Like a Good Irish Girl

Happy St Patricks day everyone!  I, like a good Irish girl, am making my little family a beautiful meal of corned beef and cabbage with potatoes.  I realized earlier after talking to my sister in law that not everyone knows how to make this- and it is so easy.  I know many people who swear by the slow cooker for this meal- not me, no sir.  I don't have the time or patience to start that early.  I cook my corned beef (always flat cut, not that triangular cut that is typically cheaper) in a big pot with the seasoning packet plus extra pickling spice and a Guiness plus water.  I bring it to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for around 4 hours- or until it starts to fall a apart.  Then I add my quartered yukon gold potatoes and when they are about half done my quartered head of cabbage.  Once the potatoes fall off a fork when you poke them the meal is done.  You then drain the whole thing and put on a serving dish- I serve with spicy mustard (preferably with  horseradish) and of course GUINESS!  I have had this meal religiously throughout my childhood- my mothers maiden name is O'Conner and my paternal Grandfather visited Ireland so much doing business in the 60s and 70s that they made him an honorary citizen.  We are proud of our Irish heritage in my family- and it just wouldn't be St Pattys day without corned beef and cabbage.  Fun Fact... as an elementary school student we were asked to write a report on an important historical event that happened in another country... Naturally I chose to write about the Great Potato Famine in Ireland.  Hope you are all wearing green, drinking your Guiness and eating a lovely Irish meal tonight.  CHEERS!