Short Rib Ravioli

I have had the Kitchenaid Pasta attachment for awhile now, but I wasn't able to make pasta sheets with it. The few times I have made ravioli, I have borrowed a hand crank machine from a friend. We used the pasta roller attachment in our cooking class at Quattro and I have been wanting one ever since. I finally got one as a birthday gift last week and I was so excited to try it out. I used the pasta recipe that came with the machine, but next time I am going to try the recipe from Quattro. Miss F was a huge help in making the raviolis, her job was to wet the pasta so that I could seal the two pieces together, she was a great assistant.

Short Rib Ravioli

1 pound boneless short ribs
½ onion, diced
1 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
¾ cup red wine
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt

4 eggs
3 ½ cups flour
1 tablespoon water
½ teaspoon salt

Place the short ribs and onion in a crockpot. Stir together the tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, sugar, oregano and salt together and pour over the short ribs. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Remove the meat and shred with two forks. Reserve the tomato sauce.

Place the eggs, water, flour, and salt in mixer bowl. Attach bowl and flat beater. Turn to Speed 2 and
mix for 30 seconds. Exchange the beater for the dough hook, turn to speed 2 and knead for 2 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead by hand for 2 minutes more. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a dish towel and let rest for 20 minutes. Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Flatten the dough, then run through the pasta roller at setting 1. Fold in half and run through the roller twice more, folding in half each time. Change the roller setting to 2, run through two more times, folding in half between each run. Repeat for setting 3, 4 and 5. Flour a cookie sheet and the work surface. Use a 2”circle cutter to cut 16 circles of pasta. Add a tablespoon of the meat to half of the circles and brush the edges with water. Top each circle with another pasta circle, being careful to push out the air and create a tight seal. Lay the prepared raviolis on the floured cookie sheet and cover with a dish towel. Repeat for the additional 3 balls of dough.

Heat one tablespoon of butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the reserved tomato sauce and any shredded meat not used to fill the ravioli bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the raviolis and boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the raviolis to the Dutch oven once they are done cooking. Add ¼ to ½ cup of the pasta cooking water to the sauce to create the desired consistency. Serve with fresh basil.

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Arroz Con Pollo

I absolutely loved this meal. No one else did. C said that it tasted too smoky (paprika?) and then Miss F chimed in with the same complaints. They were both happy to have the chicken only, but both refused the delicious rice, which was infuriating since I had made a huge pot full.  I am tempted to try it again and really cut down on the paprika and amp up the tomato flavor, maybe with some tomato paste.  The leftovers were just as good as the night I served it, which was great since I had a ton of leftovers to eat.  This recipe was adapted from Gourmet magazine.

Arroz Con Pollo

8 bone-in chicken pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into ½ inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons paprika
2 cups long-grain white rice
1 ¼ cups dry white wine
1 ¾ cups chicken broth
¾ teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1 bay leaf
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes including juice
1 cup frozen peas

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a medium Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken on all sides, about 12 minutes total. Transfer chicken with tongs to a plate.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet and add the onion, bell pepper, and salt to taste. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, paprika, and rice, then cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add wine and boil, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, saffron, and bay leaf. Nestle chicken in rice, adding any juices from plate. Cover and put the whole pan in the oven, bake for 45 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and peas, uncover and bake for 15 minutes more.

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Rosemary Fingerling Potatoes

Miss F is standing strong with her potato aversion. She will always opt for a different side dish, even if French fries are a choice, they get passed over. I do not understand her at all. I picked up a bag of fingerling potatoes at the grocer since they were on sale. I have eaten them out at restaurants many times, but I have actually never prepared them at home. They couldn't be easier and they were fantastic. I adapted the recipe from my mom's rosemary roasted potatoes recipe, which is quite a standby for me. Even though it turns out, my mom's recipe actually uses dill and parmesan cheese. I am not sure how I changed it so much, but I did and it stuck.  I will have to make her original version sometime soon while there is still fresh dill in the garden.

Rosemary Fingerling Potatoes

1 pound fingerling potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise. Place the potatoes in a 9x13 glass baking dish. Whisk together the oil, rosemary, garlic and salt; pour over the potatoes and toss well, making sure to coat all the potato halves fully. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

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Southwest Shredded Beef

I am going through a crunchy taco phase right now. Miss F and C had these on soft tortillas, but I chose to have mine in hard taco shells.  The nifty stand and stuff taco shells are genius, though they are a bit harder to eat than the regular taco shells.  This beef is fantastic.  We had tacos the first night and empanadas the second night.  I bought premade Goya empanada dough, not realizing they had to be fried instead of baked.  The house smelled like a fast food joint for awhile, though boiling some vinegar and water cleared it up a bit.  The beef would also be great in enchiladas, burritos or on a taco salad.  I adapted the recipe from Budget Bytes.

Southwest Shredded Beef

2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup beef broth
3 pound boneless beef rump or shoulder roast

In a 2 cup measure, whisk together the tomato paste, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, cornstarch, and beef broth. Trim the roast of any large pieces of fat and cut it into 2” chunks. Place the meat into a crockpot, pour the sauce over top and cover. Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours. Shred the meat with two forks and return to the crockpot. Serve in tacos, burritos or in enchiladas.

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Mango Barbecue Sauce

I sure wish we had a grill. Our place in Colorado had one and I think I used it 90% of our time up there, weather permitting. I really enjoy grilling in the summer, especially barbecue. I really like to make my own sauce, even though C likes to make fun of it, he much prefers barbecue sauce from a bottle. If you have a grill, this sauce would be amazing on grilled chicken. Maybe one day we will get a grill here in Houston, but the idea of running food up two flights of stairs is quite daunting. This sauce has a nice sweetness from the mango and I really love the addition of fresh lemon, not something you normally see in barbecue sauce. Thanks to the NY Times for the recipe.

Mango Barbecue Sauce

1 mango, flesh removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onions
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco, or to taste
4 slices lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the mango in the bowl of a food processor, and puree to a coarse texture. In a saucepan combine the olive oil, onions and garlic. Saute briefly over medium-high heat, or until wilted. Add remaining ingredients, stir and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove and let cool. Surplus sauce can be refrigerated I n an airtight jar and used with any barbecued meat or poultry.

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Garlic Knots

I have been watching Emeril Lagasse since the Food Network actually had cooking shows.  Who didn't love his show with the band and all the BAM!  I have always enjoyed his recipes, I love the way he cooks.  I made a few changes from his garlic knot recipe, but that is what these are based off of.  I really need to invest in a kitchen scale.  I am absolutely terrible at making any sort of bread product in any way even, especially rolls.  No matter, they all still tasted quite delicious.

Garlic Knots

2/3 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
1 ½ teaspoons yeast
½ teaspoon honey
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

In the bowl of the stand mixer, combine the water, yeast, honey and 2 teaspoons of the olive oil. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add ¾ cup of the flour and the salt, mix until combined. Stir in the remaining flour, ¼ cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Knead for 3 to 5 minutes. Toss the dough ball with the remaining oil, cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 ½ hours.

Place the dough on a floured surface and roll into a large rectangle, about 16 x 12 inches. Cut the dough in half lengthwise, then cut into 1” strips. Tie each strip loosely into a knot and place on a Silpat lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes more.

Combine butter and garlic in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook until the garlic is fragrant and tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Cover, remove from the heat and set aside. Keep warm. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the knots for 20 minutes. Brush each knot with the garlic butter and sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

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Best Queso Ever

I am quite mad at myself. I have had this recipe bookmarked for at least for nearly five years. FIVE. I could have had the best ever queso for the last five years. I always default to Velveeta+Rotel for queso. It's easy and good. But it isn't great. This queso is great. This queso is amazing. I will never make the Velveeta variety ever again. And this is nearly as easy. Everyone loved it. And I ate way too much of it. Thanks to Confections of a Foodie Bride for another amazing recipe.

Best Ever Queso

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon diced onion
1 jalapeno, seeds and stem removed, diced
12 ounces white American cheese, shredded
4 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded
¼ to ½ cup half and half
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large sauce pan. Add the onion and jalapeno, sauté until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the cheese and ¼ cup of the half and half. Stir until melted. Stir in the tomatoes and any additional cream to thin it to your desired consistency.

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Brussels Sprout Carbonara

I wonder if there isn't anything I wouldn't eat in Carbonara. I can't think of a single green vegetable that wouldn't be made better tossed in egg yolks, cream and Parmesan.  I combined a couple of my go to recipes: Brussels Sprouts in Bacon and Easiest Ever Carbonara into a complete meal.  Miss F firmly rejected the Brussels sprouts, she only ate one half, which was quite frustrating.   How can anything cooked in bacon grease not be good?

Brussels Sprout Carbonara

4 egg yolks
2/3 cup cream
½ cup grated parmesan
½ teaspoon salt
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 package frozen Brussels sprouts, thawed and halved
1 pound angel hair or thin spaghetti

Whisk the eggs, cream, Parmesan, and salt together in a two cup measure. Fry the bacon until crisp, drain all but one tablespoon of the grease and set aside the bacon. Fry the halved Brussels sprouts in the bacon grease for 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the pasta per package directions. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the Brussels sprouts, reduce the heat to low. Pour the cream mixture overtop and toss well to coat. Top with the reserved bacon and serve.

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Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Now that Miss F is home for the summer, there is more time in the morning for making breakfast. One of her favorite breakfasts, besides the breakfast tacos her dad makes, is pancakes. She loves them, but refuses maple syrup. She prefers to dip them in chocolate syrup. She will also dip the bacon from her breakfast tacos in the chocolate syrup.  This is a great time of year for berries and we had a gorgeous pint of blueberries that were perfect for pancakes.  This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart.

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

1 ¼ cups flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon coarse salt
1 ½ cups buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 ½ cups blueberries

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. In a two cup measure, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs and butter. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour until just combined. Gently fold in the blueberries. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat, grease it with shortening. Scoop ¼ cup of batter for each pancake into the skillet. Cook until bubbles form in the batter, then flip over and cook the other side for 1 to 2 minutes more. Serve immediately.

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Buffalo Chicken Cheesesteaks

I love anything "Buffalo-ed." Sndwiches, salads, chowder, etc... So when I saw this recipe for Buffalo Chicken Cheesesteaks on Stick a Fork in It, I knew I would enjoy it.  C was very wary of these sandwiches.  He was pestering me in the kitchen the entire time I prepared them.  Turns out, all his worry was for not, he polished off his entire sandwich.  I made one for Miss F without the Buffalo sauce, I offered her some on the side with dinner, but she was happy with just a plain chicken cheesesteak.  Warming the whole sandwich in the oven was great, though C would have preferred his "toastier."

Buffalo Chicken Cheesesteaks

4 sub rolls
8 slices provolone cheese
2 tablespoons butter
½ sweet onion, sliced
1pound chicken breasts, sliced thin
¼ cup Frank's Buffalo Wing Sauce

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Slice the sub roll nearly all the way through, lay two slice of cheese in each, then place each on a large piece of foil.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter, once the butter has melted add the onions and sauté for three minutes, until golden brown. Add the chicken, salt and pepper to taste and sauté three minutes more, until the chicken is no longer pink. Pour the wing sauce over the chicken, toss well to coat.

Fill each sub roll with ¼ of the chicken, wrap each sandwich in foil and warm in the oven for 10 minutes. Serve.

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Mexican Street Corn Pasta

I am obsessed with fresh corn in the summer. I could have it every meal, no matter all the corn silks lurking on my kitchen floors. This recipe was inspired from Half Baked Harvest via Pinterest.  I had to make several changes.  I don't have a grill and in the original recipe, the bacon was an afterthought.  I figured everything tastes better when sautéed in bacon grease, so I cooked the corn in it instead.  This pasta was absolutely incredible.  The sauce was rich with white cheddar and parmesan while the bell pepper and corn added a great crunch.  Miss F and I loved the lime juice squeezed on top, C was very happy without.  This is a huge winner in our house!

Mexican Street Corn Pasta

1 pound pasta
6 slices bacon, chopped
3 ears of corn, kernels removed
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
½ onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 lime
1 ½ cups half and half
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon chile powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup shredded white cheddar
1/3 cup grated parmesan
½ cup fresh basil, julienned

Prepare the pasta per package instructions. In a large skillet, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and reserve for later use. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of grease from the pan. Add the corn, bell pepper, onion and jalapeno. Saute for 5 minutes, squeezing the juice of half the lime over top. Add the half and half, paprika, chile powder and salt to the pan. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the cheddar and parmesan, keep stirring until all the cheese has melted into the sauce. Add the pasta and basil, toss well to coat. Serve, topped with the reserved bacon and lime wedges.

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Super Bubbly Pizza

This recipe is adapted from America's Test Kitchen. It is supposed to be thin crust pizza, but it didn't turn out that way for me. It turned out to be the most bubbly pizza ever, which is a wonderful thing as far as I am concerned. I baked one pizza after a day's refrigeration and the second after three days, both were super bubbly and both were delicious.  I love bubbles in my pizza crust, but Miss F doesn't agree.  She doesn't even love pizza crust at all, she gives them to me to eat.  The dough preparation is unlike any I have tried for pizza before, but it works beautifully.

Super Bubbly Pizza

4 cups bread flour, plus more for work surface
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon yeast
1 1⁄3 cups ice water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 ½ teaspoons salt

In a food processor, process the flour, sugar and yeast until combined. With the machine running, pour the water through the feed tube and process for 10 seconds. Let the dough stand for 10 minutes. Add the oil and salt, process until the dough forms a ball that clears the sides of the workbowl, about a minute. Remove the dough and shape into a ball, place in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic rape and refrigerate at least 24 hours and up to 3 days.

One hour before baking the pizza, adjust the oven rack to the second highest position. Set a pizza stone on the rack and preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide in half, shaping each into a ball. Cover and let stand for one hour.

Coat the sough with flour and flatten into an 8” disk on parchment paper, roll into a 13” round. Top as desired. Slide the pizza and parchment onto the stone and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let the pizza cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Repeat with the remaining dough ball or refrigerate for later use.

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