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.

DATE NUT BARS 1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour 1/2-teaspoon baking powder 1/4-teaspoon salt 2 large eggs at room temperature 1/2-cup sugar 1-tablespoon vanilla extract 2 cups diced dates (10 ounces) 1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts Confectioner�s sugar Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 10-inch square pan and dust with flour or line the pan with aluminum foil and butter it. Set aside. Sift 1/2 cup of the flour with the baking powder and salt into a bowl. In another bowl beat the eggs until they are foamy. Gradually add the sugar and vanilla beating until well blended. Fold in the flour mixture. In a small bowl toss the dates and nuts with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of the four. This method will prevent the dates and nuts from sinking to the bottom of the pan while baking. Fold the date mixture into the batter. Spread batter evenly in the pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top and firm to the touch. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into squares and sprinkle the tops with confectioner�s sugar. Makes 24.

Mediterranean Chicken (Real Simple magazine) 4 5- to 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves 2 ounces crumbled Feta 4 tablespoons black-olive tapenade or paste 4 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup store-bought fresh salsa 1 5-ounce package baby spinach 1 large lemon 4 tablespoons capers packed in liquid (optional) Heat oven to 375F. Cut a 2-inch pocket in the thickest part of each chicken-breast half. In a small bowl, combine the Feta and tapenade, then stuff a quarter of the mixture into each pocket. In a nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium to high heat. Season the chicken with pepper. Add to skillet and cook 2 minutes per side or until brown. Transfer the chicken to an oven-safe baking dish that has been drizzled with 1 tablespoon oil. Bake for 18 minutes. When the chicken is 5 minutes from being finished, put the salsa and remaining tablespoon oil in the skillet and heat through. Add the spinach and cook until slightly wilted. Slice the chicken and serve with a squeeze of lemon juice, capers (if desired), and spinach on the side.

BACON AND POTATO BREAKFAST BAKE (One Lovely Life) 1 (12oz) package bacon (I prefer nitrate-free) 4c diced potatoes (about 4 medium-small potatoes) 3 green onions 1c pepper jack cheese 1c cheddar cheese (I prefer sharp) 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 3 eggs 1c milk olive oil salt and pepper Cook bacon and crumble it. (I cooked mine in the oven on two foil-lined baking sheets at 375 degrees 20-25 minutes. You can do it any way you please.) While the bacon is cooking, cook potatoes in a large saute pan with olive oil and a little salt and pepper over medium heat until golden brown. Alternatively, you could roast them in the oven or use leftover cooked potatoes. Spray an 8x8" baking dish with nonstick spray. Place potatoes in the bottom. Sprinkle with pepper jack and cheddar cheese. Sprinkle with green onions. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, mustard powder, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture gently over the potatoes, cheese, and green onions. Sprinkle bacon over top of all. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. When ready to cook, bake at 350 degrees 45-50 minutes, or until the center is set. Allow to stand 15 minutes before cutting.