St. Patrick's Day is the perfect time to serve favorites such as crock pot corned beef and cabbage as well as cottage pie which is also known as shepherd's pie.
St. Patrick's Day is the perfect time for wearing green in anticipation of spring. Today is March 17 and people have been celebrating St. Patrick's Day all weekend. From friendly gatherings to green beer, everyone has their own way of having a good time. Corned beef and cabbage is a favorite dish as well as cottage pie, which is also referred to as shepherd's pie. With these two easy recipes, anyone can make these Irish-inspired dishes with little time and effort.
Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
This recipe practically cooks itself it is so simple. Did you know corned beef and cabbage is actually an Irish-American dish? In Ireland, beef was expensive and rarely part of the main course. Instead they would make ham or bacon and cabbage. Typically it was all boiled in one pot. When the Irish arrived in America, they discovered corned beef was more affordable here. A yummy favorite was born and now people like to eat it on St. Patrick's Day!
Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
1 - 3 lb. corned beef thick cut
1 - head of cabbage
6 - red skin potatoes
4 - sliced carrots
Water
1/4 cup Seagram's green tea ginger ale
McCormick hamburger spice
Dried onion
Powdered garlic
Cut the potatoes in half and the carrots in quarters. Put them in the bottom of the crock pot. Place the corned beef on top of the vegetables. Cover it all with water. Add a 1/4 cup of the ginger ale green tea then a dash of the hamburger spice, dried onion and garlic. Cook on low for 5 hours. Cut the cabbage up in eighths then put on top of the corned beef. Cook for another 2 hours and serve. The meals serves six. If you are in a rush, you can put it on high heat for about 4 to 5 hours.
Simple Shepherd's Pie
Cottage pie, also called shepherd's pie, is a favorite dish for generations. In fact, variations of the dish are served all over the world. This is the Irish version right in time for St. Patrick's Day. Usually it takes a lot longer to make shepherd's pie, but this is fast version you can make with stuff in your pantry.
Simple Shepherd's Pie
1 1/2 pounds of lean ground beef
2-3 cups of mashed potatoes
Can of peas and carrots
Can of beef or brown gravy
Dried onions
Garlic
Fry the ground beef until it is completely cooked. Line the bottom of a large baking pan with the ground beef. Sprinkle a dash of garlic and onions over the beef. Drain a can of peas and carrots then sprinkle them over the beef. You can also use a small can of carrots and a small can of French cut green beans. For the mashed potatoes, you can use instant mashed potatoes or the ready-made kind that come in a plastic tub in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. This saves a lot of time and effort. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the beef and vegetables evenly. Top with canned beef or brown gravy. Bake in the over at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes and serve. Add a loaf of Irish soda bread or refrigerator biscuits for a yummy touch.
These are two of the easiest St. Patrick's Day dinner recipes around. If you spend the day at a parade or church, the corned beef can be cooking while you are there. If you get home late, the shepherd's pie takes less than a half hour to make and serve. Both are sure to make you look like a culinary genius under the circumstances. The dishes are so delicious and easy, you'll want to serve them all year round. Ideal beverages including Guinness stout, Twinings Irish breakfast tea or Seagram's green tea ginger ale. For dessert, check out St. Patrick's Day marshmallows and easy Irish coffee recipes. You can also make one of three sweet treats with green jello including jello shots for the adults. They all take a couple of minutes and top off your St. Patrick's Day dinner perfectly. May the luck of the Irish be with you!
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
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