Preparation for a Great Spring Cookout!

What is your favorite fruit or vegetable? Mine is a tomato. I eat at least one every day and panic when my tomato bowl is nearing empty. I always like to have them nearby. They are pretty and healthy and add so much flavor to any dish.

We had some friends over for dinner on Saturday night and Kelley and I had so much fun preparing for them to arrive. Those are simple moments. Truly living in the present. Getting the house ready, the fire pit stocked, candles lit, dinner prepped, music playing and G&Ts made. I only wish I had taken pictures for the blog. In some ways, the memory is enough though. The weather was perfect. It reminded me of a MA summer day. High 70s, low 80s - no humidity. Don't worry, Augusta friends, I am not getting used to it! Special moments of creating a nice meal for friends + a house full of people=a really nice, relaxing night.

Dinner was something new and different. Baby back, baby back, baby back.....you guessed it.

RIBS!

Before I get to that...I had fun making a pitcher of water that night and have decided to experiment more on water this summer.

Water is such an easy thing to play with and adds a really nice element to a dinner party. On Saturday, I added lemons, cucumbers, parsley and mint. Limes are at a premium right now sadly, and we really needed them for our G&Ts but otherwise, they would've been in there too. I am thinking of adding different berries next time along with lemon and mint. Food, or should I say, drink for thought!

Put on Future Days by Pearl Jam and get cooking!

So, Foolproof Ribs with Barbecue Sauce from Barefoot Contessa's Foolproof cookbook was on the menu along with Corn and Feta Salad, Cole Slaw, potatoes au gratin, non-homemade corn bread, appetizers and ice cream for dessert . We are going to use the BBQ sauce again for chicken tonight as well. My recommendation is to make this dish on a weekend so that you can use the sauce again during the week. The dish is rather easy but combining the ingredients and slow cooking the ribs does take time for a week night.

Foolproof Ribs with Barbecue Sauce
5 lbs Danish baby back robs (4 racks) or St. Louis ribs (2 racks)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 recipe BC Barbecue Sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.

Place the ribs on the sheet pan meat side up and sprinkle them with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.  Pour the BBQ sauce generously on each rack and cover the ribs loosely with aluminum foil.  Back for 1 1/2 hours for baby backs and 1 3/4 hours for St. Louis ribs, until the meat is very tender when tested with a fork.  As soon as ribs are out of the oven, spread them generously with additional barbecue sauce.  Grill right away or refrigerate to grill later.

About 40 minutes before you want to serve, heat a charcoal grill with a layer of hot coals or heat a gas grill to medium-high heat.  After the charcoal turns gray, brush the cooking grate with oil to keep the ribs from sticking.  Place the ribs on the grill ribs-side down, put the lid on top (with both vents open) and grill for 5 minutes. Turn the ribs meat-side down and grill for another 4-5 minutes, until nicely browned.  Place on a cutting board, cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow the ribs to rest for 10 minutes.  Cut into the ribs and serve hot with extra barbecue sauce on the side.

BC Barbecue Sauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion (1 large onion)
1T minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 cup (10 oz) tomato paste
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup honey
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup hoisin sauce
2T chili powder
1T ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I omitted)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over low heat, add the onions, and cook for 10-15 minutes, until onions are translucent but not browned.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Add the tomato paste, vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili powder, cumin and red pepper flakes.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.  Use the sauce immediately or pour into a container and refrigerate. 

Corn and Feta Salad by Lauren Regardie
Combine:
Either 2 (16 oz) bags of frozen corn, thawed and drained or 10 ears of fresh, cooked shucked corn. (I used fresh corn - makes a difference here)
1 small red onion, finely chopped
chopped basil
1/2 lb feta, crumbled
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

When ready to serve, toss with dressing:
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
dash of Dijon
salt and pepper

The Cole Slaw was from Barefoot's first book - recipe forthcoming.

 Enjoy and have a very happy day!