Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

These short ribs are out of this world!  So delicious and as good or better than any I've had at a restaurant.  Plus, its so much cheaper to make them at home! (Especially if you stock up on short ribs when they go on sale at your local grocery store).  This recipe is another one of those beautiful fall/winter braising recipes, where you do a little browning and then let the oven take over and do the rest.  I made this for company and it was a total hit!  My children loved it too.  I chose to serve this with some simple mashed potatoes along side some roasted brussel sprouts and asparagus.  I hope you give this one a try!

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
my recipe was based on http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/beer-braised-short-ribs-mario-batali only I used red wine instead of beer
4 lbs bone-in beef short ribs (cut into pieces - let your butcher do this)
salt & pepper
olive oil
2 carrots, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 1/2 cups of good quality red wine (I used a Merlot, but as long as its good enough to drink, you are good to go!)
2 cups tomato sauce (I used 2 - 8 oz cans)
1 cup beef stock
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
1/2 bunch fresh rosemary
1/2 bunch fresh oregano

Preheat your oven to 275 degrees. In a large oven proof dish, (such as a dutch oven), brown the short ribs on all sides in a couple tablespoons of olive oil.  You may have to do this in batches, as you won't get a good brown if you overcrowd the pan.  Once you have them browned (not cooked through at this point), remove them from the pan and pout out any remaining fat. 

Now its time for the veggies.  Cut the carrots, celery and onions into equal size pieces.  I left mine rather large because I like them that way, but either way is fine. 

In the same pot, (after browning the short ribs), saute the veggies for 3-5 minutes in 1-2 T of olive oil.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Add the garlic and stir until the garlic is fragrant.

Add the red wine to the vegetables and deglaze the pan. 

Allow the red wine to come to a simmer and continue to cook until it has reduced by half.  (Should look something like the picture below.)

Once the wine has reduced, add the tomato sauce and stock.  Stir until well combined and bring it back to a boil. 

Add the fresh herbs, (thought I would include a picture so you could see approximately how much I used - the stem and all!), and put the short ribs back in.

Place the entire pot in the oven at 275 for 3-4 hours or until the short ribs are falling off the bone.   Here is the after picture...

At this point, I poured most of the liquid into a fat separator I have so that I could enjoy all the juices poured over my mashed potatoes without all of the fat.  Genius invention!  You can actually see all of the fat sitting at the top (kind of gross, but nice to know that we won't be eating that).

And look at all those delicious short ribs and veggies!  The veggies are so flavorful too.  Cooked carrots are not my favorite, but I couldn't get enough of these. 

Serve with your favorite sides with some extra cooking liquid (gravy) poured over the top.  Enjoy!!!

Roasted Chicken with Mushrooms and Artichokes

This recipe is so yummy!  Restaurant quality and so simple, even the beginner chef can make this one.  Don't be intimidated - the hardest part is done by the oven.  No browning, and very little prep, this can be thrown together in less than 10 minutes, leaving the oven to do the rest of the work.  I made this for my parents and they were raving.  And I gave the leftovers to my reluctant husband for lunch, (after he returned from his business trip), and he commented on how great it was!  I'm telling you, this is a winner!  A great recipe for the fall/winter dinner rotation.  

If you want to cut down on some fat and calories, you can take the skin off the chicken, but the bone does provide a lot of flavor.  I'm sure you could make it with boneless, skinless thighs and/or breasts too, if that's what you would prefer.  Either way, those are all options.  Hope you give it a try today!

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Roasted Chicken with Mushrooms and Artichokes
based on a recipe from The Chew and
http://www.staceysnacksonline.com/2012/06/chews-baked-artichoke-chicken.html
4 lbs. chicken breasts and thighs, bone -in w/ skin (I cut the breasts in half and trim off the excess fat and skin)
1 cup canned artichoke hearts, quartered
1 medium onion, cut into pieces same size as the artichokes
1 pound white button mushrooms (halved or quartered)
2 T dijon mustard
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup red or white wine (you could also substitute chicken stock)
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried tarragon
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375.   Lightly grease a large baking dish (I used my 13x9 inch pan because it is the largest I have).   Layer the onions, mushrooms, and artichokes on the bottom of the pan. 

Place the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables.

Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a large measuring cup or a small bowl.

Use a whisk or fork to help the mustard emulsify the sauce. 

Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables and finally season the top of the chicken with any additional salt and pepper to taste.

Bake at 375 for 1.5-2 hours, basting every 30 minutes or so.  This long cooking process helps the chicken to just fall off the bone.  No worries about overcooking - the sauce and basting process keeps it moist and the skin still gets crispy (if you choose to keep the skin on).

Serve immediately with your favorite sides, and some additional artichokes, mushrooms, and sauce from the pan.

I served mine with some roasted sweet potatoes and butternut squash, along with an arugula, beet, and goat cheese salad.  So yummy!  Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

My family LOVES pancakes!!!  We try to make pancakes every weekend - the kids help me measure the ingredients and making them yourself is simple, affordable, and delicious.  Plus there are no preservatives or additives like the boxed mix you get at the store.  We can whip our pancakes together in less than 10 minutes (and that is with toddlers helping - I can do it in less than 5 if its just me).  I usually make a whole wheat buttermilk recipe, but this time we really wanted to try out pumpkin pancakes.  My son was so excited to make these!  And they were a huge hit!  All those warm fall spices you find in apple pies and pumpkin breads rolled up in your pancake.  Yummy!  We served ours with some real maple syrup (and some nitrate free bacon because we LOVE bacon) but I'm sure it would be delicious with warm homemade chunky applesauce too.  I hope you give them a try and enjoy them as much as we did.

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes
my recipe was inspired by www.motherthyme.com/2011/09/whole-wheat-pumpkin-pancakes.html
1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
3 tsp baking powder
2 T sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (I only had apple pie spice, so I used 1 1/4 tsp of that along with 1/4 tsp of ginger - use what you have, but pumpkin pie spice is just primarily cinnamon with nutmeg and ginger added)
1 1/4 cups of buttermilk
1 cup of pumpkin puree
1 large egg, beaten
2 T of oil (I used olive oil, but any oil is fine)

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, including the spices and sugar, until well combined.  I always like to use a whisk.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, oil, and pumpkin puree. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. 

Preheat a large greased skillet or griddle (mine is a panini maker/griddle), using cooking spray, butter, or oil or your choice.  Pour desired amount of batter and spread it out (the batter is thick).   Flip the pancakes when tiny bubbles start to from around the edges.

Serve immediately as is...

or with your favorite pancake topping, such as syrup pictured below.  Enjoy!!!

Fall Roasted Vegetable Salad with Lentils and Arugula

This is the quintessential fall recipe, at least in my opinion.  A celebration of some of my favorite fall vegetables that can be eaten as a main meal or paired with your favorite protein, such as roasted salmon.  This is a power packed salad full of vitamins and minerals and it is so yummy that I cannot wait to eat the leftovers the next day.  And it has become a frequently requested recipe by friends and family visiting for lunch or dinner.  Not only is this recipe really delicious, it is fast to put together, especially if you purchase pre-cut vegetables, (I like to save money and cut the veggies myself, and I can still put this together in less than 30 minutes, not including the roasting time for the veggies).  I hope you give it a try!

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Fall Roasted Vegetables with Lentils and Arugula
recipes based on the version below
http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/thanksgiving-daphne-oz-roasted-autumn-vegetables-lentils
1 pkg of pre-cooked lentils (I get mine from trader Joe's, but you can always make your own - you'll need about 2-3 cups of cooked lentils)
3 T apple cider vinegar
4 T olive oil
1 T dijon mustard
salt & pepper to taste
1 pkg of baby arugula (8-9oz)
1 pound of brussel sprouts, cut in half or quartered, depending on size
 3-4 carrots, roughly chopped so that veggies are about the same size (about 2 cups)
1 butternut squash, cubed so that the cubes are about the same size as carrots and brussel sprouts (about 3 cups)
an additional 2-4 T of olive oil and salt & pepper to taste for roasting veggies

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and grease a large cookie sheet (or two) with cooking spray or olive oil.  Cut up your veggies and toss them with a light drizzle of olive oil and salt & pepper to taste.   Roast at 400 for 30-50 minutes or until tender and browned.  The cooking time will depend on the size you cut them.

In the meantime, mix together a dressing for your lentils.  Using a whisk, combine the olive oil, vinegar, and dijon mustard.  Add the lentils and stir with a large spoon until well combined.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  The pre-cooked lentils are already salted, but if you make your own then you may need to add more salt.   At this point, I like to add one or two handfuls of the arugula and combine with the dressed lentils. 

Once the veggies are done, it is time to assemble your salad.  If you are serving this dish to a crowd, you can use a large serving platter.  Layer the remaining arugula first, then the lentil/arugula mixture, and last the veggies on top.  I like to leave it decomposed, but if you can combine the lentil/arugula mixture with the veggies if you choose and then serve that over the remaining arugula.  Either way, it is so good!!!

I think I'll go make some more right now...enjoy!!!

Easy Crockpot Beef and Broccoli

This recipe is absolutely the easiest "take-out-at-home" recipe I've ever made and definitely the most delicious!  If you like beef and broccoli, then this is a must try!!!  The crockpot makes it so simple - there is no way that you can mess this one up.  It was a big hit in our house and much healthier than ordering from your favorite take-out place. 

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Crockpot Beef and Broccoli
recipe from http://www.bsrecipe.blogspot.com/2012/04/crock-pot-beef-and-broccoli.html 
1 pound boneless beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips
1 cup beef broth or stock
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 T sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
If you want to thicken up the sauce, use 2 T cornstarch and 2 T cooled sauce from the crock pot after being cooked.  This step is not necessary, but it will give you that thick sauce like you would get at an Asian restaurant - it is delicious as is!
Fresh broccoli florets (as many as desired, I used 1 package of pre-cut florets, about 3 cups)
Hot cooked brown rice

Place beef on the bottom of a crockpot.  In a small bowl, combine beef stock, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, and garlic.  Pour the sauce over beef and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Here is the after picture (I forgot to snap a before).

In a cup, stir cornstarch and sauce form the crock pot until smooth. Add to crock pot.  Stir well to combine.  (Again, you can skip this step entirely and just have a thinner sauce.)

At this point you also want to add the broccoli to the crock pot.  Stir again to combine.

Cover and cook an additional 30- 60 minutes on high, or until the broccoli has reached the desired consistency.

Serve immediately over rice, (at this point, if you added the cornstarch and the sauce isn't thick enough for your taste, then transfer the liquid to a sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat until desired consistency).   This is so yummy!  No leftovers in our house - the family scarfed it all down.  I hope you like ti as much as we did!

Crockpot Beer Brats with Onions and Sauerkraut

My family loves a good sausage sandwich every now and then, and we don't discriminate - we love the German sausage, Polish sausage, Italian sausage.  And what a great game day food - there is nothing better than a fresh brat cooked in beer and topped with some good sauerkraut and German mustard (at least we think so). 

This recipe is so simple and very good.  I would double or triple it to feed a crowd.  My husband and I ate most of it ourselves. :)  I served this with some sauteed kale.  Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Crockpot Beer Brats with Onions and Sauerkraut
my version of the recipe was based on http://allrecipes.com/recipe/on-wisconsin-beer-brats/ 
1 pound of fresh brats (fresh brats are not smoked and are raw...not pre-cooked like most smoked sausages)
2 cans or bottles of light beer
2 onions, sliced
1 cup of sauerkraut, drained and rinsed (I used the kind found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store, not the canned version)
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 T brown sugar
fresh rolls to serve brats on
your favorite mustard

In the bottom of your crockpot, mix together the beer and brown sugar until the sugar is mostly dissolved.  Add the onion, garlic, sauerkraut and combine.  Then add the brats on top of everything and cook on high for 4 hours, stirring every hour if you can. 

Serve immediately as is, or you can throw the brats on the grill (as I did) to add some grill marks.  So yummy!  Enjoy!!!

Crockpot Creamy Vegetable and Wild Rice Soup - dairy & fat free!!!

I love making soups, stews, and braised meats during the fall and winter season.  But sometimes these can be full of heavy cream or butter and flour to create that thick, comforting, creamy style soup or stew.  No more my friends!

For years my father has been ahead of the game.  Not because he is particularly health conscious, but because he was looking to make the most flavorful gravy's, soups, and stews without all the drippings that can make you physically ill.  He has been blending the cooked veggies from the recipes in the blender with fresh herbs and stock or broth to create thick, creamy, flavorful sauces or bases to your soup/stew.  Genius!  And that is exactly what this recipe does.  Does it taste like the full-fat cream of vegetable soup you find in restaurants?  Not exactly, but I don't really expect it to taste exactly like it. It's practically fat free!!!  However, tt is still extremely satisfying and I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything!  My husband, parents, kids, and others who have tried this recipe agree - this is an amazingly easy, healthy soup and a great way to eat more veggies without even realizing it.  And since it is so low in calories and fat, feel free to sprinkle a little cheddar cheese on top.

I hope you try this recipe and apply the technique to other creamy soups like cream of broccoli, creamy potato, etc.  Enjoy!!!

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Crockpot Creamy Vegetable and Wild Rice Soup
recipe based on http://fatfreevegan.com/blog/2010/04/05/creamy-vegetable-wild-rice-soup/
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 heads cauliflower, chopped into 1″ pieces
stock or broth (any kind) to cover vegetables
1 1/2 cups of cooked wild rice
4 carrots, chopped
2 cups broccoli, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
salt and black pepper to taste
chopped scallions and/or shredded cheddar for serving (optional)

In your crockpot, add onion, garlic and 1 stalk celery (chopped) and add enough chicken, turkey, beef, or vegetable broth or stock to come up at least half way up.  You can always add more later if you want a thinner soup.   Cook on high for 4-6 hours or until the vegetables are tender (you can't over cook the veggies and I did stir it once and a while since I was home, but that is not necessary).   It'll look like this:

While cauliflower is simmering, steam carrots, celery and broccoli in a separate pot or in microwave.
Once cauliflower is tender, use immersible blender or pour soup in batches into a regular blender. Blend until creamy.

Add steamed vegetables and rice to the creamed soup. Add black pepper to taste.

Serve immediately.   I like to top mine with chopped scallions and the kids love to add shredded cheese.  Leftovers are good in the fridge for 3-5 days or you can freeze them in individual servings for a cold day in the near future.  Enjoy!!!

Week 44 - adjustments (again)

I am calling this post "adjustments" for a number of reasons...

My parents left today to head back to their home after a week long visit - always a hard adjustment for me.  I am completely spoiled by having TWO extra sets of hands during the day to help with the kids, housework, cooking, etc.  The week after they leave is usual an adjustment period for me not having the extra help and for the kids of not having them around. 

Of course my parents leaving also means that my husband is back from his business trip, so we are all happy to have him home safe and sound.   The kids are usually very clingy to daddy when he returns, the littlest one wanting to make sure he doesn't leave again.

Speaking of the littlest one...OMG!  That's the nicest thing I can say right now.  She is just a handful in many ways, and the last few weeks or so have been particularly tough.  Not only is she trying to transition from 2 naps to 1, (she is 20 months now), she is also acting up more.  Her tantrums are displays of independence are ridiculous.  It makes for a long day.

So as we go through these adjustments, some resolving themselves faster than others, I'm taking each day at a time.  I love cooking and sharing my recipes with you, my readers.  But sometimes life circumstances do not allow you the time you need to do those things.  I have about 15 recipes on hold, pictures ready for me to share when life allows.  So please be patient and know that good things are coming. 

This week is another busy one with a few late nights for my hubby and a couple evening events for myself.  Below you will find my weekly meal plan, along with any links to the recipes that have inspired me.  I hope that you have a wonderful week! 

Happy Cooking!
Sarah

Week 44 - November 3, 2013

Sunday- leftovers

Monday- parent/teacher advisory board meeting at my son's preschool (they provide dinner and childcare so no cooking tonight!)

Tuesday- international night:  tacos with broccoli and green salad
http://deliciouslydomesticdining.blogspot.com/2013/02/baked-tacos.html

Wednesday- chicken creation: chicken with spinach parmigiana roll-ups, whole grain pasta, salad

Thursday- soup/salad night: kielbasa and kale soup (yes, this was on my menu last week but we had too many leftovers to eat)
http://farmflavor.com/kielbasa-and-kale-soup/

Friday- pizza and family movie night:  make your own pizza at home, using mini bagels, english muffins, or whatever I have leftover from the week

Saturday- chicken and biscuit pot pie
http://www.smells-like-home.com/2012/11/chicken-and-biscuits-pot-pie/