Old-Fashioned Comfort Food to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

Nothing beats starting St. Patrick's Day with a savory cheddar cheese rarebit sopped up with several slices of thick homemade bread.
This is how my mom would prepare it for my brother and me.

Lillian Bedford's Breakfast Rarebit
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
1/4 tsp. mustard
dash of salt and pepper
1 c. milk or light cream
1-1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 beaten egg

Melt butter in a heavy pan over low heat. Add flour, mustard, salt and pepper. Mix well. Gradually stir in milk or cream. Bring just to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and add cheese. Continue stirring until it has melted. Remove from stove. Add a little of this mixture to the beaten egg and stir. Then add this back to the pan and continue stirring. Serve with bread and a side of stewed tomatoes.

I would drain my tomatoes, add them to my rarebit, and sop the hot, creamy mixture up with many slices of bread. My father would pour a half cup or so of ale to his rarebit. It wasn't Guinness Stout though. It was Genesee 12 Horse Ale.

Colcannon is basically a mixture of mashed potatoes with boiled cabbage and onions.
I began making this for my boys when they were young because it was a clever way to encourage them to eat their veggies. They loved it and would beg for seconds. I made it the way I remembered my grandmother would make it when I was a child. I added garlic and carrots to increase the flavor and nutritional value.

Peel and quarter enough white potatoes to nearly fill a pot. Add cold water and bring them to a boil. While they are cooking, cut up a head of cabbage and boil it in another pot with chopped onions, minced garlic and sliced carrots. When both the potatoes and the cabbage mixture are soft enough to mash, drain both pots and combine their contents. Mash together, gradually adding milk and butter until they reach the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve with Spicy Glazed Corned Beef.

Spicy Glazed Corned Beef
Place brisket in large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. After 5 minutes, skim the water and reduce heat. Simmer until tender. Figure about 30 minutes per pound. Remove from pot and place on a large plate. Cover with another plate. Place a heavy weight on top plate to compress the meat. Place meat in a baking dish and insert 10-15 cloves. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of brown sugar. Add a little water to bottom of the baking dish. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Be sure to baste the brisket several times with syrup in pan during baking until it is glazed.