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.

Brussel Sprouts with anchovy, dijon vinegrette and parmesan cheese

Brussel Sprouts
Olive Oil Spray
2-3 Anchovies
1t dijon mustard
3T white wine vinegar
5T olive oil
1t Lemon juice
Parmesan Cheese

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
Spray a baking sheet with Olive Oil
Take whole brussel sprouts cut off the end and cut them in half and place them on the baking sheet
Spray with more olive oil season with salt and pepper
Roast for 20-25 minutes until carmelized and done

While the brussel sprouts are cooking put the next 5 ingredients into a blender or use a hand blender and mix. Poor over brussel sprouts when they're done like a dressing and grate parmesan cheese over the top. These are not your mothers boiled brussel sprouts. The flavor changes with the roasting and they get soft and have a completely different taste.

Potato Leek Mash

My Esthetician gave me this idea

2 pototoes I used Yukon gold

1 sweet potato not a yam, the flesh should be light yellow

2 leeks white part only

Cut all these up, cover with water, she uses a bullion cube, I used a product called "better than bullion" if you've got neither I cook it in chicken broth until tender. When done remove most of the liquid and used a mixer or hand blender to puree the mixture. No salt, no pepper, no butter and all I can say is mmm mmmm good.

Chili

Chili

( you'd think I'd make it look pretty, but no I dig right in then take the pic when I'm putting away food :)
Brown in a heavy pan
1lb of your meat choice I used tri tip today and used my cuisinart to grind the meat on pulse a few times after it was browned. iit gives the chili a nice texture. I’ve used ground turkey, turkey sausage, tofu, hamburger, chicken sausage and a combination, even leftover pork roast.
1 diced onion and cook until softened ( I like mine a little carmelized and will add them in with the meat)
Reduce heat to low and add
1 15 oz can beans drained – again I’ve used different kinds like kidney, black and white beans
1 28oz can diced tomatoes with juice
1t crushed red pepper (adjust if you have little one’s)
2-3 cloves chopped garlic– if I don’t have any I’ll put in 2t garlic powder
1 ½ t salt
5t chili powder
2t ground cumin
1t Oregano or 1T fresh Oregano
¼ t cinnamon

Simmer about a half hour and serve with Cotjia cheese or Monterey Jack, a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt. Garnish with Avocado slices. Serves 4

If you have any left over this makes great nacho’s with some chips and cheese heated under the broiler.

Chocolate Raspberry Trifle

I made a chocolate cake for a party that stuck in the pan. Of course the cake was way too good to waste, so I made a trifle out of it. When I make this again, I would make a double batch of the raspberry coulis and add fresh raspberries.

Chocolate cake:
9 T cocoa powder
1 1/2 c cake flour (or use regular flour and substitute 3 T of the flour with corn starch)
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
1 1/2 c sugar
2 large eggs, room temp
1/2 c coffee
1/2 c milk

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 9" cake pans.

Beat together the butter and sugar about 5 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Add one egg at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated. In a seperate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, flour, salt, baking soda, salt & baking powder. In a measuring cup, mix the coffee and milk.

Stir 1/2 of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, then the milk mixture and finally the other half of the flour mixture. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool, remove from pans and tear into cubes.

Vanilla Pudding:
8 T sugar
4 T corn starch
1/2 t salt
4 c 2% milk
4 egg yolk, slightly beaten
2 T butter
2 t vanilla extract

Combine the sugar, cornstarch & salt in a saucepan. Gradually stir in the milk cooking over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat and cook an additional 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.
Stir a small amount of the hot mixture into the egg yolk to temper it. Pour the tempered yolk into the warm mixture. Bring to a gentle boil, cooking and stirring for an additional minute. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.
Cool for 15 minutes before transferring to a dish to cool. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Hot Fudge Sauce:
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c cocoa powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 c water
1 c heavy cream
1 c light corn syrup
1/4 t white vinegar
4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsley chopped
4 T unsalted butter, softened
1 T vanilla

Whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder and salt in a large pot. Whisk in the milk until well blended. Bring to simmer over medium high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and add the heavy cream, corn syrup, white vinegar and 2 oz of the chocolate. Return to the heat, whisking frequently over medium high heat until it reaches about 225 degrees F. The bubbles will be small and the liquid will be a little thicker and sticky. Remove from heat and add the remaining chocolate, butter and vanilla. Let cool.

Raspberry Coulis: I would double this next time and add some fresh raspberries at least on top of the trifle if not in the middle as well.
12 oz fresh or frozen raspberries
3 T sugar
2 t fresh lemon juice

Blend all three ingredients together and strain through a small sieve.

Trifle:
Layer 3 layers of each cake, pudding, fudge sauce & raspberry coulis in a glass bowl.