Recipe(tried): Braised Spareribs with Rigatoni Dinner..

Hello Everyone!

My Bon Appetit magazine for September arrived and it is brimming with wonderful recipes from restaurants across the U.S.

I have already dog-eared many pages so you know I will be trying many of them out. Tonight we will be enjoying Braised Spareribs with Rigatoni, a dish made at Lidia's in Kansas City, Kansas. If you see the picture of the dish on page 153, you will understand why I had to make it. With it I will serve a Mixed Greens Salad and crusty warm French bread and my husband's favorite Chocolate chip cookies.

Enjoy!

Braised Spareribs with Rigatoni
Lidia's, Kansas City, Kansas
Bon Appetit, Sept. 2000, pg. 153

serves 4-6

1/4 c. olive oil
4 lbs. pork spareribs, cut into individual ribs
1 lb. onions, thinly sliced
10 large garlic cloves, chopped
8 cherry peppers from jar, drained, seeded and chopped
3/4 t. dried crushed red pepper
3 28 oz. cans Italian-style tomatoes in juice
1 c. canned low-fat chicken broth
1 c. dry white wine
4 large fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves1 lb. rigatoni
1 1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan
1/3 c. chopped fresh Italian parsley

Heat oil in large pot over high heat. Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add to pot and brown well. About 6 min. Transfer ribs to a bowl. Add onions, garlic, cherry peppers and crushed red pepper. Saute til onions just begin to brown, about 10 min. Add tomatoes and their juices. Using back of fork or a potato masher, coursely crush tomatoes. Return the ribs to the pot and include any juices that drained. Add broth, wine, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med-low. Simmer uncovered til ribs are very tender and sauce thickens, stirring occasionally about 2 hours. Season with salt and pepper. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water. Cook til tender but firm to the bite. Drain and return pasta to same pot. Add cheese, parsley and some sauce from ribs and toss to coat. Transfer pasta to large bowl, top with ribs and remaining sauce and serve.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

makes 4 dozen

3 1/4 c. flour
1 c. cake flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 1/2 c. softened butter
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 1/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla extract
1 pkg. 12 oz. chocolate chips
1 c. chopped pecans

Combine flours with baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Cream butter, sugars in bowl til nice and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat well. Add vanilla and cinnamon. Beat well. Blend in flour mixture and stir in chips and nuts. Chill dough for 1 hour. Drop by rounded tablespoonful on baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes til golden brown. Cool on wire rack and store in air-tight container.