October 25, 2016

Braised Beef Short Ribs

October 25, 2016/ Pam & Kelly

Growing up in New England, my husband and I have grown to love winter. The crisp air, snowy days and any excuse to be cozy. We live in beautiful New Jersey now, and while it has its amazing sights and frosty winters, I'm the crazy one who always says "I wish we had more snow!"

With Valentine's Day approaching, I like to cook things that are cozy, warm and savory for my husband, but also superbly delicious. Of course, I sought the guidance of my favorite chefs, Anne Burrell and Scott Conant. I made Anne Burrell inspired short ribs, with Scott Conant’s creamy polenta.

Here’s your ingredient list for the ribs (serves 4or 2 with left-overs) :

3 large carrots, chopped
3 celery strips, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
Olive oil, 5 tablespoons
6 lbs beef ribs
1 ½ cups tomato paste
1 Cup Red wine (something you like to drink)
2 Cups Water Fresh Bay Leaves (3)
One bunch of thyme
Kosher Salt

You'll need a heavy duty Dutch oven or equivalent pot to braise & slow cook.

Short ribs are kind of, shall we say, a luxury purchase. So, I reserve this dinner for a special night. With a bit of help from my butcher (a.k.a the guy behind the glass at meat section of my local Foodtown) I decided on 6 lbs of ribs. When they are sliced up into roughly 3 inch sections there were about 12 ribs. A lot for two, but the leftovers are gold!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Generously salt the ribs, then with your Dutch oven on medium-high heat, pour 3 tbsp of olive oil and sear the ribs in batches on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Don't crowd the pain, otherwise nothing will brown. (Of course, me being me, I set a timer for those 2 minutes per side)

Once all the meat is browned, I let the ribs sit for a while as I prepare the rest.

In your food processor, chop the onion, celery, garlic and carrots. Then, place in a strainer and press with a kitchen towel to drain all the juices out.

Add 2 tbsp olive oil to the Dutch oven over medium heat and pour the drained vegetables into the pot. Cook until it turns brown, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid over browning. Add the paste, stir and lower to medium, for about 5 minutes. Add wine, cook another 5 minutes.

Return ribs to the pot, add water until it covers the ribs. Add bay leaves and thyme. Place the covered pot into the oven for about 2 hours and 45 minutes.

This dish is off-the-charts delicious and special. The meat will fall away from the rib bones and the sauce is heavenly. I made this dinner with Caramelized Shallot and Apple Brussels Sprouts. (click here for the recipe). McSweeney loves it so much that he asks for this as a first course to Thanksgiving, Christmas, his birthday, any given Sunday, etc.. Prepare for supreme yumminess!

Your sweetheart will thank you for it!

Enjoy, xo Measure

February 09, 2016

Baked Potato Soup

February 09, 2016/ Pam & Kelly

Ok, so its cauliflower. You know I love skinny-food trickery and cauliflower is my best partner in crime. I promise, when you're eating this, you'll think its potato soup. Its creamy, hearty and when its topped with the usual baked potato bits, you'll find yourself high-fiving "I can eat this whole thing?!" Yes. Its cauliflower. Ok, there's one potato in there.

Here's what you'll need:

potatoes, 2 small or 1 large, roughly chopped
cauliflower, 1 large head, chopped
vegetable or chicken broth, 1 cup, but you may use less
salt & pepper
cheddar, shredded for topping
bacon, cooked & chopped for topping
chives or scallions, chopped for topping
sour cream, dollop for topping, if you wish

1. In a large pot over high heat, add the cauliflower & potato. Cover with water and add about a tsp of salt. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables are fork tender. Drain in a colander and return to the pot.

2. If you are using a blender or food processor, let the cauliflower cool completely. Then, in batches, blend mixture until smooth. If using an immersion blender, blend until smooth or your desired consistency. Return the pureed cauliflower to the large pot.

3. Over medium heat, stir while adding broth until you get your desired consistency. Season with salt & pepper.

4. Ladle into bowls and garnish with bacon, cheese & scallions.

What's your favorite cauliflower recipe?

xo & a pinch,
Kelly

February 23, 2016

Pepperoni Red Pepper Penne

February 23, 2016/ Pam & Kelly

Pepperoni Red Pepper Penne. Say it three times fast!

My boys love pepperoni and red peppers are one of their few "permissible" vegetables. This recipe wasn't created, rather born from necessity. Weeknight, after work, tired, hungry kids- Done!

They ask for it all the time. Even on easy Sundays.

1 lb penne
1/2 cup pepperoni, sliced into half moons
1 red pepper, cut into strips
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
grated parmesan, for topping
basil, for garnish

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

2. Boil pasta in salted water, to al dente (7-8 minutes)

3. Meantime, over medium-high heat, swirl olive oil. Saute red pepper strips until tender. Add pepperoni slices and heat through for about 5-8 minutes.

4. Drain pasta, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water. Return pasta to the pot. Add pepper -pepperoni mixture including all juices and that yummy orange oil! Season with salt & pepper. Add about half of the pasta water to create sauciness. Add half of the shredded cheese. Combine all ingredients. Taste and adjust salt & pepper as you wish. Top with remaining shredded cheese.

5. Pour pasta into the skillet and heat in the oven for 5-8 minutes. Change the oven over to broil to crisp the top a bit.

6. Top with torn basil, grated parmesan and serve.

7. Watch your children pull the basil off and try to feed it to the dog, but then enjoy!

xo & a pinch,

Kelly

January 12, 2016

Cauliflower Cream of Mushroom Soup

January 12, 2016/ Pam & Kelly

Its no secret, I love cauliflower. To me, cauliflower is the most magical vegetable in my kitchen. Its versatility is endless and adding lots of cauliflower to your diet does wonders to your waistline. Sometimes when I'm eating mashed cauliflower, I find myself trying to resist eating the entire plate. I forget what I'm eating and think its potatoes! No offense, potatoes, I love you too. We go way back, but ... muffin top.

So, I introduce my newest cauliflobsession*- cream of mushroom soup. Like I said in my post on our Cauliflower Broccoli Cheddar soup** (also fantastic), I would never eat the true versions of these soups; made with cream, flour and butter to get the "cream of ---" consistency. To me, soups shouldn't be laden with fat and carbs. Soup should not be a guilty pleasure. It should be healthy, satisfying and cozy-inducing. This soup is all of the good things and its so delicious and creamy, you'll forget what you're eating!

I small onion, chopped
garlic, 2-3 cloves, chopped
olive oil, 2 tbsp
cauliflower, 1 large head, chopped
beef or vegetable broth, 32 oz.
8-10 mushrooms, chopped
Worchestershire, a small splash
thyme, fresh (a few sprigs, plus more for garnish)
salt & pepper

1. In a large pot over high heat, add the cauliflower. Cover with water and add about a tsp of salt & pepper. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the cauliflower is fork tender. Drain in a colander and return to the pot.

2. Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium high heat, swirl olive oil. Add garlic, mushrooms & onion. Cook for 10-12 minutes until softened. Add thyme and splash of Worchestershire. Season with salt & pepper.

3. Put the pot of pureed cauliflower over medium heat. Stir in broth until you achieve your desired consistency and let heat through. Once you have the consistency that you like, stir in the cooked mushrooms & onions. (remove the thyme stems beforehand) Taste for proper seasoning, adding salt & pepper as needed. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves.