Braised Short Ribs:

Ingredients:
4 pounds beef short ribs (or the canned beef in gravy from Costco - 2)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
5 Roma tomatoes, cut into eighths (or one can of tomatoes with the juice)
1 cup red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon (or cooking red wine)
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard (or just ground mustard)
2 cups low-sodium beef broth (if you use the canned beef in the gravy, no need for the beef broth)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
Place an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Season the ribs with salt and pepper. In a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or ovenproof stock pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. In batches, add the ribs and brown on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the ribs and set aside. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine and mustard. Bring the mixture to a boil and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Return the ribs to the pan. Add the beef broth, cover the pan and place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours until the meat is fork-tender and falls easily from the bone.

Remove the ribs from the cooking liquid. Using a large spoon, remove any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Using a ladle, transfer the cooking liquid in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth. Pour the sauce into a saucepan and keep warm over low heat. Remove the meat from the bones. Discard the bones. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into small pieces. Stir the shredded meat into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

*I have used short ribs before, but for times sake, I use the canned beef in gravy from Costco.
*I used canned tomatoes instead of fresh
*I use cooking red wine
*If you use the canned beef, you don’t need to actually braise it and no need to take out the beef, I just add everything together and then cook for about an hour, just so the beef can soak up the liquid.

Email me for questions: britneyericksen@gmail.com
 

Italian Polenta

Ingredients:
2 Tab olive oil
3/4 Cup red onion (most times I use a white onion)
2 cloves garlic
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup polenta
3 Tab butter
1 1/2 tea salt (I use the coarse salt)
1/4 tea pepper
2 oz. parmesan cheese
Parsley

Directions:
*Pre-heat oven to 350
*On high heat, place a big skillet on the stove, add olive oil
*Add onions and salt
*Reduce heat and add garlic – sauté
*Turn heat back on high – add broth until boiling
*Gradually ad the polenta and stir

*Place into oven with a lid on
*Every 10 minutes, stir polenta
*Keep stirring every 10 minutes for 40 minutes
*After 40 minutes, take out and add butter, pepper, parmesan cheese and parsley

Side notes:
*Most of the ingredients I add to taste. For instance, I add more garlic and butter and cheese...
*Also, after the polenta has cooked for 40 minutes, it may still be runny. Let sit for a while before serving and it should set up to a more dense consistency.