SOUL FOOD FOR CRACKERS (via Mike Daley):

Cook a beef brisket to calm the soul, ease tension (TOMMY C. SIMMONS, March 20, 2006, AP)

If you have had one of those weeks with problems at work, fatigue at home, too much traffic and family making demands, you need a big dose of comfort food. What better to calm the soul than a good beef brisket?

It's inexpensive, wholesome, versatile - and so delicious.

Beef brisket is a boneless cut of meat from the breast section, the underside of the cow's forequarter. A whole beef brisket weighs from 8 to 10 pounds, with each pound serving two to three people. [....]

Brisket Braised in Beer

4 slices bacon

One 3-pound brisket

Salt and pepper

3 thinly sliced onions

Four 12-ounce bottles of beer (not dark)

1 large, peeled rutabaga, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

6 carrots, cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces

6 potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but not melted

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring, until crisp. Transfer to paper towels and drain. Crumble bacon. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from bacon.

Pat brisket dry and season with salt and pepper.

Heat the bacon fat over medium-high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Add the brisket to the Dutch oven and brown on all sides. Transfer brisket to a platter. Add onions to Dutch oven and saute until golden. Add bacon, brisket and beer. Bring beer to a boil. Cover and braise in oven for 2 hours. Stir in rutabaga, carrots and potatoes, and braise for 45 minutes more, or until vegetables are tender. Transfer brisket and vegetables to plate. Cover and keep warm.

Blend butter and flour and set aside. Bring braising liquid to a boil and reduce to about 3 cups. Gradually whisk in flour-butter mixture. Simmer for 3 minutes.

Slice brisket and put on plate with vegetables. Pour some sauce over dish. Sprinkle with parsley.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

(Recipe from http://www.eHow.com)