A Happy New Year recipe, and I sell out my family again.

One might be hard pressed to find a family that doesn't have at least one tightly held recipe in it's coffers.  Passed down only through children and marriage, the generally filling dish is the ultimate in home, the breath of warmth in winter, and the smell of celebration in summer.  It's a right of passage, filling, warming, tradition, something that connects all members of the family in a quietly knowing bond.

That is... until I put it on the internet.

Is nothing sacred anymore?  Well, of course it is.  This dish is so ridicu-mazing I had to make up an adjective for it.  I have a vague recollection of my grandmother making it and a very clear vision of my mother doing so (earlier this afternoon).  I have successfully accomplished this dish on occasion, even on my meager wages, and I can tell you something: It's better than yours.  So keep it special, kids... or my dead relatives will haunt you.

I give you: Grizzlies and Bones.  That's right: it's so family oriented that it's even got a disturbing title. I found this recipe vaguely disgusting as a child.  You see, bones and the little strange bits on meat freaked me out... and this recipe is not shy about the meat.

Not...even...a little.

The thing about it is... it was so good that I wanted it anyway.  It was excruciating to pick around the unsavory bits I would find as a kid, that in my advancing age I don't notice anymore.  But I wanted to eat it.  I wanted to eat it even if it took me all night.  That's how good this dish is.


Grizzlies and Bones 
(Or "Sunday Gravy" for you non-Jensen/Rowe/Segersin kids in the audience)
Serves the better part of 4 or 5 generations, or about 12, whichever comes first 


3 lbs port spareribs
2 lbs beef stew meat
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 - 6 ounce cans tomato paste
4 tablespoons dried basil
4 tablespoons dried oregano
Cold water
Salt and Pepper to taste

Separate the ribs, keeping the meat on the bone.  Sear the ribs and beef stew meat on high heat.  Add the meat to a large stew pot and set on low heat.

In a separate fry pan, heat the olive oil and garlic on medium high heat.  When the garlic is fragrant, add the tomato paste.  Fry the tomato paste for 3 to 5 minutes until it thickens slightly.  Add the paste to the stew pot.  Mix the tomato paste with the meat until well combined.  Add basil, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.  Add enough cold water to cover all of the meat, cover the pot, bring to a simmer and cook for at least 4 hours... but the longer you simmer, the better it will be.

Serve over rigatoni.

You will have leftovers.  This sauce freezes beautifully, so make a bunch on a lazy Sunday and you'll be rolling in it when you need a lift on Wednesday.

T-Day, 23:00

My mom (with her access to a super big refrigerator called
"Wisconsin in November") brines her turkey every year. The
bird is very, very moist, but the skin doesn't always brown like
you might be used to. WORTH IT.

Thanksgiving is a lot like pancakes for me.  At first, I'm all excited. "Oh! Delicious seasonal food and/or pancakes! What a rare and delicious treat!"  Soon after, I'm cursing the food gods for my food-crimes, and swearing off all things Thanksgiving/pancake.  If I ever see another turkey again, I will surely die (That is, before next year when I forget all of the lessons that I learned this year like a cast member of a sitcom).

On the upshot, I got to spend Thanksgiving at home this year for the first time since I moved to California.  My mom is an awesome cook, and that means I get to be in charge of the green been casserole and the sweet potatoes... and that's all.

Love.

Light White Berry (substitute berry
with cherry). The only sweet coffee
drink that I have ever enjoyed. I even
ask for my pumpkin spice at 1/4
strength.

I'm home in Green Bay, Wisconsin until next Wednesday.  This Monday, November 28 at 9:00 AM, I'm going to appear on Living with Amy on WLUK channel 11 (if you're in the area).  I'm making Chipotle Sweet Potatoes and French Onion Soup.  French Onion Soup was the ONE thing I said specifically on this blog that I never wanted to make on TV, because chopping onions turns me into a quivering pile of goo.  It's possible that someone I went to high school with is on the production team.  It should be pretty entertaining to watch.

The next few days should be full of some delicious regional noms which I'm cut off from most of the year.  For instance, I (finally!!)  made it back to Caribou Coffee in the Minneapolis airport, which filled my heart with joy.  I hate that California doesn't have this chain.  I love Caribou from it's sweet mascot to it's knitted sweater-design cups to the fact that it isn't Starbucks.  They still care about how they treat their coffee.  Do you see the brown lids?! It's all in the details. Le sigh (Coffee nerd).