[Ashton]

Appetizer -- Potted Cheese
6 oz. Cheddar Cheese
One third cup butter
2 Tbsp. port or sherry
5 green onions, finely chopped
1 tsp. caraway seeds
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
One third cup walnuts, chopped

Finely grate cheese into a bowl. Add softened butter and mix well. Stir in port or sherry, green onions, caraway seeds, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well. Scoop mixture into a serving bowl. Cover with walnuts and press walnuts down lightly. Refrigerate for at least three hours. Serve with crackers and Melba toast.

The Skinny: You can probably get away with light cheese in this recipe. If you don’t want to use alcohol then just leave out the port or sherry.


Main Course -- Corned Beef
1 corned beef brisket (about 4 pounds)
Prepared mustard
1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
2 Tbsp. vinegar
4 medium potatoes
1 large onion
1 medium head of cabbage

Trim excess fat from brisket. Spread mustard on top of beef. Sprinkle pepper and parsley flakes over the mustard. In this country a corned beef brisket usually comes with spices and juices in the package. Add the spices and juices from corned beef brisket package. Place meat in Dutch oven. Add vinegar and just enough water to almost cover meat, but don’t put in so much water that you cover the mustard and spice topping. Heat just to boiling and then reduce heat, cover pan and simmer for 2 to 3 hours or until meat is tender. Quarter potatoes and chop the onion and add both to pan. Cover and return to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Core the cabbage, cut it into wedges and add to pan. Cover and cook for 20 minutes more until veggies are tender. Place meat and veggies on a platter and season with salt and pepper. I like to serve this with a little extra vinegar to be sprinkled on the cabbage.

The Skinny: Corned beef brisket has quite a bit of fat so take it easy on the portion sizes.


Dessert -- Chocolate Emeralds
1 and one quarter cups butter
One half cup cocoa
3 and one half cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
One third cup green Crème de Menthe
1 and one half cups semi-sweet chocolate pieces

Combine one half cup of butter and cocoa in saucepan over low heat and stir until blended. Remove from heat and add one half cup sugar, egg and vanilla. Stir in graham cracker crumbs. Mix well and press mixture into the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch pan. Next, melt one half cup butter and pour into a small mixing bowl. Add Creme de Menthe and mix at low speed. While mixing, add 3 cups sugar until smooth. Spread this mixture over the first layer in the 13 x 9-inch pan. Refrigerate entire dish for one hour. While the dish is chilling, combine one quarter cup butter and chocolate pieces in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until melted. Remove pan from refrigerator and spread chocolate mixture over the mint layer. Return pan to the refrigerator for 2 hours. Cut into small squares and store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

The Skinny: Use your favorite egg and sugar substitute.

Grocery list
6 oz. Cheddar Cheese
1 and two thirds cups butter
2 Tbsp. port or sherry
5 green onions
1 tsp. caraway seeds
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
One third cup walnuts, chopped
1 corned beef brisket (about 4 pounds)
Prepared mustard
1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
2 Tbsp. vinegar
4 medium potatoes
1 large onion
1 medium head of cabbage
One half cup cocoa
3 and one half cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
One third cup green Creme de Menthe
1 and one half cups semi-sweet chocolate pieces