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Apr 11, 2018

Fall Off The Bone Beef Ribs

Easy Beef Ribs in the OvenYes. You can make beef ribs that fall off the bone just like my pork baby back ribs with just a couple of small changes. First: Cook them longer. Two: Lower the temperature. After seeing so many questions about beef ribs I decided to try them myself so I could share the recipe. The two changes are very simple:

  1. Reduce the oven temperature from 300 to 275° F.
  2. Cook them for 3 1/2 hours in the oven (baby backs take 2 1/2 hrs). You can cook them even longer in the oven if you like but they are very tender after 3 1/2 hours.
  3. I was never able to remove the silver skin off the back but if you can, it’s best to remove it. (there’s good how-to advice on removing the silver skin in the comment from RussS below – thank you, Russ!)

I cooked 2 pounds of ribs and my dry rub recipe was just enough for 2 pounds. If you cook more, you’ll need to double the rub recipe. My homemade rub and sauce always get raves and both are easy to make. I see a lot of people use Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce but you should know that the first ingredient is high fructose corn syrup. My homemade barbeque sauce is easy to make and really worth trying. For tender fall off the bone beef ribs click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

Apr 8, 2018

Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip CookiesIsn’t everything better with chocolate? Today I made my incredibly easy peanut butter cookies but upped the game by adding dark chocolate chunks and extra peanuts. Oh My! They are so good and so easy. These peanut butter cookies have no flour so they’re even gluten free. This is a simple one bowl recipe and I just added some chopped up 70% chocolate bar and some additional chopped salted peanuts. I don’t think I’ll ever make them plain again.

You could use chocolate chips but using a plain dark chocolate bar is a healthier choice. Just use my original recipe for peanut butter cookies and add about 1/4 cup of chocolate chunks or peanuts or 1/4 cup total mixture of both.  Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

Apr 4, 2018

Polish Stir-Fry ( Haluski )

Best Recipe HaluskiHow can something so easy be so good? I love haluski so much I just can’t get enough. My mother used to make it and I never asked her for the recipe but I finally figured out how to make it like she did and it’s so good! It’s basically a Polish stir fry of cabbage and onions that is quick and easy so you need to prep everything in advance. It only takes 20 minutes to make. I slice the cabbage by hand and then rough chop it after that.

Most haluski recipes use lots of butter but you don’t need to. This whole pan has only 2 tablespoons of butter and some of that is stirred in at the end for a great flavor and finish.

Now about the sauerkraut: I LOVE the addition of sauerkraut but I know it’s not for everyone (except us Poles ??) but I do recommend trying the kraut version for a true Polish experience. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

Mar 28, 2018

Easter Bread

Quick and Easy Easter BreadThis soft and sweet egg bread is easier to make than it looks. It’s fast. It’s beautiful. And it’s full of golden raisins. My simple recipe needs only one rise so it’s ready in just over two hours. You start with a simple but sweet egg bread and divide it into two. Roll each half into a 24-inch rope. Twist the ropes together like this…

How To Braid BreadPlace the rope on your baking sheet and shape it onto a wreath, pinching and tucking the edges in the best you can. Here it is ready to rise…

wreathAfter it rises in a warm spot and had doubled in size, it will look like this…

Now, just bake and finish. To ensure success have all your ingredients at room temperature, including the egg + yolk. Adding a cold egg will slow down the rise time. Make the powdered sugar glaze as thin or thick as you like. In the photo at the top I made a slightly thinner glaze than the one on the recipe page. Enjoy this delicious sweet holiday bread on any special occasion. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

Mar 25, 2018

Swiss Chard Beauty

Rainbow Swiss ChardLook what I found at the market today! Swiss chard is usually mostly green but today it was an explosion of vibrant color and you know what that means? Even more nutrients!

Designer shoes on sale or hot pink Swiss chard – guess which one gets me excited? I was so excited I rushed home to make my spaghetti with chard for dinner. It’s my favorite pasta side dish and I had it with salmon patties.

The chard is sauteed with some garlic and olive oil, add some Parmesan, stir in the spaghetti and it’s done. Ten minutes. Like all leafy greens, Swiss chard has many health benefits.

If you want to try my easy spaghetti with Swiss chard, click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

Mar 22, 2018

Does Chicken Soup Really Help a Cold?

The short answer is yes. Warm liquids, such as soup or tea do help relieve cold symptoms but chicken soup is a better choice. Here’s why:

  1. A compound found in chicken soup (carnosine) helps the body’s immune system to fight the early stages of a cold or flu.
  2. Soup contains anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce a cold’s miserable side effects.
  3. The soup’s salt, steam and heat can also help thin mucus, making it easier to expel. The steam also soothes irritated passageways in your nose and throat.
  4. Soups are also hydrating, which is particularly important when fighting off an infection. Staying hydrated is key to recovery and salty, chicken soup is packed with electrolytes that may help retain even more fluids than water or commercial electrolyte drinks.
  5. Warm soup or other liquids can help open up sinuses, relieving congestion and shortening the time the virus is in contact with the lining of your nose. The faster you can move the mucus through you nose, the better.

Homemade Chicken Soup

Make chicken-noodle or chicken-rice soup or just sip it as a healing broth. If you would like my recipe for healthy, homemade chicken soup click here. – Jenny Jones

Filed Under: Nutrition
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Mar 17, 2018

Simple Rice with Brussels Sprouts

Brussel Sprouts RiceI don’t make plain rice any more. Why would I when it’s so easy to add a vegetable to rice while it cooks? And Brussels sprouts make a really good (and healthy) addition. They are a cruciferous vegetable that can protect you against cancer and heart disease. They also benefit your eyes and provide lots of minerals, vitamin C, fiber, and even protein!

My rice of choice is Uncle Ben’s converted rice, which cooks beautifully in 20 minutes, just enough time for the Brussels sprouts to turn soft and tender, and kind of sweet.

There is no meal in this house without at least one cooked vegetable, and always a salad, and this is an easy way to get people who may not like steamed and cooked vegetables to have them mixed into a tasty rice. This easy side dish goes really well with my salmon patties or lemon chicken cutlets. This is a really easy, simple recipe that anyone can make. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

Mar 2, 2018

Blueberry Pancakes

Best Recipe Blueberry Pancakes from ScratchI made pancakes today. From scratch. In five minutes. If you’ve never made buttermilk pancakes from scratch… do it. You will never buy a mix again. Fresh blueberries are just coming into season and I decided to treat myself to pancakes for breakfast.

I put a little butter on the top, which melted right away, and then poured real maple syrup all over. OMG! And here is some good news: you can also make them with whole wheat pastry flour. They are delicious either way.

Blueberries are anti-aging superstars that are full of antioxidants, good for the brain and heart, and defenders against cancer and inflammation. I’ve said enough. Just do it. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones