Fall

Okay, I made it perfectly clear that autumn is my favorite season, so I could have called this post Autumn Part Deux or Fall. I selected the less pretentious, simple and straight forward Fall.

I also made it quite clear that I never have enough time, so today’s blog is about hearty fall foods and saving time so one can actually take a deep breath at least once during the week.


This morning I started my short ribs so that they can cook all day tomorrow in the crock pot while my husband and I work and the boys go to school, swim and what ever else teenage boys do while unsupervised.

In order to get great flavor, you really have to brown the short ribs on all sides and well. Then I made the sauce they will simmer in for 10 hours. It’s quite simple, but delicious. Tomorrow morning, I’ll throw everything into the crock pot, set it to low and go. When we all get home, we will have the most tender, saucy meat. Yum!

Did I mention that you have to brown the ribs on all side and well? Doing this takes its toll on my heavy bottomed Dutch oven. It is nothing a good soaking will not remedy, but the task of cleaning that pot looked daunting this morning.

My next step was to make some Italian meat sauce for my lasagna and a spaghetti dinner. I thought rather defeated, “that Dutch oven would be perfect, but look at the bottom.” Then I thought, “THAT Dutch oven is perfect!” It already had some yummy browned bits of meat that would flavor the sauce perfectly. All I had to do was wipe out the remaining short rib sauce, and I have to admit all I did was take a silicon spatula and scrape out the sauce. There were small amounts left, but it was tomato based and was not going to hurt my spaghetti sauce and maybe it would even add another layer of flavor.

I browned the ground beef and Italian sausage and then sautéed the onions and garlic. Then I added the tomatoes, seasonings and simmered the sauce for two hours. All this cooking took care of more than one half of the scrubbing of my pot: a real time saver!

I proceeded to make a lasagna with one half of the sauce, layering it with noodles, cottage cheese (we go back and forth between ricotta and non-fat cottage cheese and I think we actually prefer the non-fat cottage cheese’s taste, texture and lower fat content), spinach, shredded zucchini, quattro formaggio (parmesan, asiago, fontina and provolone cheeses) and mozzarella. I am not going to give you the recipe for lasagna because I think of it as a casserole that you can use what you have on hand, so tonight I added spinach and used the lone zucchini we had in the vegetable bin. Next time it might not have added vegetables or maybe it will be roasted red peppers and aubergines or mushrooms or shaved broccoli. You get the idea.

I wasn’t really in the kitchen all day today, even though it might seem like it. In a few hours I have four or five dinners ready:

Lasagna Sunday
Short-Ribs Monday
Spaghetti Tuesday
Short-Ribs Wednesday (if there are any left over)
Lasagna Thursday
And if everyone behaves this week, Sushi Friday at my favorite sushi restaurant:  Yuki Sushi-Santa Clara

It’s a great time investment in making what would otherwise be an insane week to one that is just slightly crazy.

Slow Cooker Barbecued Short-Ribs

4 pounds boneless short ribs, cut in 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup minced onions
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
4 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Trim any large layers of fat from the short ribs. Brown the short ribs on all sides over medium high heat in small batches to not over crowd (you may use a non-stick pan, but you want to sear the meat, not simmer it in its own juices, so you may have to increase the temperature). Remove the browned ribs and layer them in your slow cooker.

I highly recommend a programmable version that will hold your food at warm once it is done so that if you are delayed, your meal isn't overcooked.  Try the Rival 6 Quart Smart-Pot Programmable Slow Cooker.  It also has a removable crock for easy cleanup.


Reduce heat to medium, and then add the onion to the pan and sauté until softened and lightly browned. Add the ketchup, water, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and Worcestershire sauce and heat through. Pour sauce over the ribs. Cover the slower cooker and cook on low heat for 10 hours. You may stir twice throughout the cooking time to submerge the ribs, but this is not necessary.

Remove 1 ½ - 2 cups sauce. Strain off fat. Place in a sauce pan and simmer to reduce slightly. Add ketchup or tomato paste as needed for taste. Remove ribs to serving platter, pour sauce over.

Serves 6-8.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

1 pound trimmed and cleaned Brussels Sprout
1 small shallot finely chopped
2 ounces prosciutto bits (small chopped pieces of prosciutto or substitute chopped pancetta)
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt
Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425˚.

Steam Brussels sprouts until barely tender, 2-3 minutes. Let cool slightly. Cut each sprout in half. Place cut side down on a nonstick rimmed baking sheet (or line a rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat mat).

Sprinkle shallot and prosciutto bits over sprouts. Drizzle with olive oil. Generously sprinkle with salt and pepper. If sprouts are in a single layer, you do not need to stir during roasting.

Roast 15-20 minutes until Brussels sprout begin to crisp and brown. Toss before serving.

Serves 4-6.