See ya then…
Tell me how your day goes!

Don’t forget to look for that pot o’ gold under the rainbow!