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Happy St. Patrick’s Day! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell discuss the life and legacy of the real St. Patrick with Fr. Patrick Briscoe. Other guests include Kevin Schmiesing with This Week in Catholic History, and Joseph Pearce to discuss the little-known St. Withburga, who shares a feast with St. Patrick. Plus news, weather, sports, and more…
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The Breastplate of St. Patrick
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In the predictions of prophets,
In the preaching of apostles,
In the faith of confessors,
In the innocence of holy virgins,
In the deeds of righteous men.
I arise today, through
The strength of heaven,
The light of the sun,
The radiance of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The speed of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of the sea,
The stability of the earth,
The firmness of rock.
I arise today, through
God’s strength to pilot me,
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and near.
I summon today
All these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel and merciless power
that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul;
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
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Rita Heikenfeld’s Pressure Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
Boiling potatoes keep their shape pretty well but you can use whatever potatoes you have on hand. Peel and cut large potatoes into quarters.
Ingredients
1 corned beef with spice packet, 2-1/2 to 3 pounds or so
2 bay leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half
1 rib celery, cut into 1” pieces
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds or 1/2 teaspoon ground (optional but good)
Liquid: enough cold water to cover or 12 oz beer and enough cold water to cover
Boiling potatoes – I used small red potatoes, unpeeled, 1-1/2 pounds
Carrots – 1 pound, peeled and cut into large chunks
Cabbage, cut into eighths
Salt and pepper to taste
To serve with: red wine vinegar and horseradish (optional)
Instructions
-Place corned beef, fat side up, in pressure cooker.
-Add bay leaves, garlic, onion, celery and coriander.
-Pour enough cold water or combo of water and beer just to barely cover. I used 4 generous cups water.
-Place lid on, bring to high pressure and cook 70 minutes or until meat is cooked and registers 150 or a bit higher. Release pressure naturally.
-Remove and keep warm with some broth.
-Place carrots and potatoes in pressure cooker. Nestle cabbage wedges on top.
-Bring to high pressure and cook 4-5 minutes or so. Use “quick release” method.
-Remove bay. Season to taste.
-Slice beef against grain.
-Pass red wine vinegar and horseradish!
Oven
Preheat oven to 275.
Cook meat with seasonings, onion, celery, garlic and liquid in covered oven-proof pot for 2-1/2 to 3 hours until meat is cooked.
Remove and keep warm with some broth.
Cook vegetables in broth on stovetop over simmering heat until done, 20-30 minutes.
Stovetop
Bring meat, seasonings, onion, celery, garlic and liquid to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover and cook 2-1/2 to 3 hours until done and tender.
Remove meat and keep warm with a bit of juice ladled over.
Cook vegetables in hot broth over simmering heat until done, about 20-30 minutes.
Instapot
To cook the meat with seasonings, onion and celery, follow directions on instapot to pressure cook at high pressure for 70 minutes with natural release.
Follow directions above for carrots, potatoes and cabbage, but check after 3 minutes or so. Remove bay.
Serve beef and vegetables as directed above.
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Colcannon
Can add chives, leeks, or bacon too.
Ingredients
4 russet potatoes (2 to 2 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces • Salt, to taste
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter plus more for serving
3 lightly packed cups chopped kale, cabbage, chard, or other leafy green
3 green onions, minced
1 cup milk or cream
Instructions
Boil potatoes until fork tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
Melt the butter in a pot and once it’s hot, add the greens and cook the greens for 3 to 4 minutes, or until wilted and have given off some of their water. Add the green onions and cook 1 minute more.
Pour in the milk or cream, mix well, and add the potatoes. Reduce the heat to medium. Use a fork or potato masher and mash the potatoes, mixing them up with the greens. Add salt to taste and serve hot, with a knob of butter in the center.
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Annie’s Soda Bread
4 cups unsifted all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
Sugar up to 1/4 cup (I’ve stopped using sugar altogether)
1/4 cup butter (I usually use less because I can’t handle the calories!!)
2 cups raisins
1 egg
1 3/4 cup buttermilk
Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar. Cut in the butter until crumbly. Add the raisins.
Beat the egg slightly and combine with the buttermilk, then add to the dry ingredients and stir until it’s all blended together.
Knead on a floured board until smooth. You’ll probably have to add extra flour to the dough as you go along, and don’t get concerned if you end up adding a lot – just make sure it’s not sticky when you’re done.
Divide the dough at least in half for two loaves. I like to make multiple small loaves that I bake in small oven-safe bowls and big coffee mugs – you could even do muffins tins! Anyway, shape them into round loaves, and put them in whatever pan is appropriate for the size you’ve made. I usually spray the pans/bowls/cups/etc with some cooking spray beforehand. Take a sharp knife and cut a big cross in the top.
Bake at 375 for 35 to 40 minutes. I always do the knife check to make sure they have cooked all the way through.
**Now, some people like savory soda bread, in which case you omit the sugar and raisins and add instead a 1/8 tsp of coriander.
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THREE INGREDIENT SHAMROCK COOKIES
These are fun to make with the little ones. So easy with refrigerated cookie dough. Now if you want to make “from scratch” cookies, check out my shortbread recipe on this site.
1 roll, 16.5 oz, Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup green sugar OR
1 container store bought frosting mixed with 1 cup confectioner’s sugar and colored green, if you like.
Preheat oven to 350. Put dough in bowl and break it into chunks. Stir or knead in flour.
Shape dough into 70 (3/4-inch) balls; reserve 7 balls. Roll each of the remaining balls in green sugar. (Or leave plain and frost later).
To form each shamrock, place 2 balls with sides touching and 1 ball at the top on ungreased cookie sheets.
For stems, divide each reserved ball into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into ball, then in green sugar if using; shape into a triangle. Place 1 triangle pointed side up at bottom of each cookie between 2 balls for stem.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set.
Even easier: Roll dough out and cut out with shamrock cutter.
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