Working Girl's Corned Beef and Cabbage

There is nothing better than Mom's corned beef and cabbage on March 17th.  But if you're going it on your own, and if you are like yours truly and have other things to do on a weekday besides be in the kitchen all day, then set it and forget it in the Crockpot.  Prepare all the vegetables the night before so you can get this together the morning of in 5 minutes flat.  You'll have a proper Irish dish waiting when you come home.  And made with Guinness to boot.  Bet Mom never did that ;)

Ingredients:

1. 4 pounds corned beef
2. 10 peppercorns (or pickling spice included with the corned beef)
3. 3 sprigs fresh thyme
4. 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
5. 3 bay leaves
6. 2 cups beef stock
7. 1 cup water
8. 1 15 oz can Guinness Stout
9. 6 garlic cloves, minced
10. 3 medium yellow onions, cut into bite-size pieces
11. 3 parsnips, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
12. 3 carrots, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
13. 3 stalks celery, cut into bite-size pieces
14. 10 small red potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half
15. 1 head green cabbage, cut into 8 equal wedges

Let's Get Started:

• Rinse off corned beef and place in Crockpot
• Add items 2-14 to the Crockpot
• Cook on lowest heat for 8 hours
• After 8 hours, remove corned beef and vegetables from Crockpot, set aside and keep warm
• Place cabbage into a large pot on stove
• Pour liquid from Crockpot over cabbage until there is 1/2 inch of liquid in the cabbage pot
• Boil cabbage for 20 minutes, rotating cabbage onto opposite side half-way through cooking time
• Arrange corned beef and vegetables on a platter and serve with a pint of ...say it with me... Guinness.
• Enjoy, and...

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face;

the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,

may God hold you in the palm of His hand.