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Classic Irish Recipes for St. Patrick's Day

 

                                                                  Corned Beef and Cabbage

Corned Beef and Cabbage with Horseradish Sauce

1 corned beef brisket (about 4 pounds) with spice packet

2 tbsp. brown sugar

2 bay leaves

3-1/2 pounds small potatoes, halved crosswise

8 medium carrots, halved crosswise

1 medium head of cabbage, cut into wedges

3 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. cider vinegar

Place brisket, contents of seasoning packet, brown sugar and bay leaves in a large Dutch oven or stockpot; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 2 hours.

Add potatoes and carrots; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, just until beef and vegetables are tender, about 30-40 minutes. 

Add cabbage to pot; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove vegetables and corned beef; keep warm.

For horseradish sauce, strain and reserve 1-1/2 cups cooking juices; skim fat from reserved juices. Discard remaining juices. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in 1 cup reserved juices. Stir in sugar, vinegar and horseradish; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until thickened. If desired, thin with additional juices and season to taste with additional sugar, vinegar, or horseradish.

Cut corned beef across the grain into slices. Serve with vegetables and sauce.

Classic Irish Soda Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3 tbsp. cold butter, cubed

2 large eggs, room temperature, divided use

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together first 5 ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In another bowl, whisk together 1 egg and buttermilk. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Stir in raisins.

Turn onto lightly floured surface; knead gently 6-8 times. Shape into a 6-1/2 inch round loaf; place on a greased baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, make a shallow cross in top of loaf. Whisk remaining egg; brush over top.

Bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Remove from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm with butter.

All recipes from TasteofHome.com.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The Gingerbread Boy

Gingerbread is such an integral part of Christmas that it may surprise some people to learn that the first gingerbread recipe came from the Greeks in 2400 B.C. The Chinese followed next in the 10th century. But it was the Europeans -- particularly, the Germans -- who turned gingerbread into a high form of art. Cookies decorated with gold leaf were a symbol of English nobility and royalty under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Gingerbread cookies were so popular by the late Middle Ages that Gingerbread Fairs became a popular form of entertainment. Germans began creating gingerbread houses in the 16th century. The story of Hansel and Gretel may have been inspired by gingerbread or gingerbread may have been inspired by Hansel and Gretel! Nobody knows for sure.

A well-known children's folk tale is The Gingerbread Man or Gingerbread Boy, depending on the teller.

THE GINGERBREAD BOY

Now, you shall hear a story that somebody's great-great-grandmother told a little girl ever so many years ago:

There was once a little old man and a little old woman who lived in a little old house on the edge of a wood. They would have been a very happy old couple but for one thing -- they had no little child, and they wished for one very much. One day, when the old little woman was baking bread, she cut a cake in the shape of a little boy, and put it in the oven.

Presently, she went to the oven to see if it was baked. As soon as the oven door was opened, the little gingerbread boy jumped out and began to run away as fast as he could go.

The little old woman called her husband, and they both ran after him. But they could not catch him. And soon the gingerbread boy came to a barn full of threshers. He called out to them as he went by, saying:

"I've run away from a little old woman,

A little old man,

And I can run away from you, I can!"

Then the mowers began to run after him, but they couldn't catch him. And he ran on 'til he came to a cow. He called out to her:

"I've run away from a little old woman,

A little old man,

A barn full of threshers,

A field full of mowers,

And I can run away from you, I can!"

But, though the cow started at once, she couldn't catch him. Soon he came to a pig. He called out to the pig:

"I've run away from a little old woman,

A little old man,

A barn full of threshers,

A field full of mowers,

A cow,

-- And I can run away from you, I can!"

But the pig ran and couldn't catch him. And he ran 'til he came across a fox, and to him he called out:

"I've run away from a little old woman,

A little old man,

A barn full of threshers,

A field full of mowers,

A cow and a pig,

And I can run away from you, I can!"

Then the fox set out to run. Now foxes can run very fast, and so the fox soon caught the gingerbread boy and began to eat him up.

Presently, the gingerbread boy said: "O dear! I'm a quarter gone!" And then: "Oh, I'm half gone!"

And soon: "I'm three-quarters gone!" And, at last: "I'm all gone!" and never spoke again.

Traditional Folk Tale

St. Nicholas Magazine, 1875

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Dawn Pisturino

The Butter Thief

 

Many years ago, a little boy named Krishna lived in a small village in India.

Every morning, the women of the village would milk the cows and churn the thick, sweet cream into a golden butter. Then they would place the butter into cool clay pots.

Krishna loved butter. One day, he sneaked into a neighbor's hut and stole the pot full of butter.

Sitting under a shady tree, Krishna shared the butter with some hungry monkeys. When they were all full, he threw the pot on the ground and broke it.

The next day, Krishna sneaked into another hut in the village. But the pot full of butter was sitting on a high shelf. Krishna could not reach it. He stacked some wooden boxes under the shelf. Then he climbed up the boxes and stole the pot full of butter.

Krishna shared the butter with his friend Balarama. They had fun smearing butter on each other's faces. When they were both full, Krishna threw the pot into some bushes.

The next day, Krishna sneaked into another hut in the village. But the pot full of butter was hanging from the ceiling. Krishna could not reach it. He could not find any wooden boxes to stand on. But in the corner of the hut, Krishna found a long wooden stick. He broke the pot with the stick and ate all the butter.

As Krishna was licking butter from his fingers, a young woman entered the hut.

"Krishna, why have you stolen all the butter?" she said.

"Why do you accuse me of stealing?" Krishna asked. "There is plenty of butter in the village."

The women of the village complained to Krishna's mother. She saw the butter on Krishna's face.

"Open your mouth and let me see," she said to Krishna.

Krishna opened his mouth. But instead of teeth, tongue, and tonsils, Krishna's mother saw the whole universe. She saw the sun, the moon, and all the planets. She saw all the stars in the Milky Way. She saw the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper. She saw comets shooting across the sky.

Krishna's mother was amazed at what she saw, but she thought it was all a dream. She scolded him for stealing the butter then held him on her lap. 

The next morning, the women of the village found all their pots full of sweet golden butter. And they were never empty again.

Dawn Pisturino

2008

Copyright 2008-2020 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

Eat That Parsley!

 

The next time you go to a restaurant, don't neglect the parsley on the side of your plate. Eat it!

Herbalists have been aware of the medicinal properties of parsley for 2,000 years. The Ancient Greeks used the seeds and roots as a diuretic. During the Middle Ages, parsley wine was recommended as a remedy for poor circulation. Traditional folk medicine has used parsley to regulate menstruation, ease kidney stones, relieve stomach cramps and nausea, and to bring new life into dull, limp hair.

Parsley is a carminative which soothes the digestive tract, stimulates peristalsis, and reduces gas. It contains volatile oils which stimulate the appetite, aid digestion, and improve metabolism.

Parsley contains an essential oil, called apiole, which stimulates the kidneys and promotes the elimination of uric acid.

Due to its strong diuretic action, parsley is an excellent herb to use for detoxifying the liver, relieving bloating, and cleansing the urinary tract.

Parsley contains many important vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A nd C, iron, folic acid, copper, calcium, potassium, manganese, and phosphorous.

Used regularly, parsley may lower heart rate and blood pressure and help to relieve the symptoms of arthritis. Parsley is an  excellent breath freshener, especially when eaten after a meal. Histidine, an amino acid found in parsley, is believed by researchers to fight tumors.

Pregnant women should avoid eating large amounts of parsley because it contains elements which may stimulate uterine contractions. After childbirth, however, those same elements help to contract the uterus to its normal size and to increase lactation.

Parsley is most commonly used in cooking as a garnish. It may be added to sauces, pasta, and salads; or sprinkled over potatoes and fish. The best choice for cooking is fresh Italian parsley.

Dawn Pisturino, RN

May 31, 2007

Copyright 2007-2020 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

The Five Pillars of Islam

 

The Kaaba, Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during Hajj

The heart of Islam is the Five Pillars of Islam (arkan al-Islam). These are the five obligations all Muslims must perform. Revealed by the Angel Gabriel to Muhammad, these five obligations appear in the Qur'an and the hadith, and in particular, the Hadith of Gabriel (hadith jibril). 

Shahadah (or witness) "is the first and most important pillar in that it requires the individual to recognize and believe that there is no God but God and Prophet Muhammad is the Messenger of God." Before Muhammad received his revelations, the people of Mecca worshipped over 360 idols that were enshrined in the Kaaba. Besides these idols, the Arabs believed that "Allah was the invisible God, creator of the Universe, and above all the others." Muhammad's mission was to bring the Arabic people back to monotheism.

The believer who recites the shahadah makes a covenant with God based on four conditions. In the first condition, the believer affirms the Oneness of Allah (Tauhid-ar-Rububiyyah). In the second condition, the believer acknowledges that only Allah is worthy of worship (Tauhid-al-Uluhiyyah). In the third condition, the believer agrees that the names and qualities of Allah cannot be changed or attributed to others (Tauhid-al-Asma was-Sifat). In the fourth condition, the believer confirms that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.

Salah (the five daily prayers) are incumbent upon all Muslims after the onset of puberty. "The prayers . . .  are spread throughout the day as a reminder to Muslims of their true purpose in life, which is the obedience and worship of God." In Muslim countries, a Muezzin calls the people to prayer from a minaret attached to the mosque. Since the five daily prayers are recited in Arabic, Muslims are strongly encouraged to learn Qur'anic Arabic.

Before prayer, believers ritually purify themselves with water or clean sand (wudu) or a full bath (ghusl). During prayers, Muslims face the direction of Mecca and the Great Mosque (al-Masjid al-Haram). The body positions required during prayer force believers to reaffirm their dependence on and obedience to God. "Prayer is . . . the quintessential act of submission to God and the main proof of Islam."

Friday, right after noon, is the day when all Muslims gather for congregational prayer (juma) at the mosque. Men and women are segregated "so that there is no temptation that can interfere in the worship." A strict dress code is observed by women, which requires them to cover their heads, arms, and legs.

Fasting during the month of Ramadan (saum) is the third pillar of Islam. All Muslims who have reached puberty are obligated to perform this fast. The Ramadan fast commemorates "the day in which the Qur'an was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad." The fast was prescribed in the Qur'an, Surah 2:183: "O, you who believe! Observing As-saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious)."

Although the fast is difficult (believers must abstain from food, water, and sex from dawn to dusk), they honor it "as both a purifactory act of sacrifice and an affirmation of ethical awareness." Suffering thirst and hunger during Ramadan reminds believers to remember the poor and needy when performing zakat (giving charitable alms). "The larger principle [however] is the total awareness and submission to God."

Zakat (charitable alms) is the fourth pillar of Islam. Muslims believe that it is "the act of giving in charity that leads to the purification of . . . money, and this altruism of giving to others does not contribute to its diminution but to its increase." In other words, sharing with others in remembrance of Allah increases the blessings received from Allah. Muslims are required annually to donate 1/40th of their excess wealth to charitable causes. Charitable acts which also qualify as zakat include kindness to others, preventing evil, and promoting the general good.

The fifth pillar of Islam is the Hajj (the pilgrimage to Mecca). "Muslims are required to perform the Hajj at least once in their lifetime if they are capable physically and financially of doing so." According to the Qur'an (2:127-219), Abraham and his firstborn son, Ishmael, built the Kaaba. Allegedly, Allah taught Abraham the rituals of the Hajj and "required [mankind] to make the pilgrimage to that House."

The rituals of the Hajj commemorate the story of Abraham, Hagar, and their son, Ishmael. When pilgrims run back and forth between the two hills (As-Safa and Al-Marawah), they are remembering Hagar's search for water. When pilgrims throw three stones at the pillars of stone representing Satan, they are reminded of Satan's attempts "to dissuade Abraham from sacrificing his son." The sacrificing of a sheep or ram at the end of Hajj honors the Angel's intervention in stopping Abraham from sacrificing his son, Ishmael, and the appearance of a sheep to take his place. Over a period of ten days, pilgrims "re-enact those traditions passed on from Abraham through subsequent generations and continued by Prophet Muhammad."

Circumambulating the Kaaba is one of the most important traditions of the Hajj, for it "symbolizes the believer's entry into the divine presence." The entire purpose of the Hajj is to remind pilgrims of their submission to God.

The Five Pillars of Islam are the external rituals which set Islam apart from other religions. The rituals are meant to evoke a constant reminder of God (dhikr) and to affirm the Oneness of God.

Dawn Pisturino

January 17, 2019

Copyright 2019-2020 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

Please contact author for sources.

Meth Madness

The National Institute on Drug Abuse reported in 2005 that 10.4 million Americans aged 12 years and older had tried methamphetamines at least once.

Meth is a synthetic amphetamine which was once used in nasal decongestants and bronchial inhalers. It is a Schedule II controlled substance which stimulates the central nervous system and damages the brain.

Popularly referred to as "crank," it is available as pills, capsules, powders, and crystal chunks called "ice." Users achieve an intense "high" by swallowing, inhaling, smoking, or injecting it. During the 8-24 hours that it remains in the body, users experience incredible alertness and euphoria, enhanced feelings of well-being, paranoia, hallucinations, insomnia, loss of appetite, anxiety, and a heightened sense of personal power. They may become irritable and violent.

Meth is highly addictive. After the "high" wears off, users become severely depressed and feel strong cravings.

The body responds to meth with elevated respiration and heart rates, blood pressure, and body temperature. The temperature may climb so high that brain damage and death may result.

Meth causes permanent damage to brain cells, nerve endings, and blood vessels in the brain. Users may develop Parkinson's-like symptoms, characterized by tremors and uncontrolled body movements.

Meth addicts are at higher risk for developing kidney and lung disease, permanent psychiatric disorders such as paranoid schizophrenia, a weaker immune system, severe tooth decay, skin problems, heart and liver damage, stroke, and complete cardiovascular collapse.

Using meth during pregnancy can lead to greater risk of premature birth and birth defects. In homes where parents use meth, child abuse and neglect seem to be more prevalent.

Neighborhoods with widespread meth abuse tend to have higher incidences of motor vehicle accidents, crime, fires, explosions, and hazardous waste exposure.

When you examine the big picture, meth is a problem that cannot be ignored. It destroys lives and has profound effects on the whole community. Please support local efforts to stem the use of this deadly substance.

Dawn Pisturino

April 24, 2007

Copyright 2007-2020 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.