Slow Cooked Ribs…mmmmm, sounds heavenly huh?  Well, my guys thought so!  I watched them devour these ‘fattier than I’d like ribs’ that took 14 hours to cook, while I happily savored every moment of my taters.

I’m making every effort to make my crockpot feel loved.  I’ve always used it for the basics like beans but have never really ventured too far beyond that.  I’m way too comfortable with the same type of cooking and thought it was time to take a risk!!!  I know, watch out right?!

This was one of the easiest recipes that took 5 minutes to prep and 14 hours to cook.  They could definitely be cooked faster but I wanted them to be done so that when my kids came home from school, they’d have a hot, home cooked meal to fill their belly.   These were also a fattier cut of ribs. I’d much prefer a leaner cut but my fellas didn’t seem to mind at all.  Once done with their meal, I heard lots of moaning and watched them lay around, trying hard not to fall asleep.  Around here that means they were a hit!  I’ll post my tiny secret to my homestyle taters a little later.

I’m not a big fan of chopping garlic so I’m thankful that my sweet mama got me this handy chopper.  It made it a breeze and I didn’t have to deal with all the stickiness and smell on my fingers.

I had never tried this French Onion Condensed Soup from Campbell’s but it gave the ribs a lot of flavor!

Of course, being married to a cowboy, we always have a few beers on hand. My husband actually cooks a lot with beer………

Other rib recipes of interest:

In honor of National Hispanic Month, I decided to make Barbacoa.   When I googled some Barbacoa recipes, I noticed that almost of them used butt roast but that isn’t how we make it.   We use Cacheta de Res, aka, Beef Cheeks and this is the only way I’ve known how to make it.  And in actuality, we make Barbacoa de Cabeza (a cow head) and make barbacoa out of that but for this, we are just using the beef cheeks.

Before I get to the very easy barbacoa recipe, I thought I’d share with you a tidbit about us.  My real dad’s side of the family is Mexican, which makes me half.   My husband and his family is Spanish.  They all speak Spanish, sing Spanish, and often talk in Spanish when together.  My kids who very much look white, call themselves Hispanic because that’s what they are and how we live.   I’ve always considered myself Mexican because 1) you’re supposed to go by your Dad and 2) I just feel it.

We cook Mexican food all the time with homemade tortillas being a staple around here.  We haven’t had homemade barbacoa in a long time so I thought the timing was perfect for it.  One of the things I love about our Walmart is that I can find those unique cuts that I need, in this case, cacheta de res (beef cheeks).  They also carry other parts of the beef head like tongue which we would have also put in this but they were sold out.

Barbacoa is probably one of the easiest foods to make.  While many might dress it up, we prefer an original, plain version.

So if you want to be truly Authentic with this, buy a cow head and cook it in the ground, shred all the cheeks, tongue, eyes, etc and you’ll have barbacoa.  We think is easier and for me, slightly more appealing than the other…….

Have you ever tried Barbacoa? 

Disclosure: I am an official Walmart Mom. Follow me and my fellow Walmart Moms as we share our experiences and ideas! Walmart has provided me with compensation in return for my time & efforts to create this post. My participation in this program is voluntary and my opinions are my own, always have been, always will be.

I can only imagine all the dips that were being consumed during Super Bowl weekend, how about you?  I know we had our fair share, including a new one that included the new Spicy Buffalo Velveeta cheese!  Now we originally had no plan to use this but we thought the dip needed some kick. This made a LOT of dip.

So what dips did you make for game day?

I’m actually not a big fan of ribs but you can bet they are very popular around the cowboys.  I’ve one set of ribs in my life that were to die for and that was at Sticky Fingers in the Carolina’s, right Mom?  Man they were good but they were all meat and dry rubbed which is quite the opposite of what my man enjoys.

I recently bought my guy a Masterbuilt smoker for our 17th anniversary and man does he love it!  He’s smoked chicken, jerky and now ribs.  There is a version that is a little more cost-friendly but doesn’t come with the digital timer and that has proven to be quite handy for us.  We soak some wood chips, add our food, and cook until done.   Once you set the timer, it goes off when it’s done so you don’t have to worry if you happen to forget which can easily be done when something you’re cooking calls for a minimum of 6hrs.

We didn’t do anything special to these ribs.  We used short ribs and basic seasonings.  We cooked them in smoker for about 3hrs, wrapped them in foil and smoked them another hour and a half.  They were falling off the bone and very succulent.  No dryness to them but instead, moist and packed with flavor.

Do you use a smoker at all?  If so, what do you smoke in yours?

When I set out to make a recipe, it never fails that the store is always missing certain ingredients and this one is no exception. So what does one do when you can’t find the exact ingredients?? You simply  find a close replacement. And then what does one do when there’s stormy weather and all?  You cook it normal I reckon.  Sorry but I had to substitute grilling in pan vs. grilling outside and a use couscous instead of bulgar.  AND, since I grilled inside, I could not fit my kabob sticks on the pan.  Darn weather!

I’m leaving the original recipe intact and  putting what I used out beside that ingredient.  You can see what the REAL finished dish should look like at the Texas Beef Council.

By the way, it was surprisingly good. I was worried I wouldn’t like this type of dish but the flavors were wonderful and blended so well!

Ingredients:

* 1 lb. boneless beef top sirloin steak or beef tenderloin steaks, cut 1 inch thick

Marinade:

* 1/4 cup molasses
* 3 Tbsp. orange juice
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/4 tsp. ground cumin

Spiced Bulgur:

* 1/2 cup uncooked quick-cooking bulgur  ( I used Couscous)
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/3 cup golden raisins
* 1/4 cup orange juice
* 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
* 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1/4 tsp. salt
* 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Cut beef steak into 1-1/4 inch pieces. Whisk marinade ingredients in large bowl until smooth. Add beef; toss to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Meanwhile prepare Spiced Bulgur. Combine bulgur, water, raisins, orange juice, pumpkin pie spice, cumin, garlic and salt in small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until bulgur is tender and water is absorbed. Fluff with fork; stir in parsley. Keep warm.

Soak eight 6-inch bamboo skewers in water 10 minutes; drain. Remove beef from marinade; discard marinade. Thread beef pieces onto skewers, leaving small space between pieces.

Place kabobs on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered, 6 to 8 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, covered, 7 to 9 minutes) for medium rare (145 degrees) to medium (160 degrees) doneness, turning occasionally.

“This post was written for the Texas Beef Council as part of their Grilling Experience.”

Another meal here on the ranch, only 5 more days to go.  I NEVER cook pork chops or chicken for cowboys.  We get our beef furnished with our job so I might as well use that right?  But I needed a break from beef and decided to cook pork chops. Now of course, I had to fry them.  I mean, I’m feeding a bunch of hungry cowboys and they don’t want baked!  I decided to do skillet pork chops but without too much grease.  Hey, I’m trying to cut corners where I can you know.

These are SUPER easy and I used a big zip-loc baggie instead of a platter or bowl. One less thing to wash right?

INGREDIENTS

• * 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• * 1/2 cup crushed saltine crackers
• * 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• * 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• * 1 egg
• * 2 tablespoons water
• * 6 boneless pork chops, about 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick
• * 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil or cooking spray

DIRECTIONS

In a shallow bowl or large food storage bag, mix flour, cracker crumbs, seasoned salt, and pepper. In a separate shallow bowl, lightly whisk together the egg and water. Dip pork chops into the egg mixture, then into the seasoned flour mixture. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, or spray with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Cook pork chops for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once, until no longer pink in the middle.
Boneless pork chops recipe serves 6.

Likes this plate?  You can buy it from Southern Living at HOME, through me!  Beautiful pieces in this collection!  Look for Villa Stoneware Salad Plates.

What a week huh!  I shared three beef recipes with you; Beef Spring Rolls with Carrots and Cilantro, Steaks with Mushrooms, Blue Cheese & Frizzled Shallots, and Asian Beef & Broccoli With Noodles.  All three were fantastic and even though I hit a couple of bumps with ingredients (cause of my very small town), it all turned out good and they really were delicious.  Each one came from the Beef, it’s what’s for dinner website where you can browse, rate, review and educate yourself on healthy cuts of beef.

One of the things I learned this week, was my appreciation for fresh produce.  I live far from town so it’s hard for me to always fresh ingredients on hand but I learned that it’s worth the drive to get them.  It really made a difference and was healthy and my goal for 2009 is live better.

There’s also a wonderful cookbook out called, “The Healthy Beef Cookbook“.  You’ll find everything from healthy stir frys, steaks, to salads but one of my favorite parts is in the back of the book.  It’s a section that educates you on the different cuts of beef and the nutrition values.

Some recipes included are:

• # Spicy Five-Pepper T-Bone Steaks
• # Southwest Burgers with Corn Relish
• # Thai Beef Noodle Salad
• # Tenderloin Sandwich with Balsamic Caramelized Onions
• # Barbecue Beef Stir-Fry with Couscous
• # Chipotle Pot Roast with Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
• # Beef, Arugula, and Spinach Lasagna
• # Cowboy Beef and Black Bean Chili
• # Tomato-Basil Meatball Soup
• # Triple-Ginger Beef Dumplings
• # Garlic and Wine
• # Tenderloin with Cremini Mushroom Risotto

All brought to you by the American Dietetic Association and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

To encourage you to try some lean beef recipes, I’m giving away a $100 gift card (to hopefully buy some groceries to try one of these recipes) and 3 of these healthy beef cookbooks.  That means there will be 4 winners!

TO ENTER:

Browse around the Beef, it’s what’s for dinner website.  Come back here to this post and tell me something you learned, a recipe you think you’ll try or a feature you liked from the site.

Additional ways to enter….leave each one you do in a separate comment please.

• Subscribe to my blog via reader or email.
• Subscribe to my newsletter.
• Follow me at twitter and tweet this giveaway.
• Blog about it with a link back to this giveaway or this blog.

Giveaway ends on April 13th (10pmCST), which is a little longer than a week due to the Easter holiday.  For details on how my giveaways work, read the official rules.

Asian stir fry, never been a fan until now!!!  I have to say that this was my favorite recipe out of all the beef ones I did this week.  I didn’t know what to expect using the ramen noodles but was very happy with this dish!  And it wasn’t just me either, the entire family  loved it.  I’m telling you, I have hard time getting my oldest to eat vegetables  but he really enjoyed this and said it was his second favorite.  My toddler gobbled it up like there was no tomorrow and we all had fun sitting and chatting at the table while eating this dish.  Great family time.

This was so easy to make and really is a 30 minute meal.  Yes, I did have one problem this recipe. I know, I know….my small town doesn’t make it easy on me to say the least but I had a hard time finding a lean cut of meat for this recipe.  So pretend it is one and we’re all good.

I had a lot of fun making these beef recipes this week.  I felt like stepped outside my comfort zone and was open to the new dishes.  I’m glad I did because they were all great! Beef, it really is what’s for dinner ’round here!

P.S. Keep your eyes open for a little surprise tomorrow.

INGREDIENTS

• 1-1/4 pounds beef top round or top sirloin steak, cut 1 inch thick
• 2 packages (3 ounces each) Oriental-flavored instant ramen noodles, broken up
• 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 pound broccoli florets
• 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon grated orange rind (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Cut beef steak lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/8-inch thick strips. Combine seasoning from ramen noodles with cornstarch mixture in large bowl. Add beef; toss.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Stir-fry broccoli and carrots 1 minute. Add noodles and 1-1/2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender and most of liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Remove; keep warm.

Heat remaining oil in same skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Drain beef, discarding marinade. Stir-fry 1/2 of beef 1 to 2 minutes or until outside surface of beef is no longer pink. (Do not overcook.) Remove. Repeat with remaining beef. Serve over noodles. Sprinkle with orange rind.

Notes:

• Total recipe time: 30 minutes
• Makes 4 servings
• This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc; and a good source of fiber.

Not as healthy as the Beef Rolls but using lean cuts of beef does make a difference.  If you’re not sure on what qualifies as a lean cut of beef, check out the lean beef section at Beef, it’s what’s for dinner.  They have a handy wallet card for download so that you can carry with when you go to pick out your cuts of beef.

I had a few problems with this one and I think it’s just my small town but I was unable to find shiitake mushrooms and blue cheese.  I should have chosen a different recipe but once my man saw it, there was no turning back.  So I substituted portobello mushrooms and mexican crumble cheese for the two.

All three of my guys LOVED it!!  They were drooling as I was making it and kept asking, “when will it be done?”.  I don’t eat mushrooms but the flavor was very good overall.  I was really surprised at how fast making this was.  I really had a good time and was very pleased with the outcome.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 beef round sirloin tip center steaks, cut 1 inch thick (about 8 ounces each)
• 4 slices thick-sliced bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 small shallots, thinly sliced, separated into rings
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
• 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, diced
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

Cook bacon in nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon with slotted spoon to paper towels, reserving 2 to 3 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Set aside.

Meanwhile combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Add shallots; toss to coat. Heat bacon drippings over medium-high heat until hot. Add shallots. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until well browned, stirring occasionally. Remove from skillet with slotted spoon to paper towels. Set aside.

Reduce heat to medium. Season beef steaks evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place steaks in same skillet; cook 14 to 15 minutes for medium rare doneness, turning occasionally. Do not overcook. Remove to serving platter; season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Keep warm.

Add mushrooms and water to skillet. Cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add cream. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until cream is almost absorbed. Stir in cheese and bacon.

Spoon mushroom mixture over steaks. Top with shallots. Sprinkle with parsley

Notes:

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 30 minutes
• Total recipe time: 40 minutes
• Makes 4 servings
• This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc.

As a cowboy’s wife, we tend to eat a lot of beef (it’s furnished with our job) so trying to create healthier meals out of beef is important to me.  This week, I’ll be bringing you three healthier beef recipes thanks to ‘Beef, It’s What’s for Dinner‘.

Today’s recipe was fun to make and very quick.  It was also quite a shock to see my oldest son praise it.  Why?  Simply because he rarely eats anything healthy, least of all vegetables.  He loved it!  I was so happy, not because he liked the recipe but because he ate and enjoyed the healthy things about it. My middle son didn’t care for the cilantro but loved the rest of it and my husband thought it was great!  In other words, it got two thumbs here in the Falcon household.

The recipe actually calls for rice paper wrappers as you’ll see below but I could not find them anywhere in my town so I used the alternative, which was lettuce leaves.  This was actually recommended on the recipe itself, along with other great info like nutritional value, reviews, and cook notes.

Maybe I’m partial, but I like my final photo better…heehee.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound beef top sirloin or top round steak, cut 3/4 to 1 inch thick or flank steak
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons stir-fry sauce and marinade, divided
• 8 rice paper wrappers (8 to 9 inch diameter)
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro
• Additional prepared stir-fry sauce and marinade (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Cut beef steak lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick strips. Combine 1/4 cup stir-fry sauce and beef in medium bowl. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1/2 of beef; stir-fry 1 to 3 minutes or until outside surface of beef is no longer pink. (Do not overcook.) Remove from skillet. Repeat with remaining beef.

Fill large bowl with warm water. Dip 1 rice paper wrapper into water for a few seconds or just until moistened. Rice paper will still be firm but will continue to soften during assembly. Place on work surface.

Spoon 1/4 cup beef, 2 tablespoons carrots and 2 tablespoons cilantro evenly in a row across center of wrapper, leaving 1-inch border on right and left sides; drizzle with about 1 teaspoon reserved stir-fry sauce. Fold right and left sides of wrapper over filling. Fold bottom edge up over filling and roll up tightly. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling ingredients. Cut each spring roll diagonally in half. Serve with additional stir-fry sauce, if desired.

Notes:

• Marinade time: 30 minutes to 2 hours
• Total recipe time: 25 to 30 minutes
• Makes 4 servings
• This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, selenium and zinc, and a good source of iron.

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