Short ribs are one of my favorite cuts of beef for so many reasons. The succulent flavor, the ability to cook them in a slow cooker, the way they just fall off the bone from hours of braising all make me love them even more. This time, I made these Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine. They came out delicious and flavorful and even the leftovers are great the next day. English style short ribs are slow braised in red wine and classic aromatics, fresh herbs and chicken broth for hours. This may take a few hours to make but trust me, it's worth it...Normally for a recipe like this, I would use my slow cooker/crockpot. But considering I had some time on the weekend to make this in the oven, I went that route, as written below. If you prefer the ease of a crockpot, follow the directions below but transfer everything into a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. We loved this over mashed potaoes but it works well with polenta or rice too!
Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine
recipe adapted from The New Best Recipe
2 pounds bone-in English-style short ribs, trimmed of excess fat and silver skin1 cup dry red wine1 large onions, chopped1 medium carrots, chopped1/2 large celery rib, chopped3 medium garlic cloves, pressed1/4 cup all-purpose flour1 1/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth1/2 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves1 bay leaf1/2 teaspoon tomato paste
Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange the short ribs bone-side down in a single layer in a large pan; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Roast until the meat begins to brown, about 45 minutes. Drain off all the liquid and fat with a bulb baster and discard. Return the pan to the oven and continue to cook until the meat is well browned, 15 to 20 minutes longer.
Transfer the ribs to a large plate; set aside. Drain off the fat to a small bowl and reserve (remember that the handle is hot!). Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Place the pan on stovetop set at medium heat. Add the wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits on the pan bottom with a wooden spoon. Set the pan with the wine aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the reserved fat in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour until combined. Stir in the wine from the pan, the chicken broth, tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, tomato paste and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and add the short ribs, completely submerging the meat in the liquid.
Cover the pot, place it in the 300 degree oven and simmer until the ribs are tender, about 2 hours. Transfer the pot to a wire rack and cool, partially covered, until warm, about 2 hours.
Transfer the ribs from the pot to a large plate or container, removing the excess vegetables that may cling to the meat. Discard any loose bones that have fallen away from the meat. Strain the braising liquid into a medium bowl, pressing out the liquid from the solids; discard the solids. Cover the ribs and liquid separately and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, spoon off and discard the solidified fat from the reserved braising liquid. Add the defatted liquid to the Dutch oven and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Submerge the ribs in the liquid and return to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, partially covered, until the ribs are heated through and the onions and parsnips are tender, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in the bacon.
Serve hot. Goes great with mashed potatoes!
The veggie tray. You know that's the easy route to provide a fresh and healthy appetizer option at parties and gatherings... but how popular is it really? Well at my house, the veggie tray is pretty popular, considering Joel loves to snack on colorful veggies. When The Baron requested to have a cold spinach dip on my appetizer menu for Thanksgiving, I couldn't say no. His mom, Marnie, makes a really good spinach dip so I didn't want to compete with her recipe. That's when I came across this Spinach Ranch Dip that offered a little twist to the traditional. The secret is all in the ranch dressing seasoning packet and it made all the difference for that little tang and kick of flavor! Cream cheese, sour cream, ranch dressing, chopped spinach, water chestnuts and some colorful bell peppers made this one dip everyone devoured...
Marshmallows usually find their way into my kitchen if they're being used in recipes like s'mores inspired desserts or rice krispie treats. But this time, marshmallows were made from scratch in my kitchen. I can't believe it took me this long to make them! I'm a big fan of salted caramel and when I came across this recipe for Salted Caramel Marshmallows, I didn't hesitate getting started. These soft pillows of sweetness, swirled with buttery, salted caramel will change the way you think about marshmallows and you just might pass on those store-bought ones at the grocery store...
Can you believe the end of 2012 is just days away?! Every year I am in shock with how quickly the days and months fly by. This was quite a year full of delicious entertaining with themed dinner parties such as a Brazilian Carnival, Filipino Lumpia Rolling Party, Southern Eats, and Caribbean Rum Flair. I also hosted a couple special virtual baby showers for some fellow food bloggers/real life friends like Krystal's Baby Shower Fiesta and Jessica's All Star Shower.
It's the last day of 2013! What are your plans to end this year on a delicious note? For The Baron and I, we're going the comfy route by ringing in the new year having ourselves a Godfather movie marathon over an Italian dinner. I hosted a 'Prime Rib Throwndown' dinner last night with friends {tasty recipes from that to come!} so because we had such a big feast then, we're keeping it much more low key tonight. What will you be feasting on for New Year's Eve? In previously years, I've done some fancier meals and if that's more your style, perhaps this Smoked Salmon Cheeseball will be a good addition to your menu. Savory smoked salmon is flaked and combined with smooth cream cheese, a touch of Worcestershire sauce, some shallots and then formed into a ball before coating it in chopped fresh dill. It's light, deliciously easy to make in advance and will be a nice addition to any appetizer table...
well, this is about the most delicious age yet. yet how can i keep saying that and expecting you'll continue believing me? i'm quite sure i've said that at 3 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 9, 12... so on. but really, it's delicious. i want to eat you on the daily. your thighs, your bum, your cheeks. i kiss your lips about fifty seven times a day, sometimes you're cool with it, other times i'm stealing them which i figure is my right. you look at me, really trying to understand what it is i'm saying, "parker, would you like an apple?" "parker, do you want to go get the mail with mama?" "parker, do you see the truck?" you get so much. it's remarkable. in fact, the other day daddy asked you if you wanted to make coffee with him and you ran right over to the coffee maker. when did we ever tell you that was the coffee maker? you just knew. your communication is still limited (in fact, often, you do this thing where instead of attempting the word, you do this nasal-like sound with the appropriate amount of syllables. it's totally random but really funny.) when it's time to nurse at naptime, you're practically giddy about it. sometimes you start to laugh and begin nursing with a huge smile on your face. and sometimes you take both of your hands, and put them on either side of my face while nursing. it makes me melt. but then other times you claw at my chest and nearly do gymnastics while nursing which doesn't work well and that makes me less melty. every evening when dada gets home, you run around the first floor, find his slippers, and bring them to him. i've told him this is a little bit like training a dog (what's next, the newspaper from the front lawn?) but after doing it so many times together, you have come to expect it. dada's home, now slippers! you play hide and go seek. you dance almost any time you hear music. you run and your whole body moves in the cutest way as if it takes so much effort to do so, arms swinging back and fourth so purposefully. you're always climbing on things--chairs, boxes, stools. you love blueberries, pears, eggs, sweet potato, cauliflower, clementines, and any sort of cracker (sometimes i have to tell everyone to hide the things they're eating so you'll eat what i've actually put in front of you). you have the craziest bed head when you wake up and your hair is so long at this point that it is in my face and mouth when we cuddle in bed. i've trimmed it a couple times, but teeny trims. you love trucks, cement mixers, horses, dogs and the books about those things are your favorite. in the past month, i swear, you got about six teeth at the same time (really, i think it's six). what is the count up to now? i think it's 14 or so? and how are we coming upon a year and a half? it seems that this past six months since your birthday have flown by. so much faster than the first six months felt. i still call you a baby, but are you one? do i need to call you a toddler? (i refuse.) i keep a journal for you because sometimes i feel so much but you're not old enough to get it. i want you to have it one day. it's a good outlet for me. if you're reading this one day, know that you are so loved, cherished, adored. you brighten our lives every day. we cannot get enough of you. 
{past monthly parker updates}{top picture by sara colket}
Every year the same Christmas decorations are hauled up from the basement in their gigantic blue Tupperware containers (can they be called that or have they graduated to a new word when they're way too huge to hold your lasagna leftovers?). And every year they vomit every Christmas decoration we have all over the house and every shelf and chair and table. And every year I take a few and carefully put them back in the containers when no one's looking where they will go back to rest in the basement cause it is Christmas overload in this house if they're all out and everywhere and, folks, it ain't a good Christmas overload. So, like I said, some get put away, just some, but never this one. This Nativity Advent calendar always gets taken out, hung on the basement door, and remains out until Christmas is over. You're thinking, "Well of course! Of course you'd put this sweet Nativity Calendar out! 'Tis more "reason for the season" than any of the others!" WRONG. Here's why. Two words: William and Lindsey. (Three words?) Every year without fail (seriously every single year) they cannot come to an agreement on who puts which ones up. It seems so simple to Steve and I. One person gets odd numbers, one person gets even. But, I suspect William, who is up earlier than Lindsey, takes advantage (early bird catches the worm!) and puts more up than he is allowed. This is fitting for William. He can be a bit of the "might makes right" mindset and thus rotten to his little sister. Yes, sweet William! And then Lindsey, seeking retribution, puts all of them up when he's not looking (happened tonight) and then William, noticer-of-everything-misser-of-nothing stands in front of the calendar and places then back in their pockets until the appropriate corresponding day arrives. A battle of the wills. It is preposterous, the whole thing, and I might burn it next year.
{top : c/o tailor & stylist // hunttales10 for 10% off!}{cords: anthro, old}
Butter is one ingredient my kitchen cannot live without. But it can't be just any plain old butter. Oh no... in my kitchen, I'm willing to splurge on butter just because I know the world of difference good butter makes in my recipes! When the lovely folks of Plugra and I connected back in June or July of this year, I knew it would be a delicious partnership in the making. Now in the thick of holiday baking season, we've joined together to highlight how butter really does make everything better. The Baron's lovely mom, Marnee, hosted a holiday baking session recently and it was a lot of fun. Joel got into the action too! We made quite a few different cookies and talk about butter overload... which is always good in my eyes. Here are pictures of our holiday baking extravaganza and be sure to come back all next week for the recipes!
Soup is one of those things I especially enjoy during the cooler months. Usually I'll make a big pot of soup every other week or so but I will often get my soup fill when we dine out. I recently visited a Panera Bakery Café with Joel and we enjoyed all the varieties they offered at any given time. When we were there, they had roughly six or seven soup offerings to choose from. Joel and I decided on the Cream of Chicken and Rice soup, which was delicious! In this soup, long grain and wild rice, celery, onion, carrot and diced chicken was simmered in chicken broth and then embellished with cream and herbs. How could it not be good?! In fact, Joel and I enjoyed the soup so much that Panera Bakery Café inspired me to go home and make more soup. {That and Joel expressed how much he liked it and wanted more lol!} So with full bellies of soup and inspiration in mind, I made this Cream of Mushroom Soup with Chicken & Rice. Similar to the Panera soup we had, this one includes mushrooms, making it rich with flavor...
Cookies are part of every holiday, especially during Christmastime. It's no surprise many cookie swaps are happening all over the place and I was thrilled that I was selected by T
we found gracie this way the other day when we were going about our business not paying much attention. (parker did it, but you probably knew that.)
Stir fries are a time saving dinner. Everything pretty much comes together quickly in a stir fry, assuming all the ingredients (protein, vegetables, aromatics, etc) are prepped in advance. In this Teriyaki Pork & Broccoli Stir Fry, I had everything on hand so dinner was on the table in no time. Seriously, these days, dinner can't get on the table soon enough so this meal was much appreciated! Pork tenderloin and broccoli florets are tossed in a quick teriyaki sauce made with garlic, onions, ginger, soy sauce (or in our case, GF tamari), chicken broth and brown sugar, which was thickened with cornstarch. It hit the spot and I don't think there were even any leftovers between The Baron, Joel and myself! That's a good sign that this recipe is a keeper...
