Category Archives: Meat/ Poultry

Country Style Ribs with Sauerkraut

Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Uncategorized, Vegetables, , , , ,

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Sauerkraut is one of those foods you really have to taste to determine if you like it or not. My son’s first reaction when he saw me cooking Country Style Ribs and Sauerkraut was to say “I don’t like sauerkraut”. Of course, I had never fixed sauerkraut for my family so my reply to him was “Just try a little then decide if you like it or not”. A few minutes after I let him try a spoonful to taste he exclaimed “I  like this!”.

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I think I can safely say almost everyone knows about country style ribs (nice thick pork ribs). But, what the heck is sauerkraut? Sauerkraut is pickled (fermented) cabbage. The word sauerkraut means “sour cabbage”. For many, it is an acquired taste and you may love it or hate it after you try sauerkraut.  I fall into the love it category. My mom made spare ribs and sauerkraut on many occasions and taught me her secret for taking the bitterness out of the sour cabbage. Brown sugar!

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Sauerkraut actually has quite a few health benefits. There are a number of diets that feature sauerkraut as the star to help reduce weight, lower cholesterol and fight against certain forms of cancer. The biggest benefit of sauerkraut is that it is inexpensive so it is light on the pocket book.

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If you have the time and the energy, you can easily make your own sauerkraut and store it in the frig or freeze it. Personally, I find it easier to buy it, freeze it and then pull it out whenever I want to make Country Style Ribs and Sauerkraut. Maybe in my next phase of life I will add making sauerkraut from scratch to my list of things to do. Until then…….

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Country Style Ribs and Sauerkraut

Ingredients:
1 pkg country style spare ribs
1 pkg sauerkraut
1 small onion sliced
1 cup water
¼ cup dark brown sugar
4 – 5 small red potatoes sliced thick
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
½ tsp onion powder
paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place sauerkraut in the bottom of a baking dish. Add water then season with a little salt and black pepper. Crumble brown sugar over the sauerkraut and dot with butter. Layer potatoes on one side of the baking dish.

Season country style ribs with salt, pepper and onion powder. Sprinkle with paprika. Lay ribs over sauerkraut. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour (baste ribs and potatoes after 30 minutes) then remove foil and continue baking for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Bon Appetit!

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Pork and White Bean Stew

Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Soups/ Salads / Stews, Uncategorized, , , , , ,

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I spotted some nice country style ribs at the grocer while shopping this week. They looked so good and were on sale so I couldn’t pass them up. I was sure I could come up with a new recipe to include the country style ribs so they landed in my cart.

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Country style ribs are thick and meaty and are great in chili, stew or all by themselves. I am not sure if I should classify my Pork and White Bean Stew as a stew or a chili dish. I will leave that up to others. For now I will call it a stew. I just liked the idea of the pork with white beans and a few fresh veggies. Plus, one pot dishes are at the top of my list when it comes to cooking. Who wants to clean a lot of pots and pans when you can toss everything into one pot? Definitely, not me. In the case of my Pork and White Bean Stew I did use two pots. I used a pressure cooker to speed up the process of making the pork nice and tender. If you are not comfortable using a pressure cooker I would stick to cooking the pork a little longer to make sure it is tender. Just don’t over cook the meat or it will be dry and chewy.

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The flavors of the pork were amazing with the white beans. At the last minute, I decided to throw some fresh chopped tomatoes from our garden into the pot to give the dish a pop of color. The smell of the home grown tomatoes hit my nose before I could even take a bite of the stew. Wow, what a difference between home grown tomatoes and hot house tomatoes. Home grown beats out store bought tomatoes every time.

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Stew or chili? I am still not sure which one describes this dish the best. Whatever you decide to call it, I know you will like it.

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Pork and White Bean Stew

Ingredients:
4 – 6 thick country style ribs cubed
2 15oz cans cannellini beans (do not rinse/drain)
1 can green chiles
2 small tomatoes large dice
1 small onion diced
1 small green pepper diced
1 clove garlic minced
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1tbsp cilantro
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp parsley chopped
½ tsp cayenne (optional)
1 pkg whit chicken chili dry mix

Place pork in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt, pepper and cayenne. Toss until well coated. If comfortable with using a pressure cooker, place pork in pressure cooker with water and cook for 30 minutes to tenderize meat. Then place pork and remaining ingredients in a large pot along with 1 cup of juice from pressure cooker. Skim off grease. Cook for 1 hour. If not comfortable with using a pressure cooker, place all ingredients in a large pot and cook for 2 hours over medium high heat until meat is tender.

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Buffalo Chicken and Spinach Flatbread

Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Uncategorized, Vegetables, , , , , , ,

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Cooking with flatbreads is an easy way to get a meal on the table when you don’t have a lot of time to prepare something more complex. I am not a big “pizza” fan but I do enjoy them now and then. The rest of the family can eat pizza any time. If I am going to eat pizza, I want it to be special and not the basic cheese or pepperoni pizza you find every where.

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One of my son’s favorite pizza choices is Buffalo Chicken so I thought I would try making my own version. The great thing about flatbreads is that they are versatile. You can use just about any topping you like on the flatbread and it will taste wonderful. Of course you need to add a few seasonings to give it an extra kick. We like spicy flavors in my family so besides using Buffalo wing sauce on the chicken I also added pepper jack cheese and red pepper flakes to the toppings. Depending your tolerance for “heat” you can add or subtract the amount of spice you use.

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The first time I made my Buffalo Chicken Flatbread we had it for lunch. This turned out to be a very hearty meal with the thick slices of chicken, spinach, onions and cheese. Protein, veggies and dairy! What more could you ask for in a meal? As you can imagine we had a very light dinner that night.

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Look for more flatbread recipes on dmariedining.com. You cannot beat them for a healthy, quick and easy meal!

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Buffalo Chicken Flatbread

Ingredients:
1 14oz flatbread (Trader Joe’s Ciabatta Flatbread)
1 pkg pre-cooked sliced chicken (Trader Joe’s)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup baby leaf spinach
½ cup buffalo wing sauce
½ cup shredded pepper jack cheese
½ cup thinly sliced red onion or shallots
¼ cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tbsp red pepper flakes
salt
black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place chicken in a medium sized bowl. Drizzle buffalo wing sauce over chicken then toss to coat the chicken.

Place flatbread on a cookie sheet then brush flatbread with olive oil. Sprinkle ½ cup mozzarella cheese over flatbread. Layer flatbread with spinach then sprinkle with a little salt and black pepper. Next layer chicken, onions and remaining cheeses over the spinach. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes until cheese melts and turns slightly brown. Let cool for a few minutes then cut with a pizza slicer.

For a crispier crust place the flatbread directly on a rack in the oven. Check flatbread package for full instructions on cooking crust.

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BCT Sandwiches (Bacon, Cucumber and Tomato)

Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Uncategorized, Vegetables, , , , , , , , ,

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BCT (Bacon, Cucumber and Tomato) sandwiches are a nice little treat for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Instead of a heavy load of bacon, eggs, potatoes and pancakes, a light but filling sandwich is the way I like to roll. Nothing against a big breakfast but after eating that much food I am ready for a very long nap.

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A take on the classic BLT, the BCT provides refreshing veggies and the smoky taste of bacon. I first experienced having a breakfast sandwich with BCT when my hubby brought one home from a trip to the gas station that also has a deli inside. It was on a particular Saturday which I deemed cereal day because I was not into making breakfast that day and no one else volunteered. Since hubby wasn’t in the mood for cereal he decided to pick up a breakfast sandwich when he went to get gas (he is such a good multi-tasker). I must say I was a little envious when he showed me his sandwich and I looked down at my soggy cereal.

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Needless to say, I decided I could re-create hubby’s Bacon, Cucumber and Tomato sandwich and turn it into a sandwich for breakfast, lunch or dinner. For breakfast and lunch the BCT is pretty straightforward. Although, to elevate the BCT as a lunch sandwich I sometimes add lettuce or fresh baby leaf spinach. For dinner, I will add a few thin slices of turkey breast or smoked salmon with capers.

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No matter when you decide to eat a BCT I know you will like it. Especially, if you are tired of cereal.

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BCT Sandwiches (Bacon, Cucumber and Tomato)

Ingredients:
4 sliced bagels
1 large tomato sliced
1 medium cucumber sliced
½ lb bacon fried slightly crisp
4 – 5 tbsp softened cream cheese

Toast bagels. Spread both sides of bagel with cream cheese. Layer one side of bagel with tomato, cucumber then top with bacon.

Optional:
thin slices of turkey breast
slices of smoked salmon and capers
fresh baby leaf spinach

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Stuffed Chicken Breast Wrapped in Bacon

Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Vegetables, , , , , ,

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Today was another one of those days I needed to quickly get dinner on the table because folks were hungry. I know my hubby and son are spoiled but I created those monsters so I live with it. Besides, this was a time when I was hungry too.

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Fortunately, I had planned ahead and had thin chicken breasts ready for a new recipe I wanted to try. Stuffed Chicken Breasts Wrapped in Bacon. I figured this one would be a winner just because of the ingredients my family loves to eat. Chicken, fresh spinach, bacon and brie.

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Hubby gave me a thumbs up after the first couple of bites. The fresh spinach kept the chicken moist on the inside and the brie added a nice rich creamy flavor to the chicken. Bacon. What can you say about bacon except that it goes with just about anything you can cook.

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I was able to get dinner on the table in under an hour so you know this recipe is definitely quick and easy.

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Stuffed Chicken Breast Wrapped in Bacon

Ingredients
8 thin chicken breasts
8 slices of brie
8 slices of bacon
2 cups baby leaf spinach
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Season each slice of chicken breast with salt, black pepper, garlic powder and basil. Layer spinach and two slices of brie on four slices of chicken breasts. Top each chicken breast with remaining slices. Wrap two slices of bacon around chicken breasts and secure with tooth picks or roasting pins. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and bacon is slightly crisp. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes. Remove pins prior to serving.

 

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Andouille Sausage with Tomato Gravy

Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Uncategorized, Vegetables, , , ,

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Tonight I fixed andouille sausage with tomato gravy over pasta. I used chicken andouille sausage and made a rue with beer then added fire roasted tomatoes. I am not sure why or how I decided to make a tomato gravy. The idea just came to me on my long drive home from work. I was racking my brain to come up with something quick for dinner because I no longer felt like making the seafood salad I had planned. I knew I had andouille sausage at home and thought they would be good in a gravy so tomato gravy was born.

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Tomato gravy is really just a rue made with beer and fire roasted tomatoes. I don’t make gravy too often because it can be very heavy and of course fattening if made the way my grand-mom use to make it. Her gravy was delicious and good for twirling your biscuits in but now that I am older I cannot have a lot of biscuits and gravy. My hips will not allow it.

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Anyway, the andouille sausage and tomato gravy was good. One of those turn up the bowl to your lips so you can get every drop kind of good. You know what I mean. Everyone (I hope) has experienced at least once in their lifetime a dish that made you want to lick the bowl but you settled for secretly lifting the bowl to your lips and sucking up the juices. If you have not had that experience I feel sorry for you. Maybe this will be one of those dishes for you.

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The slight heat from the sausage and the smokiness of the fire roasted tomatoes was a wonderful combination. The beer added another level of flavor because of the lemon grass, coriander and orange spices in the beer. I am not a real beer drinker but I do like to cook with it so I look for different flavors of beer that might elevate a dish. Beer can add a subtle punch to any recipe instead of overpowering the dish like other types of alcohol.

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I am sure I will be making andouille sausage with tomato gravy again and again judging by the two bowls my hubby had tonight. Quick and easy is still my motto.

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Andouille Sausage with Tomato Gravy

Ingredients:
8 chicken andouille sausage links
2 15 oz cans fire roasted tomatoes
1 bag baby leaf spinach (optional)
1 bottle good beer / ale
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup water
3 tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Adobo
1 tsp worcestershire
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp gumbo file (optional)
½ tsp cilantro
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cayenne

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut a few slits in each andouille sausage link and place them on a rimmed baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes until browned. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a large frying pan add vegetable oil and flour over medium high heat. Whisk together until smooth and continue whisking until mixture turns a light cocoa brown. Be careful not to burn the rue so whisk constantly. Slowly pour in beer while continuing to whisk the rue. Add water, tomatoes and seasonings. Reduce heat to a simmer then add spinach. Stir to coat spinach with gravy then add sausage. Cook for an additional 15 minutes. Serve over curly pasta, mash potatoes or rice.

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Grilled Chicken Salad

Fruits, Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Soups/ Salads / Stews, , , ,

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Grilled Chicken Salad is another family favorite when the weather is warm and no one wants to eat a real heavy meal. Chicken of course is good any time of the year but chicken salad is one of those dishes I tend to make when I need a quick meal and I am too tired to turn on the oven or stove. I like to make Grilled Chicken Salad when my hubby is in the mood to do a lot of grilling. Grilling is his territory not mine so I take advantage whenever hubby is ready to fire it up.

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That being said the last time I made Grilled Chicken Salad for the family I didn’t wait for hubby to grill the chicken for me. Instead, I went to Trader Joe’s and purchased packaged grilled chicken which is actually very tasty with a great grilled flavor. Home grilled is wonderful but if you are short on time check out the grilled chicken at Trader Joe’s.

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Most chicken salad is just chicken and a few veggies. I kick it up another level by adding fruit. Grannie Smith apples, fennel, green grapes and golden raisins provide both a sweet and slightly sour taste to the salad. The combination of sweet and sour along with different levels of texture from the chicken, walnuts and tomatoes made this one of my signature dishes.

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To really put a smile on my family’s face I served the chicken salad on a bed of lettuce then sliced up a little brie and served it with crackers. De-li-ci-ous!

Grilled Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
2 pkgs grilled chicken cubed (approximately 2 cups)
2 boiled eggs
½ cup sliced apples
½ cup sliced fennel
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
½ cup green grapes sliced in half
¼ cup golden raisins
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cracked black pepper
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp dill
¼ tsp celery seed
¼ tsp cilantro
¼ tsp parsley
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
3 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp ranch dressing
1 tbsp sour cream
juice from ½ a lemon

Remove yolks from boiled eggs and then chop the egg whites. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and gently mix until chicken, veggies and fruit are well coated with dressing. Chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour then serve on a bed of lettuce or with crackers.

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Fried Spare Ribs

Appetizers, Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, , , ,

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Last Christmas my brother “O” insisted on making Fried Spare Ribs as an appetizer. I will admit I was skeptical for two reasons. One, because he wanted to make ribs as an appetizer prior to a big Christmas dinner. Two, because he wanted to fry the ribs. I had never heard of fried spare ribs and could not imagine what they would look like or how they would taste.

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Usually, when I fix ribs it takes hours in the oven or on the grill. I figured that frying ribs would make them tough. Well, I was wrong. I was surprised at how tender the ribs were and even more surprised at how everyone gathered in the kitchen waiting for the ribs  drooling. As fast as as the ribs came out of the pot they were gobbled up.

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Compliments to my brother “O” for giving me a new idea for ribs even if he did not share his exact recipe. Of course, since I am a decent cook it didn’t take much for me to figure out how to make my own delicious Fried Spare Ribs. I can say with confidence that once you try fried ribs you may not look at BBQ ribs the same way any more.

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Fried Spare Ribs

Ingredients:
2 pkgs baby back ribs or 1 slab of ribs cut up
4 cups vegetable oil
1 ½ cups flour
1 tbsp seasoned salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp Adobo seasoning
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp smoked paprika

Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat until lightly smoky.

Combine flour, Adobo seasoning, onion powder, seasoned salt and paprika in a large plastic zip lock bag then shake to mix ingredients.

Season ribs with salt and black pepper. Drop 5 – 6 ribs into the plastic bag then shake to coat ribs. Shake off excess flour and gently drop ribs into hot oil. Cook for 10– 15 minutes turning ribs mid-way through cooking process. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

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London Broil Salad with Crispy Fried Onions

Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Soups/ Salads / Stews, ,

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Steak, potatoes and salad is a hearty meal that real meat eaters love. I must admit I am a meat eater but I am not big on eating red meat. My friend Girly Girl is a true meat eater especially when it comes to beef. She loves a good steak and savors every bite. I cannot remember a time when she didn’t order some style of beef whenever we would go out to dinner. Recently, Girly Girl and I were talking about recipes and I told her I was working on a variety of salads since the weather was getting warmer and I preferred preparing lighter meals in the summer. She immediately asked if I had a steak salad. At the time I did not but Girly Girl got me to thinking about creating one.

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The elements of a good steak dinner are a tender steak (of course), sauteed onions, a baked potato and salad. Creating a salad that incorporated all of those ingredients didn’t quite work for me. So, I decided to make a basic salad that included thinly sliced pieces of London Broil instead of a hearty steak just to keep it light. Some of you might be thinking who has time to fix London Broil just to put it on a salad? I certainly don’t. It was easier to go to the deli at my local grocer. They always have delicious London Broil that is tender, cooked to perfection and full of flavor. After layering the salad with the London Broil, I topped it off with crispy fried onions.

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There were only two things missing when I finished pulling the salad together. Dressing and potatoes. To elevate the salad I drizzled a little blue cheese over the crispy fried onions then I added a small buttered baked potato on the side to make the meal complete.

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I think Girly Girl is gonna like this one.

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London Broil Salad with Crispy Fried Onions

Ingredients:
½ lb London Broil
1 – 2 heads romaine lettuce sliced
1 large onion sliced thin
1 cup panko bread crumbs
4 cups vegetable oil
½ cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
½ cup green pepper sliced thin
½ cup flour
¼ cup milk
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Adobo seasoning (optional)
blue cheese dressing

Place sliced onion rings in a Ziploc bag. Season with salt, pepper and Adobo seasoning. Add flour and shake to coat the onion rings. In a bowl beat eggs and milk together. In a second bowl place panko bread crumbs.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot until lightly smoking. In batches dip floured onion ring slices in egg mixture then panko bread crumbs. Shake off excess crumbs. Add to oil and cook until golden brown flipping onion rings to evenly brown. Drain on paper towels.

Layer romaine lettuce, green peppers, tomatoes and London Broil on a dinner plate. Sprinkle with onion rings then drizzle with blue cheese dressing.

Feeds 3 – 4 people.

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Grilled Corned Beef and Pastrami Sandwiches

Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Uncategorized, , , ,

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I had just come back home from a 3 day business meeting when I decided I should cook dinner for my hubby and youngest son since I knew they had been eating take out while I was gone. However, I was mentally tired and did not feel like making something too complex for dinner. On my way to the grocery store I kept trying to think of a simple meal that would satisfy their tummies, be easy for me and make them remember how much they missed my cooking.

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Rolling through the grocery store doors it hit me. Sandwiches would be easy to make but they couldn’t be just any ol’ sandwiches. Grilled Corned Beef and Pastrami sounded like a good combination. I had never made them for the family but I recently discovered my hubby likes Reuben sandwiches. Who knew after all these years. I didn’t have any sauerkraut and I didn’t have the time or the energy to fix some for the sandwiches. So, I decided to use corned beef and pastrami along with pepper jack cheese, provolone cheese, Kumato tomatoes and thousand island dressing. I used Kumato tomatoes on the sandwiches only because I like the color and taste of the tomatoes. Of course any type of tomato will work.

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As I said earlier I was mentally tired so making fancy side dishes to go with the sandwiches was out of the question. To at least make the sandwiches seem really special I added a sliced deli pickle and potato chips with aged cheddar and cracked black pepper.

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Don’t let anyone tell you that sandwiches are boring when it comes to dinner. Actually, they can be pretty exciting if you remember flavor and texture are the key to any meal. The different flavors of the meats along with the contrast of flavors of the cheese mixed with the tang of the thousand island dressing put a little pizazz into my Grilled Corned Beef and Pastrami Sandwiches. Both of my men loved the sandwiches and let me know they missed me and definitely missed my cooking.

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Grilled Corned Beef and Pastrami Sandwiches

Ingredients:
6 slices sourdough bread
½ lb sliced corned beef
½ lb sliced pastrami
¼ lb pepper jack cheese sliced
¼ lb provolone cheese sliced
1 small tomato sliced thin
2 tbsp thousand island dressing
6 tsp softened butter

Spread a little thousand island dressing on one slice of bread. Top with 2 slices pepper jack cheese then slices of corned beef and pastrami. Add slices of tomato then top with two slices of provolone cheese. Place second slice of bread on top of cheese. Spread butter on one side of the bread.

Heat 2 tbsp of butter on a griddle over medium high heat. Place sandwich butter side down on heated griddle. Spread butter on other side of the bread. Flip sandwich once browned on one side. Brown second side of bread. Serve with pickles and chips.

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