Perfect BBQ Ribs and Smashed Potatoes

In a large casserole pan put your ribs in and completely cover with water; add BBQ sauce, ketchup, and any other spices you like (I added cajun, black pepper, and seasoning salt). Put in the oven at 350F for 2hrs. They will cook slowly and remain juicy. When they are done, pour the water out and slather in your favorite BBQ sauce....now they are ready to be thrown on the grill to get crispy and that great smokey flavor!
Grill for about 5 min until they get those black grill marks and are crisp to your perfection! Thats it!
This is how it is done in most restaurants and your ribs stay moist, tender and have been BBQ-ed!

For the smashed potatoes: boil small red potatoes for about 18-20min until tender. Smash them with a masher lightly, add sour cream, and any cheese you like. I add asiago cheese, which gives it a lovely tangy taste. You can add garlic, dill or any other herbs you have on hand. Season with salt and pepper.
This is quickly becoming my favorite side dish!

Zucchini Bread

Not sure what do with those zucchini in your fridge?? Make zucchini bread :)

This makes 2 loafs:

3c. flour
1 1/2tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
3 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. canola oil (or what I did was 1/2c. oil, 1/4c. applesauce & 1/4c. light mayo)
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 c. finely shredded zucchini
1/2c. chopped walnuts + 1tsp. flour

Directions:
1. Mix together dry ingredients from flour to salt, set aside.
2. In another bowl beat sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla, mix well.
3. Add zucchini to sugar/egg mxiture.
4. Fold in flour mixture until lumpy, add walnuts. Hand stir until uniform.
5. Pour batter inside greased loaf pans.
6. Bake at 350F for 1hr & 10min, until golden brown and inserted toothpick comes out clean


Hawaiian Pizza with Home-made Thin Crust Dough

right before going in the oven!

Homemade Thin Crust Pizza Dough

4 1/4c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 c. cornmeal (may substitute for regular flour)

1 1/2 tsp. active yeast

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4c. extra-virgin olive oil

1 3/4c. warm water.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer: combine flour, cornmeal, yeast and salt. Add the oil and water. Mix slowly with dough hook attachment until the dough comes together, and then mix vigorously on med.-high speed for about 5 min. The dough should stick to the bottom of the bowl as your are mixing, but needs to come away from the sides. If you are kneading by hand, knead until you get tired or about 10min. If dough too sticky: add flour, if to dry: add water. Form the dough into a big ball and rub it with a bit of oil. Place in a large bowl in a warm place and covered to rise for 1 hour. Punch down the dough when it has doubled its size.

You can either have 2 large pizzas or 6 small ones with this amt of dough.

I froze the other half and used it later down the road!

This pizza dough is great because it is thin, textured, delicious and sturdy!

Recipe by Heidi Swanson from Cook 1.0

Now the toppings are endless!

I used applewood smoked bacon, canned pineapple, and sauteed mushrooms with lots of mozzarella cheese

Mongolian Beef

I was in a beef mood and wanted to use my slow-cooker, and this is what was born:

MONGOLIAN BEEF!

Click for recipe--> http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/slow-cooker-mongolian-beef/Detail.aspx

(I used stewing beef cubes, and it turned out fine! I also sauteed some veggies on the side and added to the sauce when the beef was done. I used oyster mushroom and bell peppers)