LYK readers… I have a surprise for you all! Folks, it is my honor to introduce you to one of my best friends & favorite older sister, Jen. She is so excited to be guest posting on this marvelous Irish holiday, and the Little Yellow Kitchen is so lucky to have this culinary master-mind!

Everyone, meet Jen. Jen meet, everyone.

Here she goes:

So, it all started with the fact that we are a ¼ Irish; therefore, on St. Patty’s Day, our mom would always make the classic Corned Beef and Cabbage. As far as I can remember back, this was the tradition.  When I moved out of the house, and moreover, when I got married, I felt that I had to keep these tasty traditions going.  A few years ago, a friend introduced me to her recipe for Beer Bread.  Although it wasn’t around St. Patrick’s Day when I first tried it, I thought that this would be a nice, hearty bread to add to the menu, and it certainly was!

With no further explanations needed, here is the recipe that should serve about 6 adults:

Corned Beef & Cabbage

Carrots and potato medly

Nitrate-free! Check that out, america!

Add ingredients to Crock pot, except for the cabbage.

Cabbage cutting

Now's the time to add the cabbage. Let it steam on top!

The finished product! Let's dig in..

Ingredients:

1 3 – 3.5 lbs Corned Beef (Nitrate free at TJ’s!), including all of the juice and spices

1 bag of small Potatoes (I prefer the Medley from TJ’s- red, gold, and purple), halved

6 medium carrots, cut into four pieces

1 small onion, quartered

3-4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 head of Green Cabbage, quartered

Directions:

1. Place the Corned Beef in a large Crockpot or pot and cover with water.

2.  Surround the meat with the potatoes, carrots and top with the onion and garlic.

3.  If using a Crockpot, set the time for 10 hours.  With a pot, simmer for 3-4 hours.

4.  About one hour before the meat is scheduled to be finished cooking, add the cabbage by placing it around and on top of the meat so that it will steam.

5.  Take out the meat and place it on a platter, surround it with the vegetables… and enjoy!

Beer Bread

The "brains" behind the bread!

mmm..Gimme a warm slice of THAT!

Ingredients:

3 ½ cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 TBSP baking powder

1 can of beer

Butter, as desired

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350.

2.  Lightly grease a bread pan.

2. Mix dry ingredients together and then add the beer.  Stir until the dry ingredients are covered.  Note: The dough will be very sticky!!

3.  Spread evenly into the pan (I usually oil my hands with olive oil to help with the stickiness!)

4.  Bake for about 1hour or until a toothpick comes out dry.

5.  While the bread is cooling in the pan, melt butter on top.

6.  Remove the dense bread and serve with fresh butter!  Yum Yum Yum!

From the Little Yellow Weir Kitchen,

Jen