Short Ribs Baby!!!! I'm Back! Again

 

I have to tell ya, cooking intrigues me.  There are just some things in my life that I just have to cook.  I may not every do it again but now I know that I have "been here done that".

I have a favorite blog, actually I am addicted to this blog.  Everyone that knows me knows I talk about this blog all the time.  Its called The Pioneer Women.  Ree Drummond is the author and has become a very close friend of mine.  She doesn't know it yet, but she is. 

I got into photography because of her.  Bought expensive cameras, because of her, took expensive classes, because of her, and am having the time of my life, because of her.

She cooks and takes photos of her steps, and now I have to do it all the time.  I have so many recipes that I have cataloged on my computer and the number of pictures, OH MY!  I have a lot.  I like to put recipes on my blog and have the photos to go with it.  My private desire is to be a food stylist and that takes a special eye something that takes time, but for now I am having fun!

I saw this recipe on her blog and wanted to try it as soon as I could.  Now, I know people just don't have short ribs in their freezer (except for me) and I am was not a fan of short ribs, until just the other day......

We went out to dinner in Vegas with my family and Andy ordered short ribs that were on the special menu of the day.  I thought "Yuck".  I ordered the salmon.  Well, when it got there I thought "Hey that looks good, then looked at it again and thought, "I am going to need to try that" as Andy was cutting this rib meat with a fork.  I asked him for  a bite and bit into HEAVEN!!! Oh my it was incredible!!!  The tenderness, the intense flavor, I ended up eating his dinner! (Good thing he likes salmon).

How does something like that happen?  How can I make something that incredible?!!!  After a lot of research, I finally found out tried it last night and all I can say is Come to Momma!!!! LUUUVE this recipe and Ree helped me make it happen.

I HIGHLY recommend this for you to make, take my tips to heart, I have seen the light and OH BOY!!!!!

I had some short ribs in the freezer as I said earlier.  We like to buy a half of  cow from a butcher we LOVE in Barstow, named Purdy's.  The owners name is Tommy and he is such a nice guy, that is for another story.  I found him because of my pigs I used to own, that is for another story, too.  Jeanine, stay on track...Ok...  Anyway, our best friends bought the other half of the cow and didn't know what to do with "short ribs" and gave them to us, (see the label, thanks Daryl).  The way Tommy wraps his packages the meat stays for a LONG time.  He triple wraps them and doubles the butcher paper.

For Christmas, my BIL gave Andy a Le Creuset Dutch Oven.  What was really funny, is we bought him the EXACT same one color and all for his Christmas present!  Now I am addicted to this dutch oven.  I have a few pieces of Le Creuset and they are an investment, but you can hand these down to your children and their children and their children.  They will last FOREVER!  I like going on EBAY and looking at the vintage ones and just dream of having a kitchen filled with all the colors and sizes, one day.... Jeanine, stay on track...OK

 The recipe and directions follow:

2 Packages of Short Ribs ( if you don't know where they are, ask the butcher, he knows)
1/2 pound of bacon
2 Tsp of canola oil
Flour
1 medium onion  diced
3 medium carrots diced
1 package of Lipton Onion Soup mix

2 cups red wine
2 cups beef broth
 

Here we go!

Now I like to time how long sometime takes me from start to finish, however, it really isn't accurate because of the picture taking.  For a meal I may take up to 75 pictures and the editing takes me FOREVER. That is why some of my recipes haven't made it to my blog.

Time:  You will want to make this on a day that you are home, kickin back, playing on the computer, listening to music with nothing that you have to do....other than smell it's goodness while it cooks.

Preheat the oven to 350:

Here is the package.....

Here they are once opened:

 They were HUGE compared to what the store sells, they were as large as my hand!

I let them get to room temperature and get the rest of the goodies out.

I have pepper bacon, I had bits and pieces on hand that I got to make pinto beans (another post another time) I LUUVE pepper bacon! 

Take a half a pound and cut them up in small pieces and put them into your preheated dutch oven on top of the stove. By the way, did I tell you this was a one pot meal?  Yeah!

Cook the bacon until all the fat is rendered and the bacon is almost cooked all the way, don't cook it too high or you will burn the fat.  Remove the bacon and put aside.

When the bacon is cooking, I salt and pepper the short ribs and dredged them in flour.

 
See how big these ribs are?  WOW!

Now I have a confession to make, flour is my nemesis.  Truly, just like paint.  It doesn't matter how careful I am, I get flour (and paint) everywhere!!!!! In my hair, in my shoe, don't get me started on how it gets on my plants, (still have no idea).  It just does.  You should have seen my camera, Andy is sill laughing.  Jeanine..stay on track....OK..


I then add the canola oil and each of the Flintstones ribs to sear, about 60 seconds on each side.  This is an important step because you want to lock in the goodness of the meat and the bits that will be on the bottom just adds more flavor and flavor is where its at baby!

I remove the ribs then added the diced carrots and onions to saute, just until they are soft.

I tell you at this part to add the RED wine.  I took a bottle out of the wine cooler and was excited about opening this bottle, I have had this for a while and wanted to keep it for  a special occasion, and what more of a special occasion than this dish, open her up, I say! 

Listen when I say to you it is the utmost importance to make sure EVERYTHING is fresh and good before you use it, so I strongly suggest you take a sip of the wine, not only for good luck and to give thanks for such a bounty but to make CERTAIN the wine is good.  (See the lengths I go to, someone has to it might as well be me).  Cheers to me as I take a swig out of the bottle.  Oh my! UGGGGG!  The wine had turned and I turn and spit it out in the sink!  Am I sure, stupidly I take another swig.  UGGGGG again!  Pour the WHOLE bottle down the drain, YUCK!  Well there went my only bottle of red, desperate measures now, I take a bottle of white and use it, again take a swig of out this one, YUM ok another one just to make sure YUM again, alright one more for good measure as I giggle to myself, good thing it is after 12PM, it's 5 o'clock somewhere in the world. Right?

I poured 2 cups into the pot and then added some homemade beef broth that I had made a while ago.  Deep rich dark ummmmmm....and added that.











I decided to add the onion mix at the end just for more intense onion flavor.  I am normally a purist when it comes to cooking but I wanted intense flavor.

Scrape the bottom of the pot to remove all the bits and caramelized goodness!  Oh my mouth is watering writing this out!

I now added the short ribs and made sure that they were completely covered, if not add more liquid, wine (remember to taste it first again, you now, just to make  it is still good).more broth or even water.

I waited until it all came up to a slow boil and added the bacon I had removed earlier, does it get  any better than this?

Put the top on it and into the oven it went!

I let it cook for 2 hours on 350 and then 325 for another hour.

Personal note:  It ran me out of the house an hour and a half due to the incredible smell.  You should have heard Andy again and again "I can't believe how hungry I am!"  over and over, it was quite funny.

I took it out and let it sit for about 20 minutes.  In the meantime I made fresh mashed potatoes (out of my pressure cooker, that is another one of my favorite tools).

Took a big spoonful of potatoes, added a rib on top of the pile (you may want to put three ribs on yours) and then put the gravy over it, WOW the presentation was OUT OF THIS WORLD!

The taste, can't even put into words how these just melted in your mouth!  Gift from God I tell you!!!!

You may want to have some warm  bread to go with this, that is on another one of my posts.

  MAN oh Man!

Drop me a line and let me now of your experience in making these!

Deep Fried Jalapenos! Second Recipe

My husband and I were at Hooters, and yes I do go there for their chicken wings! We were with my sister and B-I-L and we ordered these little golden goodies.

To start, I love hot food, but not hot food to burn me, I like the taste not the burn! So, I loved these so much I came home and tried these the next week. I am (very lazily) making a spicy cookbook and it will be done hopefully not in long in the future, I said that last year, but getting it done is a lot harder than saying it.

Let me know what you think, remember to wash your hands after handling the peppers, there was a time that I cut jalapenos then wiped my eye......

INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 eggs
1 cup beer
1/2 quart vegetable oil
2 cups sliced jalapeno peppers


DIRECTIONS
Mix flour, salt, pepper, red chili powder, garlic powder, eggs, and beer together in a bowl.
In a deep fryer, or large pot heat oil to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C). (Or until it bubbles when you add the first jalapeno)
Dip the sliced jalapenos in the batter. Place battered jalapenos in deep fryer. The jalapenos are fully cooked when they float to the surface of the oil. They should be golden brown and crispy.

P.S. they are REALLY good served with Melted Nacho cheese!

I am all over the place on this blog...... Cabbage and Leeks in Cream

Remember a couple of posts ago, I wrote that I wanted to start putting on recipes? Well I decided what a better time than right now! I looked at my calender and saw that St. Patricks Day was on the 17th, which is only 12 days from now! You ask, do I celebrate St. Patty's Day, only when it comes to food. Give me any holiday and I will think of a meal to go with it, Halloween ='s chili, Easter ='s Ham, Cinco de Mayo='s Tacos, My Birthday ='s crab, 4th of July ='s ribs, see it's that easy!

So, on the 17th when everyone is eating Corned Beef, I do as well, (my findings will be on another post) what do you serve with it? Cabbage of course, but how blah!!!!!! I found the most incredible recipe from a cookbook my sister sent to me years ago. Actually, of all the hundred's of cookbooks I own, this is one of my favorite's. It is called the Greenbrier Cookbook from the Greenbrier Hotel in West Virginia. I love cookbooks that have history, stories, pictures and of course, great recipes! I made this not knowing the incredible flavor it would have and the requests I have for the recipes is so much I have them on note cards to give to my guests when they ask (which is every time).

Simple but elegant: Here is my gift to you for St. Patrick's Day:

Savoy Cabbage and Leeks in Cream
(Don't worry I don't know what Savoy cabbage is either, I just used regular cabbage, just as good)

1 medium head Savoy Cabbage (1 1/2 pounds), cored, and tough outer leaves discarded
1 1/2 Ounces Bacon (about 3 strips) cut into 1/2" strips
5 Medium Leeks (2pounds) whit part only, split and cut into 1/2" slices
3/4 cup Chicken Broth, preferably homemade
3/4 cup of heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Few drops of lemon juice

Separate the cabbage leaves. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the leaves by boiling them for about 2 minutes. Drain, then refresh under cold running water and pat dry with paper towel. Stack several leaves together and roll them up like a cigar and slice crosswise into 1/4" strips.

In a large saucepan, cook the bacon strips over medium heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is almost crispy, 3-4 minutes. Drain off most of the fat leaving 2 tablespoons. Add the sliced leeks to the bacon and saute over medium high heat, stirring until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.

Add the cabbage and saute for another minute, stirring to combine the ingredients. Add the stock, season with salt and pepper, cover and simmer, stirring frequently, until the leeks and cabbage are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the lid, add the cream and simmer uncovered another 10-15 minutes to reduce the cream until slightly thickened. (The mixture should be very creamy, but not runny). Add a few drops of lemon juice, taste, and correct seasoning.

Serve hot.

Now, in regards to the leeks, it took me until this recipe before I tackled these unknown things. What are they? Huge onions, well in a form, yes. So, I took these aliens home, cut them like they said and thought, "wait a minute, I remember something about sand and dirt being in them from the Food Channel". Good thing I remembered that, so I soaked them and boy the dirt and sand that came off of them!!! Please do this because your side dish is not to have crunchies in them! Make sure you swish them when they are soaking and rinse thoroughly!

Let me know your thoughts on the recipe once you make it, I promise this will be a favorite of yours and it makes you look really good!

Well I did it, I posted my first recipe, yea for me!