Menu #17 - Comfort Food Dinner for Winter's Last Hurrah

March is a peculiar month for weather around here, and this year is no exception. Winter retreats in fits and starts, while shy bits of color peek around the edges of our dreary landscape. We were on the road week before last, and even farther south of here the weather was a little iffy. Warm and rainy one day, followed by snow flurries and then windy and cold the next day. Still, it was nice to get away.

Our idea was a late winter getaway slash southern restaurant tour, and that's just what we did! Everywhere we stopped there was great southern comfort food to make us feel welcome, in addition to the fresh seafood I craved. Now that I'm back home, I'm still in the mood for more homey goodness from simple comfort foods like these to see me through winter's last hurrah.

OVEN BARBECUE COUNTRY STYLE PORK RIBS
2 lbs. country style ribs (or pork chops)
1 c. barbecue sauce (your favorite!)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an oblong baking dish with enough foil to enclose ribs for baking. Place pork ribs in foil and cover with 1 c. of your favorite barbecue sauce. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Can also be prepared in a slow-cooker set on low for 4 to 6 hours. Meat will be fall-of-the-bone tender.

HOMEMADE MACARONI AND CHEESE
1 box elbow macaroni
salt
1 stick salted butter
1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/4. tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
3 - 4 c. milk or half-and-half
4 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

Cook macaroni in boiling salted water according to package directions; drain and reserve. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat until it bubbles; stir in flour and blend with a whisk. Reduce heat to low and add dry mustard and nutmeg; continue to cook for about 2 mins. until flour mixture begins to darken. Slowly stir in milk and continue to whisk until all milk is added and mixture begins to thicken to desired consistency. Add 3 c. grated cheddar and reserve remaining 1 c. for top. Continue to stir until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. In a large bowl, pour cheese mixture over macaroni and stir to blend evenly. Pour macaroni into a lightly greased baking dish and top with remaining cup of cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 - 40 minutes, or until cheese on top is melted and bubbly.

ONION AND GARLIC GREEN BEANS
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. soy sauce
1 c. chicken broth
8 c. frozen green beans

In a large saucepan, combine chopped onion, garlic powder, soy sauce and chicken broth and stir to blend. Add frozen green beans; cover and simmer on low to medium heat for 30 minutes.

SOUR CREAM CORN MUFFINS
2 boxes Jiffy Cornbread Muffin Mix
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1 15-oz. can cream-style corn

Prehat oven to 375 degrees. Stir all ingredients until well blended. Pour into greased muffin pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Serve warm or room temperature. These really taste better the second day!

SHOPPING LIST for Menu Wednesday #17
Oven Barbecue Country Style Pork Ribs
Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
Onion and Garlic Green Beans
Sour Cream Corn Muffins

Pantry
1 btl. barbecue sauce
1 box elbow macaroni
salt
flour
dry mustard
fresh nutmeg
garlic powder
soy sauce
1 can chicken broth
2 boxes Jiffy cornbread muffin mix
1 15-oz. can cream-style corn

Dairy
3 sticks butter
1 qt. milk or half-and-half
4 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream

Meat
2 lbs. country style pork ribs

Frozen Foods
frozen green beans - 2 bags or 4 sm. boxes

Menu Wednesday #16 - Meatball Subs

Last week, when I should have been posting Menu Wednesday, I was making the Barefoot Contessa's Meatballs & Spaghetti for Barefoot Bloggers and they were de-li-cious. The recipe made so many big wonderful meatballs that I hadn't finished my first bite before I knew some of the extras would end up in meatball subs. And, I thought, what a perfect menu for this time of year! So here it is -- finally! -- the menu I owed you last Wednesday. When you try it, you'll know it was worth the wait!

MEATBALL SUBS
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook
For the meatballs:
1 lb. ground pork
1 lb. very lean ground beef
1 c. fresh white bread crumbs
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. Italian herb blend
2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 c. Kraft shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten
Olive oil

For the sauce:
1 tbsp. good olive oil
1 c. chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 c. good red wine (I used a Merlot)
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
1 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the sandwiches:
8 sub rolls
16 provolone or mozzarella cheese slices

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 c. warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-in. meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-in.) skillet to a depth of 1/4-in. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 mins. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more min. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 mins. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 mins., until the meatballs are cooked through. Slice sub rolls open, but do not separate into two pieces. Warm rolls in a 350-degree oven. Place a slice of cheese inside the roll, spoon in meatballs and sauce and serve immediately.

Serves 8-10 subs. Freeze some to use for spaghetti and meatballs or sandwiches later, if you don't use them all at once.

LEMON GARLIC VINAIGRETTE SALAD
1⁄2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1⁄2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic minced
1 tsp kosher salt
1/8-tsp. fresh ground pepper
Choice of mixed green lettuces

Combine the olive oil, garlic and lemon juice. Slowly add the olive oil whisking vigorously. Add the salt and pepper to suit your taste. Just before serving your dinner, toss a small amount of the vinaigrette with the lettuces.

LEMON ICEBOX CUPCAKES
1 box vanilla wafers
cupcake papers
1 6-oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand)
1 small carton Cool Whip

Place cupcake papers in muffin pans. Place one vanilla wafer in each cupcake paper. In a large bowl, combine thawed lemonade and sweetened condensed milk. Fold in Cool Whip. Spoon Cool Whip mixture over vanilla wafers. Freeze for several hours until firm. Serve frozen. Makes 12 cupcakes.

SHOPPING LIST for Menu Wednesday #16
Meatball Subs
Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette Salad
Lemon Icebox Cupcakes

Produce
1 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
choice of lettuces for salad

Pantry
fresh white bread
1 pkg. (8) sub rolls
plain bread crumbs
Italian herb blend
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
whole nutmeg
olive oil
1 can (28-oz.) crushed tomatoes in puree
Dijon mustard
1 box vanilla wafers
1 pkg. cupcake papers
1 can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand)

Meat
1 lb. ground pork
1 lb. very lean ground beef

Dairy
1 egg
16 slices provolone or mozzarella

Freezer
1 6-oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 small carton Cool Whip

Spirits
1 bottle red wine

Menu Wednesday #15 - Baked Ziti

Welcome all who come seeking warmth and comfort from the cold and crazy days of winter 2009. I don't know about you, but I am craving comfort. It is about 20 degrees outside, and that's warm for the last couple of days. I've been inside listening to the news drone on and on about the economy and business and credit crisis until I could scream, or maybe just crawl under the covers and hope things will be better when I emerge. A girl can dream, can't she?

So, naturally, when I thought about a menu for today comfort food came to mind first. Something simple, easy to make and easy on the economy. Something gooey with carbs and cheese and crunch and chocolate. How about Baked Ziti - fast, easy, cheesy pasta. And some crunchy, savory Sauteed Green Beans - green is hope and thoughts of spring. And finally - chocolate will make it all better - as in Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Hunker down, stay warm and dig in.


BAKED ZITI
1 box ziti or penne pasta
1 lb. ground beef (optional)
16 oz. ricotta cheese
1 jar spaghetti sauce
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmesan

Bring large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta; drain and place in a large mixing bowl. Brown ground beef and drain fat; add to bowl with pasta. Stir in ricotta, spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese until well blended. Pour into a large 13 x 9-inch baking dish – or smaller dishes to freeze for later – and sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until bubbly around sides. Serves 8 – 10.

SAUTÉED GREEN BEANS
1 lb. fresh French green beans (see note*)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. diced onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Wash and trim green beans. In a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until translucent. Stir in chopped garlic and then add green beans. Sauté and toss to mix a few times. Cook until onion and beans just begin to brown. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and serve. *Note: French green beans, or Haricots verts, are small, thin green beans that can be found in many grocery stores. If not available where you shop, use larger fresh green beans and steam them for about 1-2 minutes before sautéing.

CHERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3 c. flour
12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. dried cherries, chopped
1/2 c. pecans, chopped

Mix butter and sugars in mixer; add eggs and vanilla. Add salt and baking soda; then add flour. Dough will be stiff. Stir in chips, cherries and pecans by hand. Drop by scoopfuls on parchment lined sheet. Bake at 350 degrees. Medium scoop makes 40-45 cookies, 12-14 minutes baking. Large scoop makes 18-22 cookies, 16-20 minutes baking. Do not over bake! When edges start to appear golden brown, remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. The cookies will continue to finish baking on the sheet.

SHOPPING LIST for Menu Wednesday #15
Baked Ziti
Sauteed Green Beans
Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Produce
fresh French green beans - 1 lb.
onion - 1
garlic - 2 cloves

Meat
ground beef - 1 lb.

Pantry
ziti or penne pasta - 1 box
spaghetti sauce - 1 jar
olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
sugar - 1 c.
brown sugar - 1 c.
vanilla - 1 1/2 tsp.
baking soda - 1 tsp.
flour - 3 c.
semi-sweet chocolate chips - 12 oz.
dried cherries - 1/2 c.
pecans - 1/2 c.

Dairy
ricotta cheese - 16 oz.
mozzarella - 2 c.
Parmesan - 1/2 c.
butter 1 1/2 c.
eggs - 2