Asian Short Ribs

Asian Short Ribs

I've been playing with this recipe for a while and think I've got it down now. My local asian market has most of these ingredients for dirt cheep. The 5 spice cost me about $1.29 and the Hoisin about the same for a 20 oz bottle.  You can get 2 whole vanilla beans at World Market for about 2 bucks, at the grocery store it's $10 for one bean.

3 lbs Beef short ribs

Salt and Pepper

1T olive oil or olive oil spray

5 Shallots

1/3 c rice wine vinegar

¼ c brown sugar

4T Chinese Five Spice

15 oz Hoisin Suace

1 cup water

3T grated Ginger

1 vanilla bean

1 orange

Salt and pepper short ribs on both sides. Heat skillet with spray olive oil and brown seasoned short ribs on both sides just until brown.  Place is crock pot with 5 peeled and halved shallots.  In skillet deglaze the pan with 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar, add ¼ cup brown sugar, 4 Tablespoons Five Spice, 15 oz Hoisin sauce, 1 cup water, 3T grated ginger and halved opened and scraped vanilla bean with pod bring to boil, add to crock pot with the zest of 1 orange and the juice. Cook on High for 3 hours. Serve with Coconut rice.  These were amazingly good.

Carrot Cake Waffles

My kids are pretty good eaters, but I still like to get extra veggies and fruits into them. I woke up this morning with a craving for carrot cake, so looked online for a carrot cake waffle recipe. I couldn't find any that I loved. Most of them used a boxed mix of carrot cake as the started and none used pineapple. The best carrot cake has crushed pineapple in it. So, these waffles were invented. I left out the raisins and walnuts today because I wasn't sure if the kids would love that in their waffles. I also added some grated green apple, only because we had some leftover from yesterday and I wanted to use it up. The waffles were great, but personally I think they could have used a little more carrot and pineapple.
Whisk together
1 3/4 c whole wheat flour
1 T baking powder
1 T sugar (optional)
1/4 c milled flax seed (optional)
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t cloves
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t allspice

Whisk in another bowl:
3 large eggs
4 T apple sauce
1 1/2 c milk
1/2 c lightly drained crushed pineapple
1 c grated carrot
1/2 c golden raisins (optional)
1/2 c chopped walnuts (optional)

Black Bean Brownies

While not as good as brownies loaded with butter and eggs, these really are pretty good. No picture though. We ate them way before I could get my picture out. They are best if cooled before you cut them.

1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 pear
1/4 c cocoa powder
1/8 to 1/4 c honey (to taste)
1t vanilla extract
1/4 t almond extract
3/8 c rolled oats

Blend the first six ingredients in a food processor or with a hand blender, add in 1/4 c oatmeal and blend. Mix in the remaining 1/8 c oatmeal. Bake 35 minutes in a greased 8x8" pan at 350.