St. Patricks Day Fun!

Now some St. Patrick's Day Fun:
St. Patrick's Day is Saturday March 17. My family always does something special because I have many Irish ancestors. My wife's family came to the U.S. much later than mine and they love eating Irish food. In fact my wife's Great-great grandfather William Phillips came to the USA in the 1800's when the potato famine was really bad in Ireland. He had been a newspaper reporter in Belfast and wanted a better life for his family. They settled in Connecticut where my wife's great-grandfather and grandfather were born and raised. Then the family moved to Worcester(near Boston) where there's still a very large contingent of Irish folks.
My Irish ancestors are on my mother and father's side. They came to the U.S. much earlier and all came to the south. Some came in the early 1700's to Virginia and South Carolina. Others in the mid to late 1700's to North and South Carolina. Some came from County Antrim and others from County Donegal.
To keep some of those Irish traditions alive, my family always tries to make some foods we don't normally eat so we can celebrate. Or course Irish people probably had very plain menus with potatoes being a staple. To liven it up we add our own twist and make desserts and cool sides with our corned beef and cabbage.
Of course the holiday started as a feast celebrating the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick, who lived between 386 A.D. and 493 A.D. And any feast is a friend of mine. I mean who doesn't like celebrating with food?
The day is a national holiday in Ireland and the whole country is off work that day. Here in the U.S. the holiday wasn't celebrated publicly until 1737 and the first celebration was held in Boston, Massachusetts, which has been the epicenter of the Irish immigration into the U.S.

Here's a great corned beef and cabbage recipe!!
One 3 pound corned beef brisket uncooked in brine
16 cups cold water
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
4 whole allspice berries
2 whole cloves
1/2 head large green cabbage(about 2 pounds, cut into 8 thick wedges)
8 small new potatoes(about 1 and 1/4 pounds), halved
Freshly ground black pepper
Serving suggestion: Whole-grain maple bread goes good with this as does horseradish sauce. My kids like the kind with mayo in it. I prefer the real straight horseradish, it's spicier.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees
Place corned beef in a colander in the sink and rinse well under cold running water
Placed corned beef in a large Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid(or similar metal pot with tight lid): add the water, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice and cloves.
Bring to a boil uncovered and skim off any unwanted film that rises to surface.
Cover and transfer pan to oven and braise until very tender, about 3 hours and 45 minutes.

Transfer the corned beef to a cutting board and cover tightly with foil to keep warm. Add the cabbage and potatoes to the cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cabbage to a large platter. Slice the corned beef across the grain of the meat into thin slices. Lay the slices over the cabbage and add potatoes. Ladle hot cooking liquid over the corned beef and season with pepper. Serve with horseradish sauce or hot mustard.
I love this dish!!!!
Here's a great side dish from Ladies Home Journal:

Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips
Ingredients
9 medium baking potatoes (3 pounds), such as russet
1-1/2 pounds parsnips
1 bulb garlic, unpeeled
2 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions
1. Peel potatoes and parsnips; cut into 1/2-inch chunks. Cook in a Dutch oven or large saucepan in boiling salted water until tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut about 1/2 inch off tip of garlic head, and discard. Place garlic in a custard cup. Drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Let cool. Squeeze garlic pulp out of peels. Mash with a fork, and set aside.
3. Press the potatoes and parsnips through a potato ricer or food mill (or mash with a potato masher), and return them to the Dutch oven.
4. Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan just until boiling. Stir into the potato mixture. Stir in mashed garlic, the 3/4 teaspoon salt, and the 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Heat through. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 14 servings.

And it wouldn't be St. Patrick's Day without a great Irish dessert.

Chocolate-Irish Cream Cheesecake
Makes 12 to 18 servings
Prep: 45 minutes Bake: 50 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs (about 18 cookies)*
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream
1 cup sugar
1 8-ounce package semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
3 eggs
1/3 to 1/2 cup Irish cream liqueur
2 tablespoons whipping cream or milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
Fresh raspberries (optional)
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate pieces, melted (optional)

Directions
1. For crust, in a medium mixing bowl combine crumbs, butter, and cinnamon; toss gently to mix. Spread mixture evenly in the bottom of a 9- or 10-inch* springform pan; press onto bottom for a firm, even crust. Set pan aside.
2. For filling, in a large mixing bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and the 8 ounces melted chocolate; beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until combined. Add eggs all at once. Beat on low speed just until combined. Do not overbeat. Stir in liqueur, whipping cream or milk, and vanilla.
3. Place pan on a baking sheet. Pour filling into crust. Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until center appears nearly set when gently shaken. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Loosen sides; cool 30 minutes more. Remove sides; cool completely. Cover and chill cheesecake for 4 hours or overnight.
4. Before serving, transfer the cheesecake to a platter. Top with fresh raspberries and drizzle with 1/3 cup melted chocolate, if desired. Makes 12 to 16 servings.
*Note: If using the 10-inch springform pan, add another 1/4 cup chocolate wafer crumbs to the crust.