From Linda Larsen,
Your Guide to Busy Cooks.
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Happy St. Patrick's Day! I was browsing through my old collection of hand-written and typed recipes and came across one for Cabbage Tarts. And I had a lightbulb moment: how about recipes using corned beef and cabbage, but in new ways? I went on a search through my cookbooks, my old recipes, and the internet and found some recipes with a twist that would be wonderful for a St. Patrick's Day celebration!

Corned beef , the traditional meat served at this holiday, is made of beef brisket cured in a salt brine that can include spices like peppercorns and bay leaf. The meat stays red even after it is cooked because of this curing process. Long ago in Ireland, the meal of corned beef and cabbage was eaten as an Easter lunch after the long meatless days of Lent because the preserved meat lasted through the winter. The dish is now more commonly served in the United States than in Ireland, where it is considered too ordinary to be served at a special meal!

None of these recipes claim to be authentically Irish - just delicious, combining corned beef (or pork, in one case) and cabbage in fun ways. Remember to wear some green on March 17 and celebrate the day. And remember - many of these recipes are fabulous ways to use up leftover corned beef!

Corned Beef and Cabbage With a Twist

• Corned Beef and Slaw Sandwiches
  The combination of crunchy slaw, warm and tender beef, and tangy melted cheese on rye bread makes these sandwiches a treat any time of the year!
• Crockpot Pork with Cabbage
  Okay, this isn't corned beef and it isn't even green, but I can't have a collection of cabbage recipes and not include this fabulous one.
• Corned Beef and Cabbage Dip
  If you don't want to serve corned beef and cabbage as a main dish, try this wonderful appetizer recipe served in a hollowed out cabbage!
• Glazed Corned Beef
  The sweet, tangy flavor of apricot preserves beautifully complements the salty flavor of corned beef.
• Reuben Casserole
  Sauerkraut is simply preserved cabbage! This easy five ingredient recipe also uses apples and Havarti cheese to make a delicious and easy casserole dinner.
• Corned Beef and Cabbage Tarts
  I love this recipe. It's rich with sauteed cabbage and onions, all folded into an easy savory pie crust. A bit of chopped corned beef turns these tarts into a hearty meal.
• Corned Beef Stuffed Cabbage
  My old favorite recipe for stuffed cabbage uses ground beef. Substuting corned beef adds a wonderful spicy flavor.
• Corned Beef and Potato Casserole
  This easy casserole uses simple ingredients combined together in a delicious main dish.
• Creamy Corned Beef and Noodles
  If you don't like cabbage, make this delicious recipe that uses tender egg noodles and creamy soup to make a rich casserole.
• Tomato Cabbage Bisque
  Serve this rich and easy soup with grilled corned beef and cheese sandwiches for a hearty meal.
• Reuben Hot Dish
  All of the ingredients of a Reuben Sandwich combine to form a creamy, crunchy, cheesy hot dish to celebrate the holiday.
• Corned Beef and Cabbage Packets
  Grill your St. Patrick's Day dinner! Substitute cooked corned beef pieces for the polish sausage in this recipe. These easy packets combine all the traditional ingredients of an Irish dinner into easy to serve individual packets.