I Think My Mother Would Be Happy To Know Her Daughter Kept Up A Family Tradition. Making St. Patrick's Day Meal To Share.

When I was married, my mother would like to bring the Irish side of the family (former husband's side of the family that is) with a corned beef dinner for St. Patrick's Day. She continued this family gathering even after our divorce. Inviting my former mother-in-law, a great aunt, another aunt/uncle and of course myself and our children. and sometimes one of my mom's friends. She made all the trimmings corned beef, cabbage, carrots, and homemade Irish Soda Bread. I am sure there were other items made also. We always had some sort of dessert also. We enjoyed each other's company and who doesn't like to gather around a table filled with yummy food.

I felt like a little bit of her blessing was with me today as I got up early and began to plan the day of cooking and blessing also. I had to go to the store to gather corned beef, and celery. I began the day by cooking macaroni and chopped up onion, celery and grated carrot to make my mom's recipe of macaroni salad. I made enough pasta to be able to take out a portion to make tuna salad for lunch this week. I put that together as I made the Irish Soda Bread dough to bake in the oven. I found 1 of my mother's recipes for the bread and followed it. I did add 1 thing to the recipe. Once I brushed beaten egg wash on the dough, I then sprinkled coarse sugar on top (the kind you decorate cakes with).

I wanted to try a different way to cook the corned beef, and I like this method. Use the electric pressure cooker. It cooks approximately 90 minutes; let it release naturally for 10 minutes when done then release the rest of the steam. Open the lid and pull out the corned beef that is placed fat side down sitting on a rack in the pressure cooker. I trimmed off the fat and let it rest before slicking the meat. I then placed into the water the sliced carrots and cabbage wedges. It only took 10 minutes to cook the vegetables. The bread came out of the oven. I made 2 plates for the widows in the neighborhood to have for St. Patrick's Day. Plate consisted of corned beef, carrots and cabbage. I then made a bowl of macaroni salad for each one along with a nice sized wedge of the bread. I dropped off both meals and cut another wedge of the bread and wrapped it up to take to another neighbor to enjoy. I suggested to the neighbors that it might taste good with some jam or preserves on a slice of the bread.

I recall even a time when my father-in-law was near death in the hospital and my mother lived on the east side but we were on the west side. She made the meal for the family and dropped it off at the hospital. If I recall because that was a very long time ago, he died right between St. Patrick's Day & St. Joseph's Day that year. My father-in-law loved me as if I was his own daughter and told my mother that if he ever had a daughter, he would like her to be like me. Wasn't that a sweet compliment. This man who did not drive a car took the rapid transit and walked some blocks after I had our first child and washed the kitchen floors for me. Is that love or is that love. I had a c-section so was a little limited what I could do for a few weeks.

See, even though your immediate family may not be in proximity to attend a St. Patrick's Day meal God will always place people on your path to be able to bless. I even decorate outside for St. Patrick's Day because my children are part Irish too. I guess I just continue on with tradition.