Yummy flavors, orange and ginger combined with the sweetness of cooked carrots. These can be made ahead of time and reheated without losing their flavor.
7-8 Medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tablespoons butter
Chopped Parsley, optional
Slice your carrots into 1/4-inch thick round disks or ovals. Cook in boiling salted water, covered for about 7 minutes or until just tender. Drain and set aside.
Combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt and ginger in a small saucepan. Add orange juice and cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Boil for 1 full minute before adding butter. Pour over hot carrots and toss. For added color, garnish with chopped parsley.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Slow Cooker Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
I love this meal, but rarely think to look for short ribs at the grocery store. The other day I happened to see some beautiful meaty short ribs and picked them up. With a removable insert for your crockpot, you can easily put this together the night before. Just remember to pull the insert out of the fridge in the morning and turn your crockpot on low to slow cook these yummies all day. Coming home to wonderful smells of yumminess coming from my kitchen is one of my favorite ways to end a work day. My family knows these ribs as "Fighting Ribs", mostly because it's a fight to make sure you get your fair serving...because there isn't likely to be any leftovers.
8 Short Ribs or about 4 pounds
Coarse Sea Salt
Lawry's Seasoned Pepper (not the seasoning salt)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 medium white or brown onion, diced
1Ttablespoon freshly minced garlic
2 cups ruby port (Trader Joe's usually has a good price on this)
1 cup Merlot (or any dry red wine, I only use something I would drink in a glass)
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1. Season the short ribs with a sprinkling of the salt and pepper on all sides, gently rubbing the seasoning into the short ribs.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Sear all sides of the ribs and set in your crockpot. It's a good idea to sear the ribs in two batches.
3. Pour off all but about one tablespoon of the oil from your skillet. Add the carrots, celery and onion to the skillet with the 1 tablespoon of oil, cook over med-high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Turn the heat up to high and add the port. Cook this until the port is reduced by about half. This will take 10-15 minutes.
5. Next add the dry red wine of your choosing. Merlot is good, but lately I've been drinking a Meritage blend and I only cook with a wine I would drink...so, that's what I used this time, a blend. Cork the rest to serve with your meal (or have a glass now). :) Oh, yes, and add the chicken broth and bay leaf now, too. Bring to a boil and continue cooking for about 2 more minutes.
6. Pour the wine/veggie mixture over the ribs in your crockpot. At this point, you can refrigerate it all to cook within the next 2-3 days, or cook now.
7. I like to cook on low for 8-10 hours, but you can also cook on high for about 5 hours. Serve over mashed potatoes or hot buttered egg noodles. Yummy served with a green salad or asparagus and garlic bread. Also good served with gingered carrots which I will write up next.
Enjoy.
 |
| Port from Trader Joe's |
Coarse Sea Salt
Lawry's Seasoned Pepper (not the seasoning salt)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 medium white or brown onion, diced
1Ttablespoon freshly minced garlic
2 cups ruby port (Trader Joe's usually has a good price on this)
1 cup Merlot (or any dry red wine, I only use something I would drink in a glass)
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1. Season the short ribs with a sprinkling of the salt and pepper on all sides, gently rubbing the seasoning into the short ribs.2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Sear all sides of the ribs and set in your crockpot. It's a good idea to sear the ribs in two batches.
3. Pour off all but about one tablespoon of the oil from your skillet. Add the carrots, celery and onion to the skillet with the 1 tablespoon of oil, cook over med-high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Turn the heat up to high and add the port. Cook this until the port is reduced by about half. This will take 10-15 minutes.
 |
| Here's what it looks like after the port has reduced. |
 |
| Here's what it looks like after adding the port. |
5. Next add the dry red wine of your choosing. Merlot is good, but lately I've been drinking a Meritage blend and I only cook with a wine I would drink...so, that's what I used this time, a blend. Cork the rest to serve with your meal (or have a glass now). :) Oh, yes, and add the chicken broth and bay leaf now, too. Bring to a boil and continue cooking for about 2 more minutes.
 |
| Can't you just smell it? Look at that steam. |
7. I like to cook on low for 8-10 hours, but you can also cook on high for about 5 hours. Serve over mashed potatoes or hot buttered egg noodles. Yummy served with a green salad or asparagus and garlic bread. Also good served with gingered carrots which I will write up next.
Enjoy.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Chicken Spaghetti
Ah, Happy New Year! Although many of you are probably starting to eat healthier than you were over the holidays, I've found that living with two men (my hubby and now "adult" son) they really aren't into reducing what they eat. So, today I give you Chicken Spaghetti with some suggestions for reducing calories and saving time (and maybe some money). Enjoy!
My mother had a recipe for chicken spaghetti that was similar to the one I recently read in "The Pioneer Woman Cooks" by Ree Drummond.
Here is how I made mine today:
1 Deli Roasted Chicken (it was already cooked, and on sale...less than an uncooked fryer chicken)
16 oz. thin spaghetti
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 oz. pimentos, undrained (or 1/2 of a red bell pepper, diced)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup (I used one "healthy" can, and one regular can)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (you choose, full fat or reduced fat)
1 tsp. seasoning salt (like Lawry's brand)
black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 boullion cubes, chicken flavored
1. Start some water in a large pot to boil to cook the thin spaghetti noodles. Add the boullion cubes to the water. Break uncooked noodles into thirds over boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes. When noodles are done cooking, save 2 cups of the cooking water and set aside. Drain the spaghetti in a collandar and set aside.
2. While noodles are cooking, if you haven't already...dice the onion and bell pepper. Remove all of the chicken meat from the deli chicken and chop in bite sized pieces.
3. In a large casserole dish (mine was about 3 quarts) spray with non-stick cooking spray (optional). Add the cooked spaghetti noodles and 2 cans of soup. Mix together and then add the remaining ingredients, including the 2 cups of reserved cooking water.
4. Cook uncovered in a 350* oven for 45 minutes, or refrigerate to cook later (tomorrow maybe). If refrigerating for cooking later, add about 15-20 minutes to the cooking time.
We are having ours with a tossed green salad and probably some garlic bread. I think the "men" will be happy.
My mother had a recipe for chicken spaghetti that was similar to the one I recently read in "The Pioneer Woman Cooks" by Ree Drummond.
Here is how I made mine today:
1 Deli Roasted Chicken (it was already cooked, and on sale...less than an uncooked fryer chicken)
16 oz. thin spaghetti
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 oz. pimentos, undrained (or 1/2 of a red bell pepper, diced)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup (I used one "healthy" can, and one regular can)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (you choose, full fat or reduced fat)
1 tsp. seasoning salt (like Lawry's brand)
black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 boullion cubes, chicken flavored
1. Start some water in a large pot to boil to cook the thin spaghetti noodles. Add the boullion cubes to the water. Break uncooked noodles into thirds over boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes. When noodles are done cooking, save 2 cups of the cooking water and set aside. Drain the spaghetti in a collandar and set aside.
2. While noodles are cooking, if you haven't already...dice the onion and bell pepper. Remove all of the chicken meat from the deli chicken and chop in bite sized pieces.
3. In a large casserole dish (mine was about 3 quarts) spray with non-stick cooking spray (optional). Add the cooked spaghetti noodles and 2 cans of soup. Mix together and then add the remaining ingredients, including the 2 cups of reserved cooking water.
4. Cook uncovered in a 350* oven for 45 minutes, or refrigerate to cook later (tomorrow maybe). If refrigerating for cooking later, add about 15-20 minutes to the cooking time.
We are having ours with a tossed green salad and probably some garlic bread. I think the "men" will be happy.
Here's my casserole ready to go in the oven. If you like yours more on the cheesy side, add more cheese to the top before baking.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)