Slow cooker: Thai Style Ribs

It's really cold out today and going to get even colder - think below zero. This is yummy.

3 1/2 pounds pork baby back ribs, racks cut in half or in pairs
1 11.5oz. can frozen orange-pineapple-apple juice concentrate, thawed and undiluted
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
2 TBSP. minced fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 tsp. cugar
Garnish: fresh cilantro sprigs

• Place ribs in a large shallow dish or zip-top freezer bag.
• Combine juice concentrate and next 6 ingredients in a small bowl with a wire whisk. Reserve 3/4 cup mixture in refrigerator for dipping. Pour remaing mixture evenly over ribs; cover or seal, and chill 8 hours, turning occasionally.
• Remove ribs from marinade, discarding marinade. Place 1 rack of ribs in bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker; stand remaining rib racks on their sides around edges of slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 1 hour. Reduce heat to LOW, and cook 5 hours.
• Microwave reserved 3/4 cup sauce in a 1-cup glass measure at HIGh 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring once. Serve with ribs. Garnish, if desired. Makes 2 to 4 servings.
  

Outrageous Recipe!

This was served to me at a Holiday luncheon. It was DELICIOUS. The host multiplied the recipe by 18! It freezes well and is great served over white rice.

Shrimp and Artichoke Casserole

1 lb shrimp cooked
1pkg. frozen artichokes cooked
1/4 lb fresh mushroom sliced
6 1/2 tbsp. butter
4 1/2 tbsp. flour
1/4 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 c. milk
3/4 c. heavy cream
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. dry sherry wine
salt and pepper to taste
Paprika

Preheat overn to 375. Melt 4 1/2 tbsp. butter and stir in flour. When lended, gradually add milk and cream, stirring with a whisk. When thick and smooth, season with salt and pepper. Arrange arichoke hearts over bottom of buttered baking dish. Scatter shrimp over artichoks. Saute slice d mushrooms in reamined 2 tbsp. butter for 5-6 minutes. Spoon them over shrimp and artichokes. Add sherry and Worcestershire sauce to cream sauce and pour over contents of baking dish. Sprinkle on cheese and dash of paprika. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes. Serves 4-6

My friend cut this recipe out of the Journal years ago. It was in Edna Michael's food column submitted by Mrs. Fred Beck. Everyone ALWAYS wants the recipe!

Bon Appetit!

Peppermint Bark

Yummy! My son loves to help crush the peppermint candy canes in this dish.

You'll need:

• 1 cup crushed candy canes
• 2 pounds white chocolate (don't go cheap...the better your chocolate, the better the bark)
• Mint extract
• Parchment paper or wax paper

Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper. Melt chocolate over double boiler on stove...I pre-measure the chocolate and my son pours it in the boiler. Put extract (to taste) in melted chocolate gently stirring. Let your little one add the crushed candy cane to the melted chocolate. Let them help you pour it onto cookie sheet. Place outside (be careful if you have dogs) or in the refrigerator until hard.

Makes a great hostess gift in the winter - if you don't eat it first!

Grilled cheese with a twist...variations on a classic

I'm a sucker for a traditional grilled cheese made on Wonder White bread, layered with gooey American cheese! However, i've discovered several variations that are equally as delicious hope you enjoy...

• The classic made with chedder, swiss, monterey jack cheese, gruyere cheeses
• Ham and Swiss
• Turkey and Swiss
• Tomato and Bacon
• The Country: Bacon, Apple (granny smith sliced thin, no skin), chedder cheese
• The Cuban: Swiss cheese, boars head virgina ham, Boars head classic chicken breast, sliced dill pickle, mixture of mayo and dijon mustard. Use mayonaisse on outside of bread instead of butter.
• The Italian: Mozzarella Cheese, sliced tomato, Basil spread (mayo, pureed basil) (Use garlic infused olive oil instead of butter) make on Italian bread slices

These are my favorites.

Suggested servings: tomato soup, sweet pickles, dill pickles

Peppermint Hot Cocoa - a Yummy Favorite.

Here is Terence and my favorite Peppermint Hot Cocoa recipe...

• Make Instant Hot Cocoa using milk (whole milk is best) instead of water.
• Add drop of mint extra to taste (use very little)
• Top off with whip cream
• Put peppermint stick in to stir

This is really tasty and very fun for the little ones to help with. Terence likes to pour the milk into the pan. Then he likes to add the powdered cocoa. Mom adds the mint extract - we don't want too much. Terence LOVES to add the whip cream.