Penne with Braised Short Ribs

About a week and a half ago I was watching Giada De Laurentiis on Food Network... and she made this dish. I stocked my freezer with short ribs, found a lot of recipes that looked amazing, had them all ready to make, and then I came down with the flu. So, here we are a week and half later and my husband and I were finally able to make them!

This dish is so savory. I had never attempted short ribs before.. but it was well worth all the "trouble" to make. My husband actually helped make most of this dish, claiming his love for braising things. When the ribs came out of the oven, they weren't even on the bone anymore and were so tender! I will definitely be throwing short ribs in the crock pot this winter!

I found Giada's recipe on Food Network, and started with that one. Look for more short ribs soon!!!

This recipe would also be delicious simmering in the crock pot all day. Just prepare as directed, and place in the crockpot all day on low instead of the oven.

Braised Short Ribs with Penne

-serves 6-

4 Lbs. Beef Short Ribs

Salt and Pepper

1/4 cup Olive Oil

2 small Onions, chopped

6 cloves Garlic, coarsely chopped

6 Canned Roma Tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 cup Red Wine

3-4 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

2 cups Beef Broth

1 Lb Penne Pasta

Grated Parmesan and chopped Flat Leaf Parsley for serving

Directions:

1. Season the ribs with salt and pepper. In a large heavy bottom dutch oven or ovenproof pot, heat the oil over med-high heat. Add the ribs and brown on all sides, approx. 8-10 minutes. Set the ribs aside.

2. Place an oven rack in the bottom 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350.

3. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently for approx. 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine, and mustard. Bring the mixture to a boil, and scrape the brown tasty bits off the bottom of the pot.

4. Add the beef broth, cover the pan and place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours. (Ours took a longer because they were cut a little larger). The meat should be fork tender and falling off the bone.

5. Remove the ribs from the cooking liquid. Remove and excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Transfer the cooking liquid to a blender or food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth. Pour back into a saucepan to keep warm over low heat.

6. Remove the meat from the bones, discarding the bones. Using two forks, shred the meat into the sauce, discarding any large lumps of fat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. Cook your penne pasta as per directions, until al dente. Add the beef and sauce mixture to the pasta. Sprinkle with parmesan and chopped parsley before serving.

Baked Gemelli with Sausage and Broccolini

I was really struggling to come up with ideas this week... my brain was just dead. I turned to recipe searching again... and wound up on the Williams Sonoma Recipe website. I ended up printing several recipes and saving several more. This was one of the recipes. You can find the original recipe here.

I couldn't find Broccoli Rabe, so I used Broccolini instead. I used sausage from our favorite farm, Crane Dance Farm.

Everyone really enjoyed this... I was skeptical that my older son would really be able to see/taste the onions in this, as I usually chop the onion so fine he can't see them. I got no complaints! Bonus!! This recipe makes a huge amount, and fed us for 2+ meals. Next time I would half the recipe, or freeze half of it.

Baked Gemelli with Sausage and Broccolini

-serves 6-

Ingredients:

1 Lb Sweet Italian Sausage Links, cut in half then 1/2 inch pieces

12 ounces Gemelli Pasta, or other pasta, cooked until al dente

8 ounces Cipollini Onions, peeled and quartered

2 bunches (packages) Broccolini, cut into 1 inch pieces

24 cloves garlic, simmered in 1/3 cup olive oil until soft, oil reserved

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 Tablespoon dried Thyme

15 ounces Ricotta Cheese

1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan

1/4 Cup Grated Romano

Salt and Pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. In a sauté pan over medium heat, brown the sausage for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the broccolini to the pan and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes, adding the wine after 3 minutes. Season with salt, then add the broccolini and cooking liquid to the bowl with the sausage.

2. In the same pan over medium heat, warm the reserved garlic oil. Add the onions and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and caramelized, approximately 15 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the sausage and broccolini. Save the oil and set aside. Add the pasta and garlic to the bowl and season with salt and pepper. (my garlic was golden and crispy on the outside, so I squeezed the soft garlic goodness out of each clove and put it in the bowl.)

3. Preheat your oven to 400.

4. Spoon half of the pasta mixture into a 9x11 inch glass baking dish. Spoon half the ricotta on top. Top with the remaining pasta and ricotta. Drizzle with the reserved oil. (If you're brave, sprinkle with chili flakes.) Bake for 20 minutes, then sprinkle with the Parmesan and Romano cheeses and bake for 10 minutes more until the cheese is starting to brown on top.

Orzo with Shrimp, Feta Cheese, and White Wine

I've had a big container of Orzo in my cupboard for quite awhile, so I started searching for recipes to start using it up. This one from epicurious sounded tasty, quick, and simple. I didn't have fresh basil or medium shrimp so I substituted dried basil, and a can of baby shrimp.

I loved this!!! It was very simple, but very delicious!! I think it would be even better using the fresh basil so I will do that next time. I did not measure out my feta cheese, as 1 cup seemed like a lot (I used approximately 1/4 cup sprinkled in with the orzo, then topped each plate with another sprinkling). Use as much, or as little as you want.

Orzo with Shrimp, Feta Cheese, and White Wine

-serves 4-

1 Cup Whole Wheat Orzo

1 14 oz can diced Tomatoes, with juice

6 ounce can Baby Shrimp

1/2 Cup White Wine

1 cup crumbled Feta Cheese

1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 Shallot, minced

2 Tablespoons dried Basil

2 teaspoons dried Oregano

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400. Prepare a 7 by 11 glass baking dish with spray or oil. Cook your orzo pasta until al dente, as per directions. Place the orzo back in the pan and add 1/4 cup of the feta, the parmesan, and the baby shrimp. Mix to combine, and pour into the baking dish.

In a large pan, saute the garlic and shallot in a tablespoon of olive oil for approximately a minute, add the tomatoes with juices, white wine, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, and cook for approximately 2 minutes. Pour over the orzo mixture.

Bake for approximately 10 minutes, until heated through. Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup feta cheese on top, and serve hot.

Summer Veggie Saffron Pasta

I got the idea for this recipe from the new issue of Rachael Ray Magazine. I added a couple of things to it... because some of her recipes are rather boring. I like zucchini a lot, if its cooked correctly. Make sure you don't overcook your zucchini!!!

Saffron is one of my favorite spices. It brings vibrant yellow color and richness to any pasta dish. Growing up I loved it when my mom would serve saffron rice as a side dish. I've started experimenting with saffron over the past couple of years.

Summer Veggie Saffron Pasta

-serves 4-

8 oz. Spaghetti

2 cups Broccoli Florets

1 1/2 Small Zucchini, sliced into thin rounds

4 oz. Pancetta, crisped

3/4 cup Parmesan

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 Shallot, minced

2 cups Chicken Stock

2 pinches Saffron

2 Tbsp. Cream

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a small saucepan, combine chicken stock and saffron. Bring to a boil, and gently boil until reduced to approximately 1 cup.

In a large pot, bring water to a boil for spaghetti. Add your spaghetti and boil, add the broccoli florets the last 5 minutes or so. When done, strain and return to the pot.

In a Saute pan, heat a tablespoon of butter and a splash of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot and saute for 1 minute. Add the zucchini rounds and saute until just tender.

Add your zucchini/garlic mixture to the pasta/broccoli. Mix the chicken stock/saffron mixture into the pasta, add the parmesan cheese and cream, stir until melted. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the crisped pancetta, and extra parmesan on top.

Amazing Bison-Quinoa-Veggie Meatballs!!!

This is another recipe I adapted from the Whole Foods website. I'm always trying to sneak veggies and whole grains into my meals... and so I thought I'd give these a try. I had never made meatballs before... but I was pretty pleased with my first attempt!

These meatballs were so tender... and tasted so good. The zucchini really kept them moist. The whole wheat pasta I paired them with was excellent as well!

Bison-Quinoa-Veggie Meatballs

Serves 6-8 (depending on portion)

1 Lb Ground Bison, or Ground Beef

3/4 cup of cooked Quinoa

1 small zucchini, grated

1 small carrot, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot, minced

1 small onion, chopped fine

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

3 Tbsp ketchup

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried thyme

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 500°F. Spray a nonstick baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients until well combined. Shape the mixture into approximately 16 balls and place on prepared baking sheet.

Roast until cooked through and golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

I served these over this whole wheat flax fettucine, to add extra protein and fiber, with store bought spaghetti sauce.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and Parsley and serve hot.

Bow-Tied Lentil Narsh-Narsh

I love lentils- I sneak them into dishes a lot. The canned ones are so easy because you don't have to soak them! I didn't know what I was making when I started making dinner tonight.... and this is what it ended up being. I am not sure if it is soup or pasta (you could add more stock to make it more soup-like), so my husband named it : )


Bow-Tied Lentil Narsh-Narsh

4 oz Salt Pork, cut into thin strips, and then chopped (or use bacon)
1 15 oz can brown lentils, drained
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 cup small pasta (i obviously used mini-bow-tie)
4-5 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
3-4 drops tabasco

1. saute salt pork over medium heat until brown edges form. skim some of the fat out, then add the carrots, celery, onion, and shallot. reduce heat to medium-low. sweat the veggies until tender, but not mushy.
2. Add the lentils, the vegetable stock, and pasta. Season with salt and pepper, paprika, and tabasco, and turn the heat to high. Bring to a boil, boiling until the pasta is al dente. Serve!

Makes about 4 servings

Spaghetti in Creamy Pea Sauce with Crisped Prosciutto

This was an easy tasty meal that I adapted from a recipe I found on Serious Eats. The original recipe was for 2 people, and I made a little more than that... and added garlic.

Spaghetti in Creamy Pea Sauce with Crisped Prosciutto

16 oz. Whole Wheat Spaghetti
16 oz. bag Frozen Peas
3 small Shallots, minced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. Butter
Salt and Pepper
Dash of Nutmeg
3 oz. Prosciutto (1-2 slices per person)

1. Cook Spaghetti in a large pot of boiling water until al dente.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over low heat. add shallots and garlic and sweat until translucent. turn the heat up to medium, add the peas, and cook until bright green and thawed, but not mushy. Transfer contents of skillet to a blender, add the cream, and puree until smooth.
3. Place a fine meshed sieve over a pot (or use the skillet, or the pot used to cook spaghetti.) In batches, fill the sieve, and press the peas through, using a spatula or wooden spoon. Discard the solids. Warm the puree, add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Toss with the spaghetti.
4. Top each plate with pieces of crisped prosciutto (place prosciutto on baking sheet, and bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes).

Meat Sauce and what to do with it!

This recipe is for an "all purpose meat sauce" that can be used in several different recipes. or as taco filling, filling on baked potatoes, sloppy joes, etc. It is from the Feb '09 issue of Rachael Ray magazine. I will be using it in 2 of her recipes included in the issue, and then freezing some because it made so much! I did change a couple of things...

Meat Sauce

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 Cup chopped Pancetta (I used about a 1/3 lb package of pre-sliced and chopped it up)
1 Onion, chopped
2 Carrots, finely chopped
2 Ribs Celery, finely chopped
3 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 Shallot, chopped
2 Lbs. Ground Beef
1/2 Cup Dry Red Wine
28 oz. Tomato Puree (or sauce)
Salt and Pepper


1. Heat the olive oil over med-low heat and add pancetta and cooked until fat is rendered. (about 5 minutes) increase heat to medium, add onion, carrot, celery, and shallot, and cook stirring occasionally until softened about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for a couple more minutes.
(she had you add the beef to the vegetables to cook it, but i decided to take the vegetables out and set them aside, cook the beef, and then add the vegetables back in.)
2. So cook the beef either way. stir in the wine and cook until the liquid is cooked off, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce , 1 cup of water, and season with salt and pepper, bring to a simmer. partially cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for the last 30 minutes, until thickened, about 2 hours. season with more salt and pepper if needed.

We really liked the sauce, I just need to remember to half her recipes for my family!

That night i used the meat sauce to make her white bean stew- very good. I did adjust the portions a bit, so I will write my version of the recipe!


White Bean Stew
4 medium sized red potatoes, cut into bite size chunks
4 small bratwurst
1 15 oz can great northern beans
2 cups meat sauce
1 cup chicken broth
3 tsp herbes de provence
salt and pepper

bring the potatoes to a boil in a pot with enough water to cover them by an inch, lower heat and simmer for about 15 minutes (until fork tender) drain. My brats were not cooked so i boiled them for about 10 minutes, and then cut them into rounds, and then browned them. In the same pot, add all ingredients, and bring to a simmer, cooking until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.

This is the second recipe i will be using the meat sauce for, i thought i should add it to the same post, and will be making it tonight:

Beef and Feta Pasta Bake

1 lb cavatappi or elbow pasta (i'm using a vegetable rotini, and the box is only 12 oz)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbs flour
2 cups milk heated
3/4 lb feta
3 cups meat sauce
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp sugar

Preheat oven to 350
Cook pasta until al dente, drain.
in a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat, whisk in flour for 2 min. increase heat to medium, whisk in hot milk and cook whisking until thickened about 5 minutes. Stir in feta.
In a large bowl, combine meat sauce, cinnamon, cloves, sugar, and half the pasta. In another bowl stir remaining pasta with feta sauce. transfer meaty pasta to a 9 by 13 baking dish, and top with feta pasta. bake until golden about 30 minutes.

This seems like a take on lasagna....but sounded good to all of us!