Corned Beef, Cabbage, and Carrots (Slow Cooker)

This is my all-time favorite St. Patrick's Day meal.  I've been eating it this way my entire life.  It's very basic, but had such delicious flavor!  I know other recipes use potatoes, onion wedges, and other ingredients like that, and I'm sure it's delicious as well, but I grew up with a very simple recipe and I like it!

Ingredients
4 lb corned beef brisket with seasonings packet
1 bag baby carrots
4 cups water
1 head of cabbage

Directions
Place the baby carrots on the bottom of your slow cooker, they will be a base for your corned beef so it doesn't dry out while it cooks.  Pour in 4-5 cups of water.  Place the brisket, fat side up, on top of the carrots.  Sprinkle the seasonings packet on top of the brisket.  Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 1/2 hours.  An hour before it is done, slice the cabbage into wedges and place in slow cooker around the sides of the brisket.  Cover and cook the last hour.  When done, remove the brisket and slice into  thin slices and enjoy with your veggies on the side!


This recipe is gluten free!


Photo found on kitchengadgetgirl.com

Trisha Yearwood's Key Lime Cake

My usual tradition for St. Patrick's Day would be to make my mom's pistachio cake- oh so good.  But this year I found this recipe for Trisha Yearwood's Key Lime cake and it sounded delicious!  I just had to try it.  My husband is a big fan of key lime flavors as well, so we gave it a go.  And yes, it was divine!  I didn't have time however to do the layered look, so I just baked the entire mixture in a 9x13 dish for 35 minutes.  Turned out wonderful!

Trisha Yearwood's Key Lime Cake

■1 3-oz package lime-flavored gelatin
■1⅓ cups granulated sugar
■2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
■½ tsp salt
■1 tsp baking powder
■1 tsp baking soda
■5 large eggs, slightly beaten
■1½ cups vegetable oil
■¾ cup orange juice
■1 Tbsp lemon juice
■½ tsp vanilla extract
■½ cup Key lime juice (from about 25 small Key limes or 4 large regular limes)
■½ cup confectioners’ sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch-round cake pans.

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the gelatin, sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir to mix well. Add the eggs, oil, orange juice, lemon juice, and vanilla. Divide the batter evenly among the 3 pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.  (I just baked mine in a 9x13 dish for 35 minutes.)  Test if it's done by lightly touching the tops of the layers or inserting a toothpick. Cool the layers in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto racks.

3. While the layers are still hot, mix the lime juice and confectioners’ sugar and pour it over the layers on the racks. You can pierce the layers with a fork to allow the glaze to soak in better. Allow the layers to cool completely as you prepare the icing.

CREAM CHEESE ICING

■½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
■1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
■1 (1-lb) box confectioners’ sugar
Comment from heidibakes.blogspot.com: (I used lime zest & lime juice in my icing)

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until the mixture is smooth and easy to spread. Spread the icing between the layers and on the top and sides of the cake.

My cake turned out more like this (still just as delicious):

Gluten free: use GF all purpose flour (I used King Arthur's brand)


Recipe and photo found on heidibakes.blogspot.com

Cabbage, Potato, and Smoked Sausage Skillet

With it being the month of March, I always love to try new things that are festive to St. Patrick's Day.  This recipe was a super easy, week night meal that I tried after work one day.  And it was good!  The sausage adds so much flavor to this dish, which I loved.  It was a fun, easy St. Patrick's Day meal!

Ingredients
½ large head of cabbage, roughly chopped (or an entire small one)
1 large mild onion, chopped
1 lb smoked sausage, or favorite sausage enough for 4 servings
1 pkg. Simply Potatoes diced with onions
½ to 1 cup chicken broth
1 dash seasoning salt
½ teaspoon paprika
1 dash pepper


Directions
Heat pan and sausage, and potatoes. Season with the seasoned salt lightly, and add the paprika. Cook and stir over medium heat until potatoes are cooked about halfway through.
Next add the chopped cabbage and 1 cup of chicken broth. Cook, stirring occasionally until cabbage is crisp-tender and most of the liquid evaporates.


Gluten free:  double check your sausage of choice and chicken broth, other than that it's gluten free!

Recipe and photo found on: keyingredient.com

Chickpea Potato Curry

At first I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this recipe, but wanted to give it a shot.  Result = Husband and I LOVED it.  Very good.  And so, so easy.  I will be making this one again for sure.  Next time I'm coing to substitue chicken thighs for the chickpeas and see how that tastes!


INGREDIENTS2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
One 14 1/2-ounce can fire-roasted or stewed tomatoes with chiles (See Muir Glen. If you can't find canned tomatoes with chiles you can add half a 4-ounce can of diced green anaheim chiles to a 14.5 ounce can of tomatoes.)
6 baby (new) Yukon Gold potatoes (about 12 ounces), quartered
1 medium onion, diced (about 2 cups)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter (or ghee if you have it, or you can sub olive oil)
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1-2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)

METHOD1 In a large pot, heat the butter over medium-high heat and sauté the onions and ginger until the onion begins to brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add the salt, cumin, coriander and cayenne, stir to combine and cook for another minute or two.
2 Add the remaining ingredients, stir to mix and simmer vigorously for about 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add more salt to taste.
Serve the curry in bowls over rice. Great accompanied with plain yogurt.
Yield: Serves 4-6.

This recipe is gluten free!!  :)

Recipe and photo found on simplyrecipes.com