BBQ Back Ribs

This BBQ sauce recipe has been handed down through the Grant Family and anyone who has had it always raves about it. M.

Cook back ribs. Everyone has their own way of cooking ribs. My way is to put them uncovered in a roasting pan (sprayed with cooking spray) - meat side up - in a 425 - 450F degree oven for 1 hour or however long it takes to cook them. This renders the fat off them.

OR ribs can also be cooked on the BBQ.

SAUCE for 1 (one) rack of ribs:

In a bowl combine:

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup vinegar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup water

Cut rack of ribs in pieces with 2-3 ribs in each piece.

Drain grease and place ribs in roasting pan - meat side down.
Cover with sauce and bake covered ; 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Serve with cooked rice.

NOTE:

Use 1 sauce recipe per rack of ribs. However, when doubling or tripling the recipe do not double or triple the pepper or mustard.

BBQ Back Ribs (printable)

Old-Fashioned Baked Beans

I always wanted a Baked Bean Recipe like I remember from when I was a kid. I tried this one from the 12th edition of the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. I invited the neighbours to be guinea pigs and everyone liked it, including me. M.

Prep: 1 hour Cook: 1 hour Bake: 2 & 1/2 hours
Oven: 300 degrees Makes: 10 - 12 side-dish serving; 4 - 6 servings as a main dish

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound dry navy beans or dry Great Northern beans (about 2 & 1/3 cups)
• 1/4 pound bacon or salt pork, cut up
• 1 cup chopped onion (1 large)
• 1/2 cup molasses or maple syrup (I used molasses)
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Rinse beans. In a large Dutch oven combine beans and 8 cups water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. (Or, place beans in water in Dutch oven. Cover and let soak in a cool place for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.)
2. Drain and rinse beans. Return beans to Dutch oven. Stir in 8 cups fresh water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 1 to 1 & 1/2 hours or until beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Drain beans, reserving liquid.
3. In a 2 & 1/2-quart casserole combine the beans, bacon and onion. Stir in 1 cup of the reserved bean liquid, the molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt and pepper.
4. Bake, covered, in a 300 degree oven about 2 & 1/2 hours or to desired consistency, stirring occasionally. If necessary, add additional reserved bean liquid.

Old-Fashioned Baked Beans (Printable)

Oatmeal Cookies

My mom has a recipe book from...let us say the 1970's...with many pages, more than half falling out.  The recipes are typed on white paper, you must know the one.  One day - must have been years ago - I was going through this book and found a recipe for oatmeal cookies.  Hope you enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup softened butter
• 3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 3 cup oats
• 1 cup chocolate chips or raisins

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Cream butter, sugars, egg, water, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
3. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda and cinnamon.  Add to creamed mixture and mix.
4. Stir in oats and chocolate chips.
5. Drop by tbsp-full onto a greased cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes.

Oatmeal Cookies (printable)

BBQ Chicken Pizza

I played around with the pizza dough recipe and made it even easier to make.  Check out the changed recipe.

My philosophy for pizza is that you should put on whatever you like.  Just be creative!  So my attempt at BBQ chicken pizza is as follows:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pizza dough recipe
• 1 (7.5 fl. oz.) can of pizza sauce
• 2/3 cup BBQ sauce
• 1 red pepper - chopped
• 1 chicken breast - chopped and cooked
• shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 500F.
2. Cut the dough in half and roll out onto floured surface.  Best not to roll too thin, try for 1/4 inch.  If you have a pizza stone then roll the dough out on the counter and transfer the dough to your pizza paddle before the next few steps.  If you do not have a pizza stone then roll the pizza out onto a floured baking sheet.
3. Spread 1/2 the can of pizza sauce and 1/3 cup of BBQ sauce.
4. Place half the red pepper and half of the chicken on top of the sauce.
5. Spread your desired amount of cheese.
6. Bake in the oven for about 5 -7 minutes, until golden brown.

BBQ Chicken Pizza (printable)

Pork Chops with Peach Glaze

An excellent dish, perfect for the BBQ.  We came across this dish through the good old Google search which pointed us to a Williams-Sonoma site.

INGREDIENTS:

• pork chops
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• peach glaze (see below)

FOR THE GLAZE:

• 3/4 cup peach jam
• 6 tbsp bourbon whiskey
• 4 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce (or tabasco)

DIRECTIONS:

1. To make the glaze, combine the jam, whiskey, vinegar, and salt in a saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5 - 8 minutes so the glaze can thicken.
3. Thinly spread olive oil on both sides of pork chops, sprinkle slat and pepper.
4. Spread some of the peach glaze on both sides of the pork chops.
5. Grill the chops, brushing on additional glaze while cooking.

Pork Chops with Peach Glaze (printable)

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

This is one of my favourite dishes, the one I always ask for on my birthday.  The recipe came from my mom who was given the dish as a "welcome to the neighbourhood" when my parents bought their first house before any of us kids came along.

FOR THE MEATBALLS:

• 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 2 eggs
• salt, pepper, and onion to taste

FOR THE SAUCE: 

• 4 tbsp soya sauce
• 6 tbsp vinegar
• 1 cup catsup
• 6 level tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 cups water
• 2 cans pineapple chunks with liquid

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix ground beef, bread crumbs, eggs, and seasoning together.  Roll into meatballs and place in a deep baking dish.
3. Bake the meatballs in the oven for 30 minutes (or until cooked), flipping them once.
4. While the meatballs are cooking, in a dutch oven pot bring to a boil the ingredients for the sauce.  Be careful as the sauce has a low boiling point and burns easily.
5. Add cooked meatballs.  Stir occasionally until the sauce thickens.
6. Best served over rice.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs (printable)

Classic Risotto

I came home from work one day and my husband was making this. Absolutely delicious and a great change from regular rice dishes.  We have adapted the recipe from recipetips.com to our liking and the dish is perfect for two people.  Adjust the ingredients to fit your family.

 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 2.5 cups chicken stock
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3-4 green onions, chopped
• 1 cup cup Italian rice like arborio (don't use lower starch rice like long-grain)
• 3/4 cup white wine

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat up chicken stock in a pot over medium heat.  Once the stock is heated, place heat to lowest setting.
2. In a large saucepan or frying pan, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat.
3. Add the onions and just sweat the onions.  Do not overcook the onions or make them go brown.
4. Add the rice to the frying pan and stir with a wooden spoon to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.  Cook for about 2 minutes, the rice should become translucent.
5. Add the white wine and stir until the the liquid is absorbed.
6. Add 1/2 cup of stock to the rice and continue to stir while heating the rice over medium heat.  Once the liquid is almost absorbed, add more stock and continue until the rice is cooked to your taste.  If the stock is all gone, use water.  You don't have to use all the stock either.  This should take about 25 minutes.
7. Reduce the heat to low and add 1 tbsp of butter to the rice until melted in.
8. Allow the risotto to sit for 2 minutes prior to serving.

Classic Risotto (printable)

Cheesy Beef Pasta Bake

A delicious pasta bake for those lasagna lovers without all the hassle of making lasagna.  This recipe has been adapted from Canada Living October 2010 issue for Beef and Mozzarella Baked Rotini.

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 medium chopped white onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 can (680 mL) of your favourite off the shelf pasta sauce
• 1 can (10 oz) can of tomato soup (we like Campbell's Fiesta Tomato or Tomato with Basil & Oregano)
• 1 pkg (375 g) whole wheat rotini or large pasta shells
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic.   Add the beef.  Cook until there is no more pink in the beef.  Drain the excess fat. Add the pasta sauce, soup and 1 soup can of water.  Simmer over medium heat until sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. While beef is cooking, cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than package instructions as the pasta will be cooking in the oven. Toss pasta with meat sauce, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, and 2 tbsp parmesan cheese. Spread into a greased 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.  Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes at 350F or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Cheesy Beef Pasta Bake (printable)