Slow Cooker Country Ribs with Asian-Style Black Bean Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This slow cooker meal is one of those dishes whose tastes belies how simple it is to prepare. It's made with country-style pork ribs that are always available in the supermarket, and the ribs don't cost a king's ransom to prepare. I usually serve them as one of three courses I would make for an Asian-style dinner. This past weekend, I toted fully cooked ribs to the cottage and served them with dumplings and egg rolls that came from the grocers freezer case. No one was the wiser and everyone enjoyed the meal. This is a great family dinner and it's one of my favorite slow cooker recipes. While it may be another manifestation of my "princess and the pea" syndrome, I think pork holds up better in the slow cooker than other meats or poultry. Pork actually retains some flavor and texture while it bubbles in the pot. This is a wonderful meal for busy people or novice cooks to prepare. Once it's in the pot it can be forgotten, but it has the flavor of a dish that has received a great deal of care and attention. If you have not already done so, I hope you will give this effortless recipe a try. Here is how the ribs are made.

Table for Two - Crispy Peanut Chicken

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The week before most holidays is crazy around here. I'm generally up to my elbows preparing dishes that can be made ahead and frozen prior to the holiday itself, so it's a busy time in my kitchen. This year we are going to be alone for Easter weekend and that has considerably eased my kitchen chores. I would love to tell you I've been experimenting and creating new dishes that will make your socks go up and down, but that hasn't been the case. Meals and desserts have been stupid simple and I've spent most of the time reading and working on some long delayed projects that needed my attention. Tonight's dinner is a case in point. It is Asian-ish, quite easy to do and if you are willing to use your deep fryer once in a while, I know you'll like it. The recipe I'm featuring has no heat and the sauce contains no peanut butter. You can add both if you want your chicken to have more oomph, but the tomato sauce is quite nice as a stand alone and really needs no enhancements. The recipe is scaled to feed two people, so I hope those of you who are without chick or child will give it a try. Here is how this simple but scrumptious chicken is made.

Honey Soy Baked Chicken Breasts

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a nice recipe to have at your fingertips when you are going to be out for the day. The chicken can marinate while you are gone and it can be placed in the oven as soon as you get back home. If you make rice while the chicken bakes, you can have a meal on the table an hour after you walk in the door. There are many versions of this recipe, but I use the one I found on Rock Recipes several years ago. It is a well used recipe and I highly recommend it to you when you need a simple week night meal. The recipe can be halved or doubled and if you prefer you can use bone-in chicken thighs rather than breast meat. Here is how the chicken is made.

Bob's in the Kitchen - Shrimp N' Noodle Bowls

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We had some leftover bean soup in the freezer, but not enough of it to make a full meal. I decided to use it, but, because I have a healthy appetite, I wanted to supplement it with something that would help keep me from displaying any cannibalistic tendencies. Mary suggested this simple recipe. It was one of her first contest entries and it proved to be a winner. Those of you who make these noodle bowls will enjoy them. The use of precooked shrimp makes them almost effortless to prepare and the noodle bowls are delicious. You can find the recipe here.

Bob's in the Kitchen - One Pan Teriyaki Chicken

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love Chicken Teriyaki and now that I know how easy it is to make, we'll have it more often. You know, a blog is like a ravenous prima donna who demands new dishes to stave off hunger and stimulate a spoiled palate. Keeping her happy means that old-favorite dishes are pushed to the back burner and not made as often as some might like. I'm happy to report that this recipe is so easy to prepare that I'll be able to make Teriyaki whenever I have a taste for it. I used Mary's recipe, exactly as it was written, and had dinner on the table within 45 minutes. Her version is easy to make, delicious to eat and truly simple to clean-up after. Do try this! The recipe needed to make it can be found here.

Slow Cooker - Asian-Inspired Orange Pork Stew

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's still quite warm here, but hot weather never stops the Silver Fox from his intended pursuits. He had planned a full day on the water and the thermostat was not about to slow him down. In order to make sure he didn't kill himself, I agreed to be his helmsman. While weather affects my appetite, it doesn't his, so I knew he'd be hungry when we came ashore. I also knew that I'd be in no mood to cook. I decided to pull out the slow cooker and see what I could come up with. This orange flavored stew was doable with the ingredients I had on hand, so I literally threw everything into the pot, said a hopeful prayer over the ingredients and followed him out the door. We came home to a lovely, ready to serve family meal that was devoured by the sailors sitting at my table. I think you'll love the ease with which this dish comes together. It is not an award winner, but it makes a wonderful busy day meal that you might want to try. Here is how it's made.