Emeralds and Rubies

Patience is a virtue and I am one of those “God grant me patience and I want it now” people. It has been a hard couple of months with the computer problems and not being able to do art work or get on the internet regularly to talk to friends. Thanks to my mother’s big heart I can now do that. For all the physical damage there is in her heart the spiritual and loving part is as big as ever. She had insisted that since she bought my brother three computers over the years she was buying me one. She didn’t care that the total package was just over $1,000.00. All she cared about was the fact that her daughter couldn’t afford to get a new one and she wanted me to be able to do my art work and play on the computer as it is my stress buster. There is no price tag on love.

I brought “Ruby” home on Friday and she is a beauty. She has a ruby red, black, and silver case with a glass door that let’s you see what is going on inside. For the geeks like me she has a Logisys CS308RD-10 Bay ATX mid tower, Intel Core 2 Duo ET600 3.06 GHz, 2 2G-Kingston Value RAM KVR800D2Ng/2G chips, a Western Digital Caviar Green Tera drive, a Hitachi/LG LG22L240 22x DVD+RW, Microsoft Windows 7 Premium Edition (we are running it at 32 bit because of older programs but I can do 64 bit if I wish), a MSI GeForce 9500 GTT 512 MB GDDR3 graphics accelerator, and an Intel Desktop Board DG43GtiG43. Or in others words for the non-geeks this is what the tech called one “kickass machine.”

It is a dream machine. It is going to take some more work getting all the programs back on so I can continue to do my art work but after playing all weekend I am in awe of the ease and beauty of this computer. Most of all I am so terribly grateful to my Mom for insisting that I have our tech make me the machine I needed to do my art. Her eyes lit up when she came up to see the machine. For her the idea that one of her children was happy was all that mattered. And I am so very happy.

This machine gives me the ability to give back also. I can continue to do my art work and share my recipes and thoughts. I can continue to talk and share with friends. I have missed being able to do that on a regular basis these last two months. So with St. Patrick’s Day coming up I thought I’d share some of the Irish themed recipes I have come up with over the years. One is for Irish-American Shepherd’s Pie and the other three went together as a meal one year. And of course I want to share some of my Irish themed art work. This one is called “Irish Sea.”

Irish American Shepherd's Pie

Recipe By :Michele Wilson
Serving Size : 8

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/4 pounds ground beef, extra lean
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 ounces baby carrots -- diced
8 ounces mushrooms -- sliced
1 cup celery -- diced
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup frozen corn
1 small onion -- diced
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup red wine -- or beef broth
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 pounds potatoes -- peeled and cubed
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
1 cup low sodium cheddar cheese -- shredded
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Add potatoes to boiling water. Cook 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. In a separate pan cook carrots in boiling water. Drain.

Mash potatoes with sour cream, cheddar cheese, salt and white pepper.

Add olive oil to large frying pan and heat. Cook beef, onions, mushrooms and garlic until no pink remains in beef and vegetables are softened.

Add carrots, peas, celery and corn. Cook until vegetables are softened.

Mix cornstarch and wine. Add to beef and vegetables. Add dijon mustard, seasoned salt, seasoned pepper and allspice. Mix well and cooked until gravy has thickened.

Put meat and vegetable mixture in a 2 quart casserole. Cover with mashed potatoes.

Bake uncovered at 325°F for 35 to 40 minutes.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 387 Calories; 20g Fat (46.1% calories from fat); 22g Protein; 30g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 66mg Cholesterol; 377mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Corned Beef With Orange-Honey Glaze

Recipe By :Michele Wilson
Serving Size : 6

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 pounds corned beef brisket -- lean
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup orange juice
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 whole bay leaves
1 teaspoon peppercorns
1 medium onion
30 whole cloves
1 teaspoon mustard seed

Stud the onion with cloves.

In a large pot place corned beef brisket, onion, bay leaves, mustard seeds and peppercorns. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook around 2 1/2 hours or until tender

Heat oven to 350°F.

In a bowl combine honey, Dijon mustard, orange juice and ground cloves.

Put meat in an oven proof dish and spread with honey mixture. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until glaze is just brown and crisp. Halfway through brush meat with glaze.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 662 Calories; 41g Fat (52.2% calories from fat); 36g Protein; 48g Carbohydrate; 12g Dietary Fiber; 121mg Cholesterol; 482mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 5 Fat; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

Serving Ideas : Sour cream potatoes and glazed beets. Irish Soda Bread.

NOTES : Twice cooked corn beef comes out very tender.


Sour Cream Potatoes

Recipe By :Michele Wilson
Serving Size : 6

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 pounds potatoes -- golden, cubed
1 medium shallot -- minced
1 cup sour cream, light
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon butter

Put potatoes in boiling water to cover. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain.

Melt butter in small sauce pan. Add minced shallots and cook until tender. Add sour cream, salt and pepper. Mix until heated through but not boiling.

Toss potatoes with sour cream sauce.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 122 Calories; 3g Fat (19.8% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 22g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 8mg Cholesterol; 214mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


Beets in Orange Ginger Sauce

Recipe By :Michele Wilson
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:05
Categories : Vegetables

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
30 ounces beets, low sodium -- drained
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon ginger root -- minced

Mix orange juice, honey, ginger and balsamic vinegar. Put beets in sauce pan. Add sauce. Cook until beets are heated through and glazed.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 89 Calories; trace Fat (1.1% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 23g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 66mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 Other Carbohydrates.