Cook Up Some Quick Corned Beef and Cabbage

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Nothing says St. Patty's Day like a heaping plate of corned beef and cabbage. I'll admit, the first time someone suggested I try this Irish combination out, it sounded more hearty than it did tasty, but before I knew it, I was heading back for seconds. Most recipes for this festive dish call for somewhere between three to eight hours of cooking, but since you probably want to eat before midnight tonight, I've found one from the Food Network that cooks in only 12 minutes.

CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE

Ingredients:

• 4 slices of bacon
• 4 Tbs. butter
• 1 head of cabbage, coarsely chopped
• salt and freshly-ground pepper (to taste)
• 1 can or corned beef
• 1/3 cup of water

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon in large pot over medium heat until almost crisp.
2. Remove the bacon from the pot and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in the pot with the bacon grease, then add the cabbage, stirring well to coat the cabbage in fat.
4. Add about 1/3 cup water, then salt and pepper the mixture to taste.
5. Cover pot with a lid, and cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes.
6. In the meantime, be chopping the bacon into small pieces.
7. Remove the lid from the pot, and scatter chunks of corned beef and chopped bacon over top of the cabbage. Cover and cook until desired doneness.

Tricks of the trade: Most people prefer the cabbage to have a little bit of crunch left to it. Also, don't let the look of corned beef in a can scare you off; the finished product will taste awesome. This recipe should serve four people, but if you have a couple more than that, add another can of corned beef to make it more filling. Of course, if you'd rather just skip the cooking and eat your St. Patty's Day chow while out on the town,  ToastedRav alum Trish Gazall recommends trying the corned beef and cabbage from Trainwreck Saloon.