MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - EASY MONGOLIAN BEEF

This is the first time for Mongolian Beef made at home. It had been a real early start to the day. We were both tired but wanted something more substantial than a throw-together meal for the weekend. When browsing for potential recipes, the word I focused on here was ‘easy’. I found it at Kitchen Sanctuary hosted by Nicky Corbishley and the original recipe can be found here. I always recommend visiting because I don’t always share all the useful tips, and there are many other delicious recipes. I will definitely be going back to try more.

From preparation to table it is said to take 25 minutes. It usually takes me a little longer as I am slower, but it is still a fast meal to do. 

It was excellent and we both thought it deserved a 10 out of 10.  

Easy Mongolian Beef - serves 4

5 tablespoons oil (1 use avocado oil)

1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch (or cornflour depending on what country you are in)

Pinch of salt and black pepper 

14 ounces (400g) sirloin steak sliced into thin strips (visible fat removed)

1 tablespoon grated/minced ginger

3 cloves garlic, finely peeled/minced

1/2 cup (120ml) reduced sodium soy sauce (host uses dark but says all-purpose is fine - she mentioned some brands are saltier than others  (visit her recipe for more info).

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

6 packed tablespoons light brown sugar

1/3 cup (90 ml) water

8 scallions (spring onions), sliced

Steamed rice to serve

Heat the 5 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large frying pan until very hot.

Mix the 1-1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch with a good pinch of salt and pepper and toss the steak strips in the cornstarch.

Make sure the oil is really hot and cook the steak strips in oil, turning occasionally until very dark and crispy. You can do this in two batches if you need to. We were able to do this in one with our frying pan, the important thing is not to overcrowd.  Cook the steak for 5 minutes before turning. Don't keep moving it around the pan, as you won't achieve that dark, crunchy coating.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the beef from the pan. Place on a plate lined with kitchen roll, so that any excess fat will be removed.

Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan, turn the heat down to medium and allow the oil to cool a little. Add the 1 tablespoon minced ginger and the 3 minced garlic cloves to the pan and cook for 1 minute. It is important to stir frequently so the garlic will not burn.

Add the 1/2 cup reduce sodium soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 6 packed tablespoons of light brown sugar (Nicky uses muscovado sugar), and the 1/3 cup water.

Thoroughly mix, turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

Next add the crispy beef back to the wok and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Turn off the heat and stir in the 8 sliced spring onions.

Serve over rice fixed the way you usually do. We had steamed Jasmine rice but use your favorite and cook to package instructions.

Nicky has two recipes for simple boiled rice and also egg fried rice. If you click on their names it will take you to both recipes.

There was a steak in the freezer that needed to be used and it was more than enough for two people. We had not made an Asian meal lately and this one looked very appetizing. We made the recipe without any changes. 

Our side vegetable was quickly sautéed green beans.

We have leftovers for another meal tomorrow.

If you would like to copy and paste the address instead of using the link above, it is below.

https://www.kitchensanctuary.com/mongolian-beef-recipe

Thanks for looking and I wish you all a great week.

MARRY ME ITALIAN SAUSAGE PASTA

It was the interesting title that made me take note, and it certainly was a scrumptious meal. I don’t know much about wines but when wine is called for in a recipe, I usually have a glass at the table. This was the one we tried.

I looked this up on Google to accurately describe this Dry Riesling. It said "it is a crisp, aromatic and mineral-driven white wine from Washington's Columbia Valley, renowned for its bright acidity and excellent balance. It features prominent notes of green apple, lime zest, jasmine and white peach, often with a hint of white pepper or spice, delivering a clean and refreshing finish." Not being a connoisseur of wine, I thought it was a very nice addition to our meal. 

I found the recipe at Salt and Lavender hosted by Natasha. The original recipe can be found here.

Marry Me Italian Sausage Pasta

4 servings

8 ounces uncooked pasta

11 ounces Italian Sausage

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup heavy/whipping cream

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes 

(If you are using sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drain thoroughly. If not julienned, do this before you add it to the pan. This is where we would dice them - see Gregg's note at the bottom. Ours was in oil and already cut up.)

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 small handful fresh basil, chopped or torn

Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, optional, to taste

Boil a pot of salted water and cook pasta according to package directions (it should be al dente). Save a little of the pasta water in case you need to thin the sauce later.

Meanwhile, take the sausage out of their casings (unless you found some in a roll) and crumble meat into a skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until it is browned all over.

Transfer the sausage to a plate lined with paper towel. If there is a lot of fat left in the pan, discard it all.

Reduce the heat to medium, then add in the garlic and wine. Let it bubble for about a minute or until liquid is reduced by half.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of cold water, to make a cornstarch slurry.

Stir in the cream and tomato paste, and once the tomato paste is incorporated, add in the sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and the cornstarch slurry. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the sausage back into the pan and cook for a few more minutes until the sauce has thickened to your liking. 

Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce (add a splash of the hot pasta water prior to draining if you want to thin the sauce a bit).

Serve immediately with fresh basil sprinkled on top, and freshly grated Parmesan Cheese if using. 

The only changes we made was with the pasta. Our host used penne. We always seem to have butterfly in the pantry and that is what we used. Penne will be on the shopping list just for a change of pace next time.

Everything else we followed the recipe. It was excellent. I gave it a 10 out of 10. Gregg gave it a 9 out of 10. He said he would use a different sun-dried tomato next time as he found this a bit too salty. They were sliced but he said they would have been better if they had have been diced (I could see his point. I don’t usually add a lot of salt to our meals.) But all that being said he had seconds.

We had a mixed vegetable salad on the side.

I can't think of anything else but if you have any questions - or tips - please let me know in the comment section.

If you would like to copy and paste the address below instead of using the link I provided, here it is:

https://www.saltandlavender.com/marry-me-italian-sausage-pasta/

Thanks for looking, have a great day 

and Bon Appetit!

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - CREAMY TUSCAN SHRIMP NOODLES

I mistakingly posted the recipe for the Thai Meatballs way too early, if you saw and wondered why it suddenly disappeared, I took it off when I realized what I had done. Many apologies and my thanks to all who have commented. You will still be there when it is eventually published. I will do that as soon as I have had a chance to make it, with my own photos and notes.

I am starting this week being a bit discombobulated. If you saw and are interested now, let me know and I will send you the person’s address to their recipe.

In the meantime…

Creamy Tuscan Shrimp Pasta

This is another link that disappeared on me but if you go online and type its title in your search engine, you'll get many different varieties. I haven't found this exact one yet but I'm still looking, and will add later when I find its host. It was fixed for the first time on March 9th and was excellent! We had leftovers for the next day.

The weights were metric but I converted as near as I could to ounces.

250 g (9 ounces) peeled shrimp (we probably had less as we used what we had left in a bag of frozen. It seemed enough though.)

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon oil or butter

2 cloves of garlic 

6 to 8 cherry tomatoes, halved

2 handfuls of fresh spinach, washed and drained (I also pick the stems off)

200 ml cooking cream (close to 3/4 of a cup) - there was only whole milk in the fridge but Gregg thinks using cream would take it up a notch. I thought it was very nice without but he is probably right

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling over your finished plate at the table

1 teaspoon Italian herbs (or oregano/basil)

200 g (9 ounces) pasta - choice suggestions were penne or spaghetti (we used butterfly 

 

Chili flakes (optional)

Lemon Juice (optional)

Grated Parmesan Cheese (Garnish)

Cook the pasta to package directions until al dente. 

Save 1/2 cup pasta water.

Season fresh or thawed shrimp with salt and pepper. 

Put pan on medium high heat. Add oil or butter. Cook shrimp 1 to 2 minutes on each side.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Make the sauce.

Lower heat to medium. 

Add garlic and cook for 15 seconds.

Add tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.

Add cream (or milk), the 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese and herbs. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add spinach until it has just wilted.

If needed, loosen with a splash of pasta water (we found this wasn’t needed).

Combine ingredients.

Add pasta, shrimp and toss 30 to 60 seconds.

Finish off with chili flakes and a squeeze of lemon juice. (I added this at the table, along with extra grated Parmesan cheese when I had served myself my individual portion. This is optional). 

Two changes, butterfly pasta and a handful of halved cherry tomatoes. It was all very tasty.

SHEPHERD’S PIE WITH CHEDDAR

We made this recipe for the first time on Monday, 2-23-26. It is from a food blog called Pan to Plate Recipes, hosted by Julia who was a former restaurant head chef. The original recipe can be found at this link. It was excellent and we gave it a 10 out of 10. I have a similar recipe on here also, but I haven't checked to see the differences. I recommend going to Julia's food blog to review the original. She has a lot of great tips for this, and other  recipes to try. 

Shepherd's Pie with Cheddar 

Serves: 6

Calories per serving: approximately 620

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Total time:1 hour 15 minutes

For the filling:

2 tablespoons olive oil (30g)

1 large onion, diced (150g)

2 medium (120g) carrots, diced

2 cloves garlic (6g), minced

1-1/2 pounds (680g) ground lamb (we used minced beef)

1 teaspoon (1g) dried thyme

1 teaspoon (1g) dried rosemary

1 cup (240g) beef broth

1 cup (150g) frozen peas

Salt and black pepper to taste

For the topping:

4 cups (950g) prepared mashed potatoes

1 cup (120g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Position a rack in the center of oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. (190 degrees C.)  Having the oven fully heated ensures the pie bakes evenly and the topping becomes golden brown.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add the diced onions and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (about 5 to 7 minutes).  

Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Add the lamb (or like us, add minced beef) to the skillet. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break the meat into smaller pieces. Cook until it is browned all over, about 8-10 minutes. Carefully drain off any excess fat from the skillet.

Season the meat with the dried thyme, dried rosemary and the salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the beef broth into the skillet, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. 

Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. 

Let it gently bubble for 10 minutes, allowing the sauce to reduce and thicken slightly. 

Stir in the frozen peas during the last 2 minutes of simmering.

Transfer the meat mixture to a 2-quart baking dish, or an oven-safe skillet, and spread it into an even layer. 

Spoon the prepared mashed potatoes over the filling. Use a spatula to gently spread the potatoes to cover the entire surface, sealing the filling in.

Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the mashed potatoes. Place the baking dish on a baking sheet to catch any potantial drips.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is melted and golden brown.

Carefully remove the Shepherd's Pie from the oven. 

Let is rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. This allows the filling to set, making it easier to slice and serve cleanly.

Garnish with fresh parsley (optional).

Shepherd's Pie can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat place it in an oven preheated to 350 degrees. F (175 degrees C), and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until warmed through. 

You can also assemble the pie a day ahead, cover and refrigerate it before baking; you may need to add 10-15 minutes to the baking time.

Serving size: 1/6 of pie

Calories per serving: 620

We made a few changes. Firstly we used minced beef instead of lamb. 

We also added at the same time as the broth, a splash of Worcestershire Sauce, and also a cup of red wine. We usually do the latter for soups and stews but wanted to see if it made a difference with this shepherd's pie.  

There was more meat and added 2 lbs. instead of the 1 lb. We also added extra veggies, carrots, onions. 

It gave us leftovers and when the casserole was filled with both mixture and potato on the top, what was left was added to another dish to give us a meal for later. This will be frozen without the potato topping. I had it in my mind to use the meat mixture and put it over some mashed potatoes, similar to this I suppose but done separately. Or we might use it for another recipe. 

I think it would be a good idea to add extra thyme and rosemary too, for our own personal taste. We both felt it needed more and we love the taste of thyme.

Gregg said he would like more grated cheese also.

This is the full address for the recipe. I add this if you prefer copy and pasting instead of using the link at the top of the page.

https://pantoplaterecipes.com/shepherds-pie-with-cheddar

That's it for this week's recipe. If I have missed anything or you have a question, let me know in the comment section and I will do my best to answer.

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - CREAMY POTSTICKER SOUP - 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

On Friday (2/6/26) it was a bitterly cold day and it just called for soup. I found this one at allrecipes a while ago and the original recipe by Natalie Gravois can be found here. There are lots of other great recipes, and I highly recommend a look. We both gave this a thumb’s up, and it is another we will be making again. Gregg said he would like to try it with noodles next time. I am all for that though I am a big fan of potstickers. It isn’t mentioned but this to me is a Thai-inspired dish and all the ingredients used is what we have made in other Thai dishes, with most ingredients already in our supplies. 

Creamy Potsticker Soup - serves 6 to 8

1 tablespoon avocado oil

1 bunch green onions, sliced (white and green parts separated)

1 quart of chicken broth

1 clove garlic, smashed

1 inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons red curry paste

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

2 (14 ounce) cans coconut milk

1 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms 

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1 (18.2 ounce) bag frozen potstickers, such as P. F. Chang’s Chicken dumplings

Garnish:

Sliced green onions

Chili Crisp

Heat avocado oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the white parts from the onions and sauté until softened.

Add chicken broth, garlic, ginger, curry paste and sesame oil. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the garlic and ginger. Add coconut milk, shiitake mushrooms and carrots. Bring to a boil.

Add frozen potstickers and cook until heated through! 6 to 8 minutes. 

Serve with green parts of green onions and chili crisp. We also added a few splashes of sriracha hot sauce. If you are not keen on anything hot, then leave the chili crisp and the hot sauce off. On the other hand, a little goes a long way.

 

I read the comments from people.  Someone added snow peas and collard greens. Maybe you could add your favorite vegetable. As Gregg would like to try noodles next time, he suggested using the meat off a rotisserie chicken. Another suggestion of his was to add rice.

I didn’t have fresh garlic or ginger so used the frozen cubes that we keep in the freezer. It has several different ones which you can see at this link. You can also scroll down and they have recipes.

We buy ours from Trader Joe's but checking online I saw Harris Teeters, Safeway, Whole Foods and Kroger also sold them. They are very convenient when we run out of fresh. That cut out our step for removing both of these fresh ingredients in the third paragraph of the instructions. We put them into the liquid straight out of the freezer, and they dissolve as we stir them in, adding to all that goodness.

We had leftovers for the next day and as always happens, it tasted even better. Those flavors had a chance to work their magic.

One addition we added to our next day meal, was a cooked Jasmine rice. We don’t usually add two starches but this was requested by my dear other half. It was a great choice and took it up a notch.

I am a big fan of chili crisp and below is the kind I enjoy best. I have tried others but always come back to this one.

Here is the full address where you can find the recipe. This is for those of you who prefer to copy and paste rather than use the link at the beginning. 

https://www.allrecipes.com/creamy-potsticker-soup-11873308

If you have any questions or suggestions, you can leave them in the comment section, and I'll do my best to answer them.

That's all for now. 

Always appreciate you dropping by. 

Thanks so much and have 

a wonderful day!

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - CREAMY BEEF AND SHELLS

I found my dish today on a blog called Organized Chaos.  The original recipe can be found here.  It is not just about recipes, though there are many delicious ones shared. You will also find suggestions on how to organize your kitchen and home improvements. It’s fun to look through.  

(In my photos you will see I didn’t use pasta shells. I used what we already had, which was butterfly pasta (Farfalle). Farfalle (pronounced far-FALL-lay) in Italian, literally means “butterflies”. It is also widely known in the U.S. as bow-tie pasta due to its shape. It’s a versatile short pasta from Northern Italy, often pinched in the middle with ruffled edges, great for sauces and salads, with smaller (Farfalline) and larger (Farfalloni) versions available. I have only seen the Farfalle in our stores, which is our favorite.) 

Creamy Beef and Shells - serves 6

8 ounces medium pasta shells 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound ground beef

1 small sweet onion, finely diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 

1 teaspoon dried parsley 

1/2 teaspoons dried oregano 

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup beef stock

1 (15 ounce) can marinara sauce

3/4 cup heavy cream 

1/4 cup sour cream

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese 

Prepare pasta shells according to package directions in a large pot of salted boiling water. Drain and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 3 to 5 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon. Drain any excess fat and set the beef aside.

Using the same skillet, sauté the diced onion for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.

Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking until lightly browned (this will help thicken the sauce). 

Gradually whisk in the beef stock, followed by marinara sauce. Stir in Italian seasoning, parsley, oregano and paprika.

Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens slightly. 

Add cooked pasta and the browned beef back into the skillet. Stir to coat everything evenly in the sauce.

Stir in the heavy cream and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until heated through. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Then stir in the sour cream.

Fold in the grated cheddar cheese and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the cheese has fully melted.

Serve the creamy beef and shells immediately. Garnish with parsley (optional but this will add color to your dish). 

Enjoy! 

 

This was a delicious recipe, a 10 out of 10. 

I added a leaf of flat-leafed parsley on top and diced red sweet pepper to not only give the color, but it also tasted great. You can leave it plain as in my first photo. I also sprinkled it liberally with pepper, and I have also been sprinkling turmeric. My dear other half doesn’t like the taste of turmeric, so left that to me.

I don’t do well with any kind of cream but I had whole milk in the fridge. That was a nice substitute.

 I added the following from the original recipe.

Refrigeration: store in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.

Freezing: portion and freeze for a later meal. For best results, thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. (This is what I intend to do.)

Reheating: warm on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a little milk or water to refresh the sauce.  (When we reheated the next day, we added a splash of beef broth, which was left over and refrigerated.)

I made double so we would have several meals. 

We had a simple vegetable salad on the side.

Apart from not using the pasta shells, the above were the only other changes I made.

I include the full blog address in case you would like to copy and paste instead of using the link above.

https://anorganizedchaos.com/creamy-beef-and-shells/

Thanks for looking and have a great week.

 

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE PLUS IRISH SODA BREAD

I hope everyone has gotten through the snow and ice storms without anything untoward happening. I am writing this on Sunday (the 25th) and as I type, sleety snow is falling and has been falling since last night. We have had about eight inches so far, but snow will fall for the rest of the day, so it remains to be seen what we will end up with. I won't be going anywhere for a while, not even for a walk in the snow as I know there will be a layer of ice to contend with. I have learned from experience, that we do not mix and I don't want any more falls or sprained ankles or knees as in years' past. So, safety first and please take good care of yourselves and stay safe out there if you have to be somewhere.

Now for this week's recipe. We still have some time to go before Saint Patrick's Day, but as I didn't make anything new this week, I decided to get this out early. You can find the original recipe here.  Lynne is the host of Cook and Be Merry. Unfortunately, her blog has been closed since August 11th, 2016, but her recipes can still be viewed. Thank you Lynne for leaving us your delicious recipes to browse through.

Corned Beef and Cabbage  -  serves 4

1 3 pound corned-beef brisket, in plastic pouch with brine and spices
1 onion
3 whole cloves
2 Turkish bay leaves
1 chili de arbol
4 carrots
5 small rutabagas
1 large russet potato
1 medium green cabbage.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Place corned beef, brine and spices in a large Dutch oven or deep pot and put enough water in the pot so that 4 inches of water is over the top of the meat.  Bring to a boil, skimming the surface to get rid of any froth.  

Cut an onion in half lengthwise, peel and stick cloves into each half.

When the water comes to a boil, continue skimming to remove as much debris as possible.  Add the onion, bay leaves and chile de arbol to the pot.  Cover pot tightly with aluminum foil and tight fitting lid. 

Place covered pot in oven and braise for about 3 hours, or until a fork easily pierces the meat.  Carefully remove the foil taking care not to bend over the pot as steam will escape in a rush and you don't want to burn your face.  

A half hour before the meat is done, peel the carrots and cut in half lengthwise.  Peel the rutabagas and potatoes into 1-inch cubes. 

Remove the tough outer leaves of cabbage and cut head in half, top to bottom, through the core.  Cut each half into 3 wedges, through the core.

With large tongs, remove brisket to a platter, covered with foil to keep warm.

Bring the broth to a boil and then place cabbage, carrots, rutabaga and potatoes in pot.  Add enough water to cover above the vegetables by an inch.  Place cover on pot and leave about a 1/2 inch opening for steam to escape.  (Again, please remember not to bend over pot when you remove the cover later.)  Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer.  Cook vegetables for about 15 minutes or until very tender.  Test and remove to platter if one is done before the others.

Remove vegetables to a warmed platter.  Place brisket back in the broth to reheat, then remove to a cutting board to slice into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices.  Place slices on a platter with the vegetables for serving.

Pour broth through your finest sieve into saucepan to remove all particles.  Pour enough broth over beef and vegetables to suit your taste.  Serve in flat soup bowls, passing extra broth at the table.

Irish Soda Bread - makes 1 loaf

This recipe also comes from Lynne's blog and you can see it here. I actual have it on my blog already as I made it again back in 2022. 

4 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons cold salted butter, in thin slices
1 cup raisins
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat with cooking spray.

In large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.

Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles course meal.  Stir in raisins.

Make a well in flour mixture and pour in beaten egg and buttermilk.  Mix with a wooden spoon until all flour is incorporated into the buttermilk.

Liberally dust work surface with flour.  Transfer dough to surface and sprinkle with flour.  With flour dusted hands, form the dough into into a ball that is relatively smooth.

Place baking sheet next to the dough work surface and place dough ball on sheet.  Dough is very soft so use hands to scoop up and surround ball to transfer to the sheet.

Using a serrated knife, score top of dough with an x-shape, half an inch deep. 

Bake about 40 minutes or until bread is golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped with a knife.

Transfer bread to rack to let cool briefly.  Serve bread warm or at room temperature, with lots of lovely butter.  To stay in with the Irish theme I use Kerrigold (an Irish butter) because I grew up on it and love its taste, but obviously any butter of choice would do.

There will be left-overs and I am thinking it would a) make great toast or b) great French toast.

What did we think of these recipes?  

First I'll talk about the Corned Beef and Cabbage.  Gregg gave this dish a 10 out of 10, so thank you Lynne.

I couldn't find the chili de arbol. I saw the jalapenos in the store and that's what I used.  I deseeded it because I wasn't sure how hot it would actually be and I aired on the side of caution.  As it turned out it wasn't that hot, and next time I will probably try leaving half the seeds in, or maybe a quarter, or maybe an eighth.  I think you get the picture.

I also did not know where to find Turkish Bay leaves and used the. regular Italian.

Irish Soda Bread, a great accompaniment to the above.  I had never made this before either, and was surprised at how soft the dough was. You really do need to flour your hands really well, and also have that board next to the prepared pan to transfer it, as Lynne mentioned in her recipe. I had to finagle the dough mixture a bit as mine turned out real sticky. I think it was because when I cut in the butter, I couldn't get it to look like coarse meal, so I added three extra tablespoons of butter.  I don't think I needed that at all.  However, after adding a little more flour it was fine, and I was delighted when it turned out looking just like it should.  

We have leftovers, which is always a plus.

I have left the addresses for both recipes in full below, for you to copy and paste in case you prefer not using the links above.

https://cookandbemerry.com/corned-beef-and-cabbage-for-st-patricks-day/

https://cookandbemerry.com/irish-soda-bread-for-st-patricks-day/

Thanks for the visit and I hope your day is a great one, snow and ice aside.

.