Project 52: Week Twelve

The start of this week was St. Patrick's Day.  I've never really been a big St. Patrick's Day celebrator...I wear something green, and call it good (though this year, I didn't even wear green!).

I decided that this year I was going to cook corned beef and cabbage in honor of St. Patrick's Day (not that I even know who St. Patrick was...) and that it was going to be the best corned beef and cabbage there ever was!

I've made corned beef and cabbage once before...just a few short months after we got married.  When we talk about horrible meals I've made, the "hot dog corned beef" always comes up.  That's what it tasted like - hot dogs.  And it was gross.

This time I did a little more research on the way to cook corned beef, and what I found, was a whole bunch of BOILING.  Boiled cabbage.  Boiled carrots.  Boiled beef.  Boiled potatoes.  Say "boil" a couple dozen times, and see if it makes you want to eat something, or if it just makes you want to be sick. Yeah, I know, right?

I found ONE recipe though, that involved baking and broiling and sauteeing, and knew that was the recipe for me.  No boiling involved.

I didn't actually really follow the instructions (minus the baking temp and time), but I did end up with this:

Crispy on the outside and melt in your mouth moist on the inside...definitely NOT your grandma's corned beef and cabbage.

We LOVED it.  I was SO incredibly happy that I'd given it another try, and that it didn't taste like hot dogs.  I'd found a wonderful new tradition for St. Patrick's Day!

Until...I broke out in crazy hives, and my hands and face and eyes got all swollen and itchy and red...And since the only thing I'd come in contact that was different was that darn seasoning packet from the corned beef...well...

Maybe next year I'll try something new and make my own seasoning packet...just hoping I'm not actually allergic to the corned beef itself!