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Are you shaking your head? I have done two recipes of short ribs. One was in the crock pot, the other was cooked in the oven. Well, what my kitchen was missing was a dutch oven, which my dear husband gave me for Christmas. Seven quarts! The best part: It is made of cast iron! There is something about cast iron that just seems to make a difference. So again, here is another recipe for short ribs with changes to the other recipes. I love playing with food, which you might have noticed! Check out what we are cooking up!

Looks good eh?  This is what we are making!

Looks good eh? This is what we are making!

Ingredients
12 short ribs
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup of flour
3 shakes of garlic powder
1 tsp of rubbed sage
1 tsp of thyme
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp of butter
64 oz beef broth
1/2 of a large onion sliced, rings separated
2 carrots, sliced
1 12 oz Porter beer
12 crimini mushrooms, each sliced in 4 pieces
1 bay leaf

So, what I did with this recipe was combine what I did with the crock pot and what I did in the oven. It came out beautifully, which Joe, you missed out on again! You need to visit more and stop telling yourself what a lucky guy Paul is…sorry…this was a personal note…

Take out the meat one hour before you start so that it warms up a bit. Sprinkle the meat with a bit of salt and pepper. In a plastic bag add the flour, garlic powder, sage, and thyme. Shake it up good! A side note here: Make sure that you turn on some music that gets you into the shaking mode…and that will carry you through cooking! Now you want to start the beef broth. Turn your pot of broth on and let it boil down to half so that you concentrate the fabulous-si-oso beef flavors!

While this is working, and let it do its thing, no need to interfere, heat the olive oil and butter in your cast iron dutch oven. Now turn up the music and start shaking baby! You and the ribs with the flour mixture! Wahoo! Feels good – eh? ♪♫ Shake it! Shake your booty….♫♫♪ Forgive me for I think that you might think that I am rattling…Hey isn’t that something you shake too? 🙂

When the butter has melted and olive oil is hot (medium heat does just fine with cast iron), blend them together with a spoon. Then add as many of the short ribs that you can fit…some on their sides, some on their backs, some on their fronts, some on that other side…Brown the meat. And, leave it to brown. Do not even think of lifting one of these lovely ribs to check to see how it is going. Give it between 5 – 8 minutes a side, depending on the thickness. Yes, four sides.

Browning short ribs

Browning short ribs

As they are done, remove them to a plate, and finish off the rest.
Browned short ribs

Browned short ribs

If you have any of the flour mixture left over, and there will not be much if you do, toss it. You can’t use it again.

Smells pretty good in the kitchen doesn’t it? While all this is going on is when I actually prepare the onions, carrots and mushrooms…

Porter, onions, mushrooms, carrots, oh my!

Porter, onions, mushrooms, carrots, oh my!

When the beef has been browned, and all the boney pieces are looking pretty on the set aside plate, add the onions and carrots to the dutch oven.
Look at those lovely browned bits

Look at those lovely browned bits

Stir it so that any browned bits start to lift. Cook until the onions are just transparent. Then slowly add the porter beer a little at a time. Enjoy the aromas as they waft up to fill your nose!
Porter added to onions and carrots

Porter added to onions and carrots

Once all the porter has been added, the beef broth should be reduced by half.
Reduced beef broth

Reduced beef broth

Add this to the dutch oven. Now turn the oven on to 350 degrees. Next, toss in the mushrooms to the onions, carrots, beer and broth mixture, and bring this to a boil.
After adding the broth, the mushrooms go in

After adding the broth, the mushrooms go in

When it boils, turn the heat off. Arrange the short ribs so that all are in one layer. The broth mixture should come up to about 2/3 – 3/4 of the way up the ribs.
The ribs go back into the pot

The ribs go back into the pot

Take that cast iron lid, cover the pot, and place this in the oven. Turn on the timer for one hour.

While all this is cooking, watch a movie, knit a cap, prune your roses… When the timer goes off, turn the ribs over. Cook another hour. Do some house work, or write a blog for this next hour. When the timer goes off on this hour, turn them once more.

Half way through cooking

Half way through cooking

Continue cooking for one half hour. Maybe while the last half hour is working on those ribs, you might want to pop one of the porters so you can imbibe! The beer aromas mixed with beef should now be making your stomach growl…right Conor? And, make some rice or mashed potatoes…and do not forget that green vegetable!

When the timer goes off, remove the dutch oven from the regular oven, and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Take the lid off and melt from the incredible aromas assaulting your nasal passages! Do not keel over! You have to now remove the bones. Toss the bones, and shred the beef a bit…or do what I did…let it cool, put it in the refrigerator, and have it for dinner the next night! The flavors will intensify! Ya, you betcha, they will!

Here is the finished piece!

Bones removed and dinner is ready!

Bones removed and dinner is ready!

Doesn’t it look lovely! The mushrooms were a nice addition. Most recipes do not add these, but they add a lovely earthly flavor. Well, dinner is served, and I will be thinking about what you are missing, that is unless you make this for yourself and your loved ones! Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by! Let me know if you try this, or if you liked this wordy post! Hugs and until tomorrow – of course! 😉

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This week’s WordPress photo challenge is Love. Love can encompass so many things. It is an emotion that we feel for one another. It is emotion we feel for the animals we keep around us. It is found in the passion we have for living life. It is found in the passion that we have those things we love to do. Real love is unconditional and is boundless.

One of my passions is my love for food! The most important ingredient in everything that I prepare, and leave out of my recipes as it is a given for me, is love! I prepare food injecting it with the love I feel for those I cook for. So this post is focused on my passion and love for food! Recipe links follow!

Are you interested in the recipe for any of these? If you are here are the links to the posts that featured these recipes!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bottomed Cupcakes – A-La-Kat
Carne Asada Burritos
Hoison Beef Skewers
The Salmon Fishing Queen Cooks Salmon
Fruit Salad
Gregg’s Italian Chicken with Orzo
Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches
Hot Sour Soup
Pepperoni Pizza
Pinot More Lamb Chops
Jammin’ with Pork Loin
Pork Piccata
Sauteed Mushrooms with Garlic
Slop
Tequila Lime Prawns

Did I give you enough recipes? Each link gives you the recipe and you can print them too! Check for the print button at the bottom of the blog post.

I love cooking, and thank you for taking the time to read and view my post on Love. Please be sure to check out some of the other interpretations of love in the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge. Click here!

Thanks for visiting today, and if you try any one of these recipes, please let me know how you liked them!

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This is just a short post today to wish you all a Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

May 2013 be on filled with love, laughter, good health and prosperity! My best regards to you my readers! Hugs – Barb

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No matter what holiday you celebrate at this time of year, I wish to you and yours a joyous holiday season filled with love, well being, and may the new year be a prosperous one for you!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays!

My best regards to all! Hugs and love – Barb

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I love the season of giving. And I get my greatest joy from giving to others. So Christmas and I, we are total buds! When I think about the presents, I think of how the gifts look under the tree. There is nothing like the smell of a fresh tree, and the sight of all those presents!

Presents under the tree

Presents under the tree

I just have to ask, why is it that the Mercedes doesn’t fit under the tree? Oh, wait! It does!

The Mercedes under the tree

The Mercedes under the tree

Boy I wish that was bigger! Truth be told, I am not a Mercedes kind of gal…So here we are and the holidays are coming. There are gifts under the tree. Check out this Christmas gift! Now here is an awww moment – right Penny?

The Christmas Gift

The Christmas Gift

Needless to say, this little gift was not for me or my husband… 😦 Flynn, a Pomeranian, came to visit our house along with his brother Jean Luc and mom Marcy! Flynn is a true beauty as a Christmas present! We are hoping that he comes back to visit with the rest of his clan! Jean Luc was a bit camera shy…and next time they come to visit I hope that I will be able to catch him for a photo shoot in all his cuteness!

So, for today, best wishes to you all and thank you for joining me on my blog today! Hugs to everyone and go out and have a wonderful Tuesday!

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I cannot possibly express to you the loss of words that I have, and how overwhelmed I am with emotion to have been nominated not once but twice in the last few days for the Blogger of the Year Award – 2012! I am honored and I am truly humbled!

This is the season of giving and it is also a season to be thankful. My purpose in life is to give to those around me all I have to give. I live this purpose every day. I am thankful for a number of things. My family, my friends, to have good health, and to have a following of folks who want to read my blog! I am also thankful to the two amazing women who have nominated me for this award!

Penny Howe, of The Why About This and Sharla Lee Shults, of Catnip of Life have both nominated me for the “Blog of the Year Award – 2012.” I thank you both, with a bow, for the nominations!

Penny’s site is amazing! And, so is Sharla’s! These women have been an inspiration to me in a number of ways. Penny, with her words of wisdom and her creative influences which have given me a different perspective of life; and Sharla, with her fabulous poetry, which touches my soul with her beautiful words the images those words create. If you have not read her poetry, which paints the most incredible pictures in one’s mind, then you are missing out! Both are truly gifted women who I treasure. I consider myself so lucky that my little blog, Life in the Foothills, has given to me the opportunity to know these amazing women!

My award:

Blog of the Year Award - 2 Stars Earned!

Blog of the Year Award – 2 Stars Earned!

The rules of this award differ from others, and here are the details:

Blog of the Year 2012 Award

Do you know a blog that deserves an award? For me the answer is yes!

Do you have special blogs that you love to read? Absolutely!

Which blogs do you bookmark and follow? I have a huge list!

Would you like to give them an award this year? Well, I told you what my purpose in life is!

Then the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award is for you!

The ‘rules’ for this award are simple:

1 Select the blog(s) you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award

2 Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award.

3 Please include a link back to this page Blog of the Year 2012 Award and include these ‘rules’ in your post (please don’t alter the rules or the badges!)

4 Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them

5 You can now also join The Facebook group – click ‘like’ on this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook group and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience

6 As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…

Yes – that’s right – there are stars to collect!

Unlike other awards which you can only add to your blog once – this award is different!

When you begin you will receive the ‘1 star’ award – and every time you are given the award by another blog – you can add another star!

There are a total of 6 stars to collect.

Which means that you can check out your favorite blogs – and even if they have already been given the award by someone else – you can still bestow it on them again and help them to reach the maximum 6 stars!

‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Badges

There are six badges for you to collect – you can either ‘swap’ your badge for the next one each time you are given the award – or even proudly display all six badges if you are lucky enough to be presented with the award six times!

Need to know more? Check out the FAQ page. From the same site you can click on the thumbnail for the number of awards you are given! I have two! Again, thank you Penny and Sharla! You are both dear to my heart!

My wish now, and my desire to give, tells me that I need to pass this award on. I am passing this award on to:

One Man’s Meat Conor Bofin has some incredible recipes and I get totally caught up in his lovely narrative! Cooking with humor!

Zeebra Designs & Destinations While Lisa and I live quite a ways away from each other, her artwork and posts are inspiring!

Mike’s Look at Life The title of Mike’s blog fits what he shares. It is a pretty cool perspective, and I am glad that Mike found me, so that I could follow him!

One last one:

Yummy Lummy I never thought that I could ever find anyone who can eat as much as I can, or now hitting over double nickels – could, and then I met Gary! Gary has an amazing appetite, and an amazing blog that is also worthy of passing this on!

Hugs to you all! Again, Penny and Sharla, you are both very dear to me, and I thank you with all my heart! To those that I am passing this on to: Congratulations! You all deserve this award and have kept me entertained with your blogs!

Thank you for visiting today, and please do go check out these amazing blogs! Penny – Sharla — Hugs to you both and thank you for the honor!

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This week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge is to share with you photos of what Thankful means to me…This had me thinking for quite a while about those things that I am thankful for. There are so many things that I am thankful for: Where do I start?

I am thankful that I shared the years that I was able to with my parents.

My Mom and Dad

These two amazing people brought me into this world and they loved me, cared for me, taught me, and supported me. I miss them both dearly, and while they are gone physically, they are still around me and let me know this is some surprising ways!

I am thankful to have in my life my family and friends.

My husband Paul and my son Astro sharing the love

My little girl Madison

My little boy Toby

My friends? Well, they would rather not have their photos posted!

I am thankful that I have a job and a roof over my head. I am thankful that I am able to put food on my table.

I am thankful that my writing and photographs are well received by the world! Thank you to all who follow me and to those give me “likes” on my posts! I am also thankful for the friends that I have made through my blogging, and in no special order, thank you to Gaz, Conor, Kat, Penny, Z, Russel and Christine!

Thank you to all who take the time to read this, and to all those in my life! Now go and have a lovely Sunday!

Check out other posts on this challenge: WP Weekly Photo Challenge: Thankful

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“I had found a kind of serenity, a new maturity… I didn’t feel better or stronger than anyone else but it seemed no longer important whether everyone loved me or not–more important now was for me to love them. Feeling that way turns your whole life around; living becomes the act of giving.” Beverly Sills

Serenity

Now go out and have a great Wednesday!

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In our house we have some standing agreements. This helps us in making life easier here in our household. The agreements? My husband cooks on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday’s. I cook the rest of the time. The other agreement: Who ever cooks dinner the other one cleans.

Tonight my husband is in the kitchen cooking. Sometimes he can burn water, but other nights he is spot on. This post was his idea. He thought I should feature his cooking prowess. So, upon his request, I wanted to feature tonight’s meal prepared by my husband.

As I sit here waiting for dinner to cook I am overwhelmed by the aromas of tomato sauce and cheese. Could he be making lasagne? What a perfect dinner for a night when it is not only raining, but cold outside? Right now the thermometer is registering 48 degrees. Quite a change from the high 80’s of last week. As an aside, it has me wondering if I should pull my winter clothes out of storage or should I wait? In 2006 it was warm enough to sit outside in November in jeans and a t-shirt. What is one to do?

Back to my husband cooking! Oh, he is in the kitchen right now! He is pulling something out of the oven! He is telling me that we have to wait 5 minutes before he can serve dinner! My stomach is growling! I think to myself, “Have I taught him something about being in the kitchen?” The little voice in my head says, “Maybe…maybe not…” I am anxiously awaiting what we are having for dinner as tonight I have been ousted from the kitchen! Ticking down the time…

T-minus 4 and counting.

T-minus 3 and counting.

T-minus 2 and counting.

T-minus 1 and counting.
59
58
57….skip to 5…
5…4…3…2…1…

Voila! Here is a photo of my husbands creation tonight!

Such a lovely lasagne!

How was it? Well, it needed a bit more sauce but overall, it was not bad. When I was asked, I told him how proud I was of him finally putting together all by himself such a tasty dish. And, tonight he even cleaned up! Bonus night!

After he went to bed, I went to throw something in the trash, and this is what I found that I just had to share…

Who really made dinner!

I knew that there was something familiar about this! Well, I do have to give him credit for trying! Thank you my husband for making a really good dinner!

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Contentment…


“He who is contented is rich.” Lao Tzu

Contentment

I hope that today you will find yourself content. Now go and have a great Thursday!

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