Ribs, Ribs, Ribs!

Another excellent recipe from Lucinda Scala Quinn's Mad Hungry cookbook. 

Richie's Baby Back Ribs

4 pounds (about 2 racks) baby back ribs, or pork spareribs 

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 

2 teaspoons sweet paprika  

1/2 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika (if available)  

1 teaspoon dried 

/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon  

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin  

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

2 tablespoons granulated brown sugar

Sprinkle the ribs generously with salt and black pepper. In a small bowl, combine the sweet and smoked paprikas, sage, cinnamon, cumin, cayenne pepper and brown sugar. Rub the mixture into the meat and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

My ribs, covered in rub, resting at room temperature.

Place rub-seasoned ribs on a baking sheet and cook for 1½ to 2 hours at 350°F. Increase heat to 425°F, brush with barbecue sauce and cook 15 minutes more until caramelized. Serve with barbecue sauce on the side, if desired. 

These ribs are so delicious, you will not need any barbecue sauce for them. Print Grocery List

Oven Fried Chicken

The best oven fried chicken I have found is the one by Lucinda Scala Quinn.  The chicken has a nice crispy skin.  I don't miss traditional fried chicken when I eat this oven fried chicken.

I served roasted cauliflower as my vegetable tonight.  All I did was drizzle olive oil on the cauliflower and the sprinkle with salt and pepper.  I roasted the cauliflower in a 450 degree oven for about 35 minutes.  I sauteed some garlic, red chili flakes, and capers in olive oil and tossed this mixture with the cauliflower before serving.

These potatoes were great.  I got the idea after watching one of my favorite television cooks, Chuck Hughes.  I parboiled some small Yukon gold potatoes.  After draining the potatoes I tossed them with melted butter, salt, and pepper.  I then roasted the potatoes in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes. 

Turkey Meatloaf and Sweet Potato Chips

Tonight's dinner was a turkey meatloaf and homemade sweet potato chips.  I decided to make sweet potato chips since I had the deep fat fryer full of oil from the beignets I made this morning.

Turkey Meatloaf

Serves 6.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground turkey

2 eggs

1 box of stove top stuffing (any flavor)

½  cup whole berry cranberry sauce

½ tsp. pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients.  Shape the mixture into a loaf on a sheet pan.  Bake for 60 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees.

Sweet Potato Chips

Serves 6.

Ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. kosher salt

Directions

Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a fryer or tall, heavy pot.  Peel the sweet potatoes and slice about 1/8 inch thick.  Fry the potatoes in batches for seven minutes or until browned.

Drain fried potatoes on several layers of paper towels.  Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and salt.  Sprinkle the mixture on the warm sweet potato chips.

Beignets for MOPS

I had to bring bread to the MOPS meeting this morning, so I figured why not beignets.  They turned out great.  I have to give a big thanks to Tyler Florence for his recipe.  His was the only recipe I found that included the option of letting the dough rest in the refrigerator overnight.

Beignets

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Prep Time: 29 min

Inactive Prep Time: 4 hr 0 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Level: Intermediate

Serves: 12 large beignets (I made a double batch and ended up with 36 beignets)

Ingredients

• 3/4 cups warm water
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus a pinch
• Pinch kosher salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• Butter
• Vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 1 cup powdered sugar for dusting

Directions

Begin by activating the yeast. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook (or large mixing bowl) attachment add the warm water, yeast and pinch of sugar. Stir and set aside until the yeast has dissolved, about 10 minutes.

To the bowl add the 1/4 cup of sugar, salt, egg, and the evaporated milk. With the mixer on low, add half the flour and mix until just combined. Add the shortening, and then gradually add the remaining flour until the dough  forms into a mass. Turn off the mixer and transfer to floured surface. Add more flour, if needed, until you have an even, medium-textured (it should be pretty firm) dough. Add the dough to a large buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for at least 3 to 4 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator.

Once rested, gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle a little more flour on top so you can work with the dough. Gently shape the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle so it can be cut into squares. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter cut into squares, (you should yield 12 large squares, depending on how thick you rolled the dough).

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat about 3 inches of oil in a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat, (you want to make sure there is plenty of room as the beignets will puff up when cooked) to 350 degrees F. Fry the beignets in batches, about 3 minutes per batch. Turn them in the oil while they fry to brown evenly on both sides. Remove from the oil a paper towel lined sheet pan and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the remaining dough. To serve, transfer beignets to a serving platter and dust generously with powdered sugar.

Salisbury Steak with Hot Buttered Noodles

 

Dinner tonight is a recipe I have used for years.  I made Campbell Soup Company's Salisbury Steak Bake.  I served the Salisbury steak with some hot buttered noodles.  I got the idea for the noodles from Tyler Florence.

Salisbury Steak Bake

courtesy of Campbell Soup Company

     Ingredients

1 can Golden Mushroom Soup

1½ lb ground beef

½ cup fine dried bread crumbs

1 egg, slightly beaten

½ cup finely chopped onions

 ⅓ cup water

Pepper

Salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix thoroughly ¼ cup soup with remaining ingredients.

Shape into 6 patties.

Place in shallow baking dish.

Bake for 30 minutes and spoon out fat.

Mix remaining soup with ⅓ cup water. Pour over meat.

Bake 10 minutes more.

Hot Buttered Noodles

Adapted from Tyler Florence  

Ingredients

1 pound egg noodles

4 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. parsley, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

 Directions

Cook egg noodles according to the package directions.  Drain the noodles and toss with the remaining ingredients while still hot.