AB Deep Fried Turkey & Turkey Derrick

I'm a little late on this post, but I can't stop thinking about this amazing Turkey. I'm a traditionalist on my turkey, I love my Good Eats roasted turkey, I have made this turkey at least 5 times! It's juicy, moist and always full of flavor. I was highly doubtful that "deepfrying" a turkey could produce the same results. However, never say never because Alton Brown always delivers the goods!!! Just look at this turkey...doesn't it look finger licking good?

We hosted our 4th Annual Turkey potluck with our college friends, and we wanted to spice things up a bit by having a Iron Chef Battle between the hubby and me. All of our friends participated, brought various mashed potatoes (we had about 4 or 5 kinds),side dishes galore, sweet treats, and lots of beer and wine to go along with our meal. They also had the final say which "turkey reigned supreme!" My husband, the engineer, set up the turkey derrick per Alton Brown's strict directions. The most important step is the Turkey Derrick set-up, remember safety first!! If you try this at home, please do this on the grass and not on the cement. Here's the PDF. This set-up was in our backyard, along with the various tools, the much needed fire extinguisher, and 4 gallons of fat I mean peanut oil awaiting the demise of the deep fried turkeyness.

The turkey already looks amazing...my husband was fighting off all the guys hands off the turkey. Step away from the bird!

You can never judge a turkey by it's cooking vessel, a tradtional turkey is always the safe way to go, but the fun and crazy way to prepare a turkey is the Alton Brown way!
Alton Brown's Deep Fried Turkey & Turkey Derrick
Adapted from the one and only: Alton Brown
Ingredients:
6 quarts hot water
1 pound kosher salt
1 pound dark brown sugar
5 pounds ice
1 (12 pound) turkey, with giblets removed
4 gallons peanut oil
*Cook's Note: In order to determine the correct amount of oil, place the turkey into the pot that you will be frying it in, add water just until it barely covers the top of the turkey and is at least 4 to 5 inches below the top of the pot. This will be the amount of oil you use for frying the turkey.
Directions
1.Place the hot water, kosher salt and brown sugar into a 5-gallon upright drink cooler and stir until the salt and sugar dissolve completely. Add the ice and stir until the mixture is cool. Gently lower the turkey into the container. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure that it is fully immersed in the brine. Cover and set in a cool dry place for 8 to 16 hours.
2. Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse and pat dry. Allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking.
3. Place the oil into a 28 to 30-quart pot and set over high heat on an outside propane burner with a sturdy structure. Bring the temperature of the oil to 250 degrees F. Once the temperature has reached 250, slowly lower the bird into the oil and bring the temperature to 350 degrees F. Once it has reached 350, lower the heat in order to maintain 350 degrees F. After 35 minutes, check the temperature of the turkey using a probe thermometer. Once the breast reaches 151 degrees F, gently remove from the oil and allow to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes prior to carving. The bird will reach an internal temperature of 161 degrees F due to carry over cooking. Carve as desired.

Review: Hands down, my husband WON the Iron Chef Battle. I'm a hard critic, but overall...best turkey I have ever had, including my own! It will be a nice break for me to NOT cook turkey, but the dinner & a possible FIRE show at our house is pretty entertaining no matter what. Eric had won the crowd with his Turkey Derrick, and the smokiness & juicy turkey was just amazing.

PW's Best Lasagna

We hosted family dinner night with an Italian theme because we thought it might be a nice trip down memory lane for them. (They took a Griswold-isque vacation to Italy 2 years ago). It was a nice and hearty meal that we all loved. I love this lasagna because of the richness of the meat, and use of cottage cheese and the quantity this meal makes...perfect for the family!


The Best Lasagna Ever
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman & also seen in her new cookbook

Ingredients
1 pound Ground Sirloin (I used 85% lean)
8 oz Breakfast Sausage
12 oz Spicy Italian Sausage
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 can (28 ounce) Whole Tomatoes - My choice
2 cans (6 Ounce) Tomato Paste
2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley
2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil
1 tablespoon Fennel seeds
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon Salt
3 cups Lowfat Cottage Cheese
2 whole Beaten Eggs
½ cups Grated (not Shredded) Parmesan Cheese
2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley
1 teaspoon Salt
1 pound Sliced Mozzarella Cheese
1 package (10 Ounce) Lasagna Noodles
(add 1/2 Teaspoon Salt And 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil To Pasta Water)
Preparation:
1.Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2.Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain half the fat; less if you’re feeling naughty. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil and salt. Set aside.
3.In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, 2 more tablespoons parsley, and 1 more teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside. Cook lasagna until “al dente” (not overly cooked).
4. To assemble:
Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread evenly. Cover cottage cheese with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Spoon a little less than half the meat mixture over the top.
Repeat, ending with meat mixture. Sprinkle top generously with extra Parmesan.
Either freeze, refrigerate for up to two days, or bake immediately: 350-degree oven for 30 minutes, or until top is hot and bubbly.

Review: Everyone loved the lasagna, because of the wonderful mixtures of meat. The sweetness from the breakfast sausage, and the spiciness from the Italian sausage was the perfect combination of flavors for lasagna. I was leery of the cottage cheese instead of using ricotta cheese, but the creaminess is still enjoyable. Thanks PW for such a great recipe, my food coma was definitely worth it.

Rosemary Onion Bread with Gorgonzola Cheese Topping

I have a beautiful rosemary tree in my garden, and it gets neglected alot. Mainly because there aren't too many dishes that I have made that use "fresh rosemary." It's such a Christmas-isy, woodsy perennial herb that its flavors blend well into roasts, soups and marinades. My favorite Italian restaurant is the Macaroni Grill and they serve this wonderful rosemary foccacia bread with dipping sauce of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It's like heaven and earth together on a plate, I could eat this all day long and be happy as a bee.

I wanted something like this to balance our wonderful Steak Au Poivre meal, and nothing too complicated. The yeast beast battle that I've been in fear of, had to be put to the test, again. One of the food blogs that I oogle and drool over is The Pioneer Woman. She had a perfect step-by-step demonstration on her food blog that helped tremendously because working with yeast has not been successful for me. Give yourself a good 2 to 3 hours to prepare this for dinner, because it is sure worth the wait. I was deliriously happy the bread cooked beautifully and tasted like heaven on my plate. My only revision to the recipe was the original called for blue cheese, I had substituted Gorgonzola since it's less pungent, but still creamy and gooey like blue cheese. Enjoy!

Rosemary Onion Bread with Gorgonzola Cheese Topping
Adapted from the awesome and wonderful Pioneer Woman
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 whole Large Yellow Onion, Sliced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1½ cup Warm Water (Make sure it's at least in between 100 to 110 degrees)
3 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
1 Tablespoon Sugar
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 cups Bread Flour
2 teaspoons Kosher Salt (more To Taste)
Freshly Chopped Rosemary To Taste (be Generous!)
½ cup Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese
Preparation
1.Saute sliced onions and minced garlic in 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Cook them until brown and caramelized, about 8 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
2.Pour warm water into a bowl. Sprinkle yeast on top. Add sugar and olive oil, then stir gently with a fork until combined. Set aside.
3.Combine flour and salt in a separate bowl. Add to the flour mixture your onions, and rosemary in alternating ingredients, stirring gently until dough is combined. (It’ll be sticky!)
4. Generously flour a flat surface. Knead dough 15 to 20 times, adding flour generously to make it easier to handle. (Keep it sticky, though!)
5. Drizzle olive oil in a separate bowl, then add your ball of dough, turning to coat. Cover with a tea towel and place in a warm spot for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
6. Divide dough into eight portions, and form each into a rough round shape. Place on a baking mat or parchment paper, then cover with a towel and allow to rise for 15 to 20 minutes.
7. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until brown. Brush with butter halfway through baking time.
8. To top with Gorgonzola cheese, either place crumbled Gorgonzola cheese on completely baked rolls and allow it to soften naturally, OR remove the rolls with five minutes baking time left, top with cheese, and return to the oven to finish baking and allow cheese to melt. ***I highly recommend that you take them out within the last 5 or 10 minutes, and butter it up!*** Serve warm or at room temperature. Divine!

Review: This went perfectly with our Steak Au Poivre dinner, best bread ever. The sweetness from the caramelized onions, and gooey Gorgonzola, and buttery rosemary bread was the PERFECT accompaniment to our meal. Actually, it's my first successful attempt with yeast. I have had 3 or 4 possibly 5 FAILED bread attempts. I'm very happy to experiment again with yeast, and I know that I can divide and conquer the yeast beast! Yeah!

Steak Au Poivre

Whenever Eric & I crave a hearty and delicous steak, we "used" to dine at Ruth Chris Steak house, Morton's, Wood Ranch, Prime Cut Cafe is my newest favorite steak place. However, my husband, aka pyro-afficiando, loves this recipe from Alton Brown because it inspired him to cook like our steak house restaurants. Getting restaurant quality at home is our number one mantra right now. It's alot easier to make this meal at our current house than our small Yorba Linda apartment...I think we burned the exhaust fan...it never ran the same after that incident! I love this meal for many reasons: 1)the pyro-show - seeing Cognac flames is quite entertaining and fearing for my life is next; 2) it's the best steak recipe ever; 3) it's an elegant meal for anyone. Try it, fire it up, and eat it up...because it's that good. Trust me.



Steak Au Poivre
Adapted from Alton Brown
4 tenderloin steaks, 6 to 8 ounces each and no more than 1 1/2 inches thick
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/3 cup Cognac, plus 1 teaspoon
1 cup heavy cream
Preparation:
1. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour prior to cooking. Sprinkle all sides with kosher salt.
2. Coarsely crush the peppercorns with a coffee grinder - it's much easier on the hands than using a mortar and pestle. Spread the peppercorns evenly onto a plate. Press the fillets, on both sides, into the pepper until it coats the surface. Set aside.
3. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil. As soon as the butter and oil begin to turn golden and smoke, gently place the steaks in the pan. For medium-rare, cook for 4 minutes on each side. Once done, remove the steaks to a plate, tent with foil and set aside. Pour off the excess fat but do not wipe or scrape the pan clean.

4. Off of the heat, add 1/3 cup Cognac to the pan and carefully ignite the alcohol with a fire starter. Gently shake pan until the flames die. Return the pan to medium heat and add the cream. Bring the mixture to a boil and whisk until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Add the teaspoon of Cognac and season, to taste, with salt. Add the steaks back to the pan, spoon the sauce over, and serve.
Review: Best steaks ever...it's the kind of dish that I would lick the plate clean. All the steakhouses can't come close to this meal. I did scream my head off due to the proximity of the fire in my face, but luckily I was holding the fire extinguisher, too!

Company Pot Roast

As far back that I can remember, my mom cooked mainly Filipino dishes for us. The smells of vinegar and garlic would linger in the house, and you would know that it was chicken adobo night. I wouldn't trade any of my childhood memories of food, I loved everything that my mom made for us. She always made sure we had something good to eat. There were rare occasions that she would make something out of the box for her, she never really liked to go outside her comfort box. (We would have spaghetti with hot dogs, who does that?) That's where I'm different from my mom, she cooked one genre of cooking, I like them all. Lately, I've been focusing on American comfort food, and I'm like a kid at a candy store! It's been exciting and adventurous to taste different cultures of food.

I came across Ina Garten's Pot Roast while watching one of her many loved episodes of Barefoot Contessa. I've been in love with using my dutch oven since the cold weather has slowly appeared in SoCal. This is an easy recipe to follow, and most of the ingredients were easy to find at my farmers market. This was my first opportunity to use leeks and knew that they would resemble a huge green onion with lots of sand. (Be careful and clean them well under running water). This is a great pot roast recipe, and my first try at it....this is a dish worth making.


Company Pot Roast
Adapted from Ina Garten
Ingredients:
(4 pound) prime boneless beef chuck roast
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour
Good olive oil
2 cups chopped carrots (3 carrots)
2 cups chopped yellow onions
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts
5 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1.5 cups good red wine, Cabernet
2 tablespoons brandy
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes in puree
1 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 chicken bouillon cube
3 branches fresh thyme
2 branches fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Season the roast all over with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Dredge the whole roast in flour, including the ends. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the roast and sear for 4 to 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn and sear the other side and then turn and sear the ends. This should take 4 to 5 minutes for each side. Remove the roast to a large plate.
3. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the carrots, onions, celery, leeks, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Add the wine and brandy and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, bouillon cube, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Tie the thyme and rosemary together with kitchen string and add to the pot. Put the roast back into the pot, bring to a boil, and cover. Place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork tender or about 160 degrees F internally. Turn the heat down to 250 degrees F after about an hour to keep the sauce at a simmer.
4. Remove the roast to a cutting board. Skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce. Remove the meat from the dutch oven and using a hand processor puree half of the sauce until smooth. (I liked my chunky, so puree at your discretion). Place 2 tablespoons flour and the butter in a small bowl and mash them together with a fork. Stir into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring until thickened. Taste for seasonings. Slice the meat and serve warm with the sauce spooned over it.

Review: Honestly, the best meal that I have made recently. The hubs said it should be put in my top ten list, and that it was better than my Pumpkin Beer Braised Ribs. I really had no expectations for this dish, because we have never had pot roast before. The meat was really tender from the slow roasting, and the flavors from leeks, onions, carrots and red wine were mighty tasty. The entire house was infused with the sweet smells of pot roast, a very intoxicating smell of rosemary and thyme. Thyme, I love you - you are my new favorite herb. You add so much to the dish. I didn't waste the gravy on this either, I saved it for a mashed potatoes and gravy kinda day.

Easy French Apple Tart

Seriously, this was an easy treat for the hubby & I. I knew that after eating fish & veggies that he would want something delicious and sweet for the perfect ending. Apple pie is his favorite dessert, and I knew this would be a comparable for him. I cheated by not making the pastry dough, but come on now, I was exhausted after preparing the first 2 components of the meal. Besides, I only wanted 2 servings of this dish because this dessert is best to serve fresh and warm. My grocery store sells them in the perfect 10 x 10 sheets, too. So less work for me, yeah! I loved the mixture of the apricot jam & rich cuban rum that was drizzled over the tart was heavenly.



French Apple Tart
Adapted from Ina Garten
Ingredients:
Puff Pastry sheets
or use Ina's recipe
For the apples:
2 Granny Smith apples
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, small diced
1/4 cup apricot jelly
1 tablespoons Rum

Directions:
1. Remove the pastry sheets and thaw as directed.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
3. Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baler. Slice the apples crosswise in 1/4-inch thick slices. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices. (I tend not to use the apple ends in order to make the arrangement beautiful.) Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup of sugar and dot with the butter.
4. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Don't worry! The apple juices will burn in the pan but the tart will be fine! When the tart's done, heat the apricot jelly together with the rum and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jelly mixture. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula so it doesn't stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

Review: What an easy and sweet little treat. We both had the tart with a large glass of my favorite milk. What a perfect "Ina Garten" day of food.

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette

My new favorite vegetable is Butternut Squash. Maybe because it's similar to taste to pumpkin, my other love of my life aside from my husband. I love you hubby! Recently, I made a butternut squash risotto and loved it. Also, I still have to make butternut squash soup - it's on my to-do list. I served this salad as a starter for our Parisan meal from Ina Garten. You really must try this salad, it's nutty, sweet & melts in your mouth. I had to substitute the arugula for mixed greens because it's too peppery for my tastebuds. There is plenty of dressing leftover from this, so you can always save it for later, too. I don't like my salads overly done with dressing.




Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette
Adapted from Ina Garten

1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch) diced
Good olive oil
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 ounces mixed greens
1/2 cup candied walnuts halves
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5minutes.
3. While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
4. Place the mixed greens in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Review: I love roasted butternut squash and the addition of the maple glaze on top is divine. My husband thought we were eating mango with our salad because it was so soft and sweet. Although this salad is perfect as is, add a little crispy crumbled bacon on top - for that extra oomph and ahhh for a perfect lunchtime meal. You deserve it.

Easy Sole Meuniere

Can you tell that I've been on an Ina Garten cooking kick lately? Her show, Barefoot Contessa, on the Foodnetwork is permanently saved on my DVR. I've watched every one of them once or twice or more....Out of all the chefs seen on Foodnetwork, I relate the most to Ina Garten. Her approach to food has alot of classic & modern dishes that are very down-to-earth, elegant and always a crowd pleaser - which is everything that I love in cooking and entertaining. This episode from Easy French had me drooling and dreaming of these dishes, and I was super excited to prepare our Parisian adventure at home!


Easy Sole Meuniere
Adapted from Ina Garten
Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 fresh sole fillets, 3 to 4 ounces each
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Have 2 heat-proof dinner plates ready.
2. Combine the flour, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large shallow plate. Pat the sole fillets dry with paper towels and sprinkle one side with salt.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium heat until it starts to brown. Dredge 2 sole fillets in the seasoned flour on both sides and place them in the hot butter. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 2 minutes. Turn carefully with a metal spatula and cook for 2 minutes on the other side. (It's a tricky flip, so make sure to grab the entire fish or it will break)While the second side cooks, add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to the pan. Carefully put the fish fillets on the ovenproof plates and pour the sauce over them. Keep the cooked fillets warm in the oven while you repeat the process with the remaining 2 fillets. When they're done, add the cooked fillets to the plates in the oven. Sprinkle with the parsley, salt, and pepper and serve immediately.

Review: I loved this recipe because it was so simple and delicious. The sole just melts in your mouth from the butter and the tartness of the lemon is not overwhelming. I hate when you only taste the lemon and nothing else, but try to use meyer lemons if you can. Also, I was kinda leery about serving my non-eating fish husband this meal, but he was a trooper and ate it. Well, he ate one fillet. He's still not a fish eater, but he still enjoyed it. It's a rich, balanced and healthy meal, it was as if I was dining in a little cafe in Paris!

Pumpkin Beer Braised Short Ribs

Comfort gourmet food would best sum up this dish. Eric and I had visited this amazing new restaurant, Haven Gastropub. It's a new bar in Downtown Orange that specializes in good food, great beer & awesome customer service. They are just Yelp-tastic & fabulous! As crazy as it sounds, I even added them as my friends on facebook - how else would I have found out about Candied Bacon Ice cream over Chocolate brownies. I'd have a love affair with bacon...but that's a whole new post. Anywho, Eric had ordered beer braised short ribs with a reduction of Firestone Union Jack IPA. My husband was kind enough to let me have a bite or two, I was in heaven. Tender, juicy pieces of rib with a tangy bite to it, like falling off the bone tender.

My modified version, I planned to combine the basic ingredients and add a little bit of Ina Garten in the mix. The addition of the fennel, leeks & pumpkin beer to the recipe heightened it to fall flavors, and very reminiscent of Thanksgiving. Overall, I was pleased with my results, sad to have used my last pumpkin beer bottle, and happily satisfied with the juicy, tender, and comforting dish. This is my tribute to Haven Gastropub, and I'm dying to stop by again to try that Candied Bacon Ice cream. Please Eric?



Pumpkin Beer Braised Short Ribs
Adapted from Best American Recipes & Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients:
4 pounds meaty bone in short ribs
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, cut into thick rings
2 cups baby carrots
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bottle of Pumpkin beer (Or your choice of ale or beer)
1 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 cups of beef stock
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small fennel, fronds, stems, and core removed, large-diced
1 leek, cleaned and large-diced, white part only
Fresh rosemary sprigs
Fresh thyme sprigs

1. Season ribs all over with salt and pepper and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches so you don't crowd the pan, brown the ribs on all sides, turning with tongs, 7 to 10 minutes per batch. As ribs are browned, place in a large Dutch oven.
3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon fat to skillet if needed. Lower heat to medium and sauté the onions for 7 to 10 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently and watching to make sure they don't burn. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Add carrots, fennel & leek and sauté 4 to 5 minutes. Add the beer, beef stock, tomatoes, mustard and freshly chopped herbs. Increase heat to high and simmer for 1 minute to blend flavors. Pour tomato mixture over short ribs and mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Bake the ribs, covered, for 2 hours or until the meat is very tender, turning the ribs every 45 minutes. (Add more beer if the liquid cooks away.) Carefully remove the short ribs from the pot and set aside. *Puree the sauce with an immersion blender for a more uniform liquid.* Garnish with frond from fennel.

Review: If you have leftovers, use the leftover sauce for a pasta dish. An easy recipe to prepare using your dutch oven, it reminds me of Osso Bucco. I give the 3 S's = Simple, succulent & savory. Amazing.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I've made these cupcakes a couple times before and knew it would be the perfect cupcake for the Halloween themed treats I wanted to do. I'm not big on Halloween, but I wanted to do something fun and whimsical for us "big kids." Paula's Deen recipe is my go-to for Red Velvet cupcakes because they have turned out moist and perfect every time. This is really a simple and easy recipe that does not take alot of time. Enjoy!



Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted by Paula Deen
Eyeball cupcakes seen on Annie's Eats
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 pound cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Eyeballs - M&Ms, Gummi Lifesavers, red frosting

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.
3. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.
4. For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

*Eyeball Cupcakes -
To decorate the cupcakes, frost liberally with cream cheese frosting. Tint remaining frosting with red food coloring to desired shade. Place a Gummy Saver in the center of each cupcake. Using a pastry bag, pipe a small amount of frosting into the hole in the center of each Gummy Saver. Place a black M&M candy (logo down) in the center of each Gummy Saver and press down to adhere to frosting. Pipe squiggly lines of red frosting radiating out from around each Gummy Saver to create vessels.

Review: This is one of my favorite cupcakes, and Paula Deen's recipe is the best I have used. The eyeball cupcakes were a fun treat for our Halloween dinner party.