Braised Beef Short Ribs Family Dinner

This is a favorite winter time dish of mine; it always fills the house with delicious smells and with fall off the bone short ribs, it's a treat that we try to enjoy at least once a year.  Although the short ribs themselves can be expensive (I always try to buy them when their on sale) these recipes and family dinner spread, make it all worthwhile.  If there happens to be any left overs, it's perfect for Braised Beef Short Rib Sliders.

On the Menu

1st Course - Starters: Dinner Rolls & Healthy Mushroom Soup 

2nd Course - Main Dish: Braised Beef Short Ribs

3rd Course - Side Dishes: Garlic Mashed Potatoes &

 Brussels Sprouts Asiago

4th Course - Recommended Dessert: 
Decadent Poached Pear

1st Course - Starters: Dinner Rolls & Mushroom Soup - 

Breaking bread over delicious, earthy flavored soup is a great way to start a meal with family and catch up on everybody's week.  My Healthy Mushroom Soup is broth-based (much healthier than the creamy mushroom soups) and is part of my Winter Soup Series. Click here for the recipe.  The rolls are perfect for sopping up soup or the gravy-sauce from the Braised Beef Short Ribs.

2nd Course - Main Dish: Braised Beef Short Ribs

Ingredients:

4-6 bone in beef short ribs

sea salt & pepper to taste

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp. light olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

3-4 carrots, washed, peeled, cut into large chunks

1 bottle of red wine (I use cabernet sauvignon, merlot and pinot roir work fine too based on taste preference)

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 can diced tomatoes (I use Italian seasoned ones)

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Season short ribs with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place flour into a Ziplock bag or in a bowl and coat the short ribs.
4. In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and sear ribs on each side (don't over crowd and cook in batches as needed) place seared short ribs on a plate and set aside.
5. In the same skillet, add onions and carrots; cook until veggies begin to soften, scraping up the pan dropping into the mix.
6. Add wine, chicken broth, tomatoes and seasonings. 
7. Increase heat slightly(to achieve simmering) stir and allow flavors to blend (a couple of minutes).
8. Add short ribs back into the gravy-sauce and bring everything to a simmer.
9. (If you're not using an oven proof pan, transfer gravy-sauce and short ribs to a deep baking dish) transfer to the oven and cover with pan lid or tin foil. I make sure the short ribs are laying meatiest part down into the gravy-sauce to soak up as much flavor into the meat as possible.
   
10. Bake for approximately one hour or until the meat on the short ribs begins to shrink back from the bone (exposing the bone).
11. Then reduce oven to 350 degrees F and cook for approximately one more hour or until the meat is fork tender and falls off the bone easily.

The gravy-sauce should be a thicker consistency but if it's still too thin, you can remove the short ribs and place the gravy-sauce back on the stove over medium heat and cover and allow the sauce to reduce until desired consistency.

3rd Course - Side Dishes: Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts Asiago
Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

3-4 Gold Yukon potatoes, thoroughly washed

4-5 cups water

1/2 cup milk

3 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. garlic paste

1 tsp. garlic powder

salt to taste

1. Cut potatoes into 1-2" pieces and place in a medium-large sauce pan with the water and bring to a boil.
2. Continue boiling for about 30 minutes or until potatoes have softened.
3. Drain the water and turn off the heat, but return sauce pan with the potatoes back to the hot burner.
4. Mash up the potatoes and then add milk, butter, garlic paste, garlic powder and salt and continue mashing up until everything is well blended and soaked into the potatoes.

Brussels Sprouts Asiago

Ingredients:

4 servings of fresh Brussels Sprouts (click here to find out my technique to prepare these veggies under Tips)

1 tsp. sea salt

1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/2 cup shredded Asiago cheese

1 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. garlic paste

1/2 cup heavy whipped cream

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

2-3 bacon strips, cooked

1. Place Brussels sprouts in about an inch of water in a skillet over low-medium heat, covered.
2. Steam Brussels sprouts for about 10 minutes or until the begin to soften.
3. Drain from water and transfer to serving bowl and season with salt.
4. In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, add butter, garlic paste and heavy whipping cream and mix until butter has completely melted.
5. Gradually add in shredded cheeses, a small handful at a time, stirring frequently, to melt cheese and avoid burning the bottom.
6. Once cheese is completely melted (almost boiling) about 8 minutes, pour over Brussels sprouts. 
7. Add in onion and crumble the bacon over the sprouts and then mix everything together so that sprouts are evenly coated with cheese and onions and bacon are mixed through all layers of the dish.

Coq Au Vin Sunday Family Dinner

Coq au vin, originally from Burgundy, France, is one of the first comfort dishes I think of when it comes to cooler evenings in the fall and cold winter nights.  Although there is no way to really make this dish "healthy," and not lose out on the rich flavors that make it so yummy, my version is a bit more on the healthier side.  While most recipes call for dark meat of thighs and legs, I prefer white meat (chicken breasts, lower in fat than dark meat) and I also cut the usual amount of bacon (anywhere from 8-10 slices).  Even with these adjustments though, this is still a very rich and decadent dinner for you and your family to enjoy together this winter.

On the Menu
1st Course - Starters: Croissants & Bettetteraves Roties (Roasted Beet Salad)
2nd Course - French Onion Soup
3rd Course - Main Dish: Coq Au Vin 
4th Course - Side Dishes: Mashed Red Potatoes & Haricot Verts (French Green Beans)
5th Course - Recommended Dessert: Unique Cherries Jubilee

1st Course - Starters: Croissants & Bettetteraves Roties (Roasted Beet Salad)

I love big, fluffy croissants for a dinner bread and it's only natural to have them to begin a classic French dish.  I usually just buy freshly baked croissants at my local bakery (easier, and less expensive).  I will warm these in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds and serve with butter.

Bettetteraves Roties (Roasted Beet Salad)
Ingredients:
3-4 medium to large beets, greens & stems removed, peeled and chopped or diced
2-3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. garlic powder, garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 cups fresh arugula
olive oil cooking spray
3-4 tbsp. feta cheese crumbles (I prefer lighter cheeses, but if you prefer stronger cheese, use goat cheese or blue cheese crumbles)
almond slices, optional

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Place beets in a mixing bowl and add 1 tbsp.extra virgin olive oil.
3. Cover the bowl with Saran wrap and shake vigorously (keeping beets enclosed in the bowl) to coat each piece with the oil 
4. Lay out beets on a greased baking sheet and season with sea salt, pepper and 1 tsp. garlic powder to taste.
5. Roast in oven for approximately 30-45 minutes.  
6. Right before beets are ready to come out of the oven, in a skillet sprayed with cooking oil over medium heat, cook arugula until it is half wilted and half crisped.
7. Season with remaining garlic powder 
8. Remove from oven, transfer to a mixing bowl and drizzle with balsamic vinegar (warm beets will soak up the flavors the best) let rest for a few minutes.
9. On serving plate, place arugula and beets next to each other.
10. Top beets with a sprinkle of desired crumbled cheese and arugula with almond slices.

Click here for the 2nd Course - French Onion Soup

3rd Course - Main Dish: Coq Au Vin

Ingredients:
3 pieces of thick cut bacon, sliced into 1" square pieces
3 chicken breasts, fat and cartilage trimmed
1/2 cup of yellow onion, diced
15-20 pearl onions
15-20 small Bella mushrooms, stems removed and washed thoroughly
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth.
1 cup of cabernet sauvignon red wine
2-3 bay leaves
2 tsp. dried thyme
4 cups baby carrots
8 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp. butter, divided
Cornstarch as necessary

1. In a large, deep saucepan (preferably oven proof), cook bacon squares until crisp.
2. Remove bacon from pan and place on a plate with a paper towel.
3. Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper and 1 tsp. garlic powder.
4. In same saucepan as bacon was cooked (bacon fat/ oil still in pan), sear each side of chicken until golden brown and set aside on a plate.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
6. Add diced onion, baby carrots and garlic and cook until onion becomes translucent and carrots soften.
7. Add mushrooms and pearl onions and cook until mushrooms soften.
8. Mix in chicken broth and 1 tbsp. butter and simmer for about  minutes.
9. Add chicken and bacon back into saucepan.  Add the wine, thyme and bay leaves and mix together well to blend flavors, cook for approximately  10 minutes or until chicken is approximately 145 degrees F internally at its thickest parts.
10. Add the rest of the butter and flour and mix to thicken mixture slightly. Turn chicken pieces over so that both sides of the chicken absorb flavors.
11. Cover saucepan and place in oven (if your saucepan is not oven proof, transfer to baking dish and cover with tin foil if it doesn't have a cover).
12. Cook for approximately 20-30 minutes, or until chicken is 165 degrees F internally at its thickest parts.
13. Remove from oven, and cut breasts into large chunks (approximately in thirds) for easier division of serving.
14. If sauce is still thin (should be a stew-like consistency) add 1 tbsp. of cornstarch.

4th Course - Side Dishes: Mashed Red Potatoes & Haricot Verts (French Green Beans)
Mashed Red Potatoes

Ingredients:
6-8 red pontiac potatoes, thoroughly washed and cut into 1-2" pieces
6 cups of water
4 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp. garlic powder
salt to taste 

1. In a medium sized pot, add water and potatoes over medium to high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Continue to boil until potatoes soften; drain water and remove from heat.
3. Mash potatoes to desired consistency.
4. Add butter, milk, garlic powder and salt and mix thoroughly with potatoes. 
5. Serve on the side or as the base to top with Coq Au Vin.

Haricot Verts (French Green Beans)
Ingredients:
1/2 lbs. green beans (fresh or frozen, if fresh, wash thoroughly and remove ends)
1/3 cup water
2 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. of almond slivers, or pine nuts
1 fresh lemon wedge

1. Place beans in a pan with the water on medium heat; cover almost completely and let steam for (about 10-15 minutes) until crisp-tender; drain and set aside.
2. Melt butter in a pan and lightly toast almond slivers/ pine nuts over a low heat (this only take a few minutes).
3. Add beans and mix all together.  Plate on dish and give a squeeze of lemon juice over the top.

Island Time Sunday BBQ Dinner

No summer is complete without barbecues, family and friends.  In my family, one tradition we treasure is our annual Island BBQ!  Filled with exotic flavors and traditional island fare, this delicious menu of tropical dishes will make you feel like you're somewhere on the shores of the Caribbean Islands.

On the Menu

1st Course Starters: Yellin' for Melon Salad & Caribbean Cornbread 

2nd Course Appetizer: Jamaican Jerk Chicken Strips

3rd Course Main Dish: Barbecued Pork with Grilled Pineapple & Rum Glaze

4th Course Side Dishes: Coconut Rice & Island-Style Black Eyed Peas

5th Course Recommended Dessert: Sweet Plantains with Rum Infused Whipped Cream

Recommended Beverage: Pina Colada Martini

Starters: Yellin' for Melon Salad & Caribbean Cornbread 

Check out this delicious recipe for my Caribbean Cornbread blending both peppery and sweet flavors. And although for this particular BBQ I used a regular chunk fruit salad but if you're looking for something more sophisticated, click here for my Yellin' for Melon Salad. Both are perfect starters to this Island BBQ dish.

Appetizer: Jamaican Jerk Chicken Strips (Night Before Prep)

Ingredients:

3-4 pounds chicken thighs (bone in, skin on is preferred but can use boneless, skinless)

1 large yellow onion rough chopped

1 large garlic head, clean to the cloves

2-3 chili peppers, stemmed (Habanero or Scotch Bonnet)

4 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons oil (olive oil)

1 whole lime, juiced

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons allspice

2 inch piece of peeled fresh ginger

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup of dark rum

1. Place all ingredients except chicken in food processor and process until almost smooth.  
2. Place chicken into seal-able plastic bag, pour in processed ingredients and marinate for at least four hours up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.  
3. For best results, cook on a charcoal grill.  (Can also be cooked on gas grill or oven)
4. Serve as whole pieces or cut into appetizer strips or bites.

Main Dish:  Barbecued Pork with Grilled Pineapples & Rum Sauce (Night Before Prep)

Ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin roast

2 cups pineapple juice

1 cup dark rum

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced into rings 

1. Poke holes in the pork roast with a fork, place in seal-able plastic bag. 
2. Add pineapple juice, half of the rum and soy sauce.  
3. Mix and marinate for at least four hours and up to twenty four hours in the refrigerator.  
4. Cook on grill or in the oven until the internal temperature is 170 degrees. Reserve remaining marinade.
5. While pork is cooking, pour marinade into sauce pan and bring to a boil.
6. Simmer until reduced by half and add the rest of the rum.  
7. Continue to reduce until reduced by half again.  
8. When roast is done place the roast in serving dish and pour sauce evenly over the pork roast.
9. Place pineapple rings on grill, and cook for a few minutes on each side (until there are grill marks).
10. Place grilled pineapples along the top of the pork and serve.

Side Dishes: Coconut Rice & Island-Style Black Eyed Peas

Coconut Rice Ingredients:

1 cup long grain rice (you may use a Jasmine rice if you like)

2 tablespoons light olive oil or butter

1 medium onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can coconut milk (light if you prefer)

1 cup water

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 jalapeno pepper finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste (may use red pepper flakes if you like it spicier)

1/3 raisins

1. Add butter or oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. 
2. Stir in onion and garlic, cook until soft and onions are translucent. 
3. Stir in rice, coconut milk and water. 
4. Add allspice, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the liquid is almost completely evaporated. 
6. Add the raisins.  
7. Continue to cook until rice is tender and the liquid is completely evaporated.

Island-Style Black Eyed Peas (Hoppin' John) Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 lb.  bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup jalapeño pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
3 cups of cooked black-eyed peas (if canned, rinse)
1/2 cup chicken stock

Salt, black pepper, and cayenne to taste
3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
1 1/2 cups steamed white rice 

1. Saute bacon pieces in a skillet until almost crisp over medium heat.
2. Drain excess fat.
3. Add the onion, celery, jalapeno and garlic and cook for about 4-6 minutes. 
4. Add the black-eyed peas, stock, bay leaves, thyme, and seasonings. Bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid evaporates.
6. Can be served by itself or over rice.

Mother's Day Brunch Spread

Even though my own mother has passed, we still honor her memory each year with a traditional Mother's Day Brunch. 
When it comes to Mother's Day brunches, I try to keep the spread beautiful, feminine and delicate, while still providing all the savory items of a well-rounded brunch. This brunch spread accomplishes that and simply omit the breakfast sausage from the Frittata ingredients to make this a vegetarian spread, if that is Mom's lifestyle.  Although we now celebrate Mother's Day with just two people, this spread can easily feed 4-6 people.  I hope this brings your families close and honor all the wonderful moms out there including all past, present and future moms!

On The Menu

Whole Wheat Silver Dollar Pancakes with Lemon Mousse & Fresh Strawberries

Frittata

Cheese Hash Casserole

Apple Rose Breakfast Rolls

Pearl & Crystal Strawberries

Recommended Beverage: Raspberry Bellini

Whole Wheat Silver Dollar Pancakes with Lemon Mousse & Fresh Strawberries

Ingredients - makes about 21 pancakes:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp. melted butter
1 cup Lemon Mousse Filling (click for recipe, better if made night before) for every 2 servings
4 fresh strawberries, stems removed and sliced, for every 2 servings
Optional - pancake syrup

1. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, milk, salt, eggs, water and 2 tbsp. of melted butter and mix well until batter is smooth without any lumps.
2. In a skillet, or on a griddle, melt one tbsp. of butter over medium heat.
3. Pour batter into the skillet (or onto the griddle) to make 4" diameter circles. (Ex. 3 silver dollar pancakes should easily fit in a regular sized skillet)
4. When bubbles on the top form, flip the pancake over to cook the other side for approximately the same amount of time as the first side, or until golden brown.
5. Repeat until all batter is used.
6. Place 4 silver dollar pancakes (or more if desired, but  is the common number served) on each individual's plate.
7. Sculpt a strip of Lemon Mousse across the pancakes (see picture)
8. Place sliced strawberries as desired (on the mousse, sprinkled across plate, etc.)

The Lemon Mousse and strawberries provide good sweetness to the pancakes, but I provide syrup on the side as an option for guests with a very evolved sweet tooth!

Frittata
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium-large zucchini, end removed and cubed
4 handfuls of fresh spinach
3/4 cup sliced Bella mushrooms
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
Salt & pepper to taste
6 whole eggs or egg substitute
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Optional - 1 pk. of frozen cooked breakfast sausage patties, thawed and cubed (approximately 1 and 1/2 cups)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat
3. Saute onion and garlic for approximately 5 minutes.
4. Add about an inch of water the skillet and add cubed zucchini and the spinach.  Cover and let vegetables steam for about 10 minutes or until spinach begins to wilt.
5. Drain any excess liquid and return to heat.
6. Add in Bella mushrooms, garlic powder, onion powder (and sausage as desired).  
7. Stir well to blend to blend flavors.
8. As mushrooms begin to cook, change heat to low and cover to finish cooking through for a few more minutes or until mushrooms are soften.
9. Drain all excess liquid, pour veggies (and sausage) into a baking dish.
   
10. Add the eggs and 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese. 
11. Mix well until egg yolks are completely broken and cheese is well distributed throughout the mixture.
12. Cover the top with the remaining cheese and bake in oven for approximately 15 minutes or until cheese is completely melted or a little longer if you prefer a crusted cheese top. 

Cheese Hash Casserole
Ingredients:
1 pk of frozen shredded potatoes, hash browns (approximately 4 cups) somewhat defrosted (i.e out of freezer for about 15 minutes).
2 cans of cheddar cheese soup
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a baking dish, combine hash browns, soup, onion, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes and 1/2 of the shredded cheese.
3. Mix well until soup and cheese are evenly distributed and mixed into potatoes and onions.
4. Cover the top with the remaining cheese.
5. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until cheese is completely melted, or a little longer if you prefer a crusted cheese top.

Don't Forget the Apple Rose Breakfast Rolls & Pearl & Crystal Strawberries

Easter Sunday Brunch

A few of our family's Easter traditions include a Puppy Easter Egg Hunt, watching 'The Ten Commandments' and having a big Easter Day Brunch.  Although I may alternate a few of these items here and there, these are all the dishes I serve in my Easter Brunch spreads.  I hope you and your family enjoy these delicious recipes and also gives you great ideas of your own!
                                              On the Menu

Eggs in a Basket with Bacon Handles

Cinna-Bunnies

Roasted Sweet Potato 'carrots'

Apple Rose Breakfast Rolls

Easter Basket Cupcakes

Beverages:

Mimosas

Peep-tinis

"HOP"py Easter IPA

Eggs in a Basket

Ingredients - Makes 6-8 Baskets:

2-3 red potatoes - shredded/ raw hash browns

Spray Olive oil

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

6-8 eggs

3-4 strips of bacon

tin foil

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F
   
2. In a well greased muffin pan, arrange shredded potatoes/ hash browns in six cup to cover, bottom, walls of cup and have a slight over hang outside of the cup.
3. Put in oven and cook approximately 15 minutes, or until the 'overhang' potatoes start to brown.  
4. Meanwhile, cook bacon over medium heat in a skillet.  Cook to slightly under-done, and not to a crisp (bacon should still be pliable)
5. Remove hash brown cups from oven and brush with more olive oil on the inside and edges of hash brown cups.  Return to oven for about 10 minutes (if the outer, overhang edges get too crispy, place a piece of tin foil loosely over the top of the muffin pan.
6. Remove muffin pan from oven and add one egg to each hash brown cup.  Return to oven and increase heat to 375 degrees F.
7. As egg whites begin to turn white, remove from oven.
8. Bend a piece of bacon over the sides of each hash brown cup and insert tips into the egg white so that an arch forms (the basket handle, refer to picture.)
   
9. Return to oven and bake an additional 5 minutes, or until bacon is fully cooked and eggs are firm. (Note: If your bacon and eggs are cooked fully, cover with tin foil and allow to cook or return to oven but turn off heat, so that bacon, egg and hash browns adhere to each other).
10. Use a knife to loosen basket edges, and use knife and spoon to lift basket out of muffin tin to your serving dish...Enjoy!

Cinna-Bunnies

Ingredients-Makes 5 Bunnies:

Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls (refrigerated tube)

1. Preheat oven as per instruction on tube.
2. Remove icing container and cinnamon dough from tube.
3. Separate the pre-cut cinnamon rolls.
4. Take a roll, and carefully unfurl it so it is a long strip of cinnamon dough.
5. Twist to make a loop (body of bunny), and twist twice more, smaller and tighter, so that dough comes together with the ends out (head of bunny and ears, refer to picture).
6. Take a few pieces of dough from each 'bunny ear,' and roll into a ball.
7. Place the ball at the bottom of the loop, to make the tail of the bunny body.
8. Repeat with other rolls, and cook in oven per tube instructions.
9. Apply the icing and serve...Enjoy!                           

Roasted Sweet Potato 'Carrots'

Ingredients- Makes 6 'Carrots':

6 sweet potatoes - long and tapered on an end, if available 

4 tbsp. butter

Preferred syrup (I recommend either pure maple syrup or I personally use sugar-free syrup)

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Wash and peel sweet potatoes to remove all of the skins.
3. As needed, cut one end to blunt it, and peel to taper the other end (shape to get a fat carrot shape)
4. Microwave potatoes for about 6-7 minutes, until potatoes are slightly cooked.
5. Remove potatoes from microwave, these may be very hot, allow to cool enough so that you can safely handle.  
6. Cut 1/4" slices into each potato without cutting all the way through and the potato remains connected on the bottom.
7. Brush or rub the butter onto each potato, allowing it to drip down into each slice.
8. Generously drizzle with syrup.
9. Roast in oven for approximately 20-30 minutes.  Transfer to serving dish...Enjoy!

Basic Mimosas

Mix orange juice and cold champagne.