~3 lbs corned beef brisket
2 large Russet potatoes, cut up into large chunks
5 carrots, chopped
1 can beef broth (~1½ c)
1 c ginger ale (or white grape juice)
Place the corned beef in the crock pot. If beef comes with a seasoning packet sprinkle this over the meat. Pour the broth and ginger ale (or juice) over the corned beef, turn slow cooker on low and cook for 9 hours. About half-way through, add the
10” Skewers
Assorted fruit in the colors of the rainbow:
Red - watermelon balls, strawberries, or cherries
Orange - orange sections, cantaloupe balls, mango, or papaya
Yellow - pineapple cubes or banana slices
Green - green grapes, honeydew melon balls, or kiwi fruit slices
Blue - large whole blueberries
Purple – purple grapes or cubed plums
Clean and cut fruit and place in separate bowls if you want the kids to make their own Rainbow Ribbons. Place fruit on skewers in order listed to make a rainbow.
Serve extra fruit on a tray in rainbow order.
A.K.A. "Leprechaun Smoothie"
St. Patrick's Day was a good excuse to get my family to try green smoothies. This was a big hit even after I told the kids about the spinach! (I did have them try it first.)
¼ of a pineapple (without the core*)
1 large bunch of green grapes
1 banana
2 cups fresh spinach
1 mango (optional – I didn’t have one)
1 scoop natural vanilla ice cream like Breyers (optional)
1/2 c ice
1/2 -1 c cold water
Blend all ingredients in a Vitamix until smooth.
*Including the pineapple core gave it a coarser (pulpy) texture.
3-oz box lemon Jello
½ pint whipping cream
Sugar
Line an 8x8” dish with plastic wrap, leaving several inches of overhang on each side (to make removing the gelatin easier). Combine a 3-ounce box of lemon-flavor gelatin and 1 cup of boiling water in a medium bowl, stirring until the gelatin is dissolved. Stir in ¾ cup of cold water, and then pour the mixture into the baking dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and chill for 4 hours or until firm. Slice the gelatin into ½” cubes and put in a glass bowl.
Using electric egg beaters, whip cream on high until cream starts to thicken. Add some sugar. Whip until peaks start to form. Be careful not to overbeat or it will turn buttery.
Serve Jello with whipped cream on top.
Small boxes of Jello in this order:
Grape
Berry blue
Lime
Lemon
Orange
Strawberry
2 c sour cream (1½ lb)
Cool whip
Combine one box of Jello with 1¼ cups boiling water. Divide this mixture in half. To the first half, add 1/3 cup sour cream and stir until smooth. Use wire whisk to add sour cream. Don't make it too foamy. Pour into a 9x13 pan and pop any bubbles before putting it into the fridge. Refrigerate 40 minutes. To the second half of the mixture, add 3 Tbsp of cold water. Carefully spoon onto first layer. Chill 40 minutes. Repeat 10 times. Top with cool whip.
Note: Be careful as you pour on each layer. (See how my yellow Jello-sour cream layer sunk a little into the plain yellow layer?) Increasing the time to 40 minutes (from the original 30 minute recommendation made my layers solid enough to handle the next layer easily.
Make sure your fridge is level or make it level under the dish using paper. Use a level for best results.
1 box yellow or white cake mix
4 oz pckg Jello (any flavor)
1 c boiling water
1/2 c cool water
1 small tub whipped cream
Bake cake as directed on the box (use jellyroll pan or 9x13 pan). Cool cake 20 minutes. While cake is cooling, prepare the Jello using water amounts listed above (if using 9x13 pan you might want to double the Jello and water). Using a fork, poke holes all over the cake at 1/2" intervals. Pour liquid Jello evenly over cake covering all holes. Chill 3-4 hours. Frost with whipped cream.
For St. Patrick's Day, use green Jello. Bake cake in a jellyroll pan (a large cookie sheet with sides) for a thinner cake.
6 large russet potatoes, scrubbed
½ -1c white puree*
1 c grated cheddar cheese
¼ c butter
¼ c low-fat sour cream
1 tsp salt
Cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped (optional).
Preheat oven to 450°. Wash potatoes and prick several times with a fork. Wrap with foil and bake on oven rack for 50-60 min until tender. Remove potatoes from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Turn oven to high broil. Cut potatoes in ½ lengthwise and carefully scoop out the flesh into a mixing bowl, leaving some potato in the skin to keep shells intact. Mash potatoes lightly with a fork, adding the white puree, cheese, butter, sour cream and salt. Refill the shells with the potato mixture, mounding slightly. Sprinkle cheese on top of each potato. Place on a cookie sheet and broil about 6” from the heat for 8-10 min until bubbly brown. Serve immediately.
*white puree = 2 c cauliflower florets, 2 sm-med zucchini peeled and chopped, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, 3-4 Tbsp water. Steam cauliflower 10-12 min or till very tender. Pulse raw, peeled zucchini with lemon juice only. Drain cooked cauliflower and add to food processor w/2 Tbsp water. Add more if needed. Use in 3 days or freeze ¼ c portions. (Makes 2 c puree.)
*white bean puree: 15-oz can white beans, 2 Tbsp water: rinse and drain beans. Blend in food processor with 2 Tbsp water until smooth. Add more water if needed until no flecks of whole beans are visible. Store up to 3 days in fridge or freeze ¼ c portions. (Makes 1 c puree.)
4-5 potatoes
1 clove of garlic
¼ c butter
½ c nonfat half & half
Sea salt
Coarse black pepper
Sour cream
Milk
Peel and quarter potatoes. Add potatoes and garlic to 8 cups of boiling water. Boil about 25-30 minutes. Drain when soft. Add butter, half and half, sea salt and pepper. Add a few Tbsp of sour cream, if desired. Mash and reheat. Store in the snow in winter or in the fridge until dinner. At dinnertime, microwave and stir. Add milk if needed for creaminess.
Mashed potatoes are a great moldable food for holidays. For Valentine's Day, use a cookie cutter on each plate to shape a mound of potatoes into a heart or shape all of the potatoes into a heart on one giant platter. Surround potatoes with cooked carrots or other veggies.
You can also add some green food coloring (if your family doesn't mind) for St. Patrick's Day. Even without the food coloring, though, potatoes count as an Irish food, right?
Touch of water for fluffiness
Grated cheddar cheese
Salt and Pepper
Spray pan with olive oil. Turn on heat to medium.
Beat eggs with fork in a bowl. Add a touch of water. When pan is hot pour in eggs.
Sprinkle lots of cheese over eggs. Add salt and pepper. Scrape bottom of pan over and over while eggs cook. When eggs aren’t runny anymore, serve.
If your kids are brave enough, you can add green food coloring to the eggs and serve them on St. Patrick's Day. Read Dr. Seuss's book "Green Eggs and Ham" ...and don't forget to serve it with bacon!
