[title subtitle=”WORDS: Catherine Frederick
images: Catherine Frederick and Jeromy Price”][/title]
This is a busy month in my house. My son’s birthday is in March, as is my dad’s and my husband’s. My son was born on St. Patrick’s Day, and we have a great time celebrating each year. And my dad started a tradition that included his family birthday party being sprinkled with splashes of green. From the cake, to a special St. Patrick’s Day shirt, to flashing green shamrock glasses, we’ve seen it all on Dad’s special day, and it’s something we’ve come to expect.
We have another, fairly new, tradition during the month of March. We must have our corned beef and cabbage with a side of soda bread! I must admit, up until a couple of years ago, I had never tried it and I was adamant that I wasn’t missing a thing. But fate stepped in when my family and I were invited to a St. Patrick’s Day celebration at a friend’s house. Low and behold, what do you think they served? Yep, corned beef and cabbage and potatoes. What’s a girl to do? I couldn’t be rude. So I made a small plate. Then went back for seconds and thirds. I was hooked, and so was my family.
I love a traditional meal of corned beef and cabbage but thought this recipe also looked interesting. It swaps out the cabbage for spinach, and wraps up this new twist on tradition into one beautiful braid. I recommend serving it up with Dijon mustard, Thousand Island dressing, or creamy horseradish. And, if you happen to be looking for an Irish blessing to go along with the meal, try one of our favorites: May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks. May your heart be as light as a song. May each day bring you bright, happy hours that stay with you all the year long.
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METHOD
Heat oven to 375°. Line baking sheet with a silicone mat or spray with cooking spray. Boil 2 large red potatoes, let cool completely, then cut into ¼” slices, set aside. Thaw and drain 1 cup frozen, cooked spinach, set aside. Unroll 2 Pillsbury Recipe Creations seamless dough sheets onto prepared baking sheet. Place sheets side-by-side lengthwise and arrange into one large rectangle, pressing the seams together with your fingers. Place 6 oz sliced corned beef in center of dough in an 8” wide strip. Add spinach, then add potatoes. Top with 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese.
Using a knife, slice 1” wide strips on long sides of dough, making sure to cut the same number of strips on each side, cutting to within a ½” of the filling. Fold in the short sides, then alternately cross strips over the filling to make a braid. Brush finished braid with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon water), then sprinkle with caraway seeds. Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing.
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TIP: If you can’t find seamless dough sheets, use crescent rolls instead, pressing the seams together with your fingers.
