gary's favorite ribs...so far

I didn't want to post a new recipe right on top of another recipe post, but these ribs go great with Carole's macaroni salad. :)

Gary is always on the search for good rib recipes. He's tried quite a few and just hasn't been happy with them. Only one was good enough to make more than once and that was Alton Brown's ribs. The ribs were good, but didn't have much of a sauce. So Gary searched and searched again until he found Emerile's recipe. He's made it twice in less than a month. His mom has added the recipe to her kitchen and I think his sister has too. It's lip-smackin', finger-lickin' good stuff...and I don't normally eat ribs because I'm not fond of meat on a bone (insert your favorite crude joke here).

Needless to say, I don't think Gary will be searching for a new rib recipe any time soon. That's not to say he'll stop trying new recipes altogether though...he'll always need to do some rib sampling.

GARY’S FAVORITE RIBS…SO FAR


2 racks baby back pork ribs, about 4 pounds, each cut in half
2 TBSP Emerile’s Essence (see below)
1 – 12 oz bottle of dark brown ale (we used Budweiser’s American Ale)
4 cups ketchup
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
½ cup molasses
½ cup dry red wine
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
2 TBSP spicy whole-grain mustard
2 TBSP dark brown sugar
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 TBSP minced jalapeno peppers
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 tsp salt
½ tsp cayenne


DIRECTIONS
Rub the ribs on both sides with the Essence rib rub. Place in a large sealable bag or on a large sheet of aluminum foil placed in a large roasting pan. Cover with the beer and seal. Marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours or overnight.

• Remove the ribs from the bag and bring to room temperature.


• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.


• Line a large baking sheet with heavy aluminum foil, lay the ribs on top, and tightly cover with foil. Roast for 2 hours.


• Preheat the grill.

Meanwhile, to make the sauce, combine ketchup, onions, molasses, red wine, lemon juice, mustard, brown sugar, garlic, jalapenos, Worcestershire, hot pepper sauce, salt and cayenne in a large mixing bowl.

Stir to mix well. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Remove the ribs from the oven and uncover.

Transfer to the hot grill, cover, and cook over indirect heat for 30 minutes. Brush the ribs with the sauce, and baste and turn every 10 minutes, for an additional 30 minutes.


Remove the ribs from the grill and EAT. Serve with additional sauce on the side and plenty of napkins.


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ESSENCE (Emeril’s Creole Seasoning)

2-1/2 TBSP paprika
2 TBSP salt
2 TBSP garlic powder
1 TBSP black pepper
1 TBSP onion powder
1 TBSP cayenne pepper
1 TBSP dried leaf oregano
1 TBSP dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
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Thanks Emerile! Like he's gonna read this to know that I thanked him for the recipe. Hahaha!

carole’s macaroni salad

Summer is hot and humid. That means lots of cooking on the grill and less cooking inside. This summer dish, from my wonderful m-i-l Carole, is one of my favorites. It's a classic that's cool and tasty!

CAROLE’S MACARONI SALAD


8 oz macaroni noodles, cooked and drained
4 hardboiled eggs, diced
½ cup sweet relish
3 celery stalks, diced
2-3 green onions, sliced (to your desired taste-I used 3), plus a little extra for garnish, if desired (I happen to like onions and picked them fresh from my garden)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional (I didn’t use)

2 cups Hellman’s mayo
1/8 cup mustard
1/8 cup sugar
1 TBSP vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)


DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, mix together: macaroni, diced eggs, sweet relish, diced celery, and sliced green onions. In a smaller bowl, mix together: mayo, mustard, sugar and vinegar. Then, combine the sauce with the macaroni mixture. That’s it! It can be served immediately, but it’s even better if it refrigerated overnight.

Tastes especially good with G's favorite ribs...recipe coming soon!

it's that time again

I can't believe school starts in less than 2 weeks! Summer break seems to have come and gone in just a blink of an eye.

We have most of Michael's school supplies purchased. I gave him a haircut, which was quite a joy for both of us - NOT (remember this post??). And as soon as he'll hold still and cooperate, I'll go through his clothes to see what still fits him, what doesn't and what he needs. By the way, Emily, I think we'll have some more clothes for Jared coming your way!

So I think we're pretty much set for the start of school...just waiting for the onslaught of paperwork that'll be coming soon! Hey, does anyone have a good filing system for keeping track of school stuff? How do you handle all of the kids' work and art projects - if you save their stuff, what do you save (everything, some things) and how/where do you save it?

Anyway, we're just trying to eek out the last little bit of summer break by chillin'...nothing scheduled on the calendar, just trying to relax and enjoy. And if Michael wants me to walk him from his pool on the deck to his rockpit out in the yard and back to his little pool for the 7th time in one day, then that's exactly what we're gonna do!