Short Ribs Ragu (Fine Cooking)
Time consuming, but delicious, according to the reviews. Serve over mashed potatoes, pasta or polenta.

3 to 4 lb. meaty bone-in beef short ribs,
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3 oz. thickly sliced pancetta (about 3 1/4-inch-thick slices) or 3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch squares
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 heaping cup)
1 celery stalk, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 carrot, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup sliced white mushrooms
3 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 Tbs. tomato paste
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 300F.

Cook the ribs:
Trim away any excess fat from the top of each rib down to the first layer of meat, but don't remove the silverskin or tough-looking tissue that hold the ribs together or onto the bone. Pat the ribs dry with paper towels, and season them with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven (or other heavy pot with a lid) over medium heat until hot. Add only as many ribs as will fit without touching, and brown them on all sides, turning with tongs until nicely browned, 3 to 4 min. per side. Transfer to a platter, and continue until all the ribs are browned.

Pour off and discard most of the fat from the pot. Return the pot to medium heat, and add the pancetta or bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta or bacon has rendered some of its fat but is not crisp, about 3 minutes.

Add the onion, celery, carrot, mushrooms, and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 min. Add the tomato paste and red pepper flakes, and cook for 2 min., stirring. Add the wine, increase the heat to medium-high, stir to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot, and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes and their juices and bring to a simmer.

Transfer the ribs to the oven:
Return the short ribs (and any juices) to the pot in a single layer, nestling them into the sauce. Crumple a large sheet of parchment and smooth it out again. Arrange it over the pot, pressing it down so it nearly touches the ribs, allowing any overhang to extend up and over the edges of the pot. Set the lid in place, and transfer to the oven.

Braise, turning the ribs with tongs every 45 min., until fork-tender and the meat is pulling away from the bone, about 2-1/2 hours.

Make the ragu:
Use tongs or a slotted spoon to carefully transfer the ribs to a shallow baking dish or wide bowl. Set aside until just cool enough to handle.

Skim any visible surface fat from the braising liquid and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. If the tomatoes haven't broken up, break them up with a wooden spoon. If the sauce seems watery, increase the heat to medium-high and simmer to thicken. If not, keep it warm. Taste for salt and pepper.

When the beef is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and the bands of connective tissue that encircled the bones. Chop the meat into bite-size chunks or pull into large strips. Return the meat to the sauce, and keep warm until ready to serve, or if making ahead, cool and refrigerate.

COQ AU VIN (Crockpot)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons butter or margerine
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 cup chicken broth
6 tbsp. white wine or vermouth
1 tbsp. flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup diced tomatoes, well drained
1 tbsp. fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced

Melt butter in a large saucepan, add chicken and sear on each side until lightly browned, about five minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside. Add garlic and onions to pan and cook a few minutes until softened; turn off heat. In your slow cooker, whisk together broth, wine, flour, salt, and pepper until well blended. Stir in the contents of the saute pan, including any remaining butter. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Lay the chicken breasts on top of the mixture and cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 1-1 1/2 hours, until chicken is cooked through. Remove the lid about 20 minutes before serving if you would like to further reduce the sauce, though it's not necessary. You'll want a lot of sauce. Serve with tossed field greens and a hunk of crusty French bread. You'll want the bread to soak up the juices this dish makes.

Yoo hoo, everybody. It's getting mighty lonesome here!! It's getting close to dinner time and I could use some more ideas.

I'm making this for dinner tonite. It can be on the table in not much more than 1/2 hour.

Polynesian Sausages

1 lb mini-sizzler sausages
1 medium green pepper, cut into strips
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 small onion, sliced
1 14-oz can pineapple tidbits
1 can or fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup brown sugar

In a lightly greased pan fry sausages over moderately low heat until browned. Remove from pan, and drain all but 2 tbsp fat.

Add green peppers, celery and onions and mushrooms. Saute vegetables until lightly browned. Drain pineapple chunks reserving juice. Add pineapple to vegetable mixture.

Combine juice, vinegar and soy sauce and mix with combined corn starch and brown sugar. Slowly add to skillet and cook until thickened and clear. Add sausages and serve over beds of hot, fluffy rice.

I am making meatball subs tonight they are so easy but so good people will think you were cooking all day.

1 bag of premade frozen Italian meatballs
1 jar of your fave Italian sauce, I like the Bertoli and Barilla brands.
1 pack of sub buns, I like the Sara Lee brand
1 pack sliced mozzarella cheese

Put enough frozen meatballs in a pot for the number of subs you are making, I usually put like 6 or 7 meatballs per sub, in the same pot pour your jar of sauce. Heat on medium heat till nice and bubbly and the meatballs are well heated.
Turn your oven on to preheat at about 400

Tear off sheets of aluminum foil a little larger than your bun, make a sort of boat with the foil and set your bun in the boat, open it and put in your meatballs, pour on your sauce and top with your cheese, the alum foil boat is to help keep it all together and not spilling open.
Put all your filled subs into an oven safe pan, I use a rectangular cake pan. Put in oven for about 10 mins or so, you want them to start to get a little toasty and the cheese to get bubbly.
Take them out and serve them in the alum foil boats they are not as messy that way.