Slow Cooker Ribs and Air Fryer Onion Rings

This is my favorite dinner so far this year. It was easy and WOW delicious. I did a zoom baking class today so I wanted something easy. Click here to learn more about the baking class. Cue the Slow Cooker. Ribs. Our usual recipe with our usual BBQ Sauce, Stubbs. But this time I used the Hickory Bourbon Sauce. The taste was over the top delicious. I heard the word, "Wow" more than once from the other side of the table. Air Fryer Onion Rings have been on the must-try list since the Air Fryer entered the kitchen. One medium-sized sweet onion was just enough for the two of us. I only used 1/2 of the onion, the rest went into the freezer to be used for chicken stock. The recipe was from StaySnatched.com.

The Slow Cooker Rib Recipe-

I made a rub of onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. I removed the membrane for the underside of the ribs. I brushed both sides of the ribs with BBQ Sauce. 8 hours in the slow cooker. I removed the ribs from the Slow Cooker and placed them on an aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet (easy clean up is so important). I brushed the ribs with more sauce. They went under the broiler set on low for almost 5 minutes. They were tender and the BBQ sauce was caramelized.

Home Made Air Fryer Onion Rings-

1 Vidalia, or sweet onion (peeled)

1 1/2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs 

1 cup buttermilk (1 cup of milk with 1 tsp. lemon juice)

1 egg (beaten)

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon smoked paprika 

salt and pepper to taste 

cooking oil spray

The Dipping Sauce! (I made 1/2 this recipe and there was more than enough)

1/3 cup mayo

1 1/2 -2 tablespoons ketchup I use unsweetened and 2 tablespoons

1-2 tablespoons horseradish If you are a fan of horseradish, you may enjoy 2 tablespoons. Start with 1 taste, repeatedly, and adjust as necessary.

1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

1/2 teaspoon oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Method-

Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil.

Cut the stems off both sides of the onion. Cut the onion into 1/2 inch thick rounds. Onions are very wobbly. Try to stabilize the onion before you slice.

Add the flour to a bowl large enough to dredge the onions. Season the flour with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to taste.

Add the buttermilk and egg to the seasoned flour. Beat and stir to combine.

Add the panko breadcrumbs to a separate bowl large enough to dredge the onions.

Dredge the sliced onions in the flour buttermilk mixture and then the panko breadcrumbs. 

Place the onion rings on a plate. After breading the onions, freeze the onion rings for at least 15 minutes. This is highly recommended. It helps keep the breading intact.

Place the onions in the air fryer. Do not stack them. Cook in batches if needed.

Spray with cooking oil.

Cook for 10-12 minutes at 360 degrees. I did not need them flip. Check-in on yours to determine both sides are golden brown and crisp. Flip if necessary.

Fort the Dipping Sauce

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stir.

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Slow Cooker Short Ribs with Pasta and Fried Zucchini Salad

Today I was out with my sister, fabric shopping. I wanted dinner pretty much done by the time I got home. Slower cooker BBQ Ribs to the rescue!

I removed the membrane from the back of the ribs and rubbed them with a blend of Paprika, Ground Mustard powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Into the crockpot and poured 1 1/2 cups of BBQ Sauce. Our house favorite is Stubbs Original. Set it on low for 8 to 9 hours. 

After that remove the ribs from the crockpot and brush the with more Stubbs BBQ sauce. Put them under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until the BBQ sauce starts to bubble and carmelize. 

The pasta salad was made when I got home from shopping. My sister gave me some green beans and I used them in a new recipe I was trying from Yotam Ottolenghi's cookbook, Plenty.

I  used the green beans in place of the edamame.

Ingredients-

1/3 cup sunflower oil


1 medium zucchini cut in 1/4 inch slices (slightly diagonal)


3/4 tbsp red wine vinegar


3/4  cup edamame beans (frozen), or fresh green beans


1 cups basil leaves, coarsely chopped


2tbsp parsley leaves


2 1/2 tbsp olive oil


4 oz pasta (penne or strozzapreti)

Zest of 12 lemon

3/4 tbsps capers


4 oz buffalo mozzarella, torn into chunks

Method-

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

While you’re waiting, in a medium saucepan or skillet, heat sunflower oil over medium-high heat. 

Fry zucchini slices in batches for about 3 to 4 minutes, flipping once, until golden on both sides. 

Drain in a colander, shaking with a couple pinches of salt, then transfer to a large bowl and pour vinegar on top. Set aside.

In the hot water, cook edamame for 3 minutes, frozen peas for 3 to 4 minutes, or fresh peas for 1 to 2 minutes (to taste). Drain and run cool water over until lukewarm. Set aside to dry. 

Leave pot boiling, then cook pasta until al dente in it. Drain and rinse under cold water.

Combine half of the basil and all of the parsley and olive oil in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, then season with salt and pepper.

Transfer pasta back to the empty pot. Add fried zucchini and any juices, basil-parsley oil, edamame or peas, lemon zest, capers, and mozzarella. 

Stir gently together, then season generously with salt and pepper. 

Right before you serve it, stir in remaining basil leaves

 

Slow Cooker French Dip

When the chef from your favorite Italian restaurants has a new Pinterest board you take note. Chef Edward Varipapa of Leon's posted on his Pinterest page the recipe for the Ultimate Slow Cooker French Dip. I knew someone in our house would love this for dinner. So I was off to Ferraro's for a Chuck Roast. The only hands-on part of the recipe was searing the meat. Okay, I also had to chop an onion.  6 hours later we had an amazing dinner. Real au jus! You will not want to waste a drop.

Here is the recipe. I cut this in half for the 2 of us and we do have leftovers.
Ingredients-
4-5 pounds chuck roast
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 can beer (I used Guinness)
1 yellow onion, diced
6 hoagie rolls
2 tablespoons butter
12 slices Provolone Cheese

Method-
In a large dutch oven, or if you have an aluminum insert for your slow cooker add the canola oil and heat on high.

Add the Kosher salt and pepper to your chuck roast. Brown on both sides aggressively (3-5 minutes on each side). Don’t move the beef before flipping (this lets the meat get a deep crust).

In a slow cooker add the meat, any meat juices from the pan, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, beer and onions.

Cook on low for 6 hours.

Remove the meat and slice thickly. To assemble, butter your hoagie rolls and toast. Top with provolone cheese. In a small bowl add a cup of the liquid from the slow cooker and dip the sandwich in the bowl.

For the side dish I made a pasta salad. I had some extra cooked pasta that I did not add to Friday night's dinner. Always nice to have some cooked pasta in the fridge. 

Ingredients-
Cooked macaroni
1/2 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1 stalk thinly sliced celery
1 thinly sliced carrot
1/2 cup chopped black olives

Method-
Combine Mayonnaise, vinegar, Dijon Mustard, sugar, salt and pepper in large bowl. Stir in macaroni, celery, carrots, and olives. Serve chilled.

Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs

I can not think of an easier dinner. I put the ribs in the crock pot at 9AM and we sat down for a delicious dinner at 6PM. I made this recipe back in September of last year. It is from the Stay At Home Chef Blog. Click here the recipe for Crock Pot Ribs.

I made a rub of onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper. I did not remove the membrane for the under side of the ribs as the original recipe suggests. I brushed both sides of the ribs with BBQ Sauce. I used Stubbs Original. 8 hours in the slow cooker. I removed the ribs from the Slow Cooker and placed them on a aluminum foil lined cookie sheet (easy clean up is so important). I brushed the ribs with more sauce. They went under the broiler set on low for almost 5 minutes. They were tender and the BBQ sauce was caramelized.

The side dish was Potato Salad!

Ingredients-
1 1/2 pounds unpeeled potatoes cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-cubes1 bunch radishes, trimmed, sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method-
Steam potatoes on steamer rack set in large pot over boiling water until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer potatoes to large bowl. Cool slightly. Add radishes and onion.

Whisk next 4 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Whisk in Parmesan. Season dressing with salt and generous amount of pepper. Add dressing to potato mixture; toss to coat. Season with more salt and pepper, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs

"These are delicious." My work is done here. Good night everyone!

I found this recipe for Crock Pot Ribs on the Stay At Home Chef blog. I made a rub of onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper. I put the rub on both sides of the meat. I did not remove the membrane for the under side of the ribs. I brushed both sides of the ribs with BBQ Sauce. I used Stubbs Original. The ribs went into the Slow Cooker set on low for 8 hours. I removed the ribs from the Slow Cooker and placed them on a aluminum foil lined cookie sheet. I brushed the ribs with more sauce. They went under the broiler set on low for almost 5 minutes. They were tender and the BBQ sauce was caramelized. Nice!