St. Patty's Day Dinner

Every St. Patrick's Day, my family goes to my grandmother's house for dinner. She makes corned beef and cabbage, bread, Irish soda bread, potatoes, and carrots. We always have to make a lot of corned beef because there are at least 15 family members there. We usually finish half of what we make so that we can have leftovers for the next day.

Ingredients:
1 onion, cut into wedges
4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 pound carrots, cut into large chunks
3 cups water
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (3 pound) corned beef brisket with spice packet, cut in half
1 small head cabbage, cut into wedges

Steps:
1) Place onion, potatoes, and carrots in a 5-quart slow cooker. Combine water, garlic, bay leaf, sugar, vinegar, and contents of spice packet in a small bowl; pour over vegetables. Top with brisket and cabbage.
2) Cover and cook on Low until meat and vegetables are tender, 8 to 9 hours. Remove bay leaf before serving.

The next day, our leftovers usually look like this.

Cinnamon Goodness

I made a batch of snickerdoodles this weekend and they tasted amazing. I brought it to a family party Saturday and when i put them out, they immediately disappeared.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 3/4cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose or unbleached flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Steps:
1)  Heat oven to 400ºF.
2)  Mix 1 1/2 cups sugar, the butter, shortening and eggs in large bowl. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
3)  Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
4)  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Spanish Fiesta

My family had a spanish themed dinner this past week. My sister was up from college and wanted us to do this. My dad was in charge of making empanadas, my mother made a salad, and my sister and I made churros.

Ingredients:
1 cup water
2 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 quarts oil for frying
1/2 cup white sugar, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Steps:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine water, 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar, salt and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in flour until mixture forms a ball.
Heat oil for frying in deep-fryer or deep skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Pipe strips of dough into hot oil using a pastry bag. Fry until golden; drain on paper towels.
Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Roll drained churros in cinnamon and sugar mixture.