It’s hard to believe we’ve been back in Canada now three weeks…a slightly hectic time to say the least.  Settling into a routine has been hit and miss for me and is one of the reasons for not posting regularly.

  It can be a challenge balancing the time I used to spend on my own while John was at work, to him now being home all the time.  We’re starting to find a rhythm that works for us incorporating fitness time together, focusing on the job hunt, social activities and me doing what I love to do best – cooking and networking.

We had a dinner party Saturday night with Wayne and Jenn…friends who we met four years ago.  They came to visit us in May while we were still in NY and yet our Saturday get together felt as though we hadn’t been away at all.  We’re so comfortable being around them and feel so lucky to have them in our lives.  An evening filled with laughter and thought-provoking conversation.  A good time was had by all.

Serves 4 to 6
adapted from Fine Cooking

4-1/2 lb. beef short ribs
3 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup diced carrots
2/3 cup diced onions
2/3 cup diced fennel
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 or 3 anchovy filets
1-1/2 cups dry red wine
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup beef broth (sodium reduced)
chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 325f. In an 8-quart Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Season the ribs well with salt and pepper. Add half of the ribs to the pot (or as many as will fit without overlapping), and cook, turning with tongs, until nicely browned on all sides (do the ends as well), 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the ribs to a plate and repeat with the remaining ribs.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, carrots, onions, and fennel to the pan. Season with salt. Cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, until the vegetables are soft and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the thyme, garlic, paprika, coriander, and anchovies, and cook, stirring, until well distributed and fragrant, about 1 minute.

Pour the red wine into the pot and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Transfer all the ribs (and any juices that have accumulated) back into the pot. Pour 1-1/2 cups water, tomatoes, and beef broth over the ribs, arrange the ribs as evenly as possible.

Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover, and place the pot in the oven. Cook, turning the ribs with tongs about every 40 minutes, until they are fork tender, about 2-3/4 hours. (The meat may fall off most of the bones about midway through cooking; this does not mean that the ribs are fully tender).