Penne with Braised Short Ribs

This turned out really good. 

I watched Giada DeLaurentis from Food Network make it and knew I had to try it.

The meat turned out so flavorful and tender, and the sauce was delicious.

Season the ribs with salt and pepper and brown on all sides.

Set aside....

Chop up some onion and garlic,,,,,,,

and cut the plum tomatoes into 8th's.

Cook the onions and the garlic a couple minutes.

Toss in the tomato.

Add the wine and scrape up all the brown deliciousness from the bottom.

Add the mustard and the beef broth.

Add back in the ribs and definitely all the juices.

Cover it, throw it in the oven and fagitabotit!

When it's done, take the ribs out of the sauce and this is what you'll have.

Mmmmm, you can just sense how tender this is. At this point you would remove

the meat from the bones but since I used boneless, well, you get it.

See, looks tender, right? Now just shred it up with a couple forks

till you end up with something like this.

Now's the time to add the meat back in.

Mix it with the penne you cooked and top with parmesan and fresh parsley.

Serve it with toasted french bread. I drizzled some olive oil on it, sprinkled some 

salt and pepper, and then at the last minute, threw on some parmesan I had shredded

because that's the way I roll.

Cook it under the broiler or in a toaster oven until toasted.

Buon appetito!

Penne with Braised Short Ribs

Ingredients

4 pounds beef short ribs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

5 Roma tomatoes, cut into eighths

1 cup red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 cups low-sodium beef broth

1 pound penne pasta

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Place an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Season the ribs with salt and pepper. In a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or ovenproof stock pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. In batches, add the ribs and brown on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the ribs and set aside.

Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine and mustard. Bring the mixture to a boil and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Return the ribs to the pan. Add the beef broth, cover the pan and place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours until the meat is fork-tender and falls easily from the bone.

Remove the ribs from the cooking liquid. Using a large spoon, remove any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Using a ladle, transfer the cooking liquid in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth (I used an immersion blender). Pour the sauce into a saucepan and keep warm over low heat. Remove the meat from the bones (I used boneless). Discard the bones. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into small pieces. Stir the shredded meat into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and place in a large serving bowl. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the sauce and add to the pasta. Pour 1 cup of the sauce over the pasta. Toss well and thin out the pasta with more sauce, if needed. Sprinkle the pasta with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley before serving.

French Dips

These turned out delicious.

Really easy to make - Really delicious to eat.

Here's all you do:

Add a sliced onion and garlic to your crockpot

Set your roast down on top and sprinkle on Italian seasoning, salt, pepper 

and several fresh thyme sprigs.

Add 1/2 jar of whole pepperoncinis and 1/2 the jar of juice.

Then add 1 can of beef broth and 1 cup of water.

Here's what it looks like after about 6-8 hours in your crockpot. Looks good, right?

I toasted up some hoagies from our local grocery store deli, piled on some meat; then melted some provolone on top. And by golly, don't neglect putting on a few pepperoncinis.

Serve it up with some of the juice and you have yourself one delish dish.

Here's the one my hubby made. He is one onion lovin fella,

so he naturally had to have some of the onions on his.

Don't wait long before trying this one - It will become one of your go-to meals, I promise.

Linked with Foodie Friday and Weekend Potluck.

French Dip Sandwiches

Ingredients

1 whole Beef Chuck Roast, 2.5 To 4 Pounds

1 large onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 can Beef Consomme Or Beef Broth

2 Tablespoons (heaping) Italian Seasoning

1 teaspoon Salt
Pepper
3-4 Thyme Sprigs 

1 cup Water

½ jar (16 Oz) Pepperoncini Peppers, With Juice
Sliced Provolone cheese, or cheese of your choice 

Buttered, Toasted Deli Rolls

Preparation Instructions

Combine onion and garlic in the bottom of a crock pot. Lay roast on top and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and thyme sprigs. Add pepperoncinis, their juice, water and beef broth. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours or until meat is very tender and easily falls apart.

You can also cook this in a heavy pot or dutch oven, covered, in the oven at 275* for 5-6 hours or until meat is fork-tender and falling apart. **If meat is not yet tender, return to oven for 30 minute intervals till it’s tender!**

When done completely shred meat. Serve immediately, or keep warm in pot or over a simmer on the stove.
May make the day before, then store in the refrigerator. Remove the hardened fat from the top before reheating.

Serve on buttered, toasted rolls. Top with cheese and melt under the broiler if desired. Serve with juices from the pot.

Red Beans & Rice

It's really rainy and overcast today.

Perfect weather for a big pot of Red Beans and Rice simmering away on the stove.
The smell is fantastic!

Start by cutting up your vegetables and garlic,

then, your going to saute them with some spices in olive oil until tender, or you should anyway.

Add in the ham hocks, making sure they touch the bottom for some color,

on both sides.

Add in the washed red beans.

And your liquid. Looking good already!

Make sure you have enough liquid to almost cover the ham hocks.

Bring it up to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until beans are all yummy!

Add more water if it gets too thick.

When done, I take what meat I can get off the ham hocks and add it back in.

Sprinkle on some fresh parsley and serve it with your favorite bread.

Oh, and definitely, some Frank's Hot Sauce!!!!

I like to cut a long wheat baquette in half; then split each half lenghwise.

Rub with butter, sprinkle on kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper and chopped fresh parsley.

Put the halves back together; wrap in foil and put them on a baking sheet and bake 

in a 375* oven for 10-15 minutes.

Red Beans and Rice

2 ham hocks

1 lb bag red beans
2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

½ cup celery, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

2 bay leaves

1 tsp Mexican oregano
1 tsp cajun seasoning

4 cups chicken stock

3 cups water (just enough to almost cover ham hocks)

Salt and pepper

Brown Rice, cooked according to label instructions

Saute onion, pepper and celery in olive oil until tender; add garlic, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, oregano, and cajun seasoning; continue to saute 1-2 minutes more.

Nestle in ham hocks and get some color on each side.

Add in beans that have been washed and picked through.

Pour in stock and water (I taste for seasoning at this point); bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 2-2 ½ hours or until beans are tender, adding more water if needed. Smash up some of the beans for a thicker consistency if desired.

Serve over cooked brown rice with fresh parsley and Frank's Hot Sauce.

Note: I always cook my rice in either beef or chicken broth for more flavor)