Aunt Lilly's BBQ Sauce

Serves 6:
1 rack spare ribs (4-5 lbs)

Glaze:
1/2 chopped onion
1 T oil
3.5 c ketchup
1 1/3 cups brown sugar, packed
2 bay leaves

1. Boil pork ribs until no longer pink, about 25 minutes.
2. Saute onion in oil for about 5 minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients, bring to boil, and then simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes.
4. Drain ribs, brush with glaze on all sides, and cook on BBQ turning and reglazing every 5 minutes.

Dinner Plan

Haven't done one of these in a while...
A Girl's Gotta Eat: Mushroom Meatloaf
A Girl's Gotta Eat: Spinach Artichoke Pasta
A Girl's Gotta Eat: Tortellini Stew w/Spinach and Zucchini
A Girl's Gotta Eat: Cheesy Fish Fillets with Spinach
A Girl's Gotta Eat: Zucchini Grinders (serves 2)

Lots of spinach this week. Oh well, its good for us!

Spinach Artichoke Pasta

Ingredients:

1 (13 oz) box shell pasta
1 tsp butter
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 8 oz package reduced fat (not fat free) cream cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
1T lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts (packed in water), drained and chopped
10 oz chopped, frozen spinach, thawed, with as much excess water squeezed out as possible
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped cooked chicken (optional)
Additional Parmesan for serving

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions

2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and add garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Slowly stir in milk, then add lemon juice, salt and red pepper flakes. Stir in artichoke hearts, spinach, Parmesan cheese and chicken (if using).

3. Drain pasta and add to artichoke mix. Toss and season to taste with salt and additional lemon juice as needed. Serve with additional shredded Parmesan.

Recipe Source: adapted from allrecipes.com

Sausage, Mushroom and Pea Risotto

INGREDIENTS

1/2 – 1 lb sausages

3/4 c arborio rice

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 c white wine

4 c chicken broth, warmed

1 c Button or Cremini mushrooms, sliced

1/2 c peas, thawed

Grated parmesan

Salt + pepper to taste

Directions:

* Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in skillet. Remove casings from sausages and saute, breaking the meat up with a spoon until the crumbles are brown.
* In a saucepan, add rice to the remaining oil over medium-low heat. Stir to coat. Add white wine and stir until absorbed.
* Warm chicken broth in a separate saucepan and saute slice mushrooms in another pan.
* Add broth to the rice a ladleful at a time (stirring after each addition) until absorbed and cook until the risotto tastes creamy but still firm, about 20 minutes. Add sauteed sliced mushrooms.
* Add sausage, peas, grated Parmesan, salt and pepper. Cook until heated through.
* Serve warm!

Belgian Waffles

Emeril's recipe, apparently. Really good. Although, I couldn't get mine crisp enough...


Ingredients

* 2 cups cake flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 4 large eggs, separated
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
* 2 cups milk
* non-stick cooking spray

Directions

Preheat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions. In 1 medium bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a second bowl use the wooden spoon to beat together the egg yolks and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved and eggs have turned a pale yellow. Add the vanilla extract, melted butter, and milk to the eggs and whisk to combine. Combine the egg-milk mixture with the flour mixture and whisk just until blended. Do not over mix. In third bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Using the rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the waffle batter. Do not overmix! Coat the waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray and pour enough batter in iron to just cover waffle grid. Close and cook as per manufacturer's instructions until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.