stout corned beef with roasted potatoes, cabbage, and carrots

st. patty's is tomorrow.  god bless the irish.  however, when you have kids the celebration takes on another tone.  and when you are married to a farmer and planting season is approaching...it takes on an even lamer tone.  so tomorrow is a day of garden prep, planting, and spring cleaning around these parts.  we will be having corned beef, though.  i was going to make guiness chocolate cupcakes filled with jameson chocolate ganache and topped with bailey's buttercream frosting, but then i gave up sugar for lent.  see? lame.  so, instead hendrix and i went green AND healthy...dark chocolate covered kiwi pops. not so lame now, am i? you're welcome.
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in case you haven't made plans for tomorrow or you bought extra corned beef...here's my no-fail recipe and (weird!) it involves the slow cooker.

stout corned beef
1 corned beef, rinsed and patted dry (discard spice packet)
1 - 1 1/2 bottles or cans of stout beer (guiness is an obvious choice)
1 head of cabbage, sliced into 2" rings
4 - 6 carrots, cut into 4 inch sections
5-8 yukon gold potatoes, cut into quarters
olive oil
salt
pepper
caraway or fennel seeds
place corned beef in slow cooker and cover with beer.  cook on low for 6-8 hours.  an hour before dinner time, prepare veggies.  preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease one baking sheet with olive oil.  arrange cabbage rings on baking sheet with season with salt, pepper, caraway seeds, and a bit of oil.  toss potatoes and carrots with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  pour on another baking sheet.  roast vegetables for 30-40 minutes or until tender.  serve alongside corned beef and beer.

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