Braised Short Ribs

Here is a sure fire good idea for weekend entertaining. Braised short ribs with mushrooms...

INGREDIENTS:

8 short ribs (12 ounces each), trimmed and tied by a butcher

8 shallots

11 cloves garlic

1/4 cup tomato paste

6 ounces pancetta, diced

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cognac or brandy

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups red wine

1/4 ounce dried porcini mushrooms

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

10 ounces oyster mushrooms, trimmed

10 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and halved


DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Bring the short ribs to room temperature. Meanwhile, pulse the shallots, 10 cloves garlic and the tomato paste in a food processor to make a paste. Cook the pancetta in a large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. Transfer the pancetta and all but 2 tablespoons drippings to a bowl.

Add the shallot mixture to the pot and cook, stirring, until brown, about 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add 1/2 cup cognac, scraping up the browned bits. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, about 5 more minutes. Gradually stir in the wine until smooth. Add the porcini, thyme, bay leaves and 11/2 teaspoons salt.

Season the short ribs with salt and pepper, place in the pot and add water to cover. Trim a piece of parchment paper so that it rests on the surface of the meat. Cover the pot with the lid and transfer to the oven. Cook until the meat is fork-tender, about 3 hours.

Remove the meat from the sauce and transfer to a plate. Set the sauce aside, about 10 minutes, then skim off the fat. (If the sauce is thick, add a splash of water.) Discard the bay leaves, season the sauce with salt and pepper and add the remaining 2 tablespoons cognac. Return the short ribs to the sauce and keep warm over low heat.

Chop the remaining 1 clove garlic, then mash with 1/2 teaspoon salt using the flat side of a knife; add the parsley and chop. Heat the pancetta and the reserved drippings in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oyster and cremini mushrooms and cook until brown, about 10 minutes. Toss in the parsley mixture. Untie the short ribs, divide among plates and top with the sauce and mushrooms.


This is a great meal for a few friends gathering over your house to watch the game Sunday...Unless you live in a city where your team has a bye week. It's still a great meal!

Enjoy!

Spaghetti with Quick Meat Sauce

Everybody who knows me knows that I love Italian food...It's nice to find a recipe for something that you love that is also heart healthy too... Here it is...Spaghetti with Quick Meat Sauce..Check it out-

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound(s) whole-wheat spaghetti

2 teaspoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 large carrot, finely chopped

1 stalk(s) celery, finely chopped

4 clove(s) garlic, minced

1 tablespoon(s) Italian seasoning

1 pound(s) lean (90% or leaner) ground beef

1 can(s) (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup(s) chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/2 teaspoon(s) salt

1/2 cup(s) Kraft's grated Parmesan cheese


DIRECTIONS:

1.Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain.

2.Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is beginning to brown, 5 to 8 minutes.

3.Stir in garlic and Italian seasoning; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beef and cook, stirring and breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Increase heat to high. Stir in tomatoes and cook until thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in parsley and salt.

4.Serve the sauce over the pasta, sprinkled with cheese.

Serve with steamed broccoli and garlic bread. The recipe makes enough for 8 servings.

Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable, 2 lean meat Carbohydrate Servings: 3 Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (49% daily value), Zinc (34% dv), Iron (26% dv), Vitamin C (23% dv), Magnesium (21% dv), Potassium (19% dv).
This is a main-course option that is good for your heart. This quick, heart-healthy recipe has just 5 grams or less of saturated fat per serving. Plus this has ingredients that is great for your overall health. Serve this with one or more of the heart-healthy side dishes I mentioned above.

Enjoy!

Happy New Years Hoppin John!

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYBODY! You know you have to have your Black eyed peas for good luck.....What better way to have them , than in a nice bowl of that southern delicacy, Hop N John.

Here is my recipe-

INGREDIENTS:

•1 pound dried black-eyed peas

•2 small smoked ham hocks or meaty ham bone

•2 medium onions, divided

•3 large cloves garlic, halved

•1 bay leaf

•1 cup long-grain white rice or yellow rice

•1 can (10 to 14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with chile peppers, juices reserved

•1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

•1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

•3 ribs celery, chopped

•1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, minced

•2 teaspoons Cajun or Creole seasoning

•1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

•3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

•3/4 teaspoon salt

•4 green onions, sliced


DIRECTIONS:


1.In a large Dutch oven or kettle, combine the black-eyed peas, ham bone or ham hocks, and 6 cups water. Cut 1 of the onions in half and add it to the pot along with the garlic and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently until the beans are tender but not mushy, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove the ham bone or hocks, cut off the meat; dice and set aside. Drain the peas and set aside. Remove and discard the bay leaf, onion pieces, and garlic.

2.Add 2 1/2 cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the rice, cover, and simmer until the rice is almost tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.

3.Mince the remaining onion then add to the rice along with the peas, tomatoes, and their juices, red and green bell pepper, celery, jalapeno pepper, Creole seasoning, thyme, cumin, and salt. Cook until the rice is tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the sliced green onions and the reserved diced ham. Serve with hot sauce and freshly baked cornbread.

Enjoy!

Pot Roast During The Snowstorm!

Okay,so you're snowed in....but you were one of the smart ones who did all of your grocery shopping before the big Nor-easter....Here is a great recipe for a nice dinner for two or more on a cold and snowy day like today!

INGREDIENTS:

1 (3 to 4-pound) boneless bottom round roast

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 yellow onions, peeled and quartered

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 cup red wine

2 cups beef stock

2 fresh thyme sprigs

2 bay leaves

3 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

Freshly chopped parsley leaves, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


2.Season the roast on all sides with salt and pepper.


3.In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the vegetable oil and sear the roast on all sides. Add the onions, garlic and tomato paste and cook until slightly colored. Add the wine, stock, thyme and bay leaves. Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover, and place in the oven.


4.Roast for 1 1/2 hours and then add the carrots. Continue to cook for 1 more hour. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Slice and place on a serving platter. Skim the fat off the braising liquid and serve with the roast. Garnish with parsley.

And there you have it...a nice mouth watering pot roast. Hopefully it will make you forget that the football game was postponed for two days because of the snow and that you can't go anywhere and nobody can come to see you! Oh well.....enjoy!

Merry Christmas!!! (Enjoy)

Enjoy! Don't overeat and most of all, remember the real reason for the season!

A Crunch Time Appetizer

At sometime this holiday weekend you're going to be entertaining friends during the Football game or a slew of NBA games that are scheduled for Christmas Day and the entire weekend. Want to really impress your friends...Try something new..Deli select wrapped pickles with cream cheese... This is an apetizer....Not the main course...but it will get you started....Check it out.

INGREDIENTS-

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 pkg. ranch dressing seasoning mix, dry

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 cup green onion, chopped

3 Tbsp. red pepper, chopped

1 (6-oz.) pkg. Hillshire Farm® Deli Select Pastrami

5 dill pickle spears, sliced in half, lengthwise

1 (6-oz.) pkg. Hillshire Farm Deli Select Turkey

9 (6-inch long) pretzel rods


DIRECTIONS

1.In a small bowl, combine first 4 ingredients. Blend with hand mixer until smooth. Add green onions and red pepper; stir until well blended.

2.Stack 2 slices of pastrami on top of each other. Spread 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture over the slices. Roll the pickle spears in the slices.

3.In the same manner, roll pretzel rods in turkey slices spread with the cream cheese mixture. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours prior to serving.

Yield: about 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes or less

Cook Time: no time at all

People will be talking about your unique apetizer for weeks....Enjoy!