Meal Planning Mondays: Recipes to Try the Week of 3/4 – 3/10/13

Meal Planning Mondays are an experiment to see what works for my family. I like trying new recipes. I have too many pins on Pinterest that are not being utilized. This week I committ to making these recipes…Braised Short Ribs and Sour Cream & Chive Mashed Potatoes. These recipes will continue to be made ahead time and frozen. This also in honor of our church’s youth fundraiser dinner that I help cook for.

Braised Short Ribs

Adapted from Onceamonthmom.com

Servings: 8

4 pounds beef short ribs (or 2 pounds short ribs and 2 pounds chuck roast, cut into chunks)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup red wine
1/3 cup ketchup
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 sprigs fresh thyme

Prep Day: Sprinkle salt and pepper over ribs. In large pan over medium-high heat, brown ribs on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside. Sauté onion in same pan until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. In bowl, whisk wine, ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and dark brown sugar. Mix ribs, onion/garlic mixture and sauce in a freezer bag until everything is evenly coated. Add fresh thyme sprigs. Store in gallon freezer bags. Label and freeze.

Serve Day: Thaw. Empty all ingredients into slow cooker. Cook on high 3-4 hours or low for 7-8 hours.

Serve over Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes

Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes

3 lb. small red potatoes
1 container (8 oz) chive and onion cream cheese spread
1 container (12 oz) chive and onion sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup French fried onions (from 2.8 oz can)

Prep Day: Spray 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray; set aside. In 4-quart Dutch oven, place potatoes; add enough water just to cover potatoes. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer covered 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain. Shake potatoes in Dutch oven over low heat to dry.

Mash potatoes until no lumps remain. Add cream cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper; mix until well blended. Spoon into pan. Package french fried onions in a freezer bag and place on top of potatoes ( if baking right away skip this step. ). Cover tightly with foil lid and refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours or freeze. (To bake immediately, drizzle with butter and bake 30 minutes, adding onions for last 15 minutes of baking.)

Serve Day: Thaw. Drizzle potatoes with butter and bake 30 minutes, adding onions for last 15 minutes of baking.