Memphis Style Ribs

Admittedly, I grew up in North Carolina and I am a Carolina style barbecue girl through and through. I like my barbecue sweet. My husband is also a big fan. I was intrigued when I received this month's issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray and saw Memphis Style Ribs. I thought it would be fun to try something different. After making this recipe, I learned I should stick with my favorite sauce, as no other sauce will live up to it. I wasn't overly impressed with this recipe, other than the wonderful cooking technique I picked up. I usually par boil my ribs and then bake them. This recipe called to apply a dry rub and roast them low and slow. The ribs were extremely tender and succulent. I plan to cook them this way from now on. I will change up some of the seasonings in the dry rub because I thought it was a little bland and I will serve them with my signature sauce.

Memphis Style Baby Back Ribs
Source: Everyday with Rachael Ray October 2008

2 teaspoons sweet paprika (I mixed mine half sweet and half smoked paprika)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper
2 racks pork baby back ribs (about 5 lb total)
Two 8-oz cans tomato sauce
1/2 onion finely chopped
6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 275. In a small bowl, whisk together the paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Run a paring knife down the length of the bone side of each rack to split the skin, then season all over with the rub.

2. Arrange the ribs, meaty side down, in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast, turning halfway through, until very tender, about 3 hours.

3. Meanwhile in a small saucepan, bring the tomato sauce, onion, vinegar, brown sugar and hot sauce to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the racks into individual ribs and serve with the sauce on the side.

Ricotta Pasta with Grape Tomatoes, Peas and Basil

Finally, I made a Rachael Ray meal in 30 minutes! This is the perfect spring/summer dinner. It takes advantage of all the flavors of the season. To round out the dish I added some sweet Italian sausage. I found this recipe in Rachael Ray's 365 No Repeats. There are several great variations in the book that I also would like to try. It really is a versatile recipe. I know I will be making this again soon.

Ricotta Pasta with Grape Tomatoes, Peas, and Basil
As Adapted From Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats

1 pound penne (I used whole wheat)
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (I omitted)
1 medium onion (I omitted)
1 cup frozen green peas
A generous handful of fresh leaf parsley, finely chopped (I omitted)
Coarse black pepper
Coarse salt
20 fresh basil leaves, shredded or torn
1 cup halved grape tomatoes (1/2 pint)
1 1lb bulk Italian sweet sausage (I added this to the dish)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and salt the water. Cook the pasta to al dente.

Place the ricotta, butter, and Parmigiano in a large bowl.

(I omitted this step) Heat a small skillet over medium. Add the EVOO and onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add the peas and parsley and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Drain the pasta. Add to the bowl with the cheeses to melt butter evenly and coat the pasta with the cheeses. Season with salt and pepper. Top with peas, basil, and halved tomatoes. Toss and serve at the table.

Black Bottom Cupcakes

These are my favorite go-to quick baking snack. Its basically chocolate chip cheesecake meets brownie in cupcake form. I made these this week to take along to a craft night at a friend's house. I make them quite a bit during football season and they are always a hit. They are great for picnics and barbecues too. I originally found this recipe in the February 2007 issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray, but have since learned it is a fairly common recipe.

Black Bottom Cupcakes
Source: Everday with Rachael Ray

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar
Salt
1 large egg
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup plus 3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper or foil baking cups. Using an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add the egg and mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips and set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, the baking soda and cocoa powder. Add 1 1/2 cups water, the oil, vinegar and vanilla and stir until smooth.

3. Fill each baking cup two-thirds full with the cake batter and top with 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture. Bake until the edges are firm to the touch, about 25 minutes.

Curry Spiced Turkey Meatballs over Lemon Rice

This meal was a surprise hit at our house. I wanted to try something a little different and this recipe looked interesting. It was a wonderfully flavorful dish. The addition of the mango chutney plays nicely against the spices and adds a delicate sweetness to the dish. The Serrano pepper gives it an ever so slight bite. I did not manage to make this dish in the 3o minutes the book says it can be done, nonetheless it was still tasty!

Curry Spiced Turkey Meatballs over Lemon Rice
Recipe as Adapted from Rachael Ray's Express Lane Meals
4 Servings

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 celery rib finely chopped (I omitted)
1 small carrot, grated and peeled
5 garlic cloves, 1 crushed, the rest chopped
2 lemons
salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cups white rice (I used Thai Jasmine)
4 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 package ground turkey breast
2 large onions, half of one grated, the rest thinly sliced (I used 1 onion)
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Serrano pepper, cut in half lengthwise
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 cup mango chutney
1 10 oz box frozen peas (I omitted)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Heat a medium pot with a tight fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of EVOO, once around the pan. Add 1/2 tablespoon of coriander, celery, carrot, the crushed garlic clove, zest of both lemons, and a little salt and pepper and cook stirring for about 1 minute. Add the rice and stir it to coat in the oil. Add 2 /12 cups of the chicken stock and the juice of one of the lemons. Bring the stock to a boil, cover the pot, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15-18 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

In a mixing bowl combine the ground meat, grated onion, half of the parsley, half of the chopped garlic, the curry powder, the remaining 1/2 tablespoon coriander, the cumin, half of the grated ginger and salt and pepper. Mix until just combined. Preheat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Dip your hands in some water, then begin rolling small, bite size balls, adding the balls to the pan as you roll them. Continue dipping the meatballs until you have used up all the ground meat mixture. Let the meatballs get nice and brown before you turn them. Cook the balls for 10-12 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to brown them equally on all sides.

Remove the balls from the skillet to a plate, return the skillet to the heat, and add the butter, sliced onion, the remaining chopped garlic, the rest of the grated ginger, the Serrano pepper halves, and salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes until the onions are slightly tender, stirring frequently. Sprinkle the onions with the flour and continue to cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the remaining 2 cups of chicken stock and bring the mixture up to a boil. Add the mango chutney and return the meatballs back to the skillet; cook for 2-3 minutes, add the peas, the remaining parsley and cilantro and cook one minute more. Remove the Serrano pepper from the sauce and discard. Divide the lemon rice among dinner plates and top with meatballs and sauce.

My Own Version of Semi-Homemade!

I hosted a luncheon today and needed a quick meal. I was inspired by an episode of Everyday Food where they made Asian Food. I didn't, however, have time to make everything from scratch. So, off to my favorite store, Whole Foods, to attempt my recreation. It ended up being a terrific meal and I would definitely use this menu again. Unfortunately, in my rush to get everything prepared I forgot to take pictures. Here was my final menu:

1. Pot Stickers-I found some wonderful organic pot stickers in the freezer section. I served them with soy sauce garnished with some green onions.

2. Lettuce Wraps-Purchased Butter Lettuce and served on a platter with jasmine rice. I used a frozen chicken stir fry mix for the filling.

3. Satay Noodle Salad (I did make this from scratch). I omitted the chicken since I was serving it with another chicken dish. Here is the recipe:

Chicken Satay Noodle Salad
Recipe Courtesy of Rachael Ray

• Salt
• 1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
• 1/3 cup peanut butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup tamari (dark soy sauce)
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (eyeball it)-I omit
  
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (eyeball it)
• 2 cups skinned and sliced rotisserie chicken-I omitted but when I make it as a main dish, I sautee my own chicken)
  
• 1 cup packed fresh spinach, thinly sliced-I omit
  
• 1/3 cup shredded carrots (a generous handful)
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley (I use cilantro)
  

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain; rinse under cold water and set aside.

While the pasta is working, in a large bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, honey and 1/4 cup warm water. Whisk in the tamari, lime juice, hot pepper sauce and garlic. Pour in the oil in a steady stream, whisking to combine. Add the reserved noodles and toss to coat.

Place the noodles in 4 shallow bowls and top with the chicken, spinach, carrots, scallions, peanuts and cilantro.

4. For dessert I made Rachael Ray's Coconut Macadamia Cookie Bars. This recipe was so easy and delicious. To make them more exciting I served them as a sundae bar with pineapple, macadamia nuts, blackberries, chocolate sauce and haagan daaz pineapple coconut ice cream.

Coconut Macadamia Bars

Recipe Courtesy of Rachael Ray

1 package dry sugar cookie mix, prepared to package directions (I used an organic sugar cookie mix)
1 cup macadamia nuts
1 cup shredded coconut (I used a very finely shredded coconut from Whole Foods)
1 cup white chocolate chips
9 by 12-inch baking dish
Softened butter, to prepare baking dish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

To cookie mix prepared to package directions, add nuts, coconut and white chocolate chips. Butter the baking dish and spread cookie dough evenly into a thin layer across the baking dish. Bake bars for about 15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven, and cool slightly.

Knife and Fork Burgers and Garlic Fries

I wanted a fun meal for Friday night and Burgers and Fries sounded perfect. I found this Rachael Ray recipe and thought I would go for an upscale burger. We really liked the burgers and the dipping sauce. I didn't have provolone so I used Parmesan instead and it worked perfectly. I plan to save the salad recipes for future use. The addition of the roasted tomato and shallot added so much flavor and was so easy to do. I found the recipe for Garlic Fries on http://www.sweet-savory-southern.blogspot.com. I knew when I saw them it would be the perfect accompaniment for my burgers. We thought they were really good. The extra garlic on top does add a nice surprise.

Knife and Fork Burgers with Provolone Dipping Sauce and Roasted Tomato Salad
Recipe Courtesy of Rachael Ray

Ingredients 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes 2 large shallots, sliced or chopped 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Salt and pepper 2 lbs lean ground beef sirloin 2/3 cups finely chopped flat leaf parsley 2 cloves garlic, grated 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons flour 1 1/2 cups milk 1 1/2 cups shredded provolone cheese (I used Parmesan) 1 large bunch of arugula Juice of 1/2 lemon 1. Heat the oven to 400°. On a baking sheet, toss the tomatoes and shallots in 1 tablespoon EVOO; season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes; set aside. 2. Meanwhile, combine the ground beef, parsley and garlic and form into 4 patties, pressing your thumb into the center of each burger to prevent it from bulging when cooking. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon EVOO , 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat and cook the burgers for 7 to 8 minutes on each side for well-done. 3. While the burgers cook, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the provolone and, using a wooden spoon, stir in a figure-eight motion until combined; season with salt and pepper. 4. Toss the arugula with the lemon juice, remaining 1 tablespoon EVOO and salt and pepper to taste. Add the warm tomatoes and shallots and toss to combine. 5. Serve each burger with a pile of salad and a small bowl of cheese sauce for dipping. Garlic Fries Recipe Courtesy of Ellie Krieger 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons canola oil 3 large baking potatoes, 12 ounces each 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Heat the garlic and oil in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Strain the garlic from the oil with a small mesh strainer. Set both garlic and oil aside. Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch sticks. In a large bowl, toss the oil, potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and spread the potatoes onto it in a single layer. Bake until golden and crisp, about 35 minutes. Remove potatoes from the tray with a metal spatula. Toss with parsley, reserved garlic, and additional salt, to taste. Serve immediately.

Zucchini Fritters

I've made this recipe, a couple of times now and really like it. I found it in an issue of Rachael Ray's magazine. Its a quick and easy meal to throw together and really requires few ingredients. I serve mine with marinara sauce instead of the roasted pepper sauce. Even my husband who dislikes squash loves these. They are great served with soup or salad.


Zucchini Fritters with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

4 zucchini (about 1 1/2 1bs total)

Salt

2 large eggs

Pepper

1/2 cup flour

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

1 12 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained

1 clove garlic smashed and peeled

Hot Pepper Sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 300°. Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet and set aside. Using the large holes on a box grater, grate the zucchini into a large colander. Toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let stand for 10 minutes. Place the colander in the sink and press the zucchini firmly with paper towels to remove all the excess moisture.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until light and frothy. Using a whisk, stir in the zucchini, then the flour.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in 3 batches, drop in the fritter batter by rounded tablespoons, gently flattening with the back of the spoon, and cook, turning once, until the fritters are browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while cooking the remaining batches; add more olive oil to the skillet as needed.
4. Using a food processor, puree the red peppers with the garlic, the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and hot pepper sauce to taste. Serve the dip with the warm fritters.

Rosemary Chicken Breasts, Brown Butter and Balsamic Ravioli, Warm Spinach Salad with Pancetta and Sweet Vinaigrette

I made this Rachael Ray recipe for dinner last night and it was really good. The chicken would be great in a salad or just alone. We also really loved the spinach salad. My only complaint with the recipe is a lot of the steps come together at once and you really have to be on your toes to stay on top of it all!

Rosemary Chicken Breasts, Brown Butter and Balsamic Ravioli, Warm Spinach Salad with Pancetta and Sweet Vinaigrette
Source: Rachael Ray

Chicken:
4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast, 6 to 8 ounces each
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, eyeball it, just enough to coat chicken lightly
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 stems rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped, about 2 tablespoons
Salt and coarse black pepper
4 cloves garlic, cracked away from skin with a whack against the flat of your knife

Ravioli:
1 package, 12 to 16 ounces, fresh ravioli, any flavor filling
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 handfuls grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, a couple of handfuls

Spinach Salad:
6 slices pancetta, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 small shallot, finely chopped
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, eyeball it
1 bunch, about 10 ounces flat-leaf spinach
Salt and pepper

Coat chicken in balsamic vinegar, then olive oil. Season chicken with rosemary, salt and pepper and let stand 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for ravioli. Salt water and drop ravioli in water. Cook 8 minutes or until raviolis expand, float to top of water, and are al dente.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken breasts and cracked garlic to the pan. Cook chicken 12 minutes, or until juices run clear, turning occasionally. The balsamic vinegar will produce a deep brown, sweet finish on the chicken as it cooks.

When the chicken is 2 or 3 minutes away from done, heat a second skillet over medium low to medium heat. To the second skillet, add butter to the pan and let it begin to brown.

Remove chicken from the first skillet and transfer to a warm platter. In a skillet over medium high heat and add the pancetta. Brown the pancetta bits, about 2 or 3 minutes, then transfer to paper towels to drain and return pan to heat, reducing heat to medium. Add oil and shallots to the pan and let the shallots saute 2 minutes.

When the butter for the ravioli has browned, add cooked ravioli to the pan and turn in butter to heat through. Add balsamic vinegar to the ravioli and cook a minute or 2 longer to reduce the vinegar and glaze the ravioli. The vinegar will become thick and syrup like. Add cheese, parsley, salt and pepper to the pasta and remove the pan from the heat.

To the sauteed shallots for the spinach salad, add sugar and cook sugar with shallots 1 minute. Add vinegar to the pan, scraping up pan drippings. Add spinach to the dressing and turn to wilt and coat it evenly in sweet vinaigrette. Add crisp pancetta to the salad.

Serve chicken along side ravioli and spinach salad, all on the same dinner plate.

Almond Joy Mousse Pie

I did a lot of cooking this weekend. I actually made this to serve with dinner Saturday night but didn't realize it needed four hours to freeze so we didn't end up eating it until yesterday. This recipe is from Rachael Ray's magazine. I'm not the biggest coconut fan but decided to make this because it looked so good in the picture. It definitely tasted like an almond joy bar. A little goes a long way with this dessert because it is really sweet and really rich. Its a nice dessert to make in the midst of a hot summer.

Almond Joy Mousse Pie
Everyday with Rachael Ray August 2007

1 cup sweetened flake coconut
3/4 cup raw almonds
28 chocolate wafer cookies, such as Nabisco Famous
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
One 4-ounce bar bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
Hot fudge sauce, for serving



1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9-inch springform pan. Place the coconut and almonds on opposite sides of a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake, stirring the coconut once or twice, until lightly toasted, about 7 minutes. Let cool. (Keep the oven on.) Using a food processor, pulse the almonds until finely chopped. Return 1/2 cup chopped nuts to the baking sheet with the coconut and set aside.
2. Pulse the chocolate wafers with the remaining nuts in the food processor to make fine crumbs. Add the butter and pulse just until blended. Transfer the crumb mixture to the prepared springform pan and press into the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the side. Bake for 5 minutes to set, then transfer to a rack to cool.
3. In the top of a double boiler, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the eggs, sugar and salt at high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Place over simmering water and beat at high speed until doubled in size, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and the reserved nuts and coconut. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Stir the chopped chocolate into the chilled custard. Using the mixer, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks; fold into the custard. Scrape the mixture into the crust, cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.
5. Cut the mousse cake into slices and drizzle with hot fudge.