Braised Short Ribs

Fall weather swept in this past weekend & I didn't hesitate a second on capitalizing on it with some fall like cooking!  My family was coming over for dinner so I decided to braise some short ribs.  I couldn't decided on any 1 recipe to follow, so I combined several different methods & let me tell you- this is a fabulous way to make short ribs!  The sauce is amazing & the meat is so tender it literally falls off the bones.  It is so easy, in fact, the most difficult part of the recipe is getting the meat out of the pot still attached to the bone!  It takes a bit of time to make but the oven does all the work.  The only secret to this recipe is in the last steps.  I take the ribs out of the braising liquid & bake them for a few minutes before serving.  It crisps up the exterior of the meat creating a lovely texture.  I found this wonder tip on Smitten Kitchen.com.  There are some excellent photos you should check out here too!   I didn't take pictures while I was cooking, I didn't intend to be blogging about it when I made it.  But it really is such a good recipe, I had to share it.  Besides it really is so simple, you won't even miss the step by step photos. I served them on top of Creamy Mashed Potatoes but butter egg noodles or rice would be good too.   

Ingredients:

6-7 lbs Bone In Short Ribs, excess fat trimmed off

2 Medium Sized Onions, quartered

20 (or so) Baby Carrots, whole

6 cloves of Garlic, whole, peeled

2 cups Red Wine

1, 32 oz container Beef Broth

1, 6 oz can Tomato Paste

2 tbsp- 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

8-10 sprigs of fresh Thyme

1 tbsp Olive Oil

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place the short ribs in a single layer on a sheet pan.  Season well with salt & pepper.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a large dutch oven, drizzle a tablespoon or so of olive oil & turn the heat to medium.  Add the quartered onions & carrots & cook until they are tender.  Add in the garlic cloves & continue to cook for 1 minute.  Add in the wine & cook until it has reduced by half, about 10 minutes.  Add in the tomato paste, beef broth, balsamic vinegar & half of the fresh thyme.  Stir to incorporate. 

After 15 minutes, remove the short ribs from the oven & reduce the temperature to 325 degrees.  Add the short ribs to the dutch oven, with the bones standing upright.  Place the other half of the thyme in the pot, on top of the meat.  Cover & place in a 325 degree oven for 3 hours.  You'll know the meat is done when it is easily pierced with a knife or fork. 

Take the pot out of the oven & allow to sit for 15 minutes or so.  (If you want to make this a day ahead.  This is where you would stop.  Simply allow it to come to room temperature & refrigerate.  When you are ready to finish, simply pull it out of the refrigerator, skim the fat solid that has congealed on the top & bring to a simmer on the stove top. Then continue below.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Carefully, remove the ribs from the dutch oven & place on a sheet pan.  (While you are pulling out the ribs, also pull out all the stems from the fresh thyme!!)  Bake the ribs until browned, about 10-15 minutes.  Check it out- my brother did managed to snap a picture of the ribs, just out of the oven!

While the ribs are browning, ladle as much fat off the top of the braising liquid as you can.  (If you made this a day ahead, you will have already done this.)  Continue to simmer the sauce to thicken.  If you sauce is too thick, you can thin it with more broth or water.  Taste & adjust your seasonings.  

To serve, I like to place a big scoop of creamy mashed potatoes in the center of a shallow bowl or plate.  Put 2 short ribs on the side of the mashed potatoes & spoon some of the thickened braising liquid over top of it all.  YUM!   This serves 6-8. 

Long Boy "Cheeseburgers"

As soon as I saw this recipe in Cooks Country, I knew my husband would love it.  It's kind of like an open faced cheeseburger but more like a meatloaf or meatball sandwich, all of which the hubs is a huge fan.  It ended up being a bit hit with the whole family!  Even my picky little one.  My husband loved it heated up for lunch the next day too!  It's fun, casual & super easy to make.  Perfect for any night of the week!  Of course, I changed the original recipe some but the method is the same.  And my homemade french fries make the perfect side to go along!

Ingredients:

(for the burger patties)

1 lb Lean Ground Beef

3/4 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

2/3 cup French Fried Onions or 1/2 of a Yellow Onion, finely chopped

1 large Egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup Milk

3 tbsp Ketchup

1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper, to taste

3- 6" Sub Rolls

(for topping)

2 tbsp Ketchup

1 tbsp Yellow Mustard

2 cups Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Place the sub rolls, cut side up on a wire rack set on top of a sheet pan.  Bake (with the oven rack in the upper middle position) until golden & crisp, about 5 minutes.

Combine all the ingredients for the burgers in a large bowl, just as you were making a meat loaf or meatballs.  I've made it with both french fried onions & raw chopped onions & like it both ways.  You get a stronger onion flavor with the raw so use according to your liking!  

 Combine the additional 2 tbsp of ketchup with the yellow mustard in a separate dish for the topping.

Top the toasted rolls equally with the meat mixture.  Take care to cover the bread all the way to the edges with the meat mixture so it doesn't burn!  

 Evenly brush the tops with the ketchup & mustard mixture. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the meat registers 160 degrees.  Remove from the oven, top with the shredded cheddar cheese & continue to bake until the cheese is bubbly & melted, about 3-4 minutes.  Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!!

Braised Beef Ragu with Rigatoni

You are going to love this recipe!!  It is amazing (if I do say so myself).   Slowly braising the beef makes it so tender it falls apart in the wonderfully rich tomato sauce.  I use a dutch oven & cook it in the oven but it could easily be adapted for a slow cooker or crock pot.  It is simple, rustic & delicious! 

Ingredients:

1.5 Beef Stew Meat, cut into 1" pieces

32 oz can Whole, Peeled Plum Tomatoes

1 cup dry Red Wine

1 large Yellow Onion, cut in half then sliced

4 cloves of Garlic, smashed

2-3 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tsp dried Italian Seasoning

Salt & Pepper, to taste

1 1/2 lbs Rigatoni Pasta (approximately)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Season your beef with salt & pepper.  I bought the beef roast already cut up.  But you could buy a chuck or round roast whole & cut it up your self.  Just make sure you trim & discard the excess fat if you do so.

 Add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil to a large dutch oven & heat to medium-high heat.  Add the beef to the hot pot & sear both sides, working in batches if needed.  You don't want to over crowd the pot. 

 Remove the seared beef from the pot & reserve. 

 Lower the heat to medium & add the onions with the remaining olive oil, if needed. 

 Cook the onions for 2-3 minutes, until softened & add in the smashed garlic cloves.  Saute 1 more minute.

 Add the canned tomatoes with all of their juices.  Use your spoon to crush up the tomatoes. 

 Add in 1 cup of red wine (you could substitute beef broth or water), the dried Italian seasoning & stir to combine.  Then return the beef to the pot with any juices that accumulated on the plate.  Cover & place in a 300 degree oven.

 This is after about 2 hours of cooking.  I pulled it out of the oven to stir & scrap down the sides of the pot.

 Cook for about 4 hours (total), until the meat is so tender that if breaks apart as you stir.  The sauce will have reduced greatly to make a thick ragu.

 Stir to distribute flavors & to break up the meat.  Adjust your seasonings, if needed.  Mean while, cook your pasta according to the package directions.

Toss with cooked pasta & plate.

Top with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese & serve.

This recipe serves 8 people.

I usually use half the sauce for one meal, then freeze the second half for another time.  The sauce tends to thicken when I reheat it.  When that happens, I ladle some of the starchy pasta water into it until it's the consistency that I want.  I also like to serve it with pappardelle pasta! 

Enjoy! 

Beef & Green Chile Taquitos with Queso Dip

These are a fun twist for Taco Night!  They are quick & easy, perfect for any day of the week.  Traditionally Taquitos are fried but we love them baked.  You can make them with corn or flour tortillas.  We make them both ways but flour is our favorite.  They are great for appetizers, snacks or for dinner!

Ingredients:

(for the Taquitos)

1 lb Lean Ground Beef

7 oz can Chopped Green Chilies

2 cloves of Garlic

1 1/4 tsp Chili Powder

3/4 tsp Ground Cumin

1/2 tsp dried Oregano

1/2 tsp Onion Powder

1/4 tsp Paprika

3-4 dashes of Hot Sauce (optional)

Salt & Pepper

Olive Oil

Small Tortilla Shells (corn or flour)

(for the Queso)

1 cup of Half & Half

2 cups White American Cheese

4 oz can of chopped Green Chilies

6-8 slices of Jalapeno, from a jar

3-4 shakes of Hot Sauce

Optional Toppings:

Lettuce, shredded

Tomato, chopped

Salsa

Sour Cream

Directions:

Drizzle skillet with a little bit of Olive Oil.  Heat to medium- high then add the ground beef.  Break up the meat with your spoon.  Add in all of the seasonings.

This is the hot sauce that I used.  It's my hubby's favorite. 

When the meat is fully cooked, add in the can of chopped green chilies & stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a sheet pan with nonstick spray. 

Wrap a few tortilla shells (3-5) in a damp paper towel & microwave for a few seconds to warm.  Fill each tortilla with 1 tbsp of the beef & green chili mixture, roll tightly, & place seam down on the greased sheet pan.  Spray the taquitos with cooking spray & sprinkle a little bit of kosher salt on the top. 

Repeat until all the filling is gone.  We did some with corn tortillas & some with flour.  Both my husband & I preferred the flour ones but were both good!

Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until they are golden brown. 

In a small sauce pan, add the half & half.  Heat over medium heat.  (I usually do this first, so we can snack on the dip while the taquitos are cooking.)

When it is heated, add the cheese & reduce the heat to medium-low. 

Stir frequently, until all the cheese is melted. 

Add in the hot sauce, green chilies, & jalapenos.

Serve immediately with tortilla chips, preferably my Homemade Tortilla Chips.  :) 

I like to top my taquitos with some of the Queso Dip & some salsa. 

Serve taquitos with all the usual taco toppings, lettuce, tomato, salsa & sour cream.  We had these for dinner so I made some Mexican rice & Refried Beans too. 

This recipe makes approximately 20 Taquitos. 

Beef Stroganoff

Some days I need to get dinner on the table fast.  But some days, particularly when it's cold or rainy outside, I like to take all day to slowly cook dinner.  There is something almost therapeutic about it. The house smells wonderful, feeding your senses with anticipation of what's to come.  And well, let's be honest, the taste is a great payoff.  The depth of flavor that you can achieve using only a few simple ingredients is truly remarkable.  This Beef Stroganoff is one of those heavenly meals.  I think it's my favorite of my slow cook meals.  Tender chucks of beef smothered in a creamy gravy like sauce served over egg noodles-  YUM!  I'm already looking forward to making it again.  We don't add mushrooms to because we're not fans of the fungi (hahaha).  But you certainly add them if you are!  I cook it in the oven but you can easily adapt it for a slow cooker or crock pot.  Or if you are like my friend Patty, you can be all Iron Chef like & use a pressure cooker to make this in a quarter (or less) of the time.  :)

 Ingredients:
1.5 lbs of Beef Roast (Eye Round, Top Round, Bottom Round), cut into 1/2" cubes
1 large onion, cut in half then sliced
5-6 Large Button Mushrooms, quartered (optional)
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
2-4 cups Beef Broth
8-10 oz Sour Cream
1/4- 1/2 cup Flour
2 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp Olive Oil
4 shakes of Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Paprika
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees (if cooking in the oven).  I usually buy the beef already cut up from the grocery store.  I've bought it labeled as Stew Meat & Extra Trim Lean Stew Meat, but I really think you could use just about any inexpensive type of beef roast for this cut into 1/2"-1" pieces. 

 Add the cut up beef to a large zip lock type bag.  Season the meat with garlic powder, salt & pepper.  Then add in 1/4- 1/2 cup of flour.  Seal the bag & shake to coat the beef pieces. 

 In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat the butter & olive oil over medium high heat. 

 When the butter is melted, add the floured beef in 1 layer.  Cook, searing the beef on all sides.  Be careful not to over crowd the pan.  You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your pan. 

Remove the beef from the pan & reserve.

 Lower the heat to medium & add the sliced onion.  Cook for a couple of minutes then add the minced garlic & mushrooms (if using).

 When the onion is tender, return the beef to the pan (and all the juices from it).  (Transfer to a crockpot, if using.)  Then add in 2 cups of the beef broth.  Stir to combine, using the spoon to scrape up all the bits from the bottom of the pan.  Cover the pot & place in the oven. 

 Cook at 300 degrees, checking about every 1 1/2 hours or so.  Each time you check it, make sure you scrape the bottom & edges of the pot & stir to incorporate it.  (In a crock pot, I cook it on low for about 4 hours then on high for about 2 hrs.)

 The sauce will reduce into a thick gravy while cooking.  If it gets too thick, add more broth a little at a time, slowly while stirring to incorporate.  After about 3.5- 4 hours of cooking I added in about 2 more cups of broth.  Then covered & continue to cook.

   Cook it until the meat is so tender that it starts to fall apart.  I usually cook it for a total of 6 hours.

 When the meat is tender, remove the pan from the oven & place on a burner over low- medium heat.  (Low, if using a crockpot.)

 Add in the sour cream, the worcestershire sauce & the chopped parsley.  I didn't really measure how much sour cream or worcestershire sauce, I just added to taste.  Stir to incorporate & adjust your seasonings, if needed.

 Serve over top of egg noodles & garnish with a little fresh parsley. 

 Oh my goodness this is sooooooo good!!

This recipe is 6-8 servings.