Thanksgiving Night Helper

Bon Appétit is always such a lifesaver!

When we are at a loss for how to wow dinner guests, they have just the recipe for us.

glazed-and-lacquered-turkey-overhead-horizontal When we’ve agreed to host the feast and bitten off a more than we could ~~chew~~ , I meant do, they’re there for us with Live (yes! Live) help via Facebook, podcasts we can play again and again, and even via shared tips and tricks on Instagram.

Tonight they seek to come to our rescue yet again, this time with a recipe to help all of us digest the mass amounts of food that we all intend to stuff into our bodies on Thanksgiving day.

Mint, ginger, fennel, and cayenne are known for their digestive properties.

Their recommendation is to have this ready for the morning after, but why suffer all night with a bloated belly? I would make this the day before, when you are prepping the rest of your feast, and make a double batch so it’s ready to go before you hit the hay on Thanksgiving night.

Makes about 3 cups

3 sprigs mint
1 1½-inch piece turmeric, peeled, thinly sliced
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds or aniseed
Pinch of cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon aromatic bitters

Muddle mint sprigs, turmeric, ginger, fennel seeds, and cayenne in a 4-cup measuring glass until turmeric and ginger are broken up into bits.
Add vinegar, honey, bitters, and 3 cups cold water; stir to dissolve honey.
Chill until very cold, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
Strain.

Tip: Turn this into a spritzer by using club soda instead of water.

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Spicy Cognac-Mushroom Rice

mushrice

I’m throwing caution to the wind this holiday season and tossing my tried and true recipes out the window. Well, at least a few of them. So, out goes the usual wild rice side dish and in it’s place I’m going to add a whole lot more flavor:

Spicy Cognac-Mushroom Rice

4 Cups Cooked Brown Rice
4 Cups Cooked White Rice
1 – 26.5 oz Can Black Beans (drained)
12 oz Sliced White Mushrooms
12 oz Sliced Portobello Mushrooms
8 TBLS (1 Stick) Butter
1/2 Yellow Onion Chopped
1 – 4oz Can Diced Jalapeno Peppers (drained)
1/2 Cup Cognac
3 TBLS Honey
2 TBLS Low Sodium Soy Sauce
Freshly Ground Sea Salt (to taste)
Freshly Ground Black Pepper (to taste)

Prepare your rice using whatever method you prefer. I prefer my pressure cooker so I can combine the white and brown rice and do it all at once, but you can do it on the stovetop, use your rice cooker or even do it in your microwave if you prefer.

Using a large skillet, I use my cast iron skillet, melt your butter.
Add in the sliced mushrooms and let brown, stirring, for 10 minutes.
Next add the onion, jalapeño, salt and pepper and let cook for another two minutes.
Add the honey and stir until it’s well incorporated.
Add the cognac and let reduce for 2 minutes.
Add the soy sauce and stir, then add the drained black beans.
Cook for another 5 minutes over low heat until the liquid thickens a bit.
Pour over the rice in the large bowl.
Stir together and then season with more salt and pepper to taste if needed
Pour rice into a serving dish – I am using a disposable 9 x 13 covered cake pan with a lid for mess free transport.

I am using my unsuspecting friends at tomorrow’s USC homecoming tailgate as guinea pigs. We are deep frying Duck and this seemed like a good way to do a test run.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms & Wine

New-turkeys We all know that the turkey and sides are the stars of Thanksgiving, but there needs to be a little something to nibble on before the feast so people don’t knock each other over like ravenous fiends when the buffet is ready.

Inevitably I end up making too many snacks, but my excuse is that I never know if I’ll have a few people “helping out in the kitchen” for the hours leading up to dinner, or if the entire crowd will be at the house hanging out for drinks and watching football.

I like to assign Thanksgiving appetizers to someone else when I can and ask them to keep turkey-cheese-ball-8 them fairly simple: some type of tray with fruit, veggies, crackers and sliced cheese or a cheese ball. This year I am not hosting, we get to be the guests, but I’ll be taking a few dishes to add to the spread.

My main goal was to find something that wouldn’t appeal to the kids so they’d be less likely to eat so much that they ruin their dinner. I’d rather they eat fruit, if that’s there to snack on. An added bonus: just by saying the word mushroom the kids will come nowhere near them, so their grubby little hands won’t be picking them up and down!

Crab Stuffed Mushroom Caps

¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 – 8oz package softened cream cheese
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch of salt
24 – 30 fresh whole white mushrooms
1/8 cup finely chopped celery
1 can lump crab meat
fresh arugula (if desired)
fresh rosemary (if desired)

Preheat oven to 375°F

Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper
Using a fine mesh colander or a regular colander lined with cheesecloth, break up the crab to make sure no shell remains and leave it to drain
Clean and dry mushrooms
Remove stems, trim rough edges, then chop stems and set aside
Place caps (empty cavity up) on the baking sheet
Heat oil in a small pan. Stir in chopped stems, celery, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook until moisture disappears. Remove from heat
Stir in crab, cayenne pepper, onion powder, black pepper, parmesan cheese, and cream cheese.
Use a spoon to fill each of the mushroom caps and return them to baking sheet
Bake in pre-heated oven 20 minutes

crabstuffedmushrooms Serve immediately on a platter lined with fresh arugula and sprigs of rosemary if desired.

Another great thing about this crab stuffed mushroom recipe is that it is easily matched with the wines you are already likely to be serving with your Thanksgiving feast:

Pinot Grigio
Champagne
Sauvignon Blanc
Soave
Pinot Noir

Very Early Holiday Gift Thoughts

christmas-too-early-310x192 Retailers believe it’s never too early to get the holiday decorations out, with some even starting as early as August to start vomiting Christmas all over their stores! I strongly disagree with the practice. Each season and each holiday celebration deserves its own time. Please, please, please let me enjoy Halloween before I have to start thinking about office parties, family Christmas, Chanukah and other end of the year celebrations.

In 2012, I was ready to seek out and high five Chris Matyszczyk of C|Net when he shared that stores decorating for holiday sales and playing holiday music earlier and earlier, was sending people like me online to shop in droves! He even quoted a SOASTA poll with numbers showing how many other people feel just like I do:

75% dislike that stores put up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving
78% hate holiday music played in stores
75% believe the focus should be on Cyber Monday and not Black Friday

The only way I will even think about the holidays more than a month before they are upon me, is if I am planning to do any homemade gifts. Anything that may require time to prepare containers, labels, and to sit for flavors to blend and deepen, like Lemoncello or other infused alcohol, flavored oils or vinegars, and especialy if I am going to be shipping those gifts, I want to have plenty of time to complete.

hot-honey-940x560 I hadn’t settled on anything of that nature for this year, but did come across an interesting idea, courtesy of an article from the August 2015 edition of Bon Appétit Magazine: Hot Honey. What a great idea for all of my friends who love to entertain, love anything with some kick and would appreciate the personal touch!

Hot Honey

2 -4 Chili Peppers (Any variety, as hot or mild as you’d like)
1 Cup Honey
8 oz Canning Jar

Bring 2 chiles and honey to a bare simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Reduce heat to low and let cook 1 hour to infuse. Taste honey and adjust heat with another chile or 2, remove from stove, and let sit 30 minutes. Transfer to a small jar, straining if desired. Cover and chill.

Do Ahead: Hot honey can be made 3 months ahead. Keep chilled

Bon Appétit readers shared some tips in case you’re using raw honey and don’t want to risk boiling out the health benefits:

If you mix the honey and chiles together and let them infuse at room temperature for a longer period of time before using you won’t have to boil the honey;
Set the steeping container in the sun (like you would sun tea);
Heat but keep temperature below 104°

Suggested Uses:

Add a kick to a cup of hot tea
Sweeten and spice up a spot of whiskey
Brushed on BBQ’d ribs or chicken
Added to sauce for stir fry
Brush on grilled shrimp
Baked apple or pear desserts
Pour over ricotta, goat, or cream cheese and serve with apple slices, vegetables or crackers
Glaze for baked ham or pork chops
Mix into butter for a spicy honey butter (for corn-on-the-cob, cornbread or biscuits)
Add to vinagrette for a spicy-sweet salad dressing

Here’s a bonus recipe that I can’t wait to make myself:

Honey Bourbon Hot Toddy

1/2 Cup Hot Water
1 TBLS Hot Honey
3 TBLS Bourbon (I prefer Maker’s 46 or Marker’s Mark)
1 – 3 1/2″ Strip of Lemon or Orange Peel (I like Orange)
1 Cinnamon Stick

honey-bourbon-toddy-940x560 Stir honey and water in a 1-cup measuring cup until honey dissolves. Add bourbon. Pour into clear Toddy glass or coffee cup. Twist a strip of lemon or orange peel over the drink, then add to glass. Stir with a cinnamon stick and serve.

Now I just need the nights to cool down enough (or I need to lower the air conditioner) so I can justify the warm evening drink 😉

Pumpkin Gingersnap Bars

pumpkingingersnapbars Following the theme of all things pumpkin spice, here’s one that made my mouth water before I got beyond the picture!

I recently started following The Christian Science Monitor for another view on the upcoming Presidential election and came across their Culture – Food section where I was happy to see 22 new ways to use pumpkin in an article today. I can’t wait to try these!

Pumpkin Gingersnap Bars With Cream Cheese Topping

By Amy Deline, The Gourmand Mom (From her Stir It Up Blog Nov. 13, 2013)

2 cups crushed gingersnap crumbs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 cups pumpkin puree fresh or canned (1 15-ounce can will do the trick)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1-1/2 cups half-and-half
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch of cloves
1 tablespoon cornstarch
6 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Pinch of ground ginger
Extra gingersnap crumbs for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Combine the crushed gingersnap crumbs with the melted butter. Press in an even layer into the bottom of a 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Bake for 7-8 minutes. Remove from the oven.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together the pumpkin, half-and-half, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, and cloves, until well blended. In a small dish, combine the cornstarch with about 1/4 cup of the pumpkin mixture, until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the gingersnap crust.

4. Bake for about 40 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven. Cool at room temperature until no longer hot. Then, cool completely in the refrigerator. Cut into small 1 to 1-1/2-inch squares.

6. Combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and a pinch of ground ginger. Use a pastry bag to pipe a bit of the cream cheese topping onto each square. Sprinkle with extra gingersnap crumbs.

Time For Pumpkin Spice Everything

We are well into September and with the month coming into it’s final week, another season begins. I’m not talking about Fall, I’m talking about Pumpkin Spice Season!

Soon recipes for everything imaginable made with pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, or any combination of nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and ginger will be popping up on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and menus at nearly every restaurant you visit. Today I had a pumpkin plain cake donut from Dunkin’ Donuts that was unbelievably good!

As a girl who adds nothing to her coffee but a bit of skim milk, I’ve never understood it, but people lose their minds when Starbuck’s announces that the Pumpkin Spice Latte is back! In case you wondered, there are 380 calories in a Grande (i.e. Medium sized) Pumpkin Spice Latte. That’s a lot of calories to commit to a cup of coffee and it doesn’t even have any pumpkin in it!

You can save money, calories and actually include some pumpkin if you use Kitchn’s recipe to make it at home.

Makes 2 drinks

Ingredients
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus more to garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract (add a bit at a time)
2 cups whole milk (You can substitute skim milk)
1 to 2 shots espresso, about 1/4 cup
1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped until firm peaks form

Heat the pumpkin and spices: In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the pumpkin with the pumpkin pie spice and a generous helping of black pepper for 2 minutes or until it’s hot and smells cooked. Stir constantly.
Stir in the sugar: Add the sugar and stir until the mixture looks like a bubbly thick syrup.
Warm the milk: Whisk in the milk and vanilla extract. Warm gently over medium heat, watching carefully to make sure it doesn’t boil over.
Blend the milk: Carefully process the milk mixture with a hand blender or in a traditional blender (hold the lid down tightly with a thick wad of towels!) until frothy and blended.
Mix the drinks: Make the espresso or coffee and divide between two mugs and add the frothed milk. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, or nutmeg if desired.

Substitutions

Vanilla: Yes, this recipe calls for two tablespoons (not teaspoons) of vanilla. This sounds like a lot, but it does more than anything else to mimic the intense, even artificial, taste of the syrups used in coffee shops. But feel free to start with less and bump it up as needed.
Milk Fat: This recipe is most satisfying when made with whole milk, but 2% and skim can be substituted.
Canned Pumpkin Substitution: You can substitute 1 teaspoon Torani Pumpkin Spice Syrup for the canned pumpkin if you have it on hand.
Sugar Substitute: You can use a sugar substitute in place of the sugar if desired. Add to taste.
Pumpkin Pie Spice Substitute: No pumpkin pie spice? No problem — use our recipe to make it out of cinnamon, ginger, and other spices: Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix
Espresso Substitute: If you don’t have espresso on hand, you can use strong brewed coffee instead. Increase amount to 1/3 to 1/2 cup.

Recipe Notes

Make a big batch of pumpkin spice mix-in: If you like, you can make a big batch of the pumpkin spice base, and refrigerate. To make 8 full servings , cook 1/2 cup pureed or canned pumpkin with 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice , 1/2 teaspoon black pepper , and 1/2 cup sugar . Stir in 1/2 cup vanilla extract . Refrigerate for up to 1 week and use as desired. To serve, blend 1/3 cup pumpkin spice mix-in with milk until frothy, and add 1 or 2 shots of espresso. Top with whipped cream and serve.

On a side note, I found out some very distressing news about canned pumpkin today. Shape Magazine says most canned pumpkin isn’t really pumpkin. SAY IT ISN’T SO! “According to a report by Epicurious, the majority of canned “pumpkin” on the market is actually an entirely different variety of fruit. 85% of the canned pumpkin in the world is sold by Libby’s, and they grow their own tan-skinned pumpkin cousin, Dickinson squash, to help meet the demand. The kicker: This squash is more similar to a butternut squash than the bright orange pumpkins you’ll be carving up this fall.” Not only did the FDA approve this way back in 1938, it’s a common practice among most of the brands. Hmph!

No fail Deviled Eggs

FullSizeRender_1 According to Wikipedia, “Deviled eggs (US) or devilled eggs (UK), also known as stuffed eggs, angel eggs, eggs mimosa, Russian eggs, dressed eggs, picnic eggs are hard boiled eggs shelled, cut in half, and filled with the hard-boiled egg’s yolk mixed with other ingredients such as mustard and mayonnaise, but many other variants exist internationally. Deviled eggs are usually served cold. They are served as a side dish, appetizer, or a main course, and are a common holiday or party food.”

I couldn’t come up with a better description than theirs, but I’d add that every chef, chef wannabe and home cook adds their own touches that make their deviled eggs anything but ordinary.

Some of the exotic ingredients I’ve seen included in other recipes for deviled eggs:

Greek Yogurt
Sour Cream
Cream Cheese
Sweet Pickle Relish
Horseradish
Wasabi Powder
Dill Pickle
Sugar
Cayenne Pepper
Jalapeno/Habanero Chilies
Chipotle Chilies
Turmeric
Green Olives
Black Olives
Shredded Cheddar or Mexican Blend Cheese
Pimentos
Poppy Seed
Thyme
Cilantro
Parsley
Salsa
Minced Onion
Caviar
Cream
Capers

The ingredients that people top their deviled eggs with are as diverse as the ones they put inside, but those most commonly found include:

Old Bay Seasoning
Paprika
Curry Powder
Cayenne Pepper
Chopped Chives
Dill
Caviar
Anchovy
Bacon Bits
Shrimp
Herring

I prefer mine as simple as can be:

Lisa’s Basic Deviled Eggs

In a medium saucepan, in about 1 quart of cold water, place fresh eggs (I do 6-12 large or extra large)
Over medium-high heat, bring pan of eggs & water to a boil
When you reach a boil, set timer for 20 minutes and reduce heat to medium
When timer goes off, immediately remove eggs and place into a bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking process
Peel the eggs, cut each in half lengthwise and place the yolks in a bowl
Mash the yolks with a fork then add approximately 1 TBLS Spicy Creole Mustard (I like Zatarain’s)
Add approximately (to your taste) 2 TBLS (1 TBLS per 6 eggs give or take) Mayonnaise (I like the taste and consistency of Best Foods) and stir with a fork until well blended and you have enough volume to fill all of the halves
I use a pair of spoons to mound the egg yolk mixture into the empty egg white halves, but you can also put the mixture into a plastic bag (to pipe out with the end snipped off) or a pastry bag with a star tip attached for a neater presentation

I add a turn or two of freshly ground pepper and nothing else, but will occasionally sprinkle a little bit of paprika on the egg white halves BEFORE I fill them with the yolk mixture if I’m feeling fancy.

The temperature deviled eggs are served at is as varied as the ingredients people use to make them. I prefer to loosely cover the eggs and quick chill them in the freezer, if I am short for time, or in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

Chilling Tip: If you don’t have a covered, locking storage/ transportation dish made specifically for deviled eggs, here is a simple way to protect your refrigerator (or freezer) and the food inside from absorbing the overpowering smell of egg: Put a plate inside a gallon sized zip bag then place the eggs on the plate in the bag and close securely before chilling.

Picnic or tailgate tip: Prepare filling and transfer to a plastic zip bag. Carry whites and yolk mixture separately in cooler. Fill eggs on the spot, pressing filling out of snipped corner of bag.

Are you on Facebook? You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. I may not write a blog post every day, but there are daily updates to my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Simple Salmon Croquettes

I have a standby recipe I use for salmon patties that stand up to being cooked on the grill, but I got really behind this Easter and couldn’t find that recipe when it came time to prep. Never one to be timid in the kitchen, and knowing that my husband would tell me if they sucked, I gathered my ingredients and started throwing them into my Vitamix.

Sriracha Cream Sauce

2/3 Cup Sour Cream
2 TBLS Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
2-3 TBLS Fresh Dill Chopped
2-4 TBLS Sriracha Hot Sauce (depending on how spicy you like it)

Combine and refrigerate until you are ready to serve dinner

Simple Salmon Croquettes

Combine these ingredients in your Vitamix (or food processor/blender) in the following order:

1 Medium Zucchini (or Yellow Squash) cut into chunks
2 Shallots (peeled & halved)
Juice of 1 Medium Lemon
3 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Shredded Parmesan/Romano/Asiago Blend Cheese
2 tsp Ground Pepper
4-5 Stems Fresh Dill (remove leaves from stems)

When the ingredients are well combined, add:

2 Pounds Fresh Salmon Fillet (skin removed)
2 Cups Panko Crumbs

Heat 2 TBLS olive oil in a large skillet (I used cast iron, but it doesn’t really matter).

When pan is well heated, scoop golf ball sized (or so) amounts of the mixture into your hands and flatten into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick patties. The thinner they are the faster they will cook. I use about 1/2 inch as my guide. Fill the pan with patties and fry over medium heat for 3-5 minutes per side. Because the ingredients are minced, they cook fairly quickly. Once each side is browned, remove patties to a paper towel lined plate and continue in batches until all of the mixture is cooked.

Serve immediately on a mound of yesterday’s Simple Sweet Potatoes and beside a crisp green salad for a light, yet hearty, mid week meal.

Simple Sweet Potatoes

whippedsweetpotatoes Usually when I make my mashed or whipped sweet potatoes, I go through the whole peel, chop, boil routine that takes a lot of time and effort.

Yesterday I got my Easter dinner stated a few hours later than I usually do and the pressure (no pun intended) was nowhere near what it would have been because I knew I had my time saving secret weapon in the bullpen! Another reason to LOVE my new T-Fal electric pressure cooker!

Steaming, instead of dry pressure cooking on the rack, while I prepared our main dish saved me more than an hour in prep time. That alone was worth it, but the resulting creaminess of the potatoes allowed me to remove some of the higher fat ingredients I normally would have used to whip them in to submission using my stand mixer.

Super Fast & Easy Whipped Sweet Potatoes

2 Large Sweet Potatoes (or Yams)
2 Cups Water
1/4 Cup (1/2 Stick) Butter
3 TBLS Brown Sugar (Light or Dark)

Pour water into bottom of pressure cooker pan and place open steamer basket inside
Wash your sweet potatoes and prick the skin a couple of times with a fork
Place sweet potatoes into the steamer basket and close/lock the pressure cooker
Set pressure cooker to high and, once it reaches temperature, cook for 30 minutes
When timer sounds unplug the pressure cooker and set it aside to come back to normal pressure naturally while preparing the rest of your dinner.
When you are 10 minutes from serving your dinner, open the pressure cooker and remove the potatoes to a medium sized bowl.
The potatoes should be so soft that you can easily slide the peels off without need of any tool/utensils.
Place the butter and peeled potatoes back in the bowl and, using a fork (you won’t need anything more – trust me!) whip the two together until the butter melts.
Stir in the brown sugar and cover until you are ready to serve.
If you want to kick them up a bit, add a pinch of nutmeg and/or cinnamon.

These are so creamy that they could easily be cooled and serve to a baby just starting table foods, but can be hearty enough to accompany turkey, ham, beef, pork or the salmon patties I rested on top.

Quick Corned Beef & Cabbage

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! This is the day every year where I pull out the Crock Pot, load it with corned beef, red potatoes, chunks of carrot, onion, garlic & spices and let it spend 10 hours cooking dinner for me. But, because I made a huge trip to the grocery store and forgot some key ingredients, it looks like the slow cooker is being swapped for the new pressure cooker. I hope I don’t screw dinner up…

I’ve searched the internet for help with timing, liquid and how to keep from overcooking the vegetables and into the deep I’m diving again. Because I have added tips for keeping warm after preparing early, serving suggestions and a bonus leftover recipe, please read the recipe through before beginning your preparations.

Quick Corned Beef & Cabbage

1 – 2 to 3 pound Corned Beef Brisket (vacuum sealed in brine with spice packet)
10 to 15 Small Red Potatoes (unpeeled and whole)
1 – Yellow Onion (cut into quarters)
5 Large Carrots (peeled and cut into large chunks)
6-8 Whole Cloves Garlic (peeled)
2 TBLS Olive Oil
4 Cups Beef Broth
1 & 1/2 – 11.2 oz bottles Guinness Draught (Dark Beer)
1 Head Green Cabbage (cut into quarters)
2 TBLS Cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 Cup Cold Water

Set the pressure cooker to brown setting and place the garlic cloves, onions, 1 TBLS olive oil and corned beef (fat side down) into the cooking pan. With lid open, once cooking temperature is reached, let the fat render for 10 minutes. If your fat layer is thick you can run another 10 minute brown cycle if you like. I did, but only to brown all sides of the brisket.
With about 2 minutes left in the brown cycle, add the carrots,
When browning is done, add the spice pack, 1 bottle of the beer and broth to the pan. Close and lock the top and set to cook on high for 50 minutes. My brisket was just under 3 1/2 lbs so I upped my cooking time to 55 minutes and it was incredibly tender when I transferred it to the frying pan.
If your brisket has a thick fat layer, when timer sounds set a heavy frying pan (I use a cast-iron pan) with 1 TBLS olive oil in it on the stove over medium high heat. Quick-release the pressure then unlock and open the lid of the pressure cooker.
Remove the corned beef and transfer to preheated frying pan with fat side down. Lower heat to low and allow the fat to slowly burn off. If just browning, make sure you turn your brisket to keep it from charring.
Add the potatoes to the pressure cooker set to cook for 15 minutes.
When timer sounds, release the pressure, open the pressure cooker just long enough to add the cabbage then immediately close and lock the lid.
Bring the cooker back up to pressure and then immediately release the pressure so that you can open the cooker to remove the onions, carrots and cooked cabbage (leave the garlic). Put in a bowl and cover to keep warm.
Turn the pressure cooker to the brown setting.
Remove the corned beef from the frying pan to a cutting board, cover with foil for 5 minutes to allow juices to settle and then slice/shred as desired. Cover meat to keep it warm while preparing gravy. **See Tip below if you aren’t ready to slice and serve, or have prepared the brisket more than a couple of hours before you plan to serve it.
Deglaze the pan with about 1/2 of a bottle of Guinness. Pour the broth, spices and garlic from the pressure cooker into the drippings from the frying pan. Bring juices to a boil, scraping up any brown bits and smashing the garlic, then add the cornstarch mixture.
Whisking constantly, cook 2-3 minutes until broth/drippings thicken into the consistency of gravy.
Put gravy into a small saucepan with a lid to keep it warm or make reheating later easier.

Serve slices of the corned beef on top of the cooked cabbage with potatoes, carrots and onions piled alongside. Cover with gravy if desired.

Another way my family likes it is shredded with two forks so they can pile it on rye bread with spicy mustard, Swiss cheese, onions and cabbage with the gravy soaked potatoes and carrots on the side. A buttered piece of rye bread is great for sopping up the leftover gravy!

Because my son won’t be home for St. Patty’s this year (Boo Jason!) I will slice up half of the brisket and shred the other half while it’s hot to get the most use of the leftovers.

TIP: If you are preparing this ahead of time and want to keep it warm for an hour or two before dinner (without drying it out):

Reserve about a cup of the juices from the pressure cooker
Set your Crock Pot (Slow Cooker) to “Keep Warm”
Layer in this order: Potatoes, Carrots, Onions, Cooked WHOLE Brisket, Cooked Cabbage, then pour in the reserved juices.
Cover and keep warm as long as you need to.
Remove brisket from slow cooker to cutting board, cover for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle, then slice as directed above.
Bring the gravy back to a boil. add the juices from the slow cooker, and whisk until well combined. If gravy is too thin add another TBSP of cornstarch to a small amount of cold water and whisk in until gravy is as thick as you’d like.

If there is any leftovers that don’t become sandwiches, the corned beef makes a flavorful hash. Combine the shredded/chopped corned beef in a cast iron skillet with melted butter, some chopped bell pepper, any leftover onion and potatoes and cooked to crispy brown perfection. Add a couple of fried eggs and some sourdough toast and it’s a great Sunday brunch!

Instead of taking roughly 12 hours from start to finish using the slow cooker, this year’s St. Patty’s Day feast was ready in about an hour and a half! The pressure cooker shaved 10 1/2 hours off of the cook time and, instead of not being hungry once the cooking was done (because I didn’t have to be tortured by smelling it cook all day), I was able to enjoy this annual favorite with everyone else at dinner!

Are you on Facebook? You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. I may not write a blog post every day, but there are daily updates to my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Category: Holidays

Thanksgiving Night Helper

Mint, ginger, fennel, and cayenne are known for their digestive properties.

Overeater’s Tonic

Per 4 servings: Calories (kcal) 60 Fat (g) 0 Saturated Fat (g) 0 Cholesterol (mg) 0 Carbohydrates (g) 13 Dietary Fiber (g) 0 Total Sugars (g) 8 Protein (g) 0 Sodium (mg) 10