Ribs and Beets!

I had thawed what I thought was two packages of thick-cut pork chops this week.  When I went to cook them, I found out that one of the packages was beef short ribs.  While I just seared the pork chops and finished them in the oven, I couldn't resist making my favorite Southwestern Beef Ribs in the crockpot.  To use up beets and beet greens, I made Quinoa with Beets and Greens as a side.  If you need an easy way to roast your beets, just cut the greens about 2 inches above the beets, wash them really well, wrap them in foil, put them in your crockpot and let them cook on LOW for 4-5 hours.  They will be perfectly cooked and peel so easily when they cool!

Southwestern Slow-Cooker Ribs

• 1 lb beef short ribs*
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes with chiles
• 1 cup fresh salsa
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar 

  Place ribs in slow cooker and cook covered on LOW for 4-5 hours.  Mix tomatoes, salsa and vinegar in a small bowl.  Pour over ribs.  Change to HIGH and cook for about 1 hour.  Makes 4 servings.



Quinoa with Beets and Greens

• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 medium roasted beets*
• 1/2 bunch beet greens, washed and cut to bite-sized pieces* 
• Feta cheese

Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add quinoa, cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes.  In the meantime,  dice beets to 1/2" dice.  After the 10 minutes, add beets and beet greens to top of quinoa; cover and cook another 5 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.  Remove from heat and allow to steam another 5 minutes.  If desired, sprinkle with a 1-2 Tbsp Feta cheese.  Makes 4 servings.

*CSA ingredients

English Cut Beef Short Ribs

I have to say that we are definitely getting spoiled with all the beautiful cuts of meat we get through our CSA shares.  For two weeks running, I purchased beef short ribs and they were beautiful and lean.  So, when I traveled to Troy today, I brought them with me.  When I got here, I threw them in John's crockpot using my favorite Southwest Short Ribs recipe:

Slow-cooked Southwest Short Ribs

• 3 lbs English-cut Beef Short Ribs*
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes w/ chiles
• 1 15-oz jar medium salsa (you may use mild or hot to taste as well)
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1 jar water

Place ribs into crock of Slow-cooker.  In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients.  Pour mixture over ribs.  Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours.  Makes 6 servings (2 bones each).  Sauce may be served over rice, quinoa or orzo. 

*CSA ingredients

I serve this with Seeds of Change Quinoa with Brown rice.  It is available at Costco and is ready in 90 seconds (microwave).  Each packet serves 2.

CSA Sunday night dinner

The day ran long today and we both fell asleep watching an old episode of Dr. Who (think Tom Baker).   Thankfully, I had already decided we wouldn't make it to Melting Pot and cancelled the reservation.  We are thinking we will do that for lunch tomorrow.

This morning I had put some beef ribs in the crockpot, so we had dinner already cooking.  I was just sitting here thinking about it and realized that something from my CSA packages was in each part of dinner tonight, so here is what we had:

Kapusta Soup (http://csafoodie.blogspot.com/2011/01/kapusta-soup.html)

Stuffed Acorn Squash (http://csafoodie.blogspot.com/2011/01/what-to-do-with-squash.html)

Southwestern Beef Short Ribs

Makes 2 servings

• 2 English-cut beef short ribs (abt 2 lbs)
• Chili seasonings/Beef Rub (http://csafoodie.blogspot.com/2010/12/idea-for-slow-cooker-pot-roast.html)
• 1 can Rotel Tomatoes with Chiles
• 1 cup Salsa (I used the salsa I received a few weeks back in my CSA pkg)
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar

Rub the short ribs with the seasonings.  Place in a prepared crock.  Cook on LOW for 4 hours.  Mix the tomatoes, salsa and vinegar in a small bowl.  Pour over ribs (after the 4 hours) and turn cooker to HIGH.  Cook for 1 hour.

Weight Watchers PointsPlus Value: 8 pts

Spelt Granola Apple Crisp w/ Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (http://csafoodie.blogspot.com/2011/01/apple-crisp.html)

In all, I used cabbage, butter, acorn squash, salsa, spelt granola and apples in tonight's dinner.  So, I guess you could say that it was a CSA dinner all around!  I realize that the rib recipe is the same as the roast recipe that is on one of the pages I referenced here.  I actually developed this recipe for the ribs and then adjusted it to roasts.  Either way, it is a tasty way to eat beef!

I am grateful that tomorrow is MLK day.  I don't have to go into work, but I will be working.  We have to have the proposal as close to being done as possible when we submit it to the grant office Tuesday.  We will have another week to tweak it before I submit, but their new policy is that you have to turn in something close to complete 5 working days before the deadline.  So, I have 2 more pages to get rid of before I can submit it.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!  And Mark and Michelle Bone, I hope that your grand opening went well!!!!!