Comfort Foods and Indulgences

I can't remember exactly where I had my first taste of beef short ribs. A restaurant? Someone's house? I do know they were served over cheesy polenta and together they did this little dance in my mouth (I think it was a rumba). Anyway, the meat was so tender and overall was a very good food memory.

Fast-forward in time, I now love making short ribs at home. The process is so easy and your reward is a very flavorful dinner everyone loves. However, I never cook short ribs and serve them right away. I usually make them in the morning or put them away until the next day. I like to let the fat settle at the top and remove it before serving. This type of dish always tastes better after the flavors meld.

If you've never heard of beef short ribs, the best cuts come from the lower (ventral) section, between the 6th and 10th rib, often called the short plate. The short plate is what gives them their name (not the fact that they are short). The meat itself is on top of the bone, about 1-2" in height. Make sure to select a package with meaty hunks as lots of times they are packaged with more hidden fatty pieces inside.

How I love braised short ribs, let me count the ways....

When it comes to short ribs, the secret is in the sauce and this creative twist using root beermakes itwell worth the time it takes to braise. The sweet and spicy root beer really enhances the meatiness of the ribs.

We loved it. The sauce reduces to this really concentrated sweet and savory combination full of flavor. Of course the meat just falls of the bone and goes perfectlywith mashed potatoes. Mashed sweet potatoes would also be a nice side dish to incorporate as well.

My oldest son ate two or three ribs before he asked what kind of sauce I had made. When I explained to him it was root beer sauce, he couldn't have been happier.

This is definitely a meal we will make again and again. I bet you will too.

A grilled cheese sandwich is as American as American gets. But other countries have their favorite form of cheese sandwich. The Swiss have the tradition of eating melted Raclette cheese spread on toasted bread. The French have the cafe favorite, the Croque-monsieur, a hot ham and cheese sandwich. The English have Welsh rarebit, which features slices of toast doused in a savory cheese sauce. And of course, the Americans have processed cheese product melted between two pieces of cardboard white bread. It's what most kids grow up on, even me. But I think it's time for a more mature grilled cheese sandwich.

My version puts a twist on an English classic, the Ploughman's lunch. It's a sandwich I enjoyed countless times through my travels in England.

Am I the only weirdo who wakes up and immediately starts thinking of granola? I mean there are so many drool worthy foods out there to wrap my brain around but I rise from slumber contemplating granola. Lame I know.

However, here's the thing, I do not like granola in a bowl with milk. After two or three spoonfuls I am so done with the all the chewing. My gosh, it's so much chewing. I don't have that kind of time in the morning. It's like twenty chews a bite right?

I need something I can eat while I'm waking up kids, making their breakfast and lunches for school, searching for lost shoes, homework papers and jackets. You know, all the things my kids should probably be doing for themselves, but hey I'm a masochist.