Slow-Cooker Beef Short Ribs with Smashed Red Potatoes & Cuke&Radish Slaw---------Olia

RIBS Mix - 1 cup water, 1/3 cup ketchup, 1.1-oz pkt beefy onion soup mix, 4 small halved garlic cloves and ½ tsp each thyme, rosemary and ground pepper in a 5-qt slow-cooker. Add 4 lb been short ribs; turn to coat. Cover; cook on low 10-12 hours. Remove ribs and skim off fat; thicken juices for gravy.

(Gravy - for each cup of juices whisk 2 Tbsp flour and 3 Tbsp cool water to blend. Whisk into juices; boil 2-3 min until thickened)

POTATOES Halve 1 ½ lb small red potatoes. Cook in water to cover 20 min or until tender. Drain; mash with ½ cup milk, 2 Tbsp butter and ½ tsp salt. Stir in chopped chives.

SLAW Mix 16-oz bag coleslaw mix with 1 ½ cups sliced cucumber, 1 cup sliced radishes, ½ cup creamy ranch dressing, 3 Tbsp cider vinegar and ½ tsp each salt and sugar.

Penne & Broccoli with Rosemary & Parmesan Focaccia------Olia

Pasta Cook 12 oz penne pasta in lightly salted boiling water and pkg directs. Add two 12-oz bags fresh broccoli florets 5 min before pasta is done. Drain; return to pot.

Meanwhile sauté 1 Tbsp minced garlic and 1 pt grape tomatoes in 1 Tbsp olive oil until hot. Add 1 cup chicken broth and bring to a boil; add to pasta pot.

Add 6 oz ricotta salata (or Feta cheese), and 1/3 cup mixed olives; toss to mix.



Focaccia Bread Heat oven to 375F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Unroll 10-oz refrigerated pizza crust on baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, then 1 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese and ½ tsp rosemary. Fold in half; repeat sprinkling. Bake 12 min or until browned.

Shrimp with Mango Couscous & Baby Spinach Salad (serves 4) Olia

Shrimp Marinate 24 large raw shrimp (shelled and deveined) in ¼ cup bottled garlic vinaigrette 10 min. Heat broiler; line broiler-pan rack with foil. Thread shrimp on skewers. Broil 3 to 4 in. from heat 8-10 min, turning once until cooked through. For dipping sauce: mix ¼ cup wasabi horseradish mayonnaise and 2 Tbsp ketchup (or use any of your favorite sauce)



Couscous Prepare 6.10-oz box mango salsa couscous as box directs.



Salad Toss 10 oz bagged baby spinach, ½ cup each sliced red onion and Goldfish Colors crackers with ¼ cup bottled garlic vinaigrette.

Island Pork & Rice Salad with Toasted Pita Wedges Olia

Salad Put pork and rice (reserved from Tuscan Loin of Pork recipe) in a serving bowl. Add 15-oz can black beans, rinsed, 20-oz can pineapple chunks (reserve juice), 2 chopped bell peppers, 2/3 cup sliced scallions and 1/3 cup chopped cilantro. Whisk 6 Tbsp pineapple juice, ¼ cup olive oil-vinegar dressing, 1 ½ tsp jerk seasoning (or Mrs Dash) and ½ tsp salt. Pour over salad; toss to mix. Serve on lettuce.


Pita Heat oven to 400F. Arrange 4 pitas on baking sheet. Brush with 2 tsp oil; sprinkle with mixture of 1 Tbsp sesame seeds, ½ tsp jerk seasoning and ¼ tsp salt. Bake 6 to 8 min until lightly toasted. Cut in wedges.

Tuscan Loin of Pork, Antipasto Rice & Buttered Sugar Snap Peas (serves 4) -----Olia

PORK Heat oven to 400F. Put 3-lb boneless pork loin roast in a roasting pan. Finely chop 3 large cloves garlic with 1 ½ Tbsp fennel seeds and 1 tsp each salt and freshly ground pepper. Rub over pork. Roast 1 ½ hours or until a meat thermometer inserted in center registers 155F. Remove from oven and tent with foil; let rest 10 min. (Cut half the roasted pork in large strips; save for Island Pork &Rice Salad recipe)

(Sometimes, if in a rush, I substitute pork with fried or baked chicken)


Rice Cook 2 cup converted white rice as pkg directs. Into ½ the rice stir 14-oz can artichoke hearts, quartered, and 7-oz jar roasted red peppers, cut in strips. Heat briefly; stir in ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese. (Save half the rice for Island Pork &Rice Salad recipe)


Snap Peas Boil 12 oz fresh sugar snap peas 1½ min or until crisp-tender. Drain; toss with butter and salt.

Chicken Pillows~~~~Courtney Brown

8 oz. cream cheese ( I use the chive and onion flavor)
2-3 c. chicken shredded
crescent rolls
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c sour cream
bread crumbs
melted butter

mix cream cheese and chicken together. Put mix onto a crescent and roll up crescent. Pinch off sides. Roll in melted butter and then bread crumbs.
Bake at 375 for 20 minutes on flat cookie sheet.

Sauce:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c milk
combine and warm on stove, then add 1 cup sour cream. Mix well and pour over chicken pillows.

Nauvoo Syrup-Sheia Korth

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk*
1/2 tsp soda
1 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix all dry ingredients in a LARGE sauce pan then add the wet ingredients (EXCEPT vanilla). Bring to a boil on Medium-high. Turn down but let boil for 5 minutes. Watch carefully as it "grows"! Remove from heat and add vanilla.

*Can use powdered buttermilk ( add 2 TBS powdered buttermilk to dry ingredients and 1/2 cup water to wet)

Apple Cider Syrup-Melanie Ferguson

Mix in sauce pan

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 tsp corn starch
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Add

• 1 cup apple cider or apple juice
• 1 TBS lemon juice
• 2 TBS butter

Cook all ingredients except butter over medium heat. Heat until thick and bubbly. Cook 2 more minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butter.
Makes 1 1/3 cups syrup.

Pumpkin Waffles-Sheia Korth

with Apple Cider Syrup

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 4 tablespoons butter , melted
• 2/3 cup canned pumpkin
  

1. In a medium-size mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, melted butter, and pumpkin.
3. Pour the wet ingredients over the flour mixture and stir just until combined.
4. Coat the preheated waffle iron with cooking spray or vegetable oil.
5. Pour the waffle batter onto the center of each section of the iron.
6. Cook the waffles for about 4 to 5 minutes.
7. Serve immediately with syrup and butter.

Zucchini Soup - Sarah Nielson

• 3 1/2 cups diced zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 2 cubes chicken bouillon
• 1/2 cup sour cream

1. In a large stock pot saute zucchini, celery, carrots and onion in margarine, until done (approximately 20 minutes).
2. In a small mixing bowl combine flour and milk. Mix until smooth and then add to stock pot.
3. Cook soup until thickened and then puree in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.
4. Pour pureed soup back into stock pot and add cream of mushroom soup, water, bouillon cubes and sour cream. If desired also add white wine. Simmer until heated through and then serve.

I like to serve it in soup bowls with shredded Parmesan cheese on top.