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Hello Friends.
3.14 (the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter) or π
3/14 (March (the third month or 3) 14
Pi Day (or is it Pie Day?). If you have elementary aged children, and you live in the U.S., then you are familiar with Pi Day. Lest we go a week in March without a celebration of some sort...Let's celebrate Pi! And how should we do this...With pies! Pizza, fruit, cream, meringue, pot, sugar cream (a Hoosier classic), Whoopie...
Celebrate a delicious homophone!
March 17 is St. Patrick's Day. Everyone is Irish! Wear green or get your toes stepped on or a pinch. Feast on corned beef and cabbage (an easy to make boiled dinner).
Here is the scoop from AI:
Corned beef and cabbage is a classic Irish-American dish featuring salt-cured beef brisket simmered or roasted with cabbage, potatoes, and carrots, often enjoyed on St. Patrick’s Day.
Origins and History
Corned beef and cabbage is an Irish-American invention. In Ireland, cabbage was traditionally paired with pork, but Irish immigrants in 19th-century New York substituted affordable corned beef from Jewish delis for pork, creating the iconic dish now associated with St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S. Corned beef is salt-cured brisket, not related to corn, and differs from pastrami, which is smoked and seasoned rather than boiled or braised.
Typical ingredients include:
Corned beef brisket (flat or point cut, 3–5 pounds)
Cabbage (green, cut into wedges)
Potatoes (red or Yukon gold, halved)
Carrots (peeled and cut into chunks)
Aromatics and seasonings: onions, garlic, bay leaves, pickling spices, peppercorns, optional stout beer or beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard for serving.
Cooking Methods
Stovetop Boil
Rinse the brisket to remove excess brine.
Place in a large pot with water or broth, spice packet, onions, garlic, and bay leaves.
Simmer gently for 2½–3 hours until fork-tender.
Add potatoes and carrots 40–50 minutes before the end, then cabbage in the last 15–20 minutes.
Rest the meat 10–15 minutes, slice against the grain, and serve with vegetables and broth.
Oven-Roasted
Preheat oven to 325–350°F.
Place brisket fat-side up in a Dutch oven with vegetables layered underneath.
Add liquid (water, broth, or beer) and seasoning.
Cover and bake 2–3 hours, then uncover for 30–45 minutes to caramelize vegetables.
Slice against the grain and serve with pan juices.
Slow Cooker or Instant Pot
Slow cooker: Cook on low 8–10 hours, adding potatoes and carrots midway, cabbage in the last 2 hours.
Instant Pot: Pressure cook brisket 90 minutes, then add vegetables for final minutes.
Tips for Best Results
Slice against the grain for tender meat.
Add cabbage last to prevent mushiness.
Keep some cooking liquid when storing leftovers to maintain moisture.
Rinse brisket if overly salty.
Optional: roast cabbage separately for a crispier texture or add a mustard or bourbon glaze for extra flavor.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers for 3–5 days.
Freeze brisket (without vegetables) for up to 3 months.
Reheat gently in the oven or on the stovetop with a splash of broth to retain moisture.
Corned beef and cabbage is a versatile, hearty dish that can be adapted to stovetop, oven, or slow cooker methods, making it perfect for festive occasions or comforting family meals.
Experience American English
We read Buffalo Fluffalo in our class which led us to wonder about buffalo (bison).
- Lone Elk Park in Missouri (St. Louis County) offers the opportunity to experience elk and buffalo.
- Kankakee Sands has buffalo opportunities in Indiana. Learn about the buffalo wallow (enjoy that American English language word combination) and how these animals shaped Indiana habitats.
- In Indiana, here is more Experience Bison in Indiana: Family-Friendly Adventures
- Cooks Bison Ranch (also in Indiana)
Seasonal and Seasonable Weather Part 2
This week was Severe Weather Preparedness Week. Sirens were tested on Tuesday at an odd time. This had most of us reaching for our phones to confirm whether we were having severe weather. This time of year can bring snow, sun, and rain all in one day! Important words to know and act on:
Advisory: there is a possibility of severe weather, but whether the severe weather will occur at the level of severity is not set
Watch: the weather conditions are shaping up and the conditions are forming. Be ready to take action and take shelter as you go about your regular business.
Warning: too late! The storm or conditions are here! TAKE SHELTER NOW!
Tips:
- Severe storms and tornados have quick and sometimes destructive effects.
- Take shelter in an interior room away from windows (a bathroom or closet) or in your basement (under steps).
- Have a bag that contains snacks, water, shoes, medication, a battery powered radio (to listen to reports), extra batteries, flashlights, blankets to cover from flying debris.
- Stay away from downed power lines. Do not drive over them.
- Do not drive through flooded streets. Your engine can get swamped. Your car can get washed away if the water is from a flooded stream or river.
- Remove debris (leaves, trash, etc.) from storm sewers on your street. This is usually the responsibility of the property owner, but you are welcome to pitch in! Throw the debris in the trash or dispose of it.
- Beware of people who appear and give estimates or pressure for downpayments for damage to roofs, tree removal, etc.
International Friends Meeting Notes
International Bible Study: Monday, 8-9:00 PM, Zoom
Leviticus 5 and 6 specify God's solution for reconciliation with Him and to cleanse the sanctuary from unintentional
Leviticus 5:1 "If anyone sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible. (speak up!)
Leviticus 5:4 "or if anyone thoughtlessly takes an oath to do anything, whether good or evil (in any matter one might carelessly swear about) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt—"
Leviticus 6 further describes how to gain reconciliation for a guilt offering or when defiling holy spaces unintentionally.
Leviticus 6 describes fellowship offerings or offerings of gratitude and devotion.
We could not help but compare this to Romans 6:1...Because of Jesus life and death we have grace and reconciliation with God. Paul addresses the conception that people were hoping to increase grace through offenses...That's not how it works...Read Romans 6 for a reflection on the new covenant.
March 16: We are continuing with Leviticus 7.
American English Language and Culture: Thursday, 9:00AM- 11:00 AM, Zoom
Spring has Sprung: We warmed up by sharing what “runs in the family” (Straight hair runs in my family. Blue eyes run in her family. A stubborn temperament runs in his family.) and talking about our favorite spring trees and flowers.
School Book Fairs: Many schools hold regular book fairs to give students an opportunity to explore and purchase books to take home. One book fair selection, Buffalo Fluffalo, gave us the opportunity to read aloud and enjoy rhymes, word play, creative spelling, new vocabulary, grammar, English cadence, and vocal expression. This book, written by Bess Kalb and illustrated by Erin Kraan, is fun for both children and adults. We learned:
Adjectives: gnarly, snarly, surly, gnarly, miffed, hammy, floppy, goofy, silly, squawky, huffy,mangy, ratty, wee,, missable, kissable. Notice how adding a suffix like -y or -able to a verb forms an adjective.
Adverbs: goofily (Adverbs often end in -ly.)
Nouns: A ram, a funnel, a weasel, a curmudgeon. Notice that singular countable nouns should be preceded by an article (a, an, the).
Verbs: heave, huff, puff, heave, clomp, ram, stammer, yammer, yelp, snarl, snuff. chitter, chat, sneer, scorn, rear up, rumble, grumble, gawk.
Adjective clause: What kind of buffalo is he? He is a buffalo who likes to be alone.
Expressions: I’ve had enough! I’ve had it! I’m at a loss for words. in the buff; in suspense, cooped up; to weasel out of—to avoid doing something that you have agreed to do, especially be being dishonest; to weasel (around); to cop out—My son copped out of cleaning my garage and went home.
Nonsense words: blark, doomy, bangy, hugly, blip, missable=easy to be missed
Rhythm and Cadence: A common rhythm in English sentences and poetry is Iambic pentameter—ten syllables per line with alternate stressed and unstressed syllables.
Refrain: A passage of song/lyrics/ poetry that repeats
Onomatopoeia: words that reflect a sound—buzz, achoo, hiss, cuckoo, splash, chirp, meow
Metaphor: to compare by equating one thing with another—He is a real weasel. He cheated on his expense account and lied to his boss.
Hyperbole: To exaggerate to make a point or show humor—Her purse weighs a ton.
March 19: Cadence and rhythm and modals all lend interest and viability to language. Let's bring these together in our discussion.
Bring a book, any book, in your home language. We want to hear the natural cadence and conventions of your first language
Try Shel Silverstein poems and books for more nonsense words and fun illustrations.
Our class is continuing to March Modal Madness.
- Be prepared to use modals in your conversation about March weather and weather preparedness
- Bring your modal observations and experiences.
American English for Kids: Friday, 5:00-5:30 PM, private Zoom
My mistake. The time change threw me off!
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