Best Includes Recipes

KANSAS CITY SLOPPY RIBS (INCLUDES AN AWESOME DRY RUB RECIPE)

Steps:

• The night before you plan to grill, combine the rub ingredients in a bowl. Apply about one-third of the rub evenly to the ribs, reserving the rest. Place the slabs in a plastic bag and refrigerate them overnight.
• Before you begin to barbecue, take the ribs from the refrigerator. Sprinkle the ribs lightly but thoroughly with rub, reserving the rest of the mixture. Let the ribs sit at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Smoke the ribs, or grill them, turning and sprinkling them with more dry rub about halfway through cooking. In the last 45 minutes of cooking, slather the ribs once or twice with Struttin' Sauce (recipe posted separately).
• Allow the ribs to sit about 10 minutes before serving with more sauce alongside.
• Note: cooking time is approximate grilling time. Since not everyone has a smoker, I allowed for that -- smoking will take much longer. I also like to parboil the ribs a bit before grilling as it makes them more tender -- obviously before marinating and applying any rub.

MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING (INCLUDES DAIRY-FREE SUBSTITUTIONS)

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and dust with cocoa two 9" layer cake pans. Set aside. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with wire whisk until blended. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and beat well with wire whisk or mixer until combined, about 2 minutes. While beating, heat water in microwave oven to boiling. Stir boiling water into cake batter. (optional - stir in chocolate chips) Pour the thin batter into the two prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan, top springs back when lightly touched, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes with pan facing down on wire racks, then remove from pans and cool completely. Cream Cheese Frosting: With an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes on medium speed until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Slowly add the sifted powdered sugar. Spread frosting on the top of the bottom layer of the cake. (sometimes i make a raspberry filling and add that on top of the middle layer of frosting. Add the top layer of the cake and finish frosting and decorating as desired.

SWEET POTATO GRATIN INCLUDES CANADIAN BACON/ONIONS

Steps:

• To prepare Filling, cook sweet potatoes either by steaming them 10 minutes or blanching them in boiling salted water to cover 4 to 5 minutes. (Potatoes should be tender but not mushy.) Remove, pat dry and place in large bowl.
• Melt 2 Tablespoons butter and add to potatoes along with brown sugar. Toss well. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
• Melt remaining 2 Tablespoons butter in large heavy skillet over medium heat. When hot, add onions and granulated sugar and cook, stirring often, until until onions are rich brown in color, 20-30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Coat 9x13 dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place half the potatoes evenly in bottom baking dish. Spread all onions over potatoes. Sprinkle with Canadian bacon. Spread top with remaining potatoes. Pour chicken stock over mixture.
• To prepare Topping, combine bread crumbs, cheese, thyme and sage in bowl. Sprinkle over top. Dot with butter. (Gratin can be prepared 1 day ahead to this point. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before baking.)
• Bake, uncovered, at 375F degrees until potatoes are hot and topping is browned, about 30 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
• NOTE: Sweet potatoes have tan skin and pale yellow, almost golden, flesh, while yams have copper-colored skin and deep orange flesh. Either works well in this recipe

KATIE LEE BIEGEL'S TOP 10 RECIPES INCLUDES THIS BRUSSELS SPROUTS SALAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and shallots
• Let stand for 5 minutes, so the acidity in the lemon juice can begin to break down the shallots
• Whisk in the mustard and honey until well combined
• Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified
• Season aggressively with salt and pepper to taste
• In a food processor fitted with the slicing blade, process the sprouts until all are thinly sliced
• (Alternatively, use a knife to thinly slice them, or buy a bag of already sliced sprouts in the produce section of your grocery store
• ) Add the sprouts, dates, cheese and almonds to a salad bowl, drizzle with the dressing, and toss to coat
• The salad can be dressed 15 to 20 minutes in advance if you like more tender Brussels sprouts