{the dish} Crock Pot Short Ribs & slowing down.

Watch out ... today I have my soap box out. I have been inspired, or maybe I am just overwhelmed? Anyhoo I feel the need to speak about the fight of our generation from my "food life" perspective. TIME. Too little, too rushed, not quality. Slow down.

I realized how many of my posts were about dishes that were thrown together because of a time crunch and how many times I started my posts explaining (verging on complaining) about the lack of time, being rushed, and being tired. That my creative energy in discovering food is bound by time. Easy but tasty meals are where I need to be.

Again, I realize I am absolutely the happiest when my entire family is around my dinner table. When we are thankful for each other. When we take that time to be together. When we take the time to listen to each other, joke a little, teach a little and show love for each other merely by our presence at that table.

Ok I am not polyannic. Many of our family meals involves some pestering, teasing and generally getting on each others nerves. Occasionally a belch ( or worse) followed by a squeal and a declaration of disgust. Occasionally it is a total bomb - but hey that is family too!

But again - the mere presence of us together at the table is what is important!

I feel the same way about friends. I am happiest on the weekends when I gather around a great meal with wonderful friends and rediscover something about myself. Around this table I can identifying with others about the woes and triumphs of the week and learn that there is always someone struggling. It is a gift.

Right now there are many factors pulling, tugging ok really YANKING at our lives. School, homework, sports, service, jobs, cleaning, chors, dogs, errands, money, cooking. We start we stop, start no now stop ... it gets to be manic really. The time to recharge... to think ... just to be PRESENT in the moment is a challenge. Soooo I say to myself again - slow down!

This week I eeked out two meals for my family to sit down to. Slow cooked short ribs - a fat riddled but extremely delicious meal. And grilled chicken with some tasty stuffed acorn squash. Today I give you a dish you can't miss with. I cooked these ribs in a slow cooker so I didn't have to babysit them. (although I think they would even be better roasted in a dutch oven!). This is a meal you can truly slow down to. It is rich, satisfying and is bound to make you think good thoughts.

slow cooker short ribs by ann west

2-3 lbs short ribs

the rub:

ancho chili powder

cumin

salt

pepper

cayenne

yellow mustard

smoked paprika - heavy on this one

Take the rub and well ... rub it on the short ribs. Place them in the slow cooker. Now add:

1-2 onions quartered

6 cloves garlic - smashed slightly

sprig or two of thyme

1/2 of a beer

1/3 cup brown sugar

3-4 tbls soy sauce

Cook for 5-6 hours or so. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add 1 container of grape tomatoes and cook for 30 - 40 min more. I separated some of the liquids so we had some "au jus". I served this with some wide egg noodles and fresh parsley.

This slow cooked meal delivers - enjoy!