So my baby would have been 15. We lost her too early to Cancer. Usually we go to Hibachi, because she loved it so much. This year, she got another favorite, pasta. I made beef short ribs.
Category: Beef
Hanger Steak Night
It is no surprise that my family loves steak. It is one of the most requested meats next to bacon. But during this time, steak is not super easy to find or it is way too expensive. Enter the Hanger Steak. I really love this cut. I tend to undercook it first bc if you over cook it, it can be too chewy. You kind of have to baby it a bit, but the result is worth it!
TBT- Dinner Family Favorites
Here are a couple dinners we have had this week that my family loves! Happy cooking!
Traditional Meatloaf
Swedish Meatballs with Egg Noodles
So this afternoon I was ambling through the grocery store to figure out what to make for dinner. I had the girls with me, and they were just as useless as me. We have all been a little blah lately when it comes to new ideas and recipes, so hopefully in the new year that will change.
Rebecca has actually suggested Swedish meatballs a few times before, but we never had the ingredients or time to make and eat them 😉 This recipe is a quick one that uses frozen meatballs and a sauce that comes together super fast, so it is a great weeknight meal.
Ingredients-
1 10 ounce package of frozen meatballs (home-style not Italian), 1 cup beef stock, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1, tablespoon butter, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, and a sprinkle of onion powder and garlic powder
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large cast iron skillet or Dutch Oven. Cook meatballs until cooked through on medium heat. Remove meatballs.
Whisk together the beef stock, heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, butter, flour, black pepper, and seasonings. Cook and stir occasionally for about 10 minutes until thickened.
Stir in meatballs and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and thickened, about 5-10 minutes. Cook the egg noodles, while the meatballs heat through. Add the pasta and mix together.
Beef Short Ribs with Pappardelle
So today was the 4th anniversary of my oldest daughter’s, Elizabeth aka Lizzie aka Lulu, death. She was 9 and full of happiness, thoughtfulness, kindness, and love. She was diagnosed with cancer at age 4 around Thanksgiving and died on this date 4 years ago. I obviously have a difficult time around this point in the year, but I have learned that even though it never gets easy to lose a loved one, life still goes on and you have to live your best life for those you have lost and those who are living who still depend on you or love you on a daily basis.
That being said, I always take the day of her death and her birthday off from work if it falls on those days, which they have so far and they will the next few years. Everyone has been super amazing and sweet; they always are, but especially during this time. Even though this happened in Dec. I think of her every second of everyday and not a moment in this entire crazy life goes by without me seeing her, hearing her voice, and dreaming about her. It is so weird how much she is in her sisters and even Brutus, our dog. He was her pal and confident every step of the way, and if you have ever seen him in person, he has a kind of sadness in his eyes.
It’s coming on Christmas
They’re cutting down trees
They’re putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
– Joni Mitchell
On to the recipe…
So I have made this recipe a few times. This time I made it on the stove top with my new braising dutch oven.
Beef Short Ribs with Pappardelle
Ingredients
4 Beef Short Ribs
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed and finely chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup red wine
1 small can tomato sauce
1 large can crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter
Directions
Salt and pepper both sides of your ribs.
Sprinkle about one tablespoon garlic salt over all sides. My new secret ingredient. LOVE!
Brown ribs in a bit or oil in large dutch oven on med. high heat, about 6 minutes per side.
Take out ribs. Add onions. Cook for about 6 minutes. Stir.
Add garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes. Stir.
Add tomato paste. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.
Add wine. Stir and reduce for about 5 minutes.
Add your cans of tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add in your meat. Cover. Stir every 45 min or so. Cook for 4-6 hours.
Fun Foodie Family 