St. Patty's Day Cuisine

Food is on my mind this St. Patricks Day.

First off, I tried a new recipe on Monday, and it just may have been one of the most divinely delicious things I have ever put in my mouth. It was that good. I've found Rachael Ray recipes to be a little hit or miss, but this one is genious in it's simplicity and bright flavor. It's green, so it would make a perfectly good non-traditional St. Patty's Day meal, and it only takes 15 minutes. You really should try it.

I'm actually not a huge fan of corned beef and cabbage. I've never even made corned beef, but I have tried out cabbage a couple of times. Here are my tips to make it somewhat tasty. I think the best way to cook it is roasting it in the oven. Just cut out the core, cut it into small wedges, and toss it with olive oil. Spread it out on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 20 or so minutes, stirring it around after 10 minutes, until it's soft and caramelizing on the edges. To make it even better, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the cabbage before serving.

If you really must boil it or steam it (which I'll be doing tonight for the sake of time), try this sauce. 1 part dijon mustard to 1 part melted butter. Or, better yet, try the sauce over the roasted cabbage.

Also on my mind this week is my cute little girl and all of the crazy things she's saying these days. I think the best quote of the week happened as I was getting ready for work on Saturday. Madeline was in the dining room with her head on the ground and bum in the air trying to do somersaults. She said, "Mama, I'm inside out!"