Day Trip to Wells and Lake St Catherine, Vermont

We went to visit Wellsmere Farms today.  About a 1 hr 15 minute drive from Saratoga Springs, N.Y.  A nice day trip. 

mini horses

Sewing machine converted to a tractor

red potatoes fresh from the garden, dirt and all 

 

Garlic Braised Short Ribs for 2

Served it with mashed potatoes & peas.

Garlic Braised Short Ribs

• 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2.5 pounds bone-in short ribs, at least 1 1/2 inches thick
•  Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 large head garlic, halved crosswise
• 1/2 medium onion (about 10 ounces), chopped
• 2 ribs celery (about 8 ounces, chopped
• 1 medium carrots (about 6 ounces), chopped
• 1.5 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cups dry red wine (about half a bottle)
• 1 cups beef stock or bone broth (use beef bouillon dissolved in water if unavailable; chicken stock will work in a pinch), plus more as needed
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1.5 cup parsley, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped chives

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 275 degrees. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season short ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. Working in batches, sear short ribs on all sides until deeply and evenly browned, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer browned short ribs to a large plate and continue with remaining ribs.
2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of remaining fat, leaving the good browned bits behind. Reduce heat to medium, and add garlic, cut side down and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add onion, celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and continue to cook until vegetables are softened but not yet browned, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to coat. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until tomato paste has started to caramelize a bit on the bottom and up the edges of the pot, about 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add red wine and, using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned or caramelized bits. Let this simmer 2 to 3 minutes, just to take the edge off and reduce a bit. Stir in beef stock along with thyme. Using tongs, return short ribs to the pot, along with any juices that have accumulated, nestling them in there so that they are submerged (if they are just barely covered, nestle them bone side up so that all the meat is submerged, adding more beef stock or water as necessary to cover). Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven.
4. Cook, undisturbed, until short ribs are meltingly tender and falling off the bone (you should be able to shred the meat with a fork), 3½ to 4 hours.
5. Using tongs, remove the ribs from the pot, taking care (for presentation purposes, really) not to let the bone slip out and transfer them to a large plate. (While you could serve the short ribs right out of this pot, the vegetables have all given up their flavor and texture and aren’t worth much now, so feel free to strain the sauce for easier eating.) Scatter parsley, chives and lemon zest over the top of the short ribs. Separate the fat from the sauce, season with salt and pepper and serve alongside.

Weeknight Gluten-Free Spaghetti Bolognese

 

This is my personal picture tonight (over zucchini noodles), but this is the man who invented it.  Love this guy.  https://thedomesticman.com/?s=Weeknight+Gluten-Free+Spaghetti+Bolognese

Adirondacks - Early Morning Reading

This morning, while reading some favorite blogs and websites, I decided to share this beauty.  The site is Adirondackexplorer.org  

Song That Named My Blog - Allman Brothers: Blue Sky

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwyXQn9g40I

Honey Balsamic Tuna/Chicken Veggie Bowl

Tonight was the first time I've tried this recipe.  I'm trying to use up my preps of Tuna from last winter.  I've discovered that this brand of Tuna is like no other.  The Wild Planet Organic Roasted Chicken Breast is wonderful.  Good to have on hand in the dead of winter for a recipe like this one:

 Honey Balsamic Tuna Veggie Bowl

Stir Fry

• 1 (5 oz) can Chicken of the Sea® Solid White Albacore Tuna in Water, drained
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled, sliced
• 8 fresh green beans, trimmed, halved
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup salted roasted cashews or more to taste
• 5 cup cooked Brown rice 

Honey Balsamic Sauce

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp EACH chili powder, salt, dried basil
• 1/4 tsp EACH dried oregano, pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

• Whisk together the Honey Balsamic Sauce. Set aside.
• Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add shallot, green beans and carrots and sauté 3 minutes. Add red bell pepper and garlic and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Add tuna and Honey Balsamic Sauce and heat through.
• Continue to cook until vegetables reach desired crisp-tenderness. Stir in cashews. Serve with rice and season with additional freshly cracked salt and pepper to taste.

Wiener schnitzel with Chicken

I grew up on Wiener Schnitzel and as the years went by, I replaced it with chicken due to the high cost of veal.  And I've made it for over 40 years.  There is not much difference between that dish and Chicken Milanese.  Only  Chicken Milanese is out of Lombardy, Italy, as opposed to Austria.  I made it tonight and as always, it was thoroughly enjoyed.  I've always had it with egg noodles and peas.  

Some tips are when dredging in the flour add salt, pepper and paprika.  After the egg soak and you dip in the breadcrumbs, you need to put it on a rack for at least 20 minutes to dry.

After sauteeing in Olive Oil and butter, you need to put it back on the rack to crisp up more, for a few minutes before eating.

Chicken Milanese 

Boneless Chicken Breast, pounded down to 1/4 - 1/2 " thick

Egg, mixed with a tsp of oil, and a few drops of water

Breadcrumbs

Pound chicken down, dredge in flour, egg, breadcrumbs.  Set up on baking rack to let "dry" for at least 20 minutes.  Saute in olive oil/butter until brown on each side, and done.  Rest on baking rack for a few minutes before eating.