FFwD - Short Ribs in Red Wine and Port (with Emeril Lagasse's Creamy Polenta)

I know, I know.....the glare off this picture makes your eyes hurt!  My big girl camera had a dead battery so I had to resort to my iPhone to get a pic.  I apologize to you and to Dorie because this picture doesn't begin to do these short ribs justice.  They were Ah.  Maze.  Ing. Period.

I also apologize for posting late but last week was major suckage.  The previous weekend I had made a quick trip to Ohio to see relatives which happens to include this little princess.  If you take a close look at that last picture of Miss Emma you can see in her eyes that she was not feeling well.  Which means that she wanted to be held all the time.

 

 

Which, just so happened, worked out well, because I always want to hold her all the time!  Needless to say, once I was back home in Alabama, I too didn't feel so well and wanted to be held all the time.  Didn't work out so well this time because A) no one wanted me on their lap and B) I was having a huuuuge (60 plus people) party at my house on Saturday.  Damn.

Now, I'm not exactly the "doctor" type.  I was raised that way.  As a child, if I complained about something hurting, I heard "Oh, it's a long way from your heart.  You'll be fine."  I know, right?  Turns out I never died, so I figure why waste time sitting in a doctor's office with a bunch of sick people??  Well, this week I didn't have time to "wait it out".  I had shit to do and so I bit the bullet and called the doc.  He gave me a shot in the ass and a few prescriptions and sent me on my way.  But not before he drew some blood just to make sure nothing else was going on.  Watever.  As long as I start to feel better NOW.

And I pretty much did by the next day.  Not perfect but well enough to get busy.  Around the middle of the day I get a text from the doc.  Before I tell you what it said, I have to tell you that this doctor also happens to be a personal friend.  If not, he never would have gotten away with texting me this...

"Hey.  I now know why you're such a bitch.  You have hypothyroidism and need treatment!"

WTF?  So I tell hubs and here's that conversation....

Hubs:  "There's a pill for that?"

Me:  "Hypothyroidism?  Sure."

Hubs:  "Uh, no.  One that won't make you a bitch?"

He's still knocked out cold on the floor.  Anyhoo, I texted doc back and asked if this was the reason I couldn't lose weight or was it still the wine's fault?  He said both.  I say that's a win-win.  I can take this pill, lose weight, and still drink wine?  Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Clause!!!

Back to the short ribs.  Hubs proclaimed these Top 5.  They were that good.  And so was the polenta.  I've made Emeril's polenta several times and it never disappoints.  The rules of FFwD don't allow me to give you the recipe for the short ribs (you'll have to buy the book "Around My French Table") but I can give you the recipe for the polenta.

Creamy Polenta

Emeril Lagasse

Serves 4 (large portions)

Ingredients:
4 cups water, plus more as needed
4 cups milk, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups polenta
1/2 cup creme fraiche (I didn't have any in fridge this time so I used sour cream)
1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:
In a large saucepan, bring the water, milk and butter to a boil.  Add 2 teaspoons of salt to the water and whisk in the polenta.  Whisk constantly for 3 to 4 minutes to prevent lumps.  Simmer for 45 minutes, partially covered and stirring every 10 minutes, until the polenta is thick, smooth, and creamy.  Add the creme fraiche and Parmesan.  Check for seasoning and adjust consistence by adding milk or water to the polenta.  Polenta may be made up to 20 minutes ahead of time and kept covered until ready to serve.

A Birthday and a TWD Two-fer!

Today that little peanut turns five!  When I called his parents to ask what he wanted for his birthday, they said he was quite enamored with the Wii Fit at their local Science Center so that's what I took him.  Are kids today coming out of the womb pre-programmed to know how to operate every electronic device you put in front of them.  This kid knew how to do more things on my iPhone at the age of 2 than I did at 45.  Needless to say he had almost every game on the Wii Fit mastered in well under 36 hours!  He was especially good at hula hooping!!!  

At least until his little sister tried to help!!

Happy Birthday, Reece!  I hope you have a great day, but if I had my way I'd keep you at five forever!!!

Since I've been travelling the past couple of weekends, I've gotten behind in my TWD postings!  I made these Chocolate Oatmeal Drops a few weeks ago and they were a big hit with Mr. B.  They were chocolately and cakey and the oatmeal fooled him into thinking they were "healthy"!

He actually watched me make these Toasted Almond (and Cinnamon Chip) Scones this morning, so he knew these were anything BUT healthy (cream, whole milk, egg.....) but boy were they good.  He likes anything with almond extract but the addition of some mini-cinnamon chips really put these over the top.

Click on the links for the recipes.

Exclusive Resorts - Las Vegas - Vdara

We're in Vegas, baby!

There's only one place with this kind of excess.......and it's soooo much fun!!

When we landed in Vegas Thursday evening, the stewardess said, "Welcome to Lost Wages!"  True dat.  I've lost some of hubs' wages since I've been here.  I started out fine....down 20, up 70....then it turned ugly.....down 100, down 100.....I hope he doesn't read this!!

We're staying at ER's new residences in the Vdara and they couldn't be nicer.  The Vdara is part of the new City Center complex located directly next to the Bellagio.  It's a non-gaming (RARE in VEGAS), non-smoking (RARER yet!) residence-only tower.  We're staying in ER's unit 47026 and the views are spectacular.

As I said, the Bellagio is next door and we have a perfect seat for their water show.

We can see all the way up the Strip to Trump and Encore at the Wynn and the beautiful mountain range surrounding the city.

You also get beautiful morning views of Sunrise Mountain....and the Cosmopolitan Hotel!

 They units are two bedrooms (both kings) with an adequate kitchen/dining/living room area full of natural light.  Again....check out that view!

They have a sleek, modern decor but I have to say that the only really comfortable piece of furniture is the couch.  See those two matching chairs?

Awful.  Sure they look good, but they might as well have put a concrete bench there.  It's almost a competition to get to the living room first so you don't have to sit in either one of those chairs.

Master bedroom...

Second bedroom....

I know a lot of members don't see the value in having units in Vegas, but we're really enjoying ourselves and if ER's going to have residences here, I think these are a perfect choice.  When you walk into Vdara, you immediately get a calming feeling that you've somehow escaped the noise and excess associated with Vegas, but you're literally a few minutes walk if you want to go back.  The new Aria casino is 50 yards out the front door and is loaded with some fabulous restaurants and the Bellagio is a five minute walk via a covered walkway.

Other than those chairs, I only have one minor issues with the Vdara....the Wi-Fi signal strength is horrible.  Luckily the couple traveling with us had a cellphone that operated as a hotspot or we never would have gotten internet access since I decided for the first time ever to leave my broadband card at home.  Nothing I'm sure can't be fixed.

More later......I'm off to recoup some losses and then some shopping!

TWD - Malted Whopper Drops {Rewind}

Today's TWD was supposed to be Bourbon Bread Pudding.  Who in their right mind would pass on anything with Bourbon, Bread AND Pudding in the title??  Here's the thing....Hubs doesn't really love bread pudding.  I, on the other had, DO.  Hubs can afford to eat all the dessert he desires.  Me, not so much right now.  I'm trying to drop a few pounds before we start our little Mexican vacation season coming up, so I decided to make something that would appeal more to him than moi.

Hence the "rewind".  For those not familiar with TWD, we are allowed to do a previously selected recipe if we didn't get to make it the first time around.  These cookies were picked before I joined.  You get the picture.  These cookies are made with malted milk power, or Ovaltine, and include chopped up malted milk balls, or Whoppers!  They're a cake cookie loaded with chocolate and a little crunch when you bite into a whopper, but I didn't get a ton of "malt" flavor.  Didn't really matter....they were delicious anyway.  Yes, I had ONE.

Since I have no idea who originally posted the recipe for these, I'm breaking the rules (shocking) and posting it here:

Chocolate Malted Whopper Drops

Dorie Greenspan's "BAKING:  From My Home to Yours"

Makes about 30 cookies

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup malted milk powder (or Ovaltine, regular or chocolate-flavored)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup whole milk
2 cups chocolate covered malted milk balls (I use Whoppers), coarsely chopped
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped or 1 cup store-bought chocolate chips or chunks

Directions:
Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Sift together the flour, malted milk powder, cocoa, baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until very smooth.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla; don't be concerned if the mixture looks curdled  -  it will even out when the dry ingredients are added.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half the dry ingredients, mixing just until they disappear into the batter.  Mix in the milk, then remaining dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated.  The batter will look more like fudge frosting than cookie dough  -  and that's fine.  With the mixer on low, or by hand with a rubber spatula, mix in the malted milk balls and chopped chocolate.

Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between spoonfuls.  Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 6 minutes.  When done, the cookies will be puffed and set but slightly soft to the touch.  Let the cookies rest for 2 minutes before using a wide metal spatula to transfer them to racks to cool to room temperature.  Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

Pioneer Woman's "Shrimpo de Gallo"

If you've never heard of The Pioneer Woman you need to crawl out from under that rock. The woman is everywhere.  Started with a blog that has turned into a movie starring Reese Witherspoon....which is kind of weird since PW has long red hair.  But whatever.  Reese Witherspoon, for the love.  I'm sure they'd cast Roseanne Barr to play me if there was ever to be a movie about moi.  Which their won't.

Anyhoo, I don't make a lot of recipes from her site (I visit mostly for the fabulous photography and the basset hound), but this one caught my eye....minus the hoakey name!  I mostly loved the ingredients and was already thinking about all the things I could do with it.  She included olives in hers and we all know how I feel about olives and she suggested using it as a dip.

The first time I made it I served it alongside fajitas.  Hubs started out putting it inside his fajita and then just started eating it all by itself.  And that's how we continued to eat the leftovers.  Like a salad.  It's that good.

So I decided I'd make it again for the Super Bowl yesterday.  Since it was nice outside, we fired up the pizza oven and pretended it was Spring.  As this sat on the counter beside a bowl of chips I had a brain fart and decided to include it in my last pizza.  So I spread some refried beans directly on the dough, topped it with a tad of shredded cheese, piled this on top with a little more cheese and popped it in the oven.  It was, hands down, everyone's favorite pizza of the night.  Which is why there is no pic of the actual pizza.  Gone before I could turn around!

And the best part is there's still some left over to eat as a salad for the rest of the week!

Here's PW's original recipe with my changes noted.  This is one of those that you can make your own.

Shrimpo de Gallo

The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients
1 pound Cooked Shrimp (tails Removed), Chopped
½ whole Red Onion, Diced Finely
½ cups Green Or Black Olives, Chopped (NOT happening!)
2 whole Tomatoes, Diced
2 whole Fresh Jalapeno Peppers, Minced
2 whole Avocados, Chopped (since these get brown and mushy so fast, I would serve these on the side to add as you eat it)
2 whole Limes, Juiced
Kosher Salt To Taste
2 cups Cilantro, Chopped


Preparation Instructions
Combine shrimp, red onion, olives, tomatoes, and jalapenos in a large bowl. Add lime juice to taste, then a dash of kosher salt. Add cilantro. Stir gently with a spoon, then taste on a tortilla chip so you’ll have an accurate gauge of the salt content. Add more salt and/or lemon juice if needed.

Chill until serving. Note that the avocado will brown if too much time passes, so if you want to make this ahead of time, leave out the avocado until just before serving.

Serve with tortilla chips!  Or Not!

So the weather this week has been atrocious here....rain, a little ice, temps dropped into the 30's.....all around yucky.  I know, I know.  If you're anywhere in the midwest you've got it much worse than we do, but it's all relative.  We're all ready for better days.

But until that happens, comfort food is the only way to get through this shizzle!  This dish not only satisfies that need, it would also be a great addition to your Super Bowl party.  I think you could even make the chili and the cornbread in separate dishes and they'd be equally delicious.  However, this way you have one less pan to wash.  Bonus.

The chili recipe has two secret ingredients that really makes it special.....a can of white beans that you puree to give it this incredibly smooth texture and the addition of a small bit of cream cheese at the end for a little zing and richness.  As I said, this would be good all on it's own served with the usual Mexican condiments.....tortilla chips, grated cheese, extra cilantro, scallions, etc.

And if you already have a favorite cornbread recipe (I live in the South.  EVERYONE has their own cornbread recipe!) go ahead and use that as the topping.  Whatever floats your boat, I say.

Here's to warmer weather and a Steeler's victory!!  Enjoy the game.

Here's the recipe:

White Chili with Cornbread

King Arthur Flour

Chili:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped, about 3 1/4 cups chopped onion
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped into 1/2" to 3/4" pieces; about 1 1/2 cups chopped   pepper
1 small jalapeño pepper, diced; remove and discard seeds for milder chili
1 to 4 cloves garlic (to taste), peeled and minced
1 pound bag frozen corn, thawed; or 3 cups fresh or frozen/thawed corn kernels
2 cans (4 1/2 ounces each) chopped green chiles, undrained
5 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey meat, white and/or dark
1 can (15 to 19 ounces) white beans or cannellini beans, undrained
1 tablespoon ground cumin, or to taste
3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3-ounce package cream cheese
1 to 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese, optional, for topping

Cornbread topping:
1 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 1/2-ounce can chopped mild green chiles, drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg

Directions:
1) To make the chili: Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion, peppers, and garlic, frying until the vegetables are soft and the onions are barely beginning to turn golden, about 10 to 15 minutes.

2) Add the corn, chiles, and chicken or turkey, stirring to combine.

4) Place the beans with their liquid in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. Add to the pan with the meat and vegetables, stirring to combine.

4) Stir in the cumin and salt.

5) Simmer the chili slowly for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. While the chili simmers, make the cornbread topping, and start preheating the oven to 375°F.

6) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, chiles, and fresh cilantro.

7) In another bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the milk, melted butter, and egg.

8) Pour the liquid all at once into the flour mixture, stirring quickly and gently until just combined. Set the batter aside while you finish the chili.

9) Add the cream cheese to the chili, stirring until it melts. Adjust the salt, if necessary.

10) Spoon the chili into a lightly greased 9" x 13" x 2"-deep pan. You'll need about 1" clearance between the chili and the top of the pan, to ensure the cornbread topping doesn't overflow. If your pan is shallower than 2", fill with chili until it comes no closer than 1" to the top. You may also divide the chili among individual serving dishes. The entire recipe makes about 8 cups of chili; if you use 2-cup capacity ramekins or bakers, spoon 1 cup chili into each.

11) Top the chili with grated cheddar cheese, if desired; then with the cornbread batter. For 8 individual ramekins or bakers, use 1/2 cup batter for each.

12) Bake the chili and cornbread for about 25 minutes, until the top is set and a toothpick inserted into the cornbread comes out clean. The individual servings will bake for about 20 minutes.

13) Remove from the oven, and serve hot or warm.

Yield: about 8 to 12 servings.

TWD - Great Grains Muffins

So much of the country is getting pounded by "the storm of the century" today.  Alabama is one of the few states escaping the brunt of the storm.  It's currently raining and windy but a balmy 62 degrees.  We are supposed to get some colder air, but no snow or ice.  Thank you Mother Nature!

If I were to be snowed in these muffins would a perfect way to pass the time (since I would not have made it to the store in time to grab some bread and milk.....hypothetically speaking, of course).  I seriously thought about sitting this week out because I had just posted something similar a few days ago, but them I remembered I was on probation and decided I better get busy.  Good decision.  These are really, really good.  And relatively healthy.  No so low-cal, but the good-for-you calories, mostly.

I substituted 1/2 cup of milled flax for 1/2 cup of the white flour and added chopped, dried cranberries and pistachios.  Yummy.  Check out Christine's site Happy Tummy for the recipe and if you're in a part of the country getting pounded by this storm, stay safe and warm!!