A 2fer...something simple and something sweet

Since I neglected Mom's Monday Meal, I thought I'd give you a bonus.
First off is a simple crockpot meal. I grew up in TX and I love bbq. In Texas it's all about the beef. But living on the east coast now, they seem fond of the pork. Along with that strange concoction of sauce they soak it in made with vinegar. Strange! Anyhow, this recipe combines the East Coast w/the Texas flavor, it uses pork, but w/a more traditionally Texas style sauce (or KC or Memphis...it's sweet and thick rather than bitter and watery...can you tell I just don't get the whole Carolina bbq thing)?

Texas Style Pork Ribs

2- 3lbs of Country style pork ribs (these are more meaty than say your babybacks or spareribs)
Season salt to taste
Season pepper to the taste
1 Lg bottle of your favorite bbq sauce (you can make your own...but I don't bother to, I mean Sweet Baby Ray's has already done it for me and better than I ever could so I just use his recipe.)

Place your seasoned ribs in your crockpot...now hold on, you can braise the ribs before hand in your broiler, but again this is about simplicity. The reason you'd do that would be primarily for color...well you're going to cover the meat up with sauce so I don't braise the ribs, I just toss them in the crockpot, ok...back to the pot.
Cook them on high for 2 hrs. Then open the lid and add your sauce to coat all your ribs and continue cooking on high for another 4 hrs or until done. The meat will be so tender it will literally fall off the bone. Simple and Delicious.

Now for the sweet. I love my bread machine. I know it's an affront to a those of you who are purist about bread making, but I know me and if I had to make bread by hand, I wouldn't...but I use my bread machine regularly...in fact I have 2 of them.
So this is a little sweet treat that you can prepare the dough in your bread machine and then pop it into your oven for the final product. Can you say heaven?

Cinnamon Rolls
1 cup whole milk
1 envelope (2.25 tsp) of active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
3 tbsp of sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup of melted unsalted butter
5 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 tsp of salt

Now if you make this in your bread machine, remember to follow the manufacturers instructions and add all the liquids first and then the dry ingredients w/the yeast being last. Make a well in the dry ingredients for your yeast to go in. Mix it all up on the dough cycle. If your mixing it up in your stand mixer you can add them as listed.

Now for the filling
1 stick (1/2 cup) of softened unsalted butter
1/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of packed light brown sugar
1 tbsp of cinnamon
1 cup of chopped pecans (optional)
1 cup of raisins (optional)

The icing
2 cups of confectioners' sugar
1-3 tbsp of milk


The following is if you are not using the bread machine. If you're using the bread machine your dough is already going.

Heat milk over medium heat until it begins to boil, remove and let stand until cooled to room temp.
Sprinkle the yeast into the warm water (100-110 degrees so you don't kill your yeast) in a large bowl. Add 1 tbsp of sugar and let stand until it gets foamy, approx 5 mins. Beat in the remaining 2 tbsp of sugar, eggs and butter. Now add in your cooled milk. Gradually add in the flour and the salt, be sure to scrap down the sides of the bowl, you will be forming a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead in the remaining flour into your dough, add more flour is your dough is too sticky. Knead until the dough is smooth and soft(about 10 mins).
Grease a large bowl and place your dough in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until doubled in size (about and hour or so). If you've made the dough in your bread machine, do the above with the dough you have made.
Now coat 2 9 inch round pans w/ cooking spray, line the bottoms with parchment or wax paper. Prepare your filling by mixing the ingredients together (leaving out the raisin and nuts, you'll sprinkle those on top) in a medium bowl. Now punch down your dough and roll it out on to a floured surface. You'll make a rectangle about 18 X 12, spread your filling on the dough, sprinkle with the nuts and raisins. Starting at one of your long sides roll it like a jelly roll, pinch your seams closed. Cut crosswise, you should get 12-14 portions. Place them cut side down in your pan. Cover with plastic and let rise again for 30 mins. Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Uncover your pans and bake the rolls until they are golden and bubbly...30-40 mins. Let cool before icing.
Make your icing while rolls cool some, use a bit more milk if icing isn't smooth enough, Drizzle icing on top and serve warm.
Enjoy!