ORECHIETTE WITH SAUSAGE AND BROCCOLI RABE

The first time I encountered orechiette, I fell in love. I love the shape, the texture, and the way that sauce gets tucked inside this little ear-shaped pasta. In case you're wondering, it's pronounced OAR-WRECK-EE-ET-AY and, trust me, this dish is easier to make than it is to pronounce. Since Wednesday is weigh-in day, it's the day of the week to make pasta, if you follow Weight Watchers' logic. While there are certain better brands of pasta (e.g. DeCecco) that make orechiette, I usually go to an Italian specialty store to buy an imported brand. The pasta seems firmer and tastier. This recipe is something I throw together--and change ever-so-slightly--each time. In the winter, I like to make orechiette with cannellini beans and sage, but this rendition is my favorite. I'll try to pin down the recipe so you can see for yourself.

1 lb. orechiette
1/2 lb. Italian sausage patties, sweet or hot (or squeeze sausage out of 4 links)
1 head of broccoli rabe (AKA rapini)
3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1/4 cup dry vermouth
olive oil
freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Soak the broccoli rabe in a large pot of water for 10 minutes; drain, then rough-chop. As broccoli rabe soaks, heat a skillet with 1-2 tsp olive oil and cook the sausage, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon. When sausage begins to lose its pinkness, add the sliced garlic, being careful not to burn it, or it will be bitter. When sausage is cooked, add vermouth and boil until liquid evaporates. Set pan off to the side of the burner.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add broccoli rabe and cook about 5 minutes. Scoop out and rinse under cold water; drain, and add to sausage mixture. Bring the same water to a boil again and cook the pasta in it. Before draining the pasta, reserve 1/2 cup of the water.

Add the pasta and reserved water to the sausage and broccoli rabe. Mix well. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with good Pecorino Romano cheese.

I dare you to eat one bowl of this! Leftovers are great; you might need to loosen pasta with olive oil and/or chicken broth.

MARINATED FLANK STEAK

Flank steak has very little fat, so it's always a wonderful choice for healthy eating. One of my latest cookbook acquisitions is the Weight Watchers' New Complete Cookbook. This recipe is Asian-inspired, low in points (5 per serving), and is quick and easy. I recommend marinating the steak overnight, though an hour in the marinade is the absolute minimum. I try to buy flank steaks that are an even thickness throughout so that you don't end up with one side overdone and the other underdone.

Recipe - 4 servings

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tsp honey

2 tsp grated, peeled ginger (or 1 tsp ground)

2 minced garlic cloves

2 tsp finely chopped lemongrass (or equal amount lemon zest)

1 tbs dry sherry

1 lb flank steak

2 tsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

To prepare the marinade: in a gallon ziplock bag, combine the soy sauce, honey, ginger, lemongrass, garlic, and sherry; add the steak. Seal the bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. Turn to coat steak. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally. (TIP: place the bag in a bowl to prevent inadvertent dripping)

Preheat the broiler. Discard the marinade and PAT THE STEAK DRY with a paper towel. This is an important step. Drizzle both sides with the olive oil. Broil 3 inches from the heat, 4 minutes per side. Let rest on a cutting board for 2-3 minutes, then cut on the diagonal into 12 slices. Season to taste.

I served this with roasted asparagus and jasmine rice. The leftovers make wonderful sandwiches.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

My new cookbooks arrived and after poring over them, I had to make room for them in the cabinets where they're stored. That, of course, lead to reexamining many of my old favorites. One of the first cookbooks I bought when I became serious about baking was Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts. My friend Norma, who was an exceptional baker, turned me on to Maida Heatter. I remember the first time I made her chocolate squares and her exquisite lemon cake. Since Larry was out of treats, I decided to try something new. The recipe for chocolate cupcakes is simple and I had all the ingredients except heavy cream (substituted milk and it was fine). I still have no sense of taste or smell, but they look very dense and yummy, albeit on the small side.

Chocolate Cupcakes - 24 cupcakes

2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup powdered, unsweetened cocoa

2/3 cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 cup milk

Chocolate Icing

6 oz semisweet chocolate

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 tbs sugar

1 1/2 tbs butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake forms with cupcake liner papers and set aside.

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa. Set aside. In large bowl of electric mixer, cream the butter. Beat in the vanilla and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Switch mixer to lowest speed and alternately add the sifted dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions. Continue to scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat only until smooth; do not overbeat.

Spoon the batter into the prepared liners, filling the cups about 2/3 full. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool on a rack while you prepare the icing.

Icing - Place the semisweet chocolate, heavy cream, sugar, and butter in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Cook, stirring, until the chocolate is almost melted, then remove from heat and stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Transfer to a very small, shallow bowl and cool.

To frost - remove paper liners; hold cupcake upside down and dip the tops into the icing; twirl slightly and hold upside for excess to drip off; after dipping all, dip each one a second (and, if icing permits, a third) time.

PORK LOIN WITH BLUEBERRY REDUCTION

One of my favorite things to do since I've begun keeping this blog is blog hopping. I try to visit new blogs each day and I've quickly amassed a new pile of "someday" recipes. One of my recent discoveries was Ally's Culinary Infatuation http://culinaryinfatuation.blogspot.com . I saw her recipe for a pork loin with a blueberry balsamic reduction and ran to my freezer to defrost a pork loin so I could make it the next day. Unfortunately, in my haste I forgot to bookmark Ally's blog--a fact I didn't discover until my computer closed down--and I couldn't remember the title. We didn't eat pork loin that night, but I was determined to find that blog and make that dish and, by God, I did. I'm very glad that I did so because it was delicious. It was also very quick and simple to make. This is Ally's recipe; the only thing I changed were the cooking times. I also made 2 one-pound loins. There was plenty of sauce.

Pork Loin with Blueberry Balsamic Reduction

(2) 1 lb pork loins

1/2 tsp each: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder

2 tsp canola oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring the pork to room temperature and season. Heat an oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven (I love my Le Creuset) over medium heat and add the oil. Sear the pork on all sides until it has a nice brown color (about 3-5 minutes per side). Transfer pork to oven and cook for about 17 minutes more (until a thermometer reaches 145 degrees). Transfer the pork to a plate and cover with foil. Let it rest at least 10 minutes.

Blueberry Balsamic Reduction

1/4 cup onions, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup blueberries

2 tsp water

1 1/2 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 cup chicken broth

1 tbs red wine

1 tbs fresh chopped basil

1/2 tbs unsalted butter

In the same Dutch oven, add the onions and cook about 5 minutes. While the onions are cooking, combine the blueberries and water in a microwave dish and cook about 1 1/2 minutes. Smash a bit with the back of a spoon. Add the garlic to the onions and cook another minute. Add the chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until the sauce is reduced by half (about 7 minutes). Slice the pork and spoon the sauce over the top.

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL BARS

Could there be a more perfect time for a no-bake treat? In this month's Martha Stewart magazine, the cookie of the month looked so incredibly delicious, I immediately tore the page out to add to my collection. In the past, I've had trouble with some of Martha's cookie recipes, most notably her crystallized ginger cookie. I'm pleased to say that this cookie turned out just as photogenic--and more importantly--yummy as the article described it. To quote, "With a candy-bar-inspired top and a crumbly cookie base, each of these rich squares packs a double dose of that perfect pairing: chocolate and peanut butter." Martha, this is truly a good thing.

Cookie of the Month - 24 squares

vegetable oil cooking spray

9 oz package of chocolate wafers, finely ground (2 cups)

1 1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar

1/4 tsp coarse salt

5 oz unsalted butter (1 stick plus 2 tbs)

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1/4 cup plus 3 tbs smooth peanut butter

10 oz semisweet chocolate, melted (I used milk chocolate)

1 1/2 oz milk chocolate, melted (I used semisweet chocolate)

Coat a 9 X 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray, then line with parchment, leaving a 2 inch overhag on the 2 long sides.

In a large bowl, combine the ground wafers with the oats, sugar, and salt.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add all of the chunky peanut butter and 3/4 cup of the smooth peanut butter, whisking until well combined.

Add this peanut butter mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until combined.

Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and use the back of a measuring cup or an offset spatula to press the mixture firmly into the pan in an even layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Melt the 10 oz of chocolate and pour over the chilled mixture, using an offset spatula to spread it into a thin layer that covers the entire surface. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

Heat the remaining 3 tbs smooth peanut butter in a small saucepan until runny, then drizzle over chilled chocolate.

Melt the 1 1/2 oz of chocolate and drizzle over all. Refrigerate until hardenend.

Use the parchment to lift out the chilled block of bars. Run a sharp knife under hot water, then dry thoroughly. Cut into 24 squares, wiping blade between cuts. Let bars stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. May be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen up to 1 month.

Now, let me explain that mine will look a bit different because I was talking on the phone as I made the toppings and inadvertently mixed up the milk and semi sweet chocolate. I also mixed the 3 tbs smooth peanut butter with the milk chocolate so I'm missing one drizzle. Thank goodness these weren't critical steps, but I would have preferred a semisweet frosting. Serves me right for trying to walk and chew gum.

ALL LEFTOVERS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL

This bug has still got me down, so the kitchen was closed last night. But sometimes, that can be a good thing. I've extolled the virtues of my Breville Ikon panini maker before, but let me just say that homemade bread and pesto take the panini to a whole new level. This is all about simplicity, and what could be more simple than homemade bread layered with Jarlsberg cheese spread with pesto. The bread was brushed with a bit of EVOO before it hit the panini grill. It was every bit as good as it looked.

NO KNEAD BREAD

When I first saw this recipe for no knead bread, I almost passed it by because I happen to love to knead. It garnered so much praise, however, that I felt I had to try it. Of course, the fact that I could use my beautiful Le Creuset Dutch oven was the clincher. How I wish I'd bought this beauty 20 years ago!

The recipe is adapted from Mark Bittman of the New York Times, who got it from the Sullivan Street Bakery. Apparently, it set the blogging community on its heels a year or so back. Coming late to the world of blogging, I offer it now, particularly to some of my readers--who shall go nameless--who sometimes find the kitchen rather more of a challenge than they bargained for (remind me to tell you the one about the crockpot chicken some day!).

The smell of freshly-baked bread is always prosaic, but you'll want to bottle this perfume. The crust was perfect; the density of the loaf was wonderful; and, I'm guessing Larry's having French toast for breakfast (it's day old bread now). Surely, the kitchen gods are smiling this morning.

No Need to Knead Bread = 1 1/2 lb loaf

3 cups bread flour

1/4 tsp instant yeast

3/4 tbs Kosher salt

1 1/2 cups warm water

covered pot (5 qt or larger cast iron, enamel, Pyrex...something that can go into a 450 degree oven)

12 - 20 HOURS BEFORE

Mix the dough: Combine all ingredients in a big bowl with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together. It will be a shaggy-looking mess. Cover carefully with plastic wrap and let it sit on the countertop for 12 - 20 hours.

The dough will be wet, sticky, and bubbly after its 12-20 hour rest. With a wet spatula (or wet hands), dump the dough (unceremoniously, if you like) onto a floured surface and fold the ends of the dough over a few times with the spatula, nudging it into a ball shape. Take a clean cotton towel (NOT terry cloth) and dust it generously with flour. Set the dough, seam side down, on top of the towel and fold towel over the dough. Let it nap for 2 hours. A half hour before it is done napping, put the covered pot into a 450 degree oven.

At this point, your dough should have doubled in size. Carefully remove the very hot pot from the oven and dump the dough into the pot. Shake to even dough out. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15-20 minutes until the crust is beautifully golden (inside loaf should be about 210 degrees, if you wish to check it). Remove and let cool on wire rack. You can re-crisp the crust--if you don't polish off the whole loaf right there--in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Although I personally love to knead, this is a great way for a non-baker to get the satisfaction of pulling a beautiful, delicious loaf of bread from the oven with very little fuss.

LUCIOUS LEMON SQUARES

Fortunately, our tastes change as we age. When I think of all the foods I disliked as a child and young adult--lobster, peppers, broccoli, shrimp, liver pate, sour cream, and quite a few others--I am a little sad at all the missed opportunities. But happily I think I've made up for lost time with many of those foods and others. Lemons are another food that I shunned except for the occasional wedge in my diet Pepsi. I don't know what made me try my first slice of lemon meringue pie or my first lemon tart, but I've been a convert ever since. As much as I love key lime pie and tarts and cookies, I think that lemon curd has a richer, more sophisticated taste.

Since Larry has been running errands for me the past few days as I recover from an infection, I decided he needed a treat. These lemon bars are from Cooking Light. They are very easy to make and disappear quickly, so you may want to make a double batch.

Lemon Squares - 16 servings

Crust

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tbs unsalted butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

Topping

3 large eggs

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp grated lemon rind

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

3 tbs all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare the crust, beat the sugar and butter at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add the flour until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Gently press this mixture into the bottom of an 8 inch baking dish/pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.

To prepare the topping, beat the eggs until foamy. Add the sugar and the next 5 ingredients and beat until well blended. Pour this mixture over the cooled crust and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Sift powdered sugar evenly over the top and cut into 16 squares.

PESTO

Is there anything more fragrant than fresh basil? It's so simple to grow and 6 plants will provide you with enough pesto to get you through the summer and then some. A few years back Larry put some window boxes on the inside of the rails on our kitchen porch so we didn't have to sacrifice any flowers in the outer boxes. The first year I planted basil, cilantro, rosemary, and mint, but I found that I really used the basil far more than the other herbs so now we just plant basil. Today I picked my first harvest and made a double batch of pesto. I'll place what's left over in an ice cube tray and when it freezes, pop them out into a freezer bag. I use these cubes to flavor chicken dishes or salad dressings. The next batch I make I'll freeze in a bigger container for use in pesto salads or a pasta dish like the one we had for dinner tonight. You can make pesto in a blender, but I prefer making it in my food processor. You can really go artisanal and make it with a mortar and pestle, but that takes way too much effort for me.

Pesto - Yields 1 cup

2 small garlic cloves

1/2 cup pignoli nuts (toasted is best!)

2 cups fresh basil

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated cheese (Pecorino or Parmesan or Locatelli)

With the motor of the food processer running, drop garlic into the bowl and finely chop. Stop the motor and add the pignoli, basil, and salt, then process until chopped. With motor running, add the oil, stopping to scrape down the sides. Transfer pesto to a small bowl and stir in the grated cheese. Chill until ready to use. Leftovers freeze beautifully.

For dinner, I used a package of chicken pesto Romano sausages. I sliced each sausage into eighths, then sauteed them in a nonstick pan until nicely browned. Meanwhile, I prepared a pound of rigatoni. After draining the pasta, I tossed it with about half the pesto (1/2 cup) and topped each portion with some sausage. The leftover pasta will be delicious served as a cold pasta salad and the leftover chicken sausage will make a good panini with some roasted red peppers and provolone.

PIZZA-LIKE FOCACCIA BREAD

Sorry to say that there will be no picture of this wonderful recipe since the camera battery died and the little bit leftover is in the freezer for a future lunch. However, if you feel the "need" to "knead" and want a simple, easy bread or pizza, this recipe is for you. I found the recipe in a magazine advertising the county in which we live. I have to say that it is more like pizza bread than focaccia, to my way of thinking, but the herbs make it just wonderful. As always, I've taken a few liberties with the recipe, but thanks to Stacey for the basics.

Focaccia Bread - 1 large rectangle
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 packet active dry yeast
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp crushed thyme
1 tbs olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (or Pecorino or Asiago)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
toppings: I used sliced roasted peppers, green olives, and sun dried tomatoes, but be creative!

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and seasonings. Add the oil and water and use a wooden spoon to gently work the dough together until it forms a ball that pulls away from the bowl.

Place the ball on a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is satiny and elastic (3-5 minutes, usually). Lightly oil another large bowl and place the dough inside. Cover with a towel and place the bowl in a warm spot to allow the dough to rise (25-30 minutes).

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove the cover from the bowl and punch down the dough. Place the dough on a baking sheet and pat into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Brush the dough with olive oil, sprinkle with the cheeses, and top with your choice of toppings. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

HULI HULI CHICKEN

There aren't many ways that I don't like chicken--boiled comes to mind--but other than that, it is my favorite protein. My BBQ wings are "renowned." They're also very messy and I always make them in a throw-away aluminum pan. The August issue of Cuisine at Home had a recipe that sounded like the kind of chicken I've eaten in Hawaii. It's done boneless and skinless, dark meat and white meat, and is generally accompanied by white rice and macaroni salad. Yes, if you haven't been to Hawaii, you haven't experienced their version of the blue plate special. The original recipe yielded 4 drumsticks--I kid you not. I wouldn't dirty a pan for that amount of food. It also called for grilling and basting. Not in 85 degree weather. I reworked the recipe a bit and it was easy and delicious.

Dr. D's Huli Huli Chicken - 8 to 10 drumsticks

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

4 Tbs ketchup

4 Tbs soy sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbs fresh ginger, minced

2 Tbs vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste

8 - 10 large drumsticks

Whisk all ingredients except the chicken in a bowl. Place chicken legs in a gallon sized freezer bag, pour in marinade, press out air, and seal. (I always place the bag in a bowl, just in case.) Marinate for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a disposable aluminum pan (9X13 is perfect) if you're lazy, like moi. Place drumsticks in pan; place marinade in a small saucepan. As chicken cooks, heat marinade to boiling, then simmer. Bake chicken for 45 minutes, basting every 15 minutes. After 45 minutes, turn on broiler and pour remainder of marinade over chicken. Broil an additional 5 - 10 minutes, until drumsticks begin to carmelize.

I served this with jasmine rice with chopped scallions and mixed veggies. I love jasmine rice because it is slightly sticky like the rice you get in Chinese restaurants.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS (QUICK AND EASY)

The markets are filled with lucious, ripe berries, so now is the time to enjoy them. I love blueberries stirred into my oatmeal or layered with granola in a yogurt parfait. I also love blueberry crumb cake and blueberry muffins. No time to shop this past week, so something was needed to keep my coffee company this morning. A quick look in the fridge turned up a lovely container of blueberries. With time at a premium (that haircut won't wait), I dug out my quick and easy blueberry muffin from the Betty Crocker's Bisquick Cookbook which I hadn't yet returned to the shelf. It was 20 minutes from start to finish, including cooking time. You can't beat that!

Quick and Easy Blueberry Muffins - Yield 1 dozen

2 cups Original Bisquick (or any baking mix)

1/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup milk

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 egg

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Stir all ingredients except blueberries together until moistened. DO NOT OVERMIX!!!!! Fold in the blueberries gently. Divide batter evenly among cups. Bake 13 minutes, then check and bake in 2 minute intervals until golden brown (mine took 18 minutes). Remove immediately to a wire cooling rack so muffins don't get soggy.

N.I. 140 calories; fat 6g; carb 20g

"IMPOSSIBLY EASY CHERRY-ALMOND PIE"

How many of you will admit that you've made or eaten one of Bisquick's "Impossible" pies? I collect cookbooks and the Betty Crocker Bisquick Cookbook made its way into my collection years ago. Their garden pies--a lowfat, healthy quiche--is an old favorite as are the blueberry muffins, but this morning I decided Larry needed a treat so I baked an "Impossibly Easy Cherry-Almond Pie." The only tinkering I did was to substitute a can of lite cherry filling. This makes a nice breakfast treat or anytime snack. Just know upfront that the term "pie" is used loosely.

Impossibly Easy Cherry-Almond Pie - 8 servings

1/2 cup Original Bisquick

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup milk

2 tbs butter, softened

1/4 tsp almond extract

2 eggs

1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling

Brown Sugar Streusel

1/2 cup Original Bisquick

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tbs firm butter

sliced almonds

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a pie plate. Stir all ingredients except pie filling and brown sugar streusel and almonds until blended. Pour into greased pie plate. Spoon cherry filling over top. Bake 30 minutes.

While pie bakes, make streusel by mixing Bisquick, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in butter with a fork or pastry blender, until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over pie and bake 10 minutes more. Cool, then sprinkle with almonds.

N.I. 295 calories, 10g fat, 48g carb, 1g fiber per serving

BEEF SHORT RIBS WITH HORSERADISH CREAM

Being a relative newcomer to the art of crockpot cooking, I find myself on the lookout for recipes that use this wonderful piece of equipment. So despite the thermometer reaching 90 degrees this week, when I found this recipe for beef short ribs, I had to make them. WOW! is all I can say. I will be making these again and again, especially during the winter. They looked so good with the garlic bread I made to serve with them, that I have to confess I forgot to take a picture. So, I took a picture of the picture of them in the Weight Watchers' In One Pot cookbook from which I got the recipe. As long as I'm confessing, let me say that I was so hungry, I also forgot to put out the horseradish cream which I made to go with them. I tasted it, so I knowit it, too, is delicious and I've included the recipe. Can you tell this was weigh in day? I hadn't eaten all day. No one would EVER guess these came from a WW cookbook, so don't tell.

Country-Style Beef Short Ribs with Horseradish Cream - 4 small servings,

2 regular-sized

6 tbs lowfat sour cream

2 tbs prepared horseradish

1 tbs Dijon mustard

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 lb boneless beef short ribs, trimmed of fat and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks

salt and pepper

2 onions, sliced

1 lb small whole white potatoes, scrubbed

1 1/2 cus whole baby carrots

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 cup beef broth

2 tbs Worcestershire sauce

3 tbs all-purpose flour

3 tbs cold water

To prepare the horseradish cream:

Combine the sour cream, horseradish, mustard, and salt in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

To prepare the short ribs:

Sprinkle the ribs with salt and pepper. Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray. Over medium heat, add the ribs and brown, turning once (about 4 minutes each side). Transfer the ribs to a crockpot. Add the onions, potatoes, carrots, garlic, and bay leaf. Mix the broth and Worcestershire sauce together, then pour over the meat and vegetables. Cover and cook on high for 3 1/2 hours. Then, combine the flour and water in a small bowl; stir in 1/4 cup of the hot liquid until blended, then stir into the crockpot. Cover and cook on high an additional 25 minutes, until sauce thickens. Serve with the horseradish cream on the side.

N.I. - 311 calories; 9g fat; 42g carb; 5g fiber