Black and White Angel Food Cake

Ingredients
2 cups sifted superfine sugar (about 1 pound)
1 1/3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/2 cups egg whites at room temperature (10 to 12 eggs)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup coarsely grated semisweet chocolate
For the glaze:

1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar with the flour and sift them together 4 times. Set aside.

Place the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed until the eggs form medium-firm peaks, about 1 minute. With the mixer on medium speed, add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sugar by sprinkling it over the beaten egg whites. Beat on high speed for a few minutes until thick and shiny. Add the vanilla and continue to whisk until very thick, about 1 more minute. Scrape the beaten egg whites into a large bowl. Sift 1/4 of the flour mixture over the egg whites and fold it very carefully into the batter with a rubber spatula. Continue adding the flour in 3 equal additions, sifting and folding until it's all incorporated. Fold in the grated chocolate.

Pour the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, smooth the top, and bake it for 35 to 45 minutes, until it springs back to the touch. Remove the cake from the oven and invert the pan on a cooling rack. When cool, run a thin, flexible knife around the cake to remove it from the pan.

For the chocolate glaze, place the chocolate chips and the heavy cream in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate melts. Pour the chocolate over the top of the cooled cake to cover the top completely and allow it to drizzle down the sides. If you have chocolate glaze left over, you can serve it on the side with the cake.

Matt's Mojo Marinade

This is a recipe that Julie's son Matt concocted. You can use it to marinate pork or chicken. Marinate for a minimum of 1 hour in the refrigerator. Put meat on BBQ. Heat up the rest of the sauce until it boils and serve with meal. Delish!!!

4 garlic cloves
1 lemon, juiced w/ some zest
1 lime, juiced w/ zest
2 T. oregano
1/2 cup olive oil

Braised Short Ribs (no crock pot)

This is a braised short rib recipe that doesn't call for a crock pot. It is easy to make, but does take some time to cook. It goes great with mashed potatoes because of the gravy it creates. This recipe serves 4. Enjoy!

3 bone-in short ribs (about 3 lbs.)
kosher salt
1 medium Spanish onion, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 rib celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 carrot, peeled, cut in 1/2 lengthwise, then 1/2 inch pieces
1 clove garlic, smashed
3/4 cup tomato paste
1 to 1 1/2 cups red wine
1 cup water
1/2 bunch fresh thyme, tied w/ string
1 bay leaf

Season each short rib generously with salt. Coat a large pot(large enough for meat & veggies) with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Add the short ribs and brown very well, about 2-3 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd pan; cook in batches if necessary. Preheat the oven to 375. While the ribs are browning, puree all the veggies & garlic in the food processor until it forms a coarse paste. When the ribs are very brown on all sides, remove from pan. Drain the fat. Coat the bottom of the same pan with olive oil and add the pureed veggies. Season the veggies generously with salt and brown until they are very dark and a crud has formed on the bottom of the pan (about 5-7 minutes). Scrape the crud and let if reform. Scrape the crud again and add the tomato paste. Brown the tomato paste for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat if things start to burn. Reduce the mixture by half. Return the ribs to the pan and add water until it covers the meat. Add the thyme bundle and bay leaf. Cover the pan and place in the oven for 3 hours. Check periodically during the cooking process and add more water, if needed. Turn the ribs over halfway during cooking time. Remove the lid during the last 20 minutes to let things get brown and to let the sauce reduce. When done, the meat should be very tender but not falling apart. Serve with the braising liquid.

Italian Meatballs

Julie found this recipe in a magazine. It is from the actress Patricia Heaton's family recipes. These meatballs are very moist probably due to the large amount of breadcrumbs the recipe calls for. Julie also added some ground pork (1/2 lb.) for more flavor For a simple and quick meatball recipe, these can't be beat!

1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup water
1 egg
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
1 lb. ground beef
2 T. olive oil
Marinara sauce

Combine bread crumbs & water. Stir in egg, parmesan, herbs S & P.
Add meat and mix well. With wet hands, make 20-24 small meatballs.
Heat oil and cook meatballs until brown on all sides, turning regularly,
over low to medium heat. Place meatballs on paper towel to absorb any oil.
Heat sauce to a boil. Lower to simmer and add meatballs. Cook, loosely covered,
for 30-40 minutes. Serve with pasta.