HONEY ROASTED BABY BACK RIBS ~ BLOG 365.173

HONEY ROASTED RIBS adapted from Cook’s Country

Cut the racks into thirds to allow them to fit into the plastic bags while they marinate. The used marinade is then boiled and transformed into a glaze for the ribs.

This recipe turns the humble into the extraordinary and perfectly tender, meaty, crusty, sticky, honey glazed, finger licking great ribs that leaves your family reaching for more ribs until the plate is empty so be sure and make plenty.

5 – 6 pounds baby back ribs (2 racks, 2 1/2- to 3-pounds each), trimmed, membranes removed, each rack cut into 3 equal pieces

1 1/4 cup QUALITY honey
5 tablespoons Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup Dijon mustard, optional
1 bunch green onions, white parts minced, green parts sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, FINELY crushed
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • Divide ribs between two 1-gallon zipper-lock bags.
  • Whisk honey, liquid aminos, vinegar, mustard (if using), scallion whites, garlic, salt, pepper, and cayenne together in bowl.
  • Divide marinade between bags, seal, and turn to coat ribs evenly with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours, turning bags ­occasionally.
  • Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325.
  • Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set wire rack in sheet.
  • Add enough warm tap water to cover entire bottom of sheet (about 2 cups). The water gives off extra steam keeping the ribs extra moist and prevents the drippings from burning.
  • Transfer ribs, meaty side up, to prepared wire rack; reserve marinade in refrigerator.
  • Tent ribs loosely with foil and bake for 1¼ hours.
  • Uncover ribs and continue cooking until just tender, about 1 hour longer.
  • Bring reserved marinade to boil in large dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook until thickened to glaze consistency, about 5 minutes.
  • Brush ribs with 1/3 cup glaze, return to oven, and continue to cook 15-30 minutes until glaze begins to bubble and ribs are brown.
  • Transfer ribs to cutting board (leave hot water and sheet in oven to cool), tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.
  • Cut ribs between bones, add to Dutch oven, and toss to coat with remaining glaze.
  • Transfer to platter and sprinkle with scallion greens and ½ teaspoon salt.
  • Serve.

ULTIMATE COFFEE CAKE ~ BLOG 365.171

For years I made this simple and classic Bisquick coffee cake from the back of the box, but I doctored it up my way. So recently I went looking for Bisquick’s original recipe and was surprised to find MANY versions of it by several bakers. The only thing I found in common was the use of Bisquick and most people did what I’d been doing for many years ~ double the ooey gooey streusel!

MY RECIPE for the ULTIMATE COFFEE CAKE
STREUSEL TOPPING
2/3 cup Bisquick®
2/3 cup PACKED brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon QUALITY ground cinnamon
1/3-1/2 cup golden raisins
1/3-1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

  • Combine the baking mix, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly.
  • Fold in nuts and raisins, if using. Set aside.

CAKE
2 cups Bisquick®
2/3-3/4 cup WHOLE milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1 LARGE egg
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
1 tablespoon QUALITY ground cinnamon

  • Preheat the oven to 375°.
  • Grease a DEEP 9-inch baking dish.
  • In a large bowl, combine baking mix, sugar, cinnamon, milk, and egg together, mixing well.
  • Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish.
  • Spread the topping evenly over the cake batter.
  • Use a knife to swirl the streusel topping into the cake.
  • Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Pour a cup of coffee and enjoy!

NOTES:

  • BISQUICK is the ONLY baking mix that works EXACTLY right in this recipe. Substitute other brnads at your own risk 😀
  • For really ooey and gooey streusel double the amounts.
  • When I’m feeling a bit naughty I soak the raisins in a spiced rum first. Be sure to drain them well before adding them to the streusel.

Here are the links to a few of the similar recipes I found.

MY BAKING ADDICTION’S  Yield 8-10 servings
This version of the same basic coffee cake gets its tang from sour cream and has a little twist using either pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice instead of plain cinnamon PLUS a bit of a crunch from pecans though I prefer walnuts.

BISQUICK COFFEE CAKE
STREUSEL TOPPING
⅔ cup Bisquick mix
⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ cup unsalted butter, cold
½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

  • In a medium bowl, stir combine ⅔ cup Bisquick, ⅔ cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter until well combined and only small pieces of butter are visible.
  • Stir in the pecans. Set aside.

CAKE
2 cups Bisquick mix
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
⅔ cup sour cream
¼ cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining Bisquick, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice.
  • Stir in the sour cream, milk, egg, and vanilla until well combined.
  • Spread half of the cake batter into the bottom of the greased cake pan.
  • Sprinkle evenly with half of the streusel.
  • Top evenly with the remaining cake batter, followed by the rest of the streusel.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY & MENUS week 25 of 2023 ~ BLOG 365.170

GOOD MORNING dear friends. I hope everyone had a wonderful father’s day weekend with friends and family.

I had a busy and productive week. We installed a new sail shade on the “patio” area of the Eagles Lodge in an odd shaped area so it was kind of a pain and I prepared Tuesday dinner that wasn’t as successful on Tuesday as it was on Wednesday 😀 I then helped a friend who was chairing the Father’s Day Lunch & Pot Luck with set-up and made the BBQ beans.

We’re still working on isolating the sprinkler system problem at home – hubby and neighbor have been digging up the front yard. It’s so frustrating when it’s such an old system that was installed by someone else. Especially since the system does not follow any normal train of thought or direction flow.

Hubby and I even snuck in a date night with dinner at a favorite rooftop bar and a movie, Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3. This week we’re going to try and get in a bowling day.

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Our temperatures dropped 20 degrees (today is supposed to be 59) and we’re finally having a bit of rain/thunderstorms for a couple days, but it will then creep back up to the high 70’s and even some 80’s by the end of the week. So today I’m glad I didn’t pack away all the long sleeves – I’m wearing Levis, cute floral POPS with a pink and gray flannel.

These measuring spoons are how grams taught me to cook and I still wing it today 😀 Both these funnies say a lot about where my mind is these days.

Pretty typical morning with hot water and peach yogurt

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING working on some deep clean areas, but laundry and ironing are up to date.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I have a pedicure appointment in town tomorrow so am making my list for groceries and errands to do at that time.
  • PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS, PROJECTS & TRAVELS I’m still trying to get through to the resort for arranging next year’s family reunion! They are so frustrating!! No one returns phone calls or follows through.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I just sorted out a new batch of recipes that sound interesting, but am only planned until the end of the month as of now.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • AMAZON PRIME/ACORN DOC MARTIN just started season 8 and just about to finish up season 8 of NEWHART and it appears to be missing my favorite episode – the last one!
  • CABLE not much but cooking shows on right now

I’m currently reading A Vineyard Vow, Vineyard Sunset #6 by Katie Winters
MONDAY 6/19
TUESDAY 6/20
WEDNESDAY 6/21
THURSDAY 6/22
FRIDAY 6/23
SATURDAY 6/24
SUNDAY 6/25
DINNER
 CARIBBEAN CHICKEN & 3 CHEESE HASH BROWN BAKE
 HAWAIIAN HAM & CHEESE SLIDERS & POTATO SALAD
 LEMON CHICKEN & CHEESY GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE
 SHEET PAN CHICKEN & SPRING VEGGIES with CRANBERRY RICE
 PORK CHOPS & POTATOES with CRISPY GREEN SALAD
 CHICKEN PICCATA with LEMON SAUCE & SWISS POTATO BAKE
 APRICOT CHICKEN & PEPPERJACK MASHED POTATOES
DESSERT
 
 
DOUBLE BANANA CAKE
 

My Calla Lillies are FINALLY blooming!

NORWEGIAN MEATBALLS ~ BLOG 365.167

This is another recipe from an old antique recipe box that became an instant keeper for our family. The flavorful meatballs and light delicate sauce make this a refreshing meal for any time of year.

NORWEGIAN MEATBALLS
Prep Time: 45 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes Rest Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hr 30 minutes Servings: 12

MEATBALLS
1 cup torn croissants
½ cup WHOLE milk
2 LARGE eggs
1 LARGE onion, FINELY grated
+/- 1 tablespoon FRESH grated ginger
+/- 1 tablespoon FRESH ground salt, to taste
1-2 teaspoons FRESH ground nutmeg, to taste
2-3 cloves garlic, FINELY minced
1 ½ teaspoons FRESH ground black pepper
3 pounds LEAN ground beef

  • Preheat the oven to 400°.
  • Grease a LARGE baking sheet. 

  • Combine bread pieces, milk, eggs, onion, ginger, salt, nutmeg, garlic, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Let stand 10 minutes until bread absorb all the milk.
  • Stir until just mixed and add ground beef mixing until well blended.
  • Shape mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place on the prepared pan. 

  • Bake 20-30 minutes in the preheated oven until browned.
  • Set meatballs aside to rest while you prepare the gravy.

GRAVY
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons minced onion
5 tablespoons WONDRA flour
4 cups HOMEMADE beef broth
½ cup sour cream
1 dash cayenne pepper
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

  • Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Sauté onion until tender, about 3 minutes.
  • Whisk in flour and cook 2-3 minutes until lightly browned.
  • SLOWLY add broth; cooking and stirring gravy 5-10 minutes until smooth and thickened. Blend in cream, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. 

  • Gently layer cooked meatballs into the gravy and SLOWLY simmer, heating through 5 minutes or so, but DO NOT BOIL. 

  • Serve over wide egg noodles, mashed potatoes or rice.

NOTES: These meatballs freeze wonderfully!

CHOPPED BACON SALAD ~ BLOG 365.166

CHOPPED BACON SALAD

1 tablespoons avocado oil
1 pound QUALITY bacon 
6 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
5 tablespoon raw slivered almonds
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons QUALITY honey 
1 large shallot, THINLY sliced (see notes)
2 heads romaine, chopped
3 cups mixed chopped radicchio, frisée and trimmed fennel
1 tablespoon FRESH thyme leaves
1/4 cup FRESH chopped flat leaf Italian parsley

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • When hot, cook the bacon slices in batches in the hot oil, turning them regularly and adding more slices, one by one, as the first slices brown and shrink.
  • When crumbly crisp and browned to your desire, about 10 to 12 minutes, transfer bacon slices to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain, (reserving the drainings for the dressing) all BUT 1 tablespoons of fat from the pan. 

  • Add the garlic to the pan. Cook, stirring often until the edges of the garlic start to turn golden.
  • Add the almonds and continue cooking, 5-7 minutes, stirring, until both the garlic and almonds look golden and toasted.
  • Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the paper towel-lined plate also. Do not discard the pan drippings. You will use them in the dressing.

  • In a large bowl, mix the red wine vinegar and honey with a whisk until dissolved then add the shallot, season with salt and pepper. Set aside for 5 minutes.
  • Pour in  5 tablespoons of the warm pan drippings from the skillet while straining it into the vinegar mixture.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper, whisk again.
  • Drizzle vinaigrette over bowl of greens and herbs, tossing well.
  • To serve, top the salad with the crispy garlic and almonds then crumble the bacon over it tossing it again as desired. 

NOTES:

  • I often will crisp additional shallots for the top of the salad.
  • I also add a handful of halved grape tomatoes and/or chopped hard salami when I have it on hand.

DANISH PANCAKES ~ BLOG 365.164

DANISH PANCAKES

2 LARGE eggs
2 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided
PINCH of sea salt

  • In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk and butter.
  • In a small bowl, mix flour and 2 tablespoons sugar; add to egg mixture and mix well. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour.
  • Heat a lightly greased 8-in. nonstick skillet over medium heat.
  • Stir batter.
  • Fill a 1/4-cup measure three-fourths with batter; pour into center of pan.
  • Quickly lift, tilt and rotate pan to coat bottom evenly, cooking until top appears dry; turn pancake and cook 15-20 seconds longer or until bottom is cooked.
  • Remove to a wire rack.
  • Sprinkle with PINCH sugar.
  • Repeat with remaining batter and sugar, greasing pan as needed.
  • When cool, stack pancakes with pieces of waxed paper or paper towels.
  • Serve HOT with FRESH melted butter.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY & MENU PLANS week 24 of 2023 ~ BLOG 365.163

Good Morning dear friends. I hope you are all enjoying your summer and have had a WONDERFUL weekend. Our weather has been absolutely beautiful and I’m really loving the sunlight late into the evening. Sad to think that in just a couple weeks it will already be time for it to get less and less. Seems like spring has just gotten here and yet summer is already so close. As much as I LOVE fall, after the horrifically long winter this past year and almost non-existent spring I’m actually looking forward to summer, my least favorite season.

I had worked most of Friday starting with helping hubby remove some extremely old, multi-rooted and stubborn bushes that seem to be the cause of the sprinkler issues and doing that night’s dinner prep, cooking and serving at the Eagles so was exhausted! We forced ourselves to take the weekend to do as we pleased on BOTH Saturday AND Sunday.

It was busy, but also quite relaxing and restful. We spent most of Saturday visiting garage sale after garage sale during the city wide garage sale day. We ran across MANY awesome deals (a brand new pampered chef mini tart pan for 50¢ and a brand new CROCK-POT®™ with the auto-stir feature for $20) and even a winter project for hubby on an antique table to refinish. Sunday was even more relaxing.

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

I have to add a funny for today too.

The weather has been believe ABSOLUTELY beautiful and is supposed to continue through this week. I can’t believe I’m saying this after our super wet winter and spring, but we NEED some rain if for no other reason than to keep fire season at a distance…

Days will be in the mid 70’s with an 80 or two and nights the nights will be the saving grace in the high 40’s 😀

I had my bi-annual follow up with the endocrinologist and all is as well as can be… we’ve determined that I have 2 major triggers that just flat out have to be managed! The first is how and when I eat coupled with what I eat. So if I’m home all day I can graze… eating all the proper foods in the proper proportions when I need them… but when we travel it makes it significantly more difficult to “graze”… the second trigger is stress which of course I am when we travel knowing I can’t “graze” eat the proper foods because eating out is extremely difficult to avoid trigger foods such as breads, lettuces, sugars in dressings and batters… so that is a cyclic thing… then there is the “experimental” factor.

After my surgery the doctor had me on a strict diet with the baby food, soft foods etc… in miniscule amounts and then had me begin experimenting to see which foods I could tolerate. The problem was that I might tolerate a certain food one time, but not the next so the whole process becomes a crap shoot leading back to the BIG triggers… timing and stress seem to be the culprits that are ALWAYS in the mix 🙁

We’ve tried many medications, only one of which helps regulate the sugar level and the others weren’t reliable and tasted terrible… so I’m still trying to manage everything with mind over matter…

a couple sips of coffee followed by ice tea and a banana

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING laundry is done and cleaning is good for now. Hubby removed the old stove yesterday and I cleaned the wall and sides of the cabinets and floor really well getting ready for today’s delivery.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I have to run to Costco for a few things this afternoon for dinner items and the Tuesday special I’m making for the Eagles. I also have my annual eye exam on Tuesday and am looking forward to new glasses and sunglasses this year. The ones I’m wearing have been hanging on by a thread.
  • PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS, PROJECTS & TRAVELS I have to call the resort AGAIN to finalize the family reunion for 2024 so I can get everyone settled for next year. Hubby and I are working with a friend at the Eagles this morning on some sail cloth and patio light installation for the back patio.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING When the stove took a dive I lost my MOJO for a bit, but will start working on menus again on Wednesday.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • NETFLIX We’re in the last season on the 2nd Bob Newhart show at night as we fall asleep, not sure what we’ll watch next.
  • TUBI As silly a show as it is, we’ve been enjoying DOC MARTIN and just started season 5
  • CABLE Fear the Walking Dead, NASCAR, Alex VS America, Summer Baking

I just started ALWAYS, WITH YOU by Fiona Grace after finishing Katie Winters 5th booj in the Nantucket series.

The new stove is due to be delivered today, but until it is… I’ll assume that I still need recipes that don’t use an oven 😀

The new stove is due between 8-12 today, but you know how deliveries go with Murphy’s law and all so not planning on having to use it for a day or two…
MONDAY 6/12
TUESDAY 6/13
WEDNESDAY 6/14
THURSDAY 6/15
FRIDAY 6/16
SATURDAY 6/17
SUNDAY 6/18
DINNER
 CHOPPED BACON SALAD
 CHICKEN CRANBERRY SALAD CROISSANT SANDWICHES and WATERMELON
 HONEY ROASTED RIBS & SATURDAY NIGHT BAKED BEANS
 STICKY ASIAN CHICKEN with SALAD with SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE
YOYO YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN
 CARIBBEAN CHICKEN with 3 CHEESE HASH BROWN BAKE
 YOYO YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN
DESSERT
 
 
CINNAMON STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE
 
FATHER’S DAY POTLUCK AT THE EAGLES

We had a successful day trolling the city wide garage sale and found many treasures, a fun new ice cream truck, The Rolling Cones, supported a little girl’s pop-up bakery and lunch at our favorite tavern starting with their roasted peanuts and a cocktail…and then there were 2 of our favorite bartenders, Pam and Trudy.