HAPPY ST.PATRICK'S DAY!!

I just wanted to post some recipes that we had for our St. Patrick's Murder Mystery dinner party. I wish I would have gotten pictures of all the food we had because it looked cool with all the green colors.

Corned Beef and Cabbage
2 pounds small red potatoes
2 cups baby carrots
1 onion, cut in large wedges
1 3-pound corned beef brisket with seasoning packet
Water
½ head of cabbage, cut into wedges
¼ cup butter, melted
Salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes, carrots, and onions in a 5- to 61/2-quart Crock-Pot. Top with corned beef brisket ( I actually used 5 pounds of brisket); sprinkle with seasoning packet. Add enough water just to cover brisket (I just added water to cover some of the vegetables). Cover with lid. Cook on high setting for about 8 hours or until meat is tender. Add cabbage wedges to Crock-Pot and continue cooking for about 15 minutes or until cabbage is tender. To serve, remove corned beef from Crock-Pot; place on a platter and cut beef across grain into thin slices. Remove vegetables from Crock-Pot with a slotted spoon; place around the beef. Pour butter over vegetables (I did not use any butter), and salt and pepper to taste. Makes 6 servings.

Irish Soda Bread
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda. Blend egg and buttermilk together, and add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix just until moistened. Stir in butter. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Wrap in foil for several hours, or overnight, for best flavor.

Mint Brownies
1 cup margarine
½ cup cocoa
2 Tbsp honey
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 ¾ cup flour
½ Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
12 oz. Chocolate icing (use your own recipe or purchased one)

Melt margarine and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, b. powder and salt. Mix well. Fold in nuts. Pour batter into greased 9x13 inch glass pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool.
MINT ICING
5 Tbsp margarine
Dash of salt
3 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
2 1/3 cup powdered sugar
½ tsp mint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring
Soften margarine. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix well. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting. Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.