Chipotle Pork Ribs

On the weekends, I am all about easy in the kitchen! And, after having worked all day in the garden, I wanted to do something that I could let slow cook to really take it easy on myself. So I pulled some baby back ribs out of the freezer the day before and took out the crock pot in the morning. Plan on 10 hours on low heat, and do not remove the lid until the meat is done!

Ingredients
Baby back pork ribs
Chipotle sauce
Garlic Powder
Oregano
Cumin
Salt and Pepper

Spray the crock pot with a non-stick cooking spray. Place the ribs on foil and rub with the chipotle sauce. Then sprinkle with the remaining ingredients.

Ribs with sauce and herbs

After 10 hours in the crock pot, remove them to a cutting board and cover with foil. Let them sit for about 10 minutes. Then separate the ribs into two ribs.

Ribs are done

Serve this with my broccoli cole slaw. Click below for that recipe:

Broccoli Slaw

Don’t forget a really good beer or have a glass of Barbera!

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Turkey Cutlets

I wanted to make another comfort food dinner and found some turkey cutlets at the grocery store. This is such an easy dinner! I had everything else I wanted at home.

Ingredients
1 package of turkey cutlets
1/3 # fresh green beans, washed and cut
2 potatoes, skins on, washed and cut into wedges
Panko bread crumbs
Thyme
Onion powder
Flour
Paprika
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper
2 eggs
Vegetable oil
Hot salt mix (given to us by friends, but feel free to try Spike instead, or whatever seasonings you like!)
Butter

Start with the green beans and get them ready and in the steamer basket.

Green beans ready to steam

Next cut the potatoes into wedges and put them in a bowl of water to soak out the starch. Let this sit for a half hour. While this is soaking, get the items ready for the cutlets.  Measure about a cup and a half of the panko and put it into a bowl. Add a couple of good shakes of onion powder, and three shakes of thyme leaves. Mix this together. Next, add to a ziplock bag a little bit less than one cup of flour. To this add some paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper then shake the bag. Then take two eggs and beat them really well.

Cutlets, flour bath, egg wash and panko are ready

The potatoes should be ready by now to prepare, so drain them and pat them dry. Then  put them into a bowl and add a bit of oil and the hot salt seasoning, and a good shake of paprika. The oven – heat to 350 degrees. Lay the potatoes out on a silpat if you have one, or on a greased baking sheet.

Potatoes are seasoned, on the silpat and ready for the oven

Bake these for 30 minutes, and get the cutlets ready.  First, take a cutlet and shake it in the flour bag.  Then dip and turn a number of times in the egg.  Follow this by dredging in the seasoned panko.  Set the cutlet on a bread rack to dry.  Repeat this with all the cutlets, and let them sit to dry.

Cutlets are breaded and need to sit to dry a bit

At this point the potatoes should be ready to turn.  Do this and set the timer for another 30 minutes.  At this point, if I have anything left to clean up I get it done now, and get my plates and silverware ready.  20 minutes before the potatoes are done, start to heat some butter in a large skillet and when it just starts to bubble, add the cutlets. Cook these over medium high heat.

Cutlets are cooking in butter

Five minutes into cooking the cutlets, turn on the heat to start the green beans steaming. After another five minutes, turn the cutlets.

Turn and continue to cook

The cutlets, green beans and potatoes should all be done at the same time!

Sit back and enjoy this dinner with a Grenache!

Dinner is served!

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Dinner and Cards

Last night we were having dinner with friends Gene and Betsy followed by a game of progressive rummy! So much has been going on lately that we had not had a dinner and card night for a long time! There were two challenges for the evening. The first challenge for was to come up with a vegetarian dinner; the second was to beat Betsy at cards!

Thinking about dinner I wanted to do something that I could prepare ahead, and that is pretty simple to make. So last night I hoped to win at cards and I made Manicotti!

Ingredients
For the stuffing:
2 Eggs
1 1/4 containers of Ricotta cheese
1 15 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and the water squeezed out
2/3 cup of finely minced onion
1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. parsley flakes
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 cup grated Mozzarella

Manicotti Shells – uncooked
Tomato Basil Sauce – 24 oz. jar + cups of water
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups Mozzarella

Beat the eggs until well blended. Add the ricotta and mix well with the eggs until the mixture no longer has lumps. Add the spinach, the onion and the spices. Combine. Then add in the cheese.

Manicotti filling

Everything is ready to go!

Next take the Manicotti shells and with your hands stuff the shells until tightly packed. Next mix the water and the sauce together, and add one cup to a 9×13 baking pan. Shake the pan from side to side to spread it out evenly. Lay the Manicotti in the pan. Cover with the remaining sauce and then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Ready to cook

I got this ready ahead of time and then set it in the refrigerator until I am ready to start cooking. When ready to bake, turn the oven on to 350 degrees and bake for 45-55 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

I served dinner fresh steamed asparagus, and Texas toast.

Dinner is served!

We followed this with a salad.

Spring mix salad with raw sunflower seeds

After dinner we shared a Port wine with some really excellent chocolate!

Port and chocolate for dessert

Dinner was a hit!

We played progressive rummy

Card game

and I think someone was cheating!

Someone could be cheating

Needless to say I did not win. Betsy took the game again!

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