Oven Roasted Ribs with Barbecue Sauce

Dry rub

Meaty!

Seasoned rack

After braising

Put on broiler pan

Barbecue sauce brushed on

Broiled and done

Eat!

Oven Roasted Ribs with Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients

1 slab pork ribs, about 2 pounds

Dry Rub

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, tightly packed
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon New Mexican chili powder
1/2 tablespoon Ancho chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

Method

Make an aluminum foil boat for your ribs. Combine all seasonings, then sprinkle on rack of ribs, massaging it into the meat. Fold foil over and refrigerate at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

Place the wrapped rack of ribs, meat side down, on a foil lined sheet pan (for easy cleanup) and braise the ribs in the oven for 3 hours, until very tender. Remove from oven.

Preheat broiler.

Arrange rib rack on broiler pan. Brush on sauce of your choice (I always use my homemade barbecue sauce). Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on your broiler heat, until sauce is cooked on and bubbly.

NOTES

I think these almost defy description. They are everything rolled into one - spicy, smoky, sweet, savory - yet still cohesive. I've been making these ribs for 3 years (and they've gotten spicier over the years... go figure) and I would say they are permanent in this house.  Only change I will make in the future is, when I finally have a grill again, I will char them on the grill the last few minutes instead of broiling.

Yukon Golds with Shallot Butter

Yukon Golds with Shallot Butter
from Food & Wine

Ingredients

2 1/4 pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 medium shallot, minced
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

In a saucepan, boil the potatoes in water to cover until tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast the mustard seeds over moderate heat until they pop, about 3 minutes. In a small bowl, mix the butter with the parsley, shallot, lemon juice and mustard seeds. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Drain and halve the potatoes lengthwise. In a large dish, toss the potatoes with the shallot butter and serve.

NOTES

I did them twice this week and plan to do the same next week. There's not much to say other than that they're freaking fantastic. End of story.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup
adapted from Robin Miller

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 pound boneless/skinless chicken, cooked and shredded or cut into bite sized pieces
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 quarts homemade chicken stock
8 ounces uncooked egg noodles
1 cup frozen green peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Method

Heat oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, garlic, and celery and saute about 5 minutes, until soft. Add chicken, bay leaves, thyme, salt and black pepper and stir to mix well. Add chicken stock and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Return mixture to a boil and add egg noodles. Cook 10 minutes, until egg noodles are just tender. Stir in peas and cook until peas are just heated through, about 1 minute.

Remove from heat, discard bay leaves and stir in parsley. Serve.

50 Ways to Avoid Food Waste

2. Don't toss those trimmed ends from onions, carrots, celery, or peppers. Store them in your freezer, and once you have a good amount saved up, add them to a large pot with a few cups of water and make homemade vegetable broth. This is also a great use for cabbage cores and corn cobs.

10. Before it goes bad, blanch it and toss it in the freezer. This works for peas, beans, corn, carrots, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and leafy greens like spinach and kale.

20. Make a fruit crumble out of almost any fruit you have on hand. Assemble and bake it now, or leave it unbaked and store it in the freezer for a quick dessert.

22. Turn day-old bread into homemade bread crumbs.

34. Turn leftover bits of cooked chicken into chicken salad for sandwiches the next day.

41. Chop herbs and add them to ice cube trays with just a little water. Drop whole cubes into the pan when a recipe calls for that type of herb.

Read the rest here.