From Scratch Short Rib Ragu

Braised short ribs is one of my favorite winter meals. While it cooks all afternoon the house smells amazing and of course it's quite tasty. There are several ways to make short ribs and this recipe is for a ragu. This meal is a commitment to active cooking, but worth every minute!


Ingredients:

Short ribs
Oil
Salt
Beef stock
Coffee
Tomatoes, diced
Homemade pasta
Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat oven to 250 degrees.

Using a french or dutch oven coat bottom with oil over medium heat. Lightly salt short ribs then brown on top and bottom. Add beef stock and coffee and bring liquid to level of short rib, but do not submerge. Cover and cook for four hours.

Meanwhile make your homemade pasta and hang to dry. I used the Pasta Bible and made garlic spaghetti noodles.

After four hours remove from oven and place short ribs on cutting board. Shred short rib meat and discard bones and tissue. Pour liquid into a fat separator or clear bowl. You want to use as much liquid as possible for your sauce and throw out the fat. Return meat and liquid then add diced tomatoes. Bring sauce to simmer. Cook your pasta to your preference and grate Parmesan cheese. Plate your pasta, top with ragu meat sauce, and sprinkle with cheese.

Perfect Salad for Chicken Wings

We had a couple friends over to watch the University of Texas game last night. My husband made his wing sauce a little spicy so the cucumber and blue cheese paired well. The guys even took seconds! Inspiration for this salad came from Kaleidoscope Pizza 's Rogue Ranch and Buffalo Bleu.

Ingredients:
Romaine lettuce, chopped
Red pepper, sliced thin
Carrot, sliced very thin
Cucumber, sliced very thin
French fried onions
Blue cheese, crumbled
Ranch dressing

I am not comfortable yet with my knife skills so I used the mandolin. I love French fried onions and think that are a nice substitute for croutons. Our favorite blue cheeses are from Rogue Creamery. For this recipe we used the smokey blue.

"Try it You'll Like it" Brussel Sprouts

I grew up thinking I didn't like beets or broccoli. As an adult I discovered I love them both thanks to my husband who makes me try everything at least once. Brussel sprouts have a bad reputation too. Some people think they smell bad cooking, but I sure don't. Plus, they are packed with nutrients and easy to prepare.

Ingredients:
Brussel sprouts
Butter
Salt

Directions:
Cut off the brownish white bottom of brussel sprout and peel away tough outer leaf. Cut the brussel sprout in half vertically. Boil water and steam sprouts until easily pierced with a fork. Coat saute pan with butter and just before it browns add the brussel sprouts. Allow brussel sprouts to brown slightly, but do not burn. Remove from heat and top with your favorite coarse salt.

Note: You can also roast or boil brussel sprouts. Some recipes mix in garlic or carrots or grated lemon rind. Find a preparation and combination you like and help the brussel sprout overcome its reputation!

Homemade Refrigerator Cookies

My parents are visiting this weekend and my Mom brought a few family cookbooks. My Grandmother wrote in the San Diego Gas & Electric Company cookbook, "Christmas Time is.... Cookie Time, Too" saying she made the Vanilla Refrigerator cookies often (and many variations) for neighbors and friends. My Grandmother picked up the cookbook sometime between 1959 and 1961 while my Grandpa was stationed in southern California.

We made a batch of cookies and they were gone before we could make a plate for our neighbors! I'm going to try the almond flavor next time. I have a feeling this recipe is going to become a staple as it was for my Mom growing up. I like the idea of making a big batch and then baking one dozen at a time as desired. It's the convenience of the grocery store refrigerator cookies with homemade taste and love.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar, or 1/2 cup each granulated and brown sugar, packed
1 egg
2 - 3 teaspoons vanilla or almond flavoring
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions:
Sift together first 3 ingredients. Mix, until creamy, shortening, sugar, egg and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture, nuts; mix well. Turn dough onto large piece of waxed paper. Shape into roll 2 inches in diameter. Chill several hours, overnight, or several weeks. Slice dough 1/8 inch - 1/4 inch thick. Slice off only what you need; return unsliced dough to refrigerator or freezer and bake later as needed. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes.

Cowboy Casserole

I was searching for another version of Cowboy Casserole and came across the cute blog Simply Texas.

We've lived in Texas for a little while now and I've learned a few things. The dish may classify as Texas Eats if it meets the following:

* More meat, more cheese
* Use what you have on hand
* Huge quantity
* Comfort food

Ingredients: 
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1/2 onion, diced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can RoTel tomatoes
Tortilla chips, crushed
Cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste
Shredded lettuce
Sour Cream
Franks Red Hot

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray medium size baking dish.

Season and cook ground beef and onions. Grate cheddar cheese. Drain and place in mixing bowl. Add cream of mushroom soup and Ro Tel tomatoes. Crush tortilla chips covering the bottom of the baking dish. Layer half of the meat mixture and top with cheese. Create another layer of crushed tortilla chips followed by  the remaining meat mixture and topped with cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Plate casserole and top with shredded lettuce, sour cream, and Franks Red Hot sauce, as desired.

Thank you BethanyJackson for sharing! Original recipe and photos: http://simplytexas.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/grieving-cowboy-casserole/

Breakfast Loves Banana Bread

Banana bread is always a crowd pleaser and it's fun to try variations. Plus, it's good for breakfast a couple days in a row! I have to say this is one of the best banana bread recipes I've made so it might become the tradition. The bread came out very moist and not too dense. Thank you to authors of The American Heritage Cookbook of 1964.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Grated rind of half a lemon
3/4 cup mashed ripe bananas
2 tablespoons commercial sour cream
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or macadamia nuts

Directions:
Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Work butter until soft, then work in sugar, a little at a time, until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, add the vanilla, grated lemon rind, and bananas. Stir in flour mixture alternatively with sour cream. Last of all, mix in the nuts. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for one hour or until a toothpick tested in the center comes out dry. Remove from pan and cool on a rack. Cut in thin slices to serve.

Grown-up Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

Grown-ups need comfort food once in a while too. Today felt like fall with cool temperatures and I was feeling a little homesick. This was a nice lunch to pair with an episode of Friday Night Lights on Netflix!

Grilled Cheese
Sourdough bread
Butter
Cheddar cheese
Roasted red pepper

Butter bread on both sides. Cut cheddar cheese slices thin. Layer cheddar cheese slice then roasted red pepper and another slice of cheddar on top. Grill in saute pan over medium heat until golden in each side.

Tomato Soup
Tomato soup
Milk
Garlic croutons
Black pepper

Make soup according to directions. I prefer the creamier version with milk instead of water. Garlic croutons make a nice substitution to crackers. Sprinkle with black pepper.

C is for Carrot Cake & Cream Cheese Icing

Carrots were a popular ingredient in baking when sweeteners were scarce or expensive. According to Wikipedia carrot cake was a novelty in the US in the 1960s and became a "fad food" in the 1970s. While flipping through our collection of cookbooks I noted many variations of carrot cake recipes to include pineapple or raisins, and mixture of nuts. I decided on a carrot oil cake and cream cheese icing from the Joy of Cooking of 1975.

Carrot Oil Cake Ingredients & Directions
One eight inch square pan
Have all ingredients about 70 degrees
Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Sift before measuring:

• 1 cup all purpose flour

Resift with:

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix together and add to flour, stirring well:

• 2/3 cup vegetable oil 
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 beaten eggs

Add and blend in well:

• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 1 1/2 cups grated carrots

Bake in a greased and floured pan about 30 minutes.

Cream Cheese Icing (makes about 3/4 cup)
Sift:

• 3/4 cup confectioners sugar

Work until soft and fluffy:

• 3 oz cream cheese
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cream or milk

Beat in the sugar gradually. Add:

• 1 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon or orange rind

Or: 

• 1 teaspoon vanilla and
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Or: 

• A good dash liqueur, lemon or orange juice and grated rind

Have it Your Way Hummus

Hummus is a nice dip with a change of pace. You can take a basic recipe and easily adjust to your taste or what you have on hand. This recipe was inspired by Ina Garten of the Food Network. I used natural peanut butter because I couldn't locate tahini at my grocery store. Whip up a batch and grab a few crackers!

Ingredients:
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup natural peanut butter
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons water or liquid from the chickpeas
1/2 cup roasted peppers

Directions: 
Place all ingredients in food processor or blender and process until the hummus is coarsely pureed. Taste, for seasoning, and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Link to Ina Garten's recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/hummus-recipe/index.html

No Fridge Needed Peasant Lunch

My husband has a schedule that is not condusive to a sit down lunch let alone use of a fridge or microwave. Eating out every day is expensive and gets old. This week we picked up items for him to take a peasant lunch.

Ginger ale
Bottle water
Prosciutto
Salami
Cheddar cheese
Parmesan cheese
Orange
Apple
French bread
Caramels 

If you'd like more ideas here is a good Chow Hound discussion on the topic: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/827677