Saturday, March 19, 2011

Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday to our gorgeous baby boy. :)
Meet Rocky, the English Bull Terrier
Today my furbaby is 3 years old. In honor of his loyalty and unconditional love, I just have to share some of my favorite photos of him. :)

The night we brought him home...8 weeks old
9 weeks old...

Enjoying our favorite dog park...
Enjoying his pup friendly birthday cake for his 1st birthday...Helping mom decorate the last Christmas :)
That little white sidekick is Mackenzie, our 1 year old little girl.Cheers, baby. Momma loves you. :)

Thursday, March 17, 2011

If you're lucky enough to be Irish, you're lucky enough!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!
This beloved memorial to St. Patrick, the patron Saint of Ireland, has been drowned in green beer.
Mostly by people who would like to be Irish.
I'm Irish. And I'm not angry.
I enjoy my heritage and the great stories it has afforded me- I enjoy shamrocks, wearing green, and most of all, I make a mean corned beef.This year I took corned beef to a whole new Irish level.

I cracked open two 14.9 oz Guinness at 7am. BOOYAH.
Then I promptly rubbed my 4 lb brisket down with 1 cup of brown sugar, set it in the crockpot, and poured both of my beers over it. I added 2 cups of water. Then I set it on HIGH for 6 hours.
Set it and forget it.
After six hours, I added 2 pounds halved russet potatoes, 6 peeled carrots, and half a head of cabbage. After 2 hours on low, the potatoes weren't quite finished, so I boiled them on the stovetop in the liquid from the crockpot.

and then? FEAST. Dad was working so Mom joined Josh and I.
All I can say is YAY. The corned beef came out fantastic. Another successful low key evening at home.

To simplify, the recipe is as follows:

Extra Irish Corned Beef
1 4lb beef brisket
30 oz Guinness Draught
2 cups water
1 cup brown sugar
2 lbs potatoes
6 peeled carrots, cut in chunks
1/2 head of cabbage

Rub brisket with 1 cup brown sugar. Place the brisket in a crock-pot pour 30 oz of Guinness over the brisket, followed by two cups of water.
Cook on high for 6 hours.
Add potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. Cook on low until the potatoes are cooked through.

and of course...enjoy!

I'll finish with one of my favorite Irish blessings:
"May your home always be too small to hold all your friends. "