Corned Beef With Vegetables

This was one of our favorite dishes growing up (and still is) and I was taught how to make it by my Grandma and my Mom. And, if anyone is impressed...I am typing this out straight from my head, no need to look at a recipe! :)

Corned Beef

2-5 lb corned beef round (do not buy a "brisket", buy a round, hopefully from Snider's, which has the best ones! Costco also has them, but they tend to have more fat)
1 head of cabbage, halved and cut into wedges (I usually only use half the cabbage)
small bag of baby carrots (I usually use half the bag)
2-3 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

Place corned beef round in crock pot and cover with water. Cook for 1 hour on high, then 6-7 hours on low (depending on when you need to eat it!) You can cook it on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours, but I think the way I do it usually makes the corned beef more juicy and tender.

During the last 1/2 hour the corned beef is cooking, place all vegetables in a pot of boiling water and let simmer on medium high for 20-25 minutes. During the last 10-15 minutes the vegetables are cooking, put 1-2 cups of the water the corned beef has been cooking in (this makes them taste AMAZING and is my Grandma's secret!) Take corned beef out of crock-pot, slice and place in the middle of a platter. Drain the vegetables and place around the corned beef, dot with butter and EAT!

Porcini-Crusted Steak

Normally, I'm not a meat kind of gal, but this recipe for Porcini-Crusted Steaks is amazing! (I'm having this tomorrow night!) And if you're afraid of mushrooms, don't be because you won't even notice that that's what they are. Promise. (I made it once when a few people who normally don't like mushrooms ate it and they really liked it.) And, if you don't have an herb or coffee grinder, just come talk to me and we'll arrange to grind some up for you. This recipe is not hard, and really good. It comes from Bon Appetit, May 2007 and 100% of their reviewers from their website would make it again. If that doesn't sell this, I don't know what would! :)

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature

3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

1 small garlic clove, pressed

1 (1/2-ounce) package dried porcini mushrooms*

6 1-inch-thick filet mignon steaks

*Available in the produce section of many supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets.

PREPARATION

Mix first 4 ingredients in small bowl for herb butter. Season butter to taste with salt and pepper. Process dried porcini mushrooms in spice grinder to fine powder. Transfer powder to plate. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Press steaks into porcini powder to coat both sides well. Melt 2 tablespoons herb butter in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add steaks to skillet and cook to desired doneness, about 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to plates. Spoon rounded tablespoon of herb butter atop each steak and serve.