Pumpkin Ale Short Ribs over Mashed Potatoes

Last week I had a pumpkin themed dinner party with ten of my close girl friends. For the main dish, I wanted something hearty that involved pumpkin ale. This recipe was melt in your mouth good and was eaten so quickly that I had to make it again to get pictures for the blog. We ate it all up! This is perfect for a cold fall evening. Pour over hot homemade Blue Cheese Mashers . Serves 4

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless short ribs

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

20 baby carrots sliced or one large carrot 

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 leeks, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp allspice

1 tbsp cloves

1 tsp whole pepper corns

1 bottle pumpkin ale (I used Sam Adams)

3 cups beef broth

Preheat oven to 350F

In a large dutch oven or large oven-proof pot heat oil over medium 

Add steak and brown on each side (about 2 minutes per side)

Remove and place on a plate

Reduce heat to medium low and add carrots, onions, and leeks

Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring constantly

Add garlic and spices

Stir for 1 minute then add pumpkin ale

Turn heat up to medium high and boil 

When beer has reduced by half add meat and broth

Bring to a boil then remove from heat and place in oven

Cook for three hours, turning meat with tongs every hour

Pour over mashed potatoes and eat up! 

Mexican Quinoa Casserole

To feed my Mexican food obsession without eating all of my calories for the day in one meal, I started making this dish. I jazzed up a dip recipe and pumped it full of quinoa. It's full of fiber, flavor, and will fill you up for hours. My favorite part was making the homemade refried black beans. Who knew they could be so simple?! Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup water

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 green onions, diced
1 tsp cumin

Juice from 1/2 lime

1 clove garlic, minced

1 jar roasted red peppers, drained, rinsed, and chopped

1 roma tomato, diced

1/4 cup manchego cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 375F

In a pot, heat oil on medium low

Add onions and garlic stirring for 3 minutes
Add in beans and cumin
Add 1 cup broth to the beans

Pour in lime juice

Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes covered

Either puree with an emersion blender OR mash with a fork

Meanwhile, cook quinoa according to package 

(I replaced one of the cups of water for broth for flavor)

Place the quinoa in the bottom of a glass baking dish 

Pour beans over quinoa

Top with roasted red peppers and tomatoes

Sprinkle with cheese and green onions

Place in oven for 20 minutes covered with foil

Remove foil and cook for 5 more minutes, or until cheese gets crispy and golden

Top with green onions and eat up!

Sunday Night Cider Cocktails

Spiked cider is a drink I've enjoyed since I was young (sorry to sell you out dad) and it's one of my favorite Thanksgiving drinks to have next to a fire. I assumed it was a complicated recipe, since I've never personally made it and it tastes so rich. I also assumed it was only served hot. A few weeks ago I went to a dinner party where the host (shout out to Patti!)  served chilled spiked cider and I got to see how easy it is to make. I hope you "Fall" in love with this drink as much as I did. Serves 6

Ingredients

2 small green apples, thinly sliced

1/2 cup dark rum

1/2 cup cinnamon schnapps 

8 cups apple cider

12 cinnamon sticks

ice

Combine rum, schnapps, and cider,in a large pitcher

Pour over ice and place a cinnamon stick in each glass

String apples on a cocktail stick, or just place a few slices in the glass

That's it

Easy as pie!  

Rigatoni with Spicy Chicken Sausage, Broccoli Rabe, and Tomatoes

Happy October! A month full of pumpkins, candy, and ...... broccoli rabe! Broccoli rabe is a vegetable that I recently became familiar with after an amazing dinner at a friends house. She used it with sausage and spaghetti and I thought I'd try it in a casserole type dish. I liked it so much, I made it two nights in a row for different guests. The second time I made it, I added tomatoes and definitely recommend the addition of this colorful ingredient. This recipe is easy, full of different flavors, and filling on a cool fall night. Serves 6

Ingredients
1 lb rigatoni
1 bunch broccoli rabe, cleaned and chopped (discard tough ends)
2 cups chicken broth
1 large beefsteak tomato, diced
1/2 lb chicken sausage (I used Whole Foods sausage that I squeezed out of the casing)
2 tbsp greek yogurt
1/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 tsp red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 400F
Boil pasta as directed in two cups chicken broth and 3 cups water
With 5 minutes left in boiling add broccoli rabe
Drain

Meanwhile, in a large baking dish combine half of the mozzarella

with the milk, sour cream, and red pepper flakes
While the pasta is still boiling, cook the sausage
I use a fork to stir and make it crumbly
Mine took about 6 minutes on medium heat to cook
Add this to the baking dish
Pour pasta mixture into the baking dish and stir
Top with tomatoes, parmesan and remaining mozzarella

Bake for about 20 minutes, until top is lightly browned