Happy Halloween and Braised Short Ribs

I'm not good at Halloween. I like it, theoretically and in moderation. In contrast, I LOVE Christmas. I know what to do for Christmas--tree, garlands, wreaths, presents, parties, etc. But Halloween? I'm burdened of memories of Halloweens past. There was the year that my mother pinned a few leaves to my multi-colored coat, told me to hold my arms out because I was now a tree, and marched me down main street in the community Halloween parade that way. That was one of the better years. I'm not good at costumes, either. Is it because of nature or nurture? I'm not sure. We are invited to an annual Halloween bash hostessed by friends who love Halloween. I'm always happy when we get the invitation, and then I stress for the next two weeks over what to wear. My ideas this year: Dora the Explorer (where do you find orange shorts in late October on the East Coast?), an American tourist (I hate to disrespect my fellow countrymen/ women), Amy Winehouse (or is it Cher? Snooki?).  Despite my extending worrying, I was still costume-less the afternoon before the party.  I found my inspiration this year in a satin dress I bought on clearance for $5:

I saw it as Audrey Hepburn-ish.  The scarf on my head was practical, too, because we were outside all night and it helped to keep the heat in.  (Apparently, scientists are hard at work debunking the myth that we lose so much heat that way.  Go Science!)

Sunday, of course, was the actual holiday, except where my parents live.  Their township had trick-or-treating on the 30th.  ????  Who does that?  Is this common in small towns?  Any why would you do that?  Is it only Halloween that gets this special rescheduling? Why again?

Anyway, the Steelers were playing at 8:15 so we had that to consider as well.  I needed something for dinner that I could put on early and didn't require much attention, what with all the trips to answer the door, but was hearty enough for a cold, football night.  We decided on Braised Short Ribs with Mashed Potatoes.  I love this recipe.  (I was so hungry I forgot to take a picture of how good it looked.  Sorry.)  You braise the short ribs, carmelize carrots/onions/celery/garlic/thyme, deglaze with broth, and then roast in the oven for 2.5 hours.  The recipe calls for 1.5 hours, but that's not long enough for the meat to get tender enough (this I have learned from experience).  You will have to skim the fat off of the surface before serving.  I have skimped on skimming in the past and sorely regretted it.  The ribs and gravy are fantastic over mashed potatoes.  I started with a salad (green! raw! fresh!) to balance the heavy meatiness and served it with some rolls to sop up the gravy (mmmmm).  We went with a Rhone (sigh):  Domaine Grand Veneur 2007 Clos de Sixte Lirac, a Robert Parker 93.  I did remember to take a picture of the wine (okay, the empty bottle):

So delicious.  It was good with dinner, but just as good on its own.  We bought three bottles but might go back for a case.