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Friday, January 7, 2011

Silver White Winters and A Short Rib Fantasy

My feet are cold.

Sometimes it's like that in a very old house,
especially when outside it is snowy and gray.
From our front porch.  I am in slippers; silly me.
 The Yankee in me is too stubborn to turn
on the supplemental heat in the conservatory.

I think I will retreat to the other side of the house,
away from our lovely glass room with its snow-covered ceiling:
to the parlor, where it's snug and warm(er),
and curl up in this chair:
 under this afghan: 
One of many from my Mother's knitting needles.
 and read.

Both my daughters left books for me to read
when they returned to their own apartments this week.

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 But first, a look out the windows on this snowy Friday.
From the sunroom, the obligatory shot of the stone steps up to the driveway:

Our last pumpkin is napping in the snow, waiting for its final mission.
We crack open our old Fall pumpkins and tuck them under bushes to feed little critters.
The one currently under the Forsythia is almost all gone now, so this one will be next.

I love looking out the dining room windows, watching the snow blanket the slope of our side lawn:
 This little window wreath frames our big hedge of holly:
 Different window, different wreath; pretty much the same view!
I love how these snowy days look like an old postcard, in black and white.
There's no color to miss if you turn the picture sepia:

Tomorrow, Saturday, I plan on tackling the Annual Put-Away of the Christmas bling.
With Howard's help.  Of course, tomorrow I also promised daughter Anne
to bring a settee and end tables to her, and go fabric shopping with her as well. 

Among the things to be packed away, this little vintage pillow cover I found on Etsy:
 It cost just a few dollars, and I fell in love with it.
 The wool stitching is beautifully done.
There are some great bargains to be found in Etsy's Vintage offerings.

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And now for something completely different . . . .
 Do you read Country Living magazine?
I do -- and have for years.
I pretty much skip over the food and recipes part.  I get Bon Appetit and Cook And Tell,
and don't pay much attention to food stuff in decorating magazines.

But this month?
Oh be still my heart!
 
  Red-Wine-And-Apricot Braised Short Ribs.

Now you have to understand how odd this is.
I have never made short ribs.
I didn't like them when my mother made them when I was a kid.

But something about this picture and this recipe are calling my name,
and I am making this dish on Sunday.  I've already invited my Dad to come and share,
and since I'm doubling or tripling the recipe, I'll be inviting others as well.

Why not join us?
I am going to take pictures as I cook, and serve,
and I'll meet you back here next Foodie Friday.

You make it, too, and we'll compare notes!

Recipe, shamelessly lifted from January 2011 Country Living Magazine:
  • 3 1/2 pound(s) short ribs
  • 4 clove(s) garlic, chopped
  • 3 cup(s) dry red wine (such as Syrah)
  • 3 tablespoon(s) coarse-grain Dijon mustard
  • 2 cup(s) (11 ounces) dried apricots
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

Directions
  1. Season short ribs with salt and pepper. Working in batches, brown ribs in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
  2. Add garlic to pot and cook over medium heat until browned, about 2 minutes. Add wine and mustard and stir, scraping up browned bits from bottom of the pan. Add apricots and reserved ribs and increase heat to high, bringing liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and simmer until ribs are so tender that the meat falls off the bone, about 3 hours. Skim excess fat from braising sauce. (Alternatively, after step 1, add browned ribs and all other ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low, following manufacturer's instructions, until ribs are so tender that meat falls off the bone, about 8 hours.) Serve meat and apricots in a shallow bowl with braising sauce.
Or, you can access the recipe online, by clicking here!

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And that's it for Friday from That Old House!

You can find other recipes and food stories at Designs By Gollum, where Michael hosts Foodie Friday.
There's always something wonderful cooking!  Click here to visit.

Cindy of My Romantic Home gives us a chance to play Show and Tell with our homes and gardens.
Visit her here for some lovely stories and pictures.

At Frou Frou Decor, it's Fabulous Friday Finds.
Click here to visit and see what treasures the creative people in blogland are unearthing!


 Have a lovely weekend, our second of this shiny brand New Year.
I spent much of today poring over websites about weddings.  As my father told me yesterday, from now until the day of my daughter's wedding, pretty much all I'll think about is that event. 
He's a wise man, my Dad, and married off 4 kids so he knows!  -- Cass




19 comments:

  1. That is something I have never cooked and the magazine is waiting for me to read today! We are cold today in our old house and we have no snow but they are calling for it here in Ga. on Monday. Have a lovely weekend Cass.

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  2. Your indoor pictures of the outdoors are lovely, and you are right, not much difference in the color when shot in sepia. I love the pretty wreaths and what a neat idea with the pumpkins. The squirrels will thank you this spring!

    XO,
    Jane

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  3. too weird, I am snuggle up in a afghan my mother in law made special for me. On the way in the door from work I looked at a pumpkin sitting hidden in the garden, dusted with snow. And when I get done blogging I have County living sitting next to me!

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  4. Oh girl - - - get yourself some of those "sock to stay home in" They are GREAT and WARM and I wear them every day - - - staying home or NOT.

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  5. Oh- I used to live in a cool (literally) old historical house too...some days there just is NO WARM place. lol But...it is SOO worth it!

    Hmmm...Short ribs..I just made a huge roaster full of BBQ ribs for my son-in-law last weekend. I think we are ribbed-out for a while...let us know how they are! Hugs- Diana

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  6. I have heard it is a great magazine. Cold here but no snow as of yet, we may get flurries on Sunday or ice. Wonderful Texas. I will be reading from my new nook book.

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  7. "The Yankee in me is too stubborn" that may just explain a lot about me too:@) Your indoor looking out pics are beautiful! Have a great weekend!

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  8. Enjoyed your snow pictures so much. We may get some ourselves down here in the south ... again. Say I read a lot yesterday too, in the same chair in my "parlor." No snow out the window though. :-)

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  9. Tis is a great idea....I just have to find short rib...I don't know the right translation in Italian......... let me think about... have a nice weekend, hugs, Flavia

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  10. I imagine that will smell divine when it is cooking. Yumm. You have such a comfy looking home.

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  11. You have such a pretty view! I enjoy seeing snow in other people's photos. :D My pumpkin froze and got a soft spot, so had to pitch it before it turned to mush outside my back door. Unfortunately - that white stuff is predicted here Sun. and Mon.
    Country Living is one magazine I have kept up my subscription for years. Just got the new issue a few days ago, but have not had a chance to look it over. I enjoyed Country Home also, but it did not make the cut.
    Have a great weekend.
    Glenda

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  12. I just love, love, love your house..it looks gorgeous in winter! I would gladly suffer cold feet at your house to eat some yummy ribs! lol! Happy New Year! Angie xo

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  13. Oh that is going to be soooo good girl. Make sure you brown them long and low to really build up a good flavor base. Hold on, I'm on my way.

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  14. The recipe looks delicious...I would love to join you! I love all the photos of the snow and the wreaths in the windows. So cozy!

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  15. We're taking down the Christmas decorations today too. Just having a little tea break before heading back with the vacuum cleaner and duster.
    Those ribs look delicious, but I'm not cooking another thing until the fridge is a whole lot emptier.

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  16. Girl!! I read this last night and made plans- in my mind- to one day make this. The picture called to me! Now I will actually do it.

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  17. Love the snowy pics--we are supposed to get a bunch through Tuesday. Whoohoo!
    Weddings will pop in and out for awhile.
    I remember for ours. Have fun!

    Melinda

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  18. A prayer for your precious mother, Cass. And another for you as you miss her.

    hugs from Bergen,

    gena

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  19. Oh Cass, to this previous child of NJ, now a desert dweller, the white looks beautiful to me. Picture perfect, just like everything you do.
    Happy New Year, my friend. **kisses** Deb

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