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.

This is dinner tonight. SALMON WELLINGTON 1 17.3 oz. package pepperidge farm puff pastry (both sheets-thawed) 4 3/4 inch thick salmon fillet 4 Tbsp. minced shallots 4 Tbsp plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon 1 md egg, beaten (for the glaze) FOR THE SAUCE 1/2 c dry white wine 1/2 c white wine vinegar 1/2 c chilled butter, diced (1 stick) 2 Tbsp. minced shallots Preheat your oven to 425'F. Roll out each pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface to a 12 inch square. Thaw the puff pastry for about 36 minutes. Cut each in half, forming four 12x6 inch rectangles. Place one salmon fillet in the center of each of the rectangles, about 3 inches in from and parallel to one short edge. Sprinkle each fillet with sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper and 1 tablespoon of shallots and 1 tablespoon of tarragon. Brush edges of each rectangle with the egg glaze. Fold the long sides of pastry, enclosing the fillets. Seal the edges of the pastry. Place them seam side down on baking sheet. Brush with glaze. Do not use tin foil, it will stick. Bake the Wellingtons until the dough is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 more minutes. Meanwhile make the sauce. Boil the wine, vinegar and 2 tbsp. of shallots in a heavy saucepan until the liquid is reduced to 6 tablespoons, about 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, one piece at a time, whisking until each piece melts before adding the next. Whisk in 2 teaspoons of fresh chopped tarragon. Season with salt and pepper. Cut into 3rds. Place sauce over pastry and serve hot.

Red Velvet Cake (Fine cooking) Makes one 9-inch cake. Red velvet cake is a dessert that everyone oohs and aahs over�it�s tall, dark, and handsome, with deep crimson cake layers and a thick coating of cream cheese frosting above, around, and between. This red velvet cake recipe excerpted from David Guas and Raquel Pelzel's DamGoodSweet, is about as southern as a cake can be, but their version veers a bit from tradition. For the cake: 2 sticks (1 cup) plus 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature 3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder 1-1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1 (1-lb.) box light brown sugar (about 2-1/4 cups) 3 Tbs. red food coloring 2-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 3 large eggs 1-3/4 cups buttermilk For the frosting 1-1/4 lb. cream cheese, at room temperature 2-1/2 sticks (1-1/4 cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 (2-lb.) bag confectioners� sugar (about 7-1/4 cups) To make the cake Heat the oven to 350F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans with 1 Tbs. of butter each. Add 2 Tbs. of the flour to each pan and shake the pans to coat the bottom and sides. Tap out the excess flour and set the pans aside. Sift the remaining 3 cups of flour with the cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer) cream the remaining butter with the brown sugar, food coloring, and vanilla on low to combine. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until aerated and pale, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly between each addition, scraping the bowl as necessary. Reduce the speed to low and add one-third of the dry ingredients followed by half of the buttermilk. Repeat, finishing with the final third of the dry mix. Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans, spreading it out as evenly as possible. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the center of the cake resists slight pressure, about 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, and then run a paring knife around the edges of each pan to release the cake from the sides; invert the cakes onto the cooling rack. Cool for 1 hour, and then wrap each cake in plastic wrap for at least a few hours. To make the frosting Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer) on low speed to combine. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until aerated and light, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and add a few cups of the confectioners� sugar, incorporating it into the cream cheese mixture on low speed until combined. Repeat with the remaining sugar, adding it to the mixer in two additions. Once all of the sugar is added, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute. To assemble the cake Unwrap the cake layers. Slice off the rounded top 1/8 inch of each cake and place the trimmed-away portion in the bowl of a food processor. Slice each cake in half horizontally (you�ll end up with 4 layers), working over a baking sheet to catch any crumb. Add the crumbs to the food processor and pulse until fine. Place one cake layer on a cake round or large plate (make sure that the diameter of the plate is at least 1 inch larger than the cake). Use an offset spatula to evenly spread a heaping 3/4 cup of frosting on the first cake layer. Repeat with the remaining three cake layers, ending with a bottom half of a cake on top, browned-side up (so you don�t get cake crumbs in the frosting). Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake (the sides don�t have to look perfect�you�re going to cover them with cake crumbs anyway). Gently press a handful of the reserved crumbs into the side of the cake until all of the sides are evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. make ahead tips You can make the cake layers up to 3 days in advance. The filled and frosted cake keeps for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Let it stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

I get so carried away with foodgawker. Every time I click on a recipe I have to read the whole blog! LOL!! Spring will soon be here and I'll be making this cheesecake--maybe for Easter. FRUIT SMOOTHIE NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE (Kraft) 1-1/2 c. gaham cracker crumbs 1/4 (1/2 stick) butter 2 Tbsp. sugar 4 pkg. (8 oz. each) neufchatel cheese (or regular cream cheese) 1/2 c. sugar 1 pkg. (12 oz.) frozen mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries), thawed, drained 1 (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed and divided Mix graham crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar; press firmly in bottom of 13x9" pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling. Beat cream cheese and 1/2 c.sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Smash drained berries with a fork; stir into cheese mixture. Gently stir in 2 cups of Cool Whip. Spoon over crust. Refrigerate 4 hours until firm. Serve each portion with a dollop of remaining Cool Whip. Serves 16.