Asian Candied Ribs and Thai-ish Rice

We ran across some beef short ribs on sale at the market yesterday, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try something new.

 Asian Candied Ribs
4 cloves of garlic diced
1/2 cup of soy sauce
2 inches of fresh ginger peeled and sliced
1/2 cup brown sugar
juice of 1 lime
2-3 cups of beef broth
2 T of sesame oil
2 star anise
and a handful of cilantro (stems an all) chopped

Bring all of the ingredients to a boil in a medium sauce pan and simmer for just a few minutes and then pour over the ribs in a large roasting pan. 

Covered them up and cook them on low heat (300) for hours (3-4). Delicious.

Thai-ish Rice

Prepare what ever rice you have on hand according to the directions  for 4 servings (We had sticky sushi rice, so that's what we used). While the rice is cooking prepare the vegetables:

2 medium carrots - peeled and diced
1 medium red pepper - peeled and diced
1 cup of frozen peas - thawed
1/4 cup of cilantro chopped - divided
juice of 1/2 lime
1 T sesame oil
1/4 c of Thai basil chopped - divided

Use half of the basil and cilantro and combine with the carrot, pepper, lime juice and sesame oil in a medium size microwave proof bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 5 minutes.

When the rice is done mix together with the vegetables and top off with the remaining fresh herbs.

Hungarian Beef Goulash

2 pounds beef stew meat

2 teaspoons caraway seeds

1 1/2-2 tablespoons sweet or hot paprika

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped

1 small red bell pepper, chopped

1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium beef broth

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

      Place beef in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. 

  Crush caraway seeds with the bottom of a saucepan. 

  Transfer to a small bowl and stir in paprika, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the beef with the spice mixture and toss to coat well. Top with onion and bell pepper.

     Combine tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire sauce and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer. Pour over the beef and vegetables. Place bay leaves on top. Cover and cook until the beef is very tender, 4 to 4 1/2 hours on high or 7 to 7 1/2 hours on low.

    Discard the bay leaves; skim or blot any visible 

     Fat from the surface of the stew. Add the cornstarch mixture to the stew and cook on high, stirring 2 or 3 times, until slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.

I have never made this before and it's not an original recipe. This is from Eating Well and it was delicious.

Dutch Apple Cranberry Pie

1 ready-made pie crust

5 1/2 cups cooking apples (peeled, cored and sliced) – I used Cortland this time

1 cup cranberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

¼ cup tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Topping:

1/2 cup flour

1/2  cup oats

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup butter  softened

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Fit pie crust into pie plate.

3. In a large bowl, mix sliced apples, cranberries, lemon juice, sugars, flour, cinnamon. Pile into crust.

4. Prepare topping: In a medium bowl mix flour, oats, sugar and butter until coarsely crumbled. Sprinkle evenly over apples.

5. Bake at 375°F for 50 minutes.

(If your crust gets too brown early on, cover the edges of the pie crust with tin foil and continue baking)


I did try and incorporate chopped cranberries in the topping, but they got too well done, so I would not recommend it...other than that - this is a damned good pie.

Homemade for the Holidays

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

6 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 to 3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

2 to 3 squares unsweetened baking chocolate

2 cups peanut butter

1 cup butter - softened

Melt Chocolate on top of a double boiler.

While the chocolate is melting mix together sugar, butter, peanut butter and vanilla extract in a medium size bowl. Dough will be loose. 

Form 1- to 2-inch balls from the dough and refrigerate until firm. 

Dip balls into chocolate with either a wooden pick or a fork. Set on wax paper and cool.

Makes about 8 dozen (really).

I'm not going to lie: This is a labor of love. A whole day adventure of rolling and dipping and waiting, but it makes tons of balls and they are really delicious. 

This is one of the (almost 100) candy recipes I've compiled here:

Christmas Candy Gifts from Katie's Kitchen

On Sale for the Season

Apple and Pear Crisp

6-8 Medium Assorted Apples (I used Granny Smith, Golden Delicious and Rome)

3 Pears

½ C Cranberries

¾ C Sugar

½ C Flour

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

Topping

2 C Oats

¾ stick of real butter softened

¾ C brown sugar

2 T sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

¼ C Flour

Preheat oven to 375.

Peel, core and chop apples. Core and chop pears - I did not peel the pears for mine, but you can if you would rather. In a large bowl combine all of the fruit and the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

In a separate bowl combine all topping ingredients and mix well.

Spray a 11x7x2 baking pan with nonstick spray and pile the fruit in – depending on the size of your fruit you may need a larger pan, but the apples do cook down.

Spread the oat topping evenly over the fruit and pat down.

Bake for 45 – 60 minutes or until apples are tender.