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Saint Patrick was a Christian missionary and is the patron
saint of Ireland. Patrick was born in Roman Britain. When he was about sixteen he was captured by Irish raiders and taken
as a slave to Ireland, where he lived for six years before escaping and returning to his family. He entered the church, as
his father and grandfather had before him, becoming a deacon and a bishop. He later returned to Ireland as a missionary, working
in the north and west of the island. By the eighth century he had become the patron saint of Ireland. |


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St. Patrick's Day 2010 Spring Renewal 
Spring is in the air, just around the bend, winter
is ready to shut its eyes for a while and Irish eyes are smiling. March 17th is St. Patrick's day a start of Spring renewal. Whether it is the crocus poking its way through the snow, or the bloom of the peach tree, spring signifies the end
of barren winter months--months of dormant grasses and brown twigs. Slumber cedes to the sun, the warmth
and the greenery of life. With this re-birth comes celebrations and renewed hope. The beauty of the color Green! Green means Spring and a reprieve
from the uncharacteristically severe snow and the cold that's blanketed the region this year. Green is life and renewal, spiritual
and physical, marked the world over through a variety of religious holidays and agrarian and environmental celebrations to
welcome the annual rebirth of the earth's cornucopia while reminding us that there is a limit to its resources. Yet, of all
the days cast in hues of green, perhaps none is most associated with the color than St. Patrick's Day. |
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Corned Beef Dinner For St. Patrick's Day |  |
| Try a traditional Irish dinner of corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes. Ingredients - 1-4½
pound corned beef brisket
- 4 allspice berries
- 2 bay leaves
- 1
teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 onion, quartered 1 bulb garlic,
cut crosswise so each clove is cut in half
- 1 teaspoon black
peppercorns
- 1 whole clove, optional
- 1 medium head cabbage, cut into eighths
- 1½ pounds small (about 1-inch diameter) red potoatoes
Cooking InstructionsRinse corned beef under running water. Place in large pot.
Add allspice, bay leaves, mustard seeds, onion, peppercorns, and clove. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, skim any scum if needed. Reduce to a simmer
and cover. Cook about 4 hours, or until fork-tender. Remove and keep warm. Strain out spices and vegetables from cooking water. Add cabbage and potatoes.
Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook 30 minutes until fork tender.
Nutrition FactsAmount Per Serving 6 ounces corned beef, 1/8th cabbage head, 4 potatoes Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking
Time: 4½ hours Ready In: 4½ hours Servings: 8 |
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