Corned Beef and Cabbage with Potatoes and Carrots

This recipe is very flexible and forgiving. If you want to have more of a soup, then dice the carrots, onions, and potatoes small and server with the boiling broth.

There's also a horseradish sauce recipe in the Taste of Home link that uses the boiling broth as a component. I did not have success with it, and thus did not include here.

Corned Beef and Cabbage with Potatoes and Carrots
blend of Taste of Home and Alton Brown

Ingredients:
2-4 lbs corned beef brisket, with all-spice packet
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tbs. black pepper, coarsely ground
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. kosher salt
1-2 lb carrots, scrubbed and cut into 2-3" lengths
1 lb onion, diced large (1 med. onion)
2-4 lbs. small potatoes, scrubbed
1 head cabbage, chopped as desired

Mustard Sauce (optional):
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. sugar

Instructions:
1. In a 6 qt. stock pot or dutch oven, place your brisket, spice packet, brown sugar, pepper, bay leaves, and salt. Add enough water to cover the brisket by 1 inch.
2. Bring pot to a boil on high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2-2.5 hours.
3. Add carrots, onions, and potatoes. Cook for 30-40 minutes or until carrots and potatoes are fork-tender.
4. Add cabbage to pot, and cook until cabbage is soft, around 15 minutes. If pot is full, remove carrots and potatoes before adding cabbage.
5. In the meantime, make the mustard sauce if desired.
6. Drain liquid from pot. Let brisket rest 5-10 minutes before slicing across the grain. Enjoy!

Reuben Bread Pudding

This was a hit when I brought it into breakfast for work the day before St. Pat's. Made a double-batch and went home with two servings!

Reuben Bread Pudding
adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb. rye bread, cubed
- 2 Tbs. butter, melted
- 1 lb. cooked corned beef, shredded or cubed
- 1 head green cabbage
- 3 Tbs. olive oil
- 1 Tbs. caraway seed
- 3 Tbs. white vinegar
- 8 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup Thousand Island dressing
- 1/2 Tbs. mustard
- 1/4 tsp. pepper

Instructions:
1. Peel off outer layer of cabbage on head. Slice into quarters. Remove stem, then shred cabbage.
2. Head olive oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Add caraway seeds and saute for 1 minute.
3. Add cabbage, and cook until soft and browning. Stir in vinegar, and set cabbage aside.
4. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
5. In a large bowl, toss cubed rye bread with melted butter. Then stir in corned beef, 2 cups of cabbage, and 4 oz. of the shredded Swiss. Spread evenly into a 11"x7" baking pan.
6. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, Thousand island dressing, mustard, and pepper. Whisk well to combine.
7. Pour custard evenly over bread/beef mixture in pan.
8. Bake for 30 minutes. After 30 mins, take out of oven, sprinkle on remaining Swiss cheese, and bake for another 5-7 minutes until cheese is turning golden and a knife comes out clean from center of bread pudding.