Big D's Dark Beer and Pepper Spare Ribs

Big D’s Dark Beer and Pepper Short Ribs

This is a slow cooker recipe with some prep work at the beginning. I promise that it is well worth it!

Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds boneless beef short ribs
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
2 ea. onions, sliced
5 ea. garlic cloves, smashed with a knife
6 fl. oz (about ½ of one bottle or can) stout beer
1 quart beef stock
1 sprig rosemary
Method:

Reduce the quart of beef stock to one cup in a shallow sauce pan or deep sauté pan and set aside. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper, and then dredge in flour until well coated. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the dredged ribs until browned on each side, about 5 minutes per side. When browned on both sides, remove the ribs from the skillet and set aside. Reserve pan drippings for later. To a slow cooker, add the onion as a bed, then add seared short ribs. Add as well any juice or drippings reserved from the pan. Cover the ribs with smashed garlic cloves, fresh herbs, butter, salt and fresh cracked pepper. Add the stout beer and reduced beef stock. Place the lid on the slow cooker and set to high. Cook for approximately 6 hours or until tender. Top short ribs with sauce made from cooking them.

Big D's Italian Stuffed Shells

Italian Stuffed Shells

Ingredients
3 packages frozen, chopped spinach
3 pounds ground round
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 large onions, chopped
Grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper
2 jumbo eggs
1 (1-pound) package jumbo pasta shells
2 cups tomato sauce (your own or ready-made)

Directions
Place frozen spinach in a strainer and run under hot water until thawed. Squeeze all of the water out and place in a large bowl. In a large saute pan, cook the ground round until browned. Drain meat, reserving 2 tablespoons fat in the pan, and place meat in the same bowl with the spinach. Stir in the cream cheese until blended with the meat and spinach. Saute the chopped onions in the reserved meat fat until transparent. Transfer onions to the bowl with the other ingredients and stir to combine. Add grated cheese, salt, and pepper, to taste, and combine. Let mixture cool and then add the eggs. The filling can be made up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook pasta shells in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain and cool to the touch. Stuff the shells with the meat mixture. Place shells in a large baking pan and cover with tomato sauce. Cover with foil and bake for approximately 1 hour. Serve.Ingredients
3 packages frozen, chopped spinach
3 pounds ground round
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 large onions, chopped
Grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper
2 jumbo eggs
1 (1-pound) package jumbo pasta shells
2 cups tomato sauce (your own or ready-made)

Directions
Place frozen spinach in a strainer and run under hot water until thawed. Squeeze all of the water out and place in a large bowl. In a large saute pan, cook the ground round until browned. Drain meat, reserving 2 tablespoons fat in the pan, and place meat in the same bowl with the spinach. Stir in the cream cheese until blended with the meat and spinach. Saute the chopped onions in the reserved meat fat until transparent. Transfer onions to the bowl with the other ingredients and stir to combine. Add grated cheese, salt, and pepper, to taste, and combine. Let mixture cool and then add the eggs. The filling can be made up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook pasta shells in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain and cool to the touch. Stuff the shells with the meat mixture. Place shells in a large baking pan and cover with tomato sauce. Cover with foil and bake for approximately 1 hour. Serve. Ingredients
3 packages frozen, chopped spinach
3 pounds ground round
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 large onions, chopped
Grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper
2 jumbo eggs
1 (1-pound) package jumbo pasta shells
2 cups tomato sauce (your own or ready-made)

Directions
Place frozen spinach in a strainer and run under hot water until thawed. Squeeze all of the water out and place in a large bowl. In a large saute pan, cook the ground round until browned. Drain meat, reserving 2 tablespoons fat in the pan, and place meat in the same bowl with the spinach. Stir in the cream cheese until blended with the meat and spinach. Saute the chopped onions in the reserved meat fat until transparent. Transfer onions to the bowl with the other ingredients and stir to combine. Add grated cheese, salt, and pepper, to taste, and combine. Let mixture cool and then add the eggs. The filling can be made up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook pasta shells in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain and cool to the touch. Stuff the shells with the meat mixture. Place shells in a large baking pan and cover with tomato sauce. Cover with foil and bake for approximately 1 hour. Serve.

Big D's Key Lime Cheesecake

Big D’s Key Lime Cheesecake

1 1/2 c. fine graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 stick (1/4 c.) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/4 lbs. (2 1/2 (8 oz.) pkgs.) cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
1 c. sour cream
3 tbsp. all purpose flour
3 lg. eggs
3/4 c. Key lime juice
1 tsp. vanilla

Make the crust: In a bowl, stir together the crumbs and the sugar and stir the butter in well. Pat the mixture evenly onto the bottom and 1/2 inch up the side of a buttered 10 inch spring form pan and bake the crust in the middle of a preheated 375 degree oven for 8 minutes. Cool completely.
Filling: In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together the cream cheese and the sugar until the mixture is smooth, beat in the sour cream, the flour, the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, the lime juice and the vanilla. Mix until smooth. Pour the filling over the crust. 
Now, for the trick to cooking it without the top cracking as it cools. Take your filled spring form pan and wrap it in tin foil so the entire pan sides are covered and water proof. Now, boil a pot of water. Pour that water into a large baking dish. (I used a casserole pan) Put the wrapped cheesecake pan in the water. The water should come up about halfway on the foiled pan. Now, bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. After cooking, remove the water filled pan and let the cheesecake set in the pan until cooled. If you remove the spring pan and the crust is mushy, your foil was not watertight. Please pay attention to that. Remove the foil and chill chill it covered, overnight.
Remove the cheesecake from the pan and transfer it to a cake stand. 
If you want a topping, cool whip goes nicely on this!

Big D's Bread Pudding

Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 5 large beaten eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups cubed Italian bread, allow to stale overnight in a bowl
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
• 1 cup chopped pecans
•  

For the sauce:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup brandy

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.

Mix together granulated sugar, eggs, and milk in a bowl; add vanilla. Pour over cubed bread and let sit for 10 minutes.

In another bowl, mix and crumble together brown sugar, butter, and pecans.

Pour bread mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over the top and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven.

For the sauce:

Mix together the granulated sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir together until the sugar is melted. Add the brandy, stirring well. Pour over bread pudding. Serve warm or cold.