Lazy Weekend BBQ Ribs

Hope everyone is having a relaxing weekend wherever you are.  I just put some pork baby back ribs in the crockpot and am always amazed at how easy and low maintenance they are, but taste like I slaved over them all day.  I'll show you what I used, but obviously feel free to substitute your own BBQ dry rub and/or BBQ sauce du jour (of the day).  Pappy's Smokehouse makes one of  of my favs as of late, but Maul's Sweet and Smoky is what my mom always used when I was growing up.

Directions:

baby back pork ribs  - allow about 3/4 of a lb (uncooked) per person)
BBQ dry rub seasoning - I use Jack Stack BBQ rub
1/3 cup of vinegar (white or apple cider)
1 small bottle of BBQ sauce (I use Pappy's Smokehouse brand, Jane's Sweet flavor)
olive or canola oil spray

Season both sides of the ribs liberally with the dry rub, put the ribs in a plastic sealable bag, add the vinegar, and refrigerate for 1-3 hours.

When ready to cook, spray your crockpot with the oil (makes clean up easier), place the ribs standing up around the crockpot liner, pour 1/2-3/4 bottle of BBQ sauce directly on top of meat.

Cover and cook on high for 5 hours.  The meat should be falling off the bone when ready to eat.  DONE son!

Brussels Sprouts Slaw

Such a positive response to my first brussels sprouts post this week!  Who knew those "little cabbages" as I used to call them would be so popular? Well, for the folks who did get enough, here's another one of my favorite way to use brussels sprouts.  Just like green cabbage, brussels sprouts can be shaved or grated.  Feel free to use a mandolin (a kitchen tool to turn fruits or veggies into equal sized thin pieces) or, better yet, buy them already shredded in the produce aisle (my personal preference).   Who really has time to sit around and grate sprouts all day?

Brussel Sprouts Slaw

1 lb of shaved brussels sprouts (Trader Joe's, Whole Foods sell them already shaved)
2 shredded carrots
1/4 cup of dried cherries or cranberries
1/2 of a medium red onion, sliced
1/2 cup of canned mandarin oranges (in its natural juices), drained (reserve the juice for the dressing) kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Dressing:
2 tablespoons of honey
1/4 cup of apple juice
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of of apple cider vinegar
reserved mandarin orange juice

Directions:

• Combine all of the ingredients except for the dressing in a large salad bowl, then set aside.
• In a separate bowl, combine the honey, apple juice and vinegar, wisk until combined.  Use the mandarin orange juice to thin out the dressing to your desired consistency.  
• Pour the dressing over the slaw ingredients, toss thoroughly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Since it doesn't contain any mayo, this slaw keeps well without constant refrigeration and is perfect for picnics or school lunches!  It also tastes even better the next day after the flavors have a chance to marry.

Options:  Sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, chopped pecans, cubed avocado, 1 thinly sliced Granny Smith apple or Anjou pear (you'll want them on the crunchy side), 1 cup of quinoa (more about this superfood in my next post).

Happy eating!

The best meal of the day

As a busy mom, I have always been on the hunt for fast HEALTHY breakfast foods that I can get my girls to eat before school.  I've never been a fan of processed cereals, toaster pastries and the like, but who really has time to slave over a hot stove on a work/school day?

Find a few recipes that you and your family LOVE, prepare them over the weekend, and make enough to freeze to be thawed out when you need them.   Here's a new recipe I'm playing with...protein powerhouse, low on carbs, portable and easy to adapt for finicky tastebuds.

Eggy Cupcakes - makes 12

6 eggs
1 TB milk
1/2 cup of sharp cheddar cheese
1 bag of refrigerated shredded hash browns
2 TB canola oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 black pepper

Options:
breakfast sausage (pork, turkey or soy) - cooked, drained and crumbled
bacon - cooked and crumbled
diced onions, peppers, mushrooms, baby spinach

Directions:

Take 2 muffin pans, add cupcake liners, preheat oven to 350.

Mix the hash browns with the oil, half of the salt and pepper, then firmly press the potatoes into each cupcake liner. Don't fill each liner more than a third of the way up.

Bake for about 45 minutes, remove from the oven, and beat the eggs, milk, the rest of the salt and pepper, cheese and whatever other ingredients you want,  and pour on top of each potato cupcake.  Return to the oven for 15 minutes or until the eggs are set (inserted toothpick should come out clean).  Serve warm.  They also freeze beautifully, are microwavable, and ready to eat in about 2 minutes.

Happy eating!

Brussels Sprouts

The older I get, the more selective I've become about what I put into my body.  I'm all about a good food experience (I'm one of those crazy folks that treat trips to the grocery store like an outing at the Mall of America), but a chick can't survive on dry aged beef and pate alone.  Many foods, particularly veggies, that I never liked as a child have slowly become my new BFFs.  So what's the key to my tastebuds' change of heart?  For me, it's all in the preparation.  On the handful of occasions my mom cooked Brussels sprouts when I was growing up, she boiled them.  YUCK (sorry, Bettie).  What a difference it makes when instead of boiling them and killing any flavor they could have had, I tried roasting them for about 20 minutes in the oven.  BRILLIANT.  Here's a quick and easy recipe that you can make in less than 30 minutes....no fooling!  Many grocery stores now sell these tasty little gems already trimmed and cut in half for you; if you're lucky enough to find them already prepped, take advantage of the 10 minutes saved!  Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts - Serves 4

1 lb of fresh brussels sprouts - washed, and sliced in half

1 tsp kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp of balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese 

1 baking sheet

Preheat oven to 350 with the baking sheet in the oven.

Rinse, trim and slice the Brussels Sprouts in half, then toss with olive oil, vingear, salt and pepper. Toss lightly in a bowl to combine the ingredients. Spread the sprouts on the baking sheet, and roast on the top rack for about 15 minutes or until tender.  Check them at least once to make sure they aren't burning....you want them to be brown, but not burnt!  Last 5 minutes, take the sprouts out, and sprinkle the cheese on top.

Options:  have leftover bacon from breakfast?  Crumble it and toss it with the sprouts before you roast them.  Not a fan of balsamic vinegar? Substitute it with a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice.  Don't do dairy?  Feel free to leave out the cheese (you may want to add a little more salt at the end of roasting though).

Sassy Girl STL food is back!

Friends:

I'm BAAAACK!  Ok, I never really left, I just stopped blogging for a while.   I've been busy for the last 3 years since I posted and while many things in my life have changed, much has stayed the same.  I got a divorce, officially assumed the title of "single parent" and learned how to adjust to my new life.  Here's what funny though....after 3 years, while many things have changed, my true passions have not changed.

Love. Family, blood or chosen.  Food. Passion. Loyalty.

Find just a couple of these things in your life, master them, and you will be well served.

What do I know for certain?  I love to food and everything that goes along with it.   After countless requests from friends for recipes, cooking tips and ideas about what to make with the "stuff" in your pantry, I'm creating this new blog.

Follow me at sassygirlstl02@blogspot.com for personal stories, recipes that won't take all day to prepare (well, unless it involves a crock pot LOL), and chronicles from my adventures through this thing that is my crazy life.

Peace and happy eating,

Anita C. (Sassy Girl STL)