Un-Peterbilt...

Who doesn't love a road trip?  

Especially the spontaneous getaways
where you throw a few things into an overnight bag
and off you go...  

My guys are doing just that, sort of... 

Tom needed to deliver a Peterbilt semi truck
 to a military base in New Mexico
and his truck driver was not available...  

Being the only other person at HEAT
with a commercial drivers license,
T$ had to do the driving...  

Monday was Martin Luther King day
and a no school day,
so Tom took Jack along for the ride...

Oh, the glamour of the open road...  

Ah, the testosterone injected high of a brand,
spanking new semi truck...

Yes, the freedom of the bed in the back
for endless games on the IPad....

Pure heaven...  

Waaa, Waaa, Waaaaa....
(that's the "Game Over" sound...)  

It seems that Mr. Peterbilt may look pearly white on the outside,
but he was infused with the taste of
LEMON on the inside!

The boys made it just past St. Louis
when some oil thingy busted...  

They limped to the closest dealership
that was 200 miles away
 and begged for a quick repair...

With time constraints, Tom and Jack rousted themselves
at 4 am the next morning
and hit the highway,
only to feel a sickening lurch...  

A quick look in the rear view mirror
showed one of the mudflaps
tangled between the tires...

One might start to believe a bunch of monkeys
assembled this truck...

Luckily, the next dealership was closer
than the last one
and after new mudflaps were installed
 the guys were on their way...

Back at the ranch,
Kate and I have snuggled up
to watch Cinderella and Downton Abbey...  

We would rather eat ground glass
than have a burping contest in a bumpy cab
of a semi truck...

Tom says, despite the challenges with Mr. Peterbilt,
he and Jack are having a grand old time...  

Heck, that's the good stuff
a kid remembers, right?

I hope so...

 The boys are flying home late Tuesday night
and I have planned a good, "glad to be home" meal
for Wednesday....  

Short Ribs Tagliatelle...

I found this recipe on the Food Network site,
courtesy of my little friend, Giada...

Okay, I haven't ever met her
and I can only dream of being so petite and sexy,
but I do love this dish...

The Siberian Express has blasted the Great Lakes,
and it's colder than a toilet seat in an igloo...

We need some serious comfort food...

And this is the kind that fills your belly
with warmth and happy...

Here is the list of ingredients:

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 ounces chopped pancetta (about 1/2 cup)(I used bacon)
• 2 1/2 pounds short ribs
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes (whole or diced)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 1/2 cups beef broth
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 1 pound fresh or dried tagliatelle
• 4 to 6 teaspoons shaved bittersweet chocolate ( I had only semi sweet on hand..)

Pull out the big stock pot
and cook the bacon with the olive oil until crispy.
Take it out with a slotted spoon
and set aside on some paper towels.

 

Sprinkle salt and pepper on the short ribs



and then dredge them in a light coat of flour.



Brown them in the pot on all sides,
about 7 minutes.



When they are nice and carmel-y brown,
they will look like this...



Mmm!

While the meat is browning,
chop up the onion and carrot.

 

Toss them in a food processor
with the parsley and pulse
until everything is finely chopped...

 
 

Next, add the tomatoes and tomato paste and pulse....



Stand back and look at the pretty colors
and then toss the whole mess into the stockpot.
Stir and add the rosemary, thyme, oregano,
bay leaf, broth and red wine.



You will notice I use only the best leftover red wine for my recipe...

 

Bring this concoction to a boil
and then cover and simmer
for one hour and fifteen minutes...

Remove the cover
and simmer for an hour fifteen more...
I had to take Kate to karate,
so I put the pot in a 300 degree oven
for that amount of time
and it worked just fine...

Now your short ribs should be falling off the bone
 and so fragrant that you will want
to tear into them right away...

 

Unctuous is the word that comes to mind...

 

Or, you could exercise some patience
and put the pot in the fridge overnight
to let the flavors marry some more....

Who am I kidding?!
Go for it if you want to....

However, I am going the fridge route...

See how the fat solidifies at the top?
Now it is easily scooped away...

Remove the meat and the bones,
discarding the bones...

Shred the meat and return it to the velvety sauce
and reheat...

Meanwhile, boil the water for your pasta
and then cook the pasta of your choice
until al dente...


To serve, place the pasta on a large platter
and top it with the steaming shredded short rib extravaganza...

Don't forget to drizzle
that miraculous pan sauce over the top...

Here is the crazy part:
Shave some bittersweet chocolate on top...
Trust me and just do it...

Serve with a fresh salad
and crusty garlic bread...

If your peeps don't fall to their knees
then the cold has sunk deep into their hearts...

Enjoy!