St. Patrick's Day celebrations

I have a special affinity for St. Patrick's day, it was my grandma's birthday.  Isn't she just beautiful!  I know her kind heart, soft voice and hands, and what a wonderful baker she was.  I absolutely loved taking trips to see grandma and grandpa every year.  I also was delighted to find out that we both had birthday's on holiday's, once I was old enough to make the connection.

Georgia

That being said, I do not wear the color green well, so all other "normal" traditions of wearing green so you don't get pinched just irk me.  I'm so glad that there are rules about behavior in the work place for times like these. If I forget to wear something green, it's still wrong for a co-worker to pinch me. It's the small things in life that make me happy. 

I do have somethings that I like to do for St. Patrick's day, like watching Darby O'Gill and the Little People and The Quiet Man, it's one of the few John Wayne's that I can really appreciate, there are a few others as well, but that one is a favorite.  I like Maureen O'Hara, she is a wonderful actress, and she makes this one fun.  My new family, the one I married, has a small feast at certain times to share with us. Hubby's mom makes corned beef and cabbage, and we are usually invited to come over and enjoy the meal together.  There is no green beer, or beer bread, or all of that crazy stuff, but good food and family.

There are no special family recipes for this particular holiday on my side of the family, but I have a head of purple cabbage that I'm thinking I really should incorporate into something for the holiday.

See! I loved Grandma from the moment we met.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Rated: Submitted By: Laria Tabul Photo By: Jenbc27 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 2 Hours 25 Minutes Ready In: 2 Hours 35 Minutes Servings: 5

"This traditional Irish dish is the centerpiece for many a St. Patrick's Day table. Corned beef takes a long, lovely simmer with potatoes, carrots and cabbage for a hearty and satisfying dish."

Ingredients:

3 pounds corned beef brisket with spice packet 10 small red potatoes

5 carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces 1 large head cabbage, cut into small wedges

Corned Beef and Cabbage I (continued)

2 of 2

Directions:

1.	Place corned beef in large pot or Dutch oven and cover with water. Add the spice packet that came with the corned beef. Cover pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer approximately 50 minutes per pound or until tender.
2.	Add whole potatoes and carrots, and cook until the vegetables are almost tender. Add cabbage and cook for 15 more minutes. Remove meat and let rest 15 minutes.
3.	Place vegetables in a bowl and cover. Add as much broth (cooking liquid reserved in the Dutch oven or large pot) as you want. Slice meat across the grain.

Here is one that get's high praise from Allrecipes.com




For those with kids, or who just like new ways to celebrate, or add kale to breakfast, here is a Green Eggs recipe from Elana's Pantry.  She also has a Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread if you are interested.

Green Eggsprinter friendly

• 4 eggs
• 4 large kale leaves (do not trim or remove stems)
• pinch celtic sea salt
• oil of your choice for frying pan

1. Place eggs, kale leaves and salt in Vitamix
2. Blend on high until smooth
3. Heat oil in pan over medium heat
4. Pour egg mixture in pan
5. Allow eggs to cook a bit, then scramble them
6. Cook eggs to your preferred doneness
7. Serve

How ever you are celebrating or just letting the day pass, remember to pray for your missionaries out there, and if you have none that you can think of, let me share an organization that is close to my heart.  This holiday is actually a religious one in Ireland, and places close so they can go and pray for Missionaries.  I think this is a delightful way to remember the history, and to help missionaries around the world.  What ever your religious beliefs, if you are or are not I would hope that you could at least appreciate these two organizations that help stop human trafficking.  I know there are others out there, but these two are the ones I have chosen to highlight.  I have met with David and Beth Grant, long long ago when I went to India, and they are wonderful people to begin with, and they have huge hearts for those who have been sold into sexual slavery.

Project Rescue Blog
Project Resuce: home page

Help to stop the violence against women, human trafficking needs to be stopped.

"Project Rescue is a ministry to women and children in sexual slavery focused on providing physical, emotional and spiritual rescue and holistic restoration. Our multifaceted programs aim to provide a safe environment for transformation and growth. Click here to discover the Project Rescue difference."



There is also another group working against human trafficking.  Their is beneficial in many ways, by just purchasing their coffee you are helping a whole community get out of poverty and end the selling of their women and children into sexual slavery. 

Mercy House Coffee

"OUR MISSION STATEMENT IS:
To stop child prostitution and eliminate poverty.
We now have 11 villages that no longer sell their children into prostitution but grow coffee instead.
We have a dozen children homes that rescue children off the streets and out of prostitution.
The sale of coffee supports the development of farms and industries like coffee that eliminates poverty and supports our children.
A donation of just ten dollars can support a child for an entire week with schooling, health care and a good home.
THANKS FOR SUPPORTING THESE CHILDREN!
Changeadestiny.org is the parent company of Mercyhousecoffee.org"
  
Background

"By admin, September 1, 2010 6:07 pm

Stopping human trafficking has become a journey, a mission and a lifestyle.  In a sense we are all orphans.  In a sense we are all sold into human bondage.  To some degree, we have been sold out.  As we embrace these abused children in foreign lands, we become aware of the abused in our own neighborhoods and realize the abuse we have tolerated to our own souls.  Is the quick divorce of our spouses and the isolation of our children from our fathers and the turning of the hearts of the children against their fathers, in the media and in our culture, injustice? When we reach out to the furthest child, we reach in to our deepest need.  We begin to know our Father who is in Heaven.  We begin to see the heavens open and we pull down the will of God into the system of this world.  Where there is injustice, may we bring justice.  Where there is violence, may we bring peace.  Where there is wickedness, may we bring righteousness.  Where there is great sorrow, may we bring joy.  Where there is fear, may we bring love. Where there is loss of spirit, may we bring the Holy Spirit.  To all those who have been abandoned, to all those who have lost their purity, to every child who has been harmed, may we be the hands and heart of Jesus. 10/25/10"


So, those are two to get you started if you have no other idea's of who to pray for, or to give to.

For more History on St. Patrick's Day.
and on St. Patrick himself.

Our good by picture, before we head home again.