Apparently I make corned beef in the crock pot every year and I’ve already posted multiple recipes, so here’s a summary of past years and what I did for 2016. This attempt might be the easiest and my favorite!!

Quick summation of leprechauns past…

First recipe for Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage is a full Saint Patrick’s Day dinner in a pot. It includes the cabbage and the potatoes right in with the meat, making it an easy one-pot meal.

The next Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe is the easiest with very minimal ingredients, but still a great flavor. You can vary the taste by using different beers.

TODAY’S recipe is the most favorite yet, but still only uses three ingredients. You will need to make the Crock Pot Caramelized Onions in advance, but they are delicious to have on hand and use in so many different meals!

I used my Crock Pot Casserole Cooker and it was the perfect shape for the beef– sometimes it’s so frustrating to get a big corned beef and then not have it fit into an oval pot!! This one was exactly the right fit.

Hope you have a fabulous Saint Patrick’s Day celebration this week. No matter if you were born with the luck of the Irish, married into the apostrophe, or are just enjoying being green…. maybe it be a delicious day for all!

 

 

Crock Pot Corned Beef with Guinness

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 7-8 hours

1 5-lb. Corned Beef Brisket

1 pint Guinness beer

1/2 c. Crock Pot Caramelized Onions

Rinse meat before putting into the crock pot to remove the goo. Throw away the seasoning packet, if it was included. Put meat in, fat side up. Pour beer directly onto meat and then put caramelized onions into the liquid and onto the meat. Cook on low for 7-8 hours. Remove from liquid and let sit for 5 minutes, then remove top layer of fat and discard it.  Slice meat against the grain and serve.

If you have leftovers, this meat makes great corned beef hash or reuben sandwiches, too! Enjoy!

I’ve always been a fan of our grill… really, for two reasons. 1. In the summertime, it’s a great way to eat healthy and not heat up the kitchen and 2. when we grill, my husband is usually the one cooking!  Since it’s been such a mild winter, we’ve been taking advantage of the unseasonably warm evenings and grilling our food. But since local produce isn’t as plentiful in January, I’ve been getting creative.

So I’ve been grilling sweet potatoes. Sure, they get their glory at Thanksgiving when they are smothered and covered by marshmallows or syrup or sugar. Sometimes they even make a repeat performance at Christmas or Easter or Passover, but my new absolute favorite way to eat a sweet potato is by grilling it to perfection.

It’s so easy, let me tell you the few easy steps… Wash your sweet potatoes. Poke fork holes all over. Wrap sweet potato in aluminum foil. Grill on med-high heat for one hour, turning the sweet potato halfway through. That’s it! When the sweet vibrant goodness is done, it will be easy to squeeze the flesh with tongs. Please be cautious though, sometimes the sweet juices will run out of the foil (and I don’t want you to get burned).

So a couple nights ago, I grilled five sweet potatoes. I figured we would eat the leftovers so I made a couple extra. And these extra potatoes became the inspiration for tonight’s new recipe! With a few ingredients I already had on hand, I was able to literally “whip together” this amazing meal. This crock pot sweet potato soup is thick and hearty and even though soup might not be fresh and exciting for a winter meal, adding in the flavor from the grill really makes a difference. 

2 medium sweet potatoes, already cooked in grill or oven, cooled and then skinned

3 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. caramelized onions

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/4 t. chili powder

1/4 t. celery seed

1/4 t. curry powder

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 c. heavy cream

Put all ingredients (except heavy cream) in crock pot, stir and then cook on low for 3-4 hours. Use a hand blender and puree mixture until smooth, then stir in heavy cream. Serve hot with a tiny sprinkle of nutmeg or curry on top.