Short Ribs with Wine and Cream

Sometimes I see a recipe and know immediately that my hubby will love it. This was the case when I came across Pioneer Woman's Short Ribs with Wine and Cream. I took one look at the ribs simmered in wine and cream sauce, served over a bed of mushrooms and knew hubby would be a very happy man if I made them for him. Of course, I was right. He loved the tender short ribs with the earthy flavor from the mushrooms. This way to prepare short ribs is definitely a winner.

Short Ribs with Wine and Cream
From Pioneer Woman (Modified for 4 servings instead of 6)
**This recipe takes 3 hours so plan accordingly!!** 
Printable Version
Ingredients 
8 whole Short Ribs
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup red wine 
24 ounces Beef Broth or Beef Stock
2 tablespoons minced fresh Rosemary
1 1/2 tablespoons grainy mustard
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons capers
14 ounces assorted mushrooms: Cremini, Oyster, Baby Bellas
2 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil for drizzling


Directions

Heat olive oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Sprinkle short ribs on both sides with salt and pepper. Quickly sear the short ribs, about 1 1/2 minutes per side, and flip them halfway through. Remove to a plate. Pour wine and beef stock into the pot. Add rosemary and stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze. Return the short ribs to the pot and reduce heat to low. 

Cover the pot and simmer for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. After they have cooked carefully remove the short ribs from the pot again. Stir in mustard, cream, and capers, then raise the heat and allow it gently boil or a couple a minutes or until sauce has thickened. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Return the short ribs to the sauce, put on the lid, and turn off the heat. 

To roast the mushrooms preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the mushrooms in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and salt an pepper, then add in garlic and toss with your hands to gently coat. Roast mushrooms until golden brown, about 15 - 20 minutes. Serve the short ribs on top of the mushrooms then an extra scoop of cream and wine sauce. 

Beef with Peppers

In my almost three years of marriage I think I have finally determined that my husband will be one happy man if I make him anything that involves cilantro OR beef. Put the two together and he will be in heaven. So when I saw Pioneer Woman's Beef with Peppers I knew it would be an instant winner with hubby. I was right. This dish is definitely Asian inspired, with Chinese style noodles, dressed with soy sauce, sherry, ginger, garlic, and red chili flakes. It's a flavor profile both hubby and I really enjoy. If you don't like beef, you could substitute chicken or even tofu in this dish. It's a vibrant stir fry with lots of layers of flavors. Once again, Pioneer Woman comes through. 

Beef with Peppers
From Pioneer Woman
Serves 4 
Printable Version


Ingredients
1 pound flank steak, sliced very thin against the grain 
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, sliced 
1 red bell pepper, sliced
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (use more or less depending on your liking)
2 packages chinese noodles, boiled, drained, and cooled

Directions
Whisk together the soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, and chili flakes. Take about 1/4 of the sauce and pour into a small bowl to reserve for cooking. Pour the rest of the sauce over the sliced beef and toss to coat. Set aside and allow to marinate. 

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. When it is very hot, throw in the onions and cook for less than a minute. Remove to a separate plate. Return skillet to flame, allow to reheat and add bell peppers. Cook peppers for several minutes. Remove to a plate. 

Return skillet to heat and one more tablespoon of oil. Evenly distribute the meat in the skillet and cook until brown. Reduce the heat to low. Add the onions and peppers to the skillet and toss to combine. Pour in the reserved sauce and stir. Allow to simmer on low for a few minutes. Turn off the heat. 

In a large bowl, place the cooked, cooled noodles. Distribute the meat, peppers, and onions over the noodles and toss together. 

Add very hot water if needed to thin. Top entire dish with cilantro leaves and serve immediately. 

Chicken with Olives

I've been eying this recipe from Pioneer Woman for several months now and finally decided to make it this week. Olives are one of my favorite things. I eat them out of the jar just about every day, but prefer them in Bloody Maryies! :) This recipe was pretty simple because you cooked it all in one pot. The olives are the best part of this dish. I recommend using different pieces of chicken because I used only drumsticks and it wasn't a good ratio of meat to everything else and cutting apart a chicken leg over pasta isn't an easy or particularly sexy way to eat!

Pioneer Woman's Chicken and Olives
Serves 6
Printable Version


Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
6 pieces of chicken
1 whole medium onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 whole green bell peppers, seeded and chopped into large pieces (I used a combination of peppers from Trader Joe's)
1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes, completely drained and juice squeezed out, chopped
1 cup white wine (or low sodium chicken broth)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cups heavy cream (I used fat free half & half)
1 cup whole green olives (I used a combination of olives from the olive bar at my grocery store)
12 ounces of pasta of your choice, cooked to al dente and drained (I used angel hair)
Fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese for garnishing


Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a Dutch Oven melt butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown on both sides. Remove to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Add onions, garlic, and peppers to the pot. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes.

 Add tomatoes and cook for a minute or two. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in wine and stir. Add the chicken back to the pot and cover with the lid. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and take lid off. Add green olives and cream (drizzle evenly over the top). Put on the lid and shake the pan to "stir" in the cream.

Return to the oven for 15 -20 minutes to thicken the sauce. Remove from oven and keep lid on until ready to serve.



Place pasta into serving bowls. Arrange chicken pieces on top of the pasta then pour the sauce over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan if desired. 

Asian Noodle Salad

This is Pioneer Woman's "Most Favorite Salad Ever, Ever, Ever, Ever!" Just the pictures of this amazingly beautiful and incredibly colorful salad had me hooked - there are so many veggies in it that I cannot remember them all unless I look at the ingredient list. I love the addition of the cold noodles, it makes the salad more hearty. My favorite part was probably the toasted cashews. I played hunt for the cashews with every bite I took.

I wasn't sure my meat loving husband would be a fan of this uber healthy, chocked full of veggies salad, but he was! The dressing was his favorite part, he kept asking for just a little bit more. It is an extremely wonderful dressing - soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, etc. YUM YUM YUM! This salad is so big I couldn't fit it all in my lovely red salad/pasta bowl. There are so many servings in this you will be eating it for days, so make it when you are either trying to fill you veggie quota for several days or for a healthy addition to a potluck or luncheon.

Pioneer Woman's Asian Noodle Salad

From PW

Printable Version

Ingredients
(get ready, it's loooong)

For the salad:
1 package of linguine noodles, cooked, rinsed, and cooled
1/2 head sliced Napa Cabbage, or more to taste
1/2 head sliced purple cabbage, or more to taste
1/2 bag baby spinach, or more to taste (I used an entire package)
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
1 orange bell pepper, sliced thin (didn't use this - that's a LOT of bell peppers!!)
1 bag bean sprouts (also called Mung Bean Sprouts)
Chopped Cilantro, up to 1 bunch, or to taste
3 green onions, sliced
3 cucumbers, peeled and sliced (only used 2)
1 can (10 ounces) of cashews, lightly toasted in a skillet (watch these, you gotta keep them moving!)

For the dressing:
1 whole lime, juiced
8 tablespoons of olive oil
8 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons (up to 3) of sesame oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 whole hot peppers or jalapenos, chopped (I omitted, scared of these!)
Chopped cilantro

Directions
Mix salad ingredients together. Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands and serve on a platter. Note: Dressing keeps for up to three days.

30 Things to Make Before I Turn 30: Pioneer Woman's Buttered Rosemary Rolls

Mmmmmmm why didn't I make these melt in your mouth rolls the moment I first laid eyes on them? So much of my life has been wasted without them! They are so heavenly! My deprived husband, who never gets fresh from the oven rolls, ate 3/4 of the pan in one sitting. Pioneer Woman recommends making these if you have dinner guests and I concur that these rolls are most definitely guest-worthy. The hardest part is waiting for them to rise - it takes 3 hours! Oh and PLEASE heed my advice...after you take the skillet out of the oven, lay a pot holder over the handle because if you are like me, you will forget that it is still 400 degrees and spend the rest of the night icing your hand. YIKES! 

Pioneer Woman's Buttered Rosemary Rolls

Ingredients

Frozen, Unbaked dinner rolls (PW uses Rhodes and my grocery store happens to carry those too)

Melted butter, regular, salted (I used unsalted because that is all I had and they were still amazing!)

Fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped

Coarse sea salt

Directions

Spray an iron skillet with cooking spray or coat with olive oil. Place frozen rolls in the skillet, leaving plenty of room for rising. Cover and allow to rise for several hours (at least 3).

After rising, brush rolls with melted butter. Sprinkle on chopped rosemary and brush with additional butter. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake according to roll package directions (usually 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes) until rolls are a deep golden brown on top.

Brush again with butter and serve skillet on table. 

Homemade Ranch Dressing & A Very Delish Salad

With the exception of eggs, I prefer to eat salads above almost any other  food. I love huge salads with tons of veggies and often order them when I go out to eat. I consider myself a salad aficionado. One of the absolute best salads I've ever eaten is from one of our favorite local restaurants, No Frill Grill. It's called The Spotswood Salad (since the restaurant is located on Spotswood Avenue, pretty clever) and is loaded with so much vegetable goodness: baby spinach, mushrooms, radishes, sprouts, tomatoes, red peppers, cucumbers, and onions. Then they take the salad to a new level and top it with crumbled bleu cheese, raisins, and candied pecans. It's heaven on a plate for salad lovers like me. 


I decided to model my own salad after this incredibly delicious salad and then came across this recipe for homemade buttermilk ranch dressing on Pioneer Woman's  Tasty Kitchen site. The results are the best salad ever! :) Okay, maybe not the best salad ever, but a very very delish salad. If you have never made ranch dressing, you just have to! My husband and I wanted to eat every little drop up and we did in about 24 hours! It's inspired me to try making my own dressings because store bought doesn't even compare!


Let's start with the Ranch Dressing, because you'll want to make it first and let the ingredients marry overnight. The key is to use fresh herbs!


Homemade Ranch Dressing
From The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic
Salt to taste
1/4 cups fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh chives
1 cup real mayonnaise
1/2 cups sour cream (I didn't have any on hand so used plain yogurt)
Buttermilk  (as needed to desired consistency) *I used about 1 tablespoon
White vinegar (to taste) *Again, I used about 1 tablespoon
Worcestershire sauce (optional, to taste) *I used about 1/2 tablespoon
Cayenne Pepper (optional, to taste - I omitted)
Fresh dill (to taste) *I used a couple teaspoons since we love fresh dill
Paprika (optional, to taste) *I used a couple shakes
Fresh oregano (to taste) *I didn't have any fresh on hand so omitted
Tabasco (optional, to taste) *I used just a couple dashes


Directions:
Mince the garlic with a knife and then sprinkle about 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of salt on it. Mash it into a paste with fork. Chop the parsley, chives, and any of the optional herbs very finely and add to the garlic.

In a bowl combine all ingredients, adding other optional ingredients as you wish, tasting frequently and adjusting seasonings as needed. Chill for a couple of hours before serving, then thin with the buttermilk if desired.

Ashley's Delish Salad

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, marinated in garlic and teriyaki sauce for several hours
Spinach
Clover sprouts
Cucumber, peeled and sliced
Baby carrots, sliced
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
4 hard boiled eggs, sliced 
Green onions, chopped with only white and light green pieces
1 Avocado, sliced
1/2 cup pecans, toasted in 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes (keep an eye on them!)
Crumbled bleu cheese

Directions:

Grill the chicken and slice into long strips. Combine all salad ingredients together. Place chicken on top of veggies. Top with pecans and bleu cheese. Drizzle the homemade ranch dressing on top. Chow down on this extremely lovely salad.

Perfect Pot Roast

When I made my 30 Things to Make Before I Turn 30 I asked my hubby if had any requests. "BEEF!" He responded, particularly pot roast.  The poor guy doesn't get to eat much red meat. Both he and I ate Pot Roast as kids and I had never tried making my own Pot Roast, so put it on the 30 Before 30 List. I remember coming home from church and  smelling my Mom's Pot Roast cooking in the oven and enjoying it several hours later. 

One of my favorite cooking bloggers, The Pioneer Woman, posted her Pot Roast recipe recently because she made it for her recent appearance on The Today Show. I was excited that this recipe is very simple and that you just let it cook for several hours. I guess that is the magic of a Pot Roast! The meat just fell apart, that's how "perfect" this Pot Roast is. Very moist, flavorful, and colorful with the mushrooms, onions, and carrots! I served  Paula Deen's Turnip Mashed Potatoes alongside this dish because potatoes are a MUST with Pot Roast. Hubby was very happy and (I'm hoping) felt like a manly man eating all that meat and potatoes. :)

Perfect Pot Roast

From The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 4 to 5 pound Chuck Roast

2 whole onions

6 whole carrots, peeled and sliced into 2 inch pieces

1 container button mushrooms

4 cloves garlic, sliced

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

1 cup red wine

2 to 3 cups Beef Stock

3 sprigs fresh thyme

3 sprigs fresh rosemary (dried is also fine!)

Directions:

Generously salt and pepper the chuck roast. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Cut the onions in half and the carrots in slices. When the oil in the pan is very hot, but not smoking, add in the halved onions, browning them on one side and then the other. Remove the onions to a plate. Throw the carrots into the same very hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so. Remove them to a plate.

If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the pan. Place the meat in the pan and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate. With the burner still on high, use either red wine or beef  broth, about 1 cup, to deglaze the pan. Scrape the bottom with a whisk to get all of that wonderful flavor up. When the bottom of the pan is sufficiently deglazed, place the roast back into the pan. Add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway (about 2 to 3 cups). Add in the onions and carrots, as well as 3 or 4 fresh sprigs of rosemary and 3 sprigs of fresh thyme.

Put the lid on, then roast in a 275 oven for 4 hours. 

30 Things to Make Before I Turn 30: Lasagna

I've always wanted to make Lasagna but never had, which is why it is on my 30 Things to Make Before I Turn 30 List. I was afraid Lasagna was time consuming and difficult so I browsed recipes carefully. I settled on a super easy and quick lasagna recipe on The Pioneer Woman. It only takes an hour, perfect for week nights when I don't have a ton of time to spend slaving away in the kitchen. This recipe calls for very few ingredients, most of which you probably have in your pantry already. I found during this cooking adventure that lasagna is super fun to assemble! I even got the hubby involved in the layering of the meat, cheese, and noodles. The the best part is that this lasagna tastes awesome!! The hot ground breakfast sausage gives it just a little kick and all the mozzarella  makes this super cheesy. This lasagna recipe is a keeper! Writing this blog just a week after the fact makes me hungry for it again!

The Best Lasagna Ever

from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef or turkey

1 pound Hot Breakfast sausage

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 cans (14.5 ounces) Whole Tomatoes

2 cans (6 ounces) Tomato Paste

2 tablespoons dried parsley

2 tablespoons dried basil

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups lowfat cottage cheese ( I had ricotta on hand so used 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese & 1 1/2 cups ricotta)

2 whole beaten eggs

1/2 cups grated or shredded parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound sliced Mozzarella Cheese (I used less than this)

1 package (10 ounces) Lasagna noodles

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add in noodles. *Pioneer Woman recommends adding 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pasta water - I didn't do this but I'm guessing it's to help with flavor and ensure the noodles don't stick together as they boil.) Cook lasagna noodles until "al dente". 

Meanwhile in a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain half the fat; less if you're feeling naughty. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, 2 more tablespoons parsley, and 1 more teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside.

To assemble:

Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread evenly. Cover cottage cheese layer with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Spoon a little less than half the meat mixture over the top. Repeat, ending with meat mixture. Sprinkle top generously with extra Parmesan.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees until top is hot and bubbly. Can also freeze or refrigerate for up to 2 days. 

Grilled Ribeye Steak with Onion-Blue Cheese Sauce

To....die....for! That is what my husband said about these Grilled Ribeye Steaks with Onion-Blue Cheese Sauce. I borrowed this recipe from one of the best cooking blogs out there, The Pioneer Woman (http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/). I feel like I gain weight just browsing Ree Drummond's delicious recipes. She is so down to earth and so funny. Her food blog is light hearted and entertaining. Best of all she shows you what the recipe looks like step by step.

Once I saw how this recipe combined sauteed onions with melted blue cheese I knew it was the perfect choice for Christmas Dinner. My husband loves steak, but I rarely use beef at home, so I knew this would make him a very happy man. I added a blend of sauteed mushrooms to the top of the steak and served it with oven baked dill potatoes. Yum! Be sure to try this amazing sauce. It would be great on pretty much anything...chicken, potatoes, eggs, or Ree even says it can be served as a side. Sooooo good, yet so bad.

Ingredients

• 2 whole Ribeye Steaks
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Very Large Yellow Onion, Sliced
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• ½ cups Crumbled Blue Cheese

Instructions

Salt and pepper both sides of the steaks. Grill until

medium rare.

Saute the onions in 4 tablespoons of butter over high

heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until dark and

caramelized. Reduce heat to summer and pour in cream.

Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until reduced by half.

Stir in blue cheese until melted.

Serve steaks on generous portion of sauce.

Faint.