Happy Birthday my 5 year old Leprechaun!

Marina was born on St. Patrick's day, almost 5 years ago.  As tradition we make a "Paddy's day feast" of corned beef, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes slowly cooked for many hours.  When Marina told me that she didn't want that for dinner on her birthday, but instead wanted "salad' I said, "OK I'll make a salad, but I'm still making the corned beef!"  She's really into salads right now, go figure.  Probably because I love them too!

Last year I posted a recipe on our Corned  Beef and Cabbage, see it here.

 Photo Courtesy of: http://www.culinary.net/articlesfeatures/FeatureDetail.aspx?ID=1607

Happy Birthday Marina, 4!!

Carrot cake just like Auntie Rachelle likes and at the beach for lunch



dinner and presents


birthday flowers and balloons

Left foreground: Marina's birthday rooster, Right: at the Langley beach for birthday lunch

An amazing 4 years it's been- a lifetime already! Or it seems like it. How life has changed for me and for you. You who insists on being called a "big girl." So much has happened in the span of 4 years. Here are some birthday pictures from today! And some words to remember the landmark by:
~pink, blue, and white
~big girl
~ballet-dance-theater-soccer
~your thank yous before meals go something like this: thank you for my ponies caspian and Joey, umm, PJ, Kiki, nanny, mommy, daddy, baby stella, grampy, great grandpa, PJ, kiki, and caspian and joey
~what kind of meat is this? Vegetarian leanings. . .
~baby sis has been growing up and you now chase her around the house, her running and giggling and tripping and falling.
~You wanted a rooster from daddy for your 4th birthday (see above pictures) and you named him: Black dot white

St. Patrick's Day Birthday Corned Beef and Cabbage, carrots and Potatoes

My daughter Marina's birthday is on St. Patrick's day so we enjoy this Irish meal on her birthday to celebrate the occasion. Here's a simple easy recipe I like, and it needs to be simple for at this very moment a 1 year old baby is toppling a teapot over while perched on a stool with her sister who is precipitously leaning onto the kitchen island trying to reach a tea strainer to-do-I-don't-want-to-know-what with it in her smoothie! Here's the recipe:

Brisket of corned beef (2-4 #) Ours come with herbs on top (chopped bay leaf, black pepper kernels, red peppers
1/2 head of green cabbage
4 carrots chopped in half
4 potatoes quartered

Put corned beef in large stew pot and cook for at least 3 hours at a slow boil. Four hours is good. Add carrots and potatoes 35-45 minutes before serving and cabbage 15 minutes before serving.
Serve with crusty bread and/or side salad

Dyeing the Chicago River Green. . . Is it safe?

Originally the Chicago River was dyed to trace sewage that illegally contaminated the river (1962). Due to the bright green color, it was decided that it would be a festive event to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Apparently there is some environmental impact. . . (only!) 40 pounds of dye is added to the river now, whereas in 1962 it was 100 pounds.

A link with some pictures and commentary of the river:
http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2008/03/happy_st_patricks_day.php
More pictures and explanation:
http://www.pbase.com/tianphoto/chicago_river

Birthday Corned Beef and Cabbage

My daughter Marina's birthday is on St. Patrick's day so we enjoy this Irish meal on her birthday to celebrate the occasion. We ordered extra corned beef this year and are still cooking it once every couple of weeks. Here's the recipe I like:

Brisket of corned beef (2-4 #) Ours come with herbs on top (chopped bay leaf, black pepper kernels, red peppers
1/2 head of green cabbage
4 carrots chopped in half

Put corned beef in large stew pot and cook for at least 3 hours at a slow boil. Four hours is good. Add carrots 35-45 minutes before serving and cabbage 15 minutes before serving.
Serve with crusty bread and/or side salad