The past few days have graced us with the most glorious spring weather. The light is amazing, making the daylight savings transition a little more bearable in the morning (sure we’re racing around because we’ve all overslept, but it all looks so beautiful as we barrel down the stairs headed for school !). So this morning, after everyone was out the door (and yes, on time even), I took a moment to capture some sights of springs at our house.

In my mind Easter is usually the kick-off holiday for spring, but the way the weather is going it might be St. Patrick’s Day this year. Speaking of St. Patrick’s, have you bought your corned beef yet? We’ll be simmering it on the stove tomorrow, but instead of cooking the cabbage the traditional way (throwing it in the pot 15 minutes before serving the meal), I’ve decided to braise it this year. In my mind, braised cabbage is the unsung hero in the world of comfort food. The days are slipping away for hearty comfort food; soon we’ll all be thinking about summer fruit and summer grilling, so this year we’ll have braised cabbage for March 17^th. Unconventional, sure, but as a friend pointed out that many American’s celebrate the day by drinking green beer, we might have to admit most of us aren’t aiming for authenticity here.

So here is my recipe for braised cabbage and bacon, because what could balance out a corned beef meal better than a little bacon!

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces bacon, cut into 1-inch strips

1 tablespoon butter

1 large onion, sliced thin

2 bay leaves

2 small heads of green cabbage, cored and sliced thin

1 ½ cups beer or chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, warm the olive oil. Add the bacon until browned and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper towels.  Add the onion and sauté until golden brown. Stir in the cabbage and season to your liking. Pour in the beer, cover the pot and braise until the cabbage has wilted, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes. Stir in bacon and serve.