Awesome Ribs

I needed a good rib recipe for our Memorial Day barbeque. Yes, I've made ribs countless times on the grill - sometimes with rubs, sometimes with a homemade sauce. But I still hadn't found "the" rib recipe. I found this one on Recipezaar and I'd have to say it is a "keeper". This takes some work, or perhaps I need to say this takes a little time, but it is well worth the effort. Everyone at the barbeque thought my ribs were outstanding. They even put hubby into a "food coma" and he had to go to bed after our guests left. Ha! I know the truth - he didn't want to help clean up!! :)

Awesome Ribs

2 good quality rib racks (pork or beef - I used pork)

2 garlic cloves, just smashed

1 onion, quartered

2-3 stalks celery, broken in half

2-3 carrots, broken in half

1-2 t onion powder

1-2 t garlic powder

2 t liquid smoke

water or stock to cover

salt and pepper

1-2 T sugar (optional)

Clean and cut ribs in half (I cut into 3 rib sections). Put all ingredients to a large stock pot. I used a mixture of chicken stock and water to cover all the ingredients. Liquid should just cover the ribs and vegetables. Bring to a boil then reduce heat until just barely boiling (look for little "blips" in the water). Partially cover the pot and let cook for about one hour. Drain, discard vegetables and grill with your favorite sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays). Enjoy!

Burgers on the Barbie

No, this isn't a photo of hubby and me right after we got married!! LOL!! It's what I post when I didn't get a chance to take a photo of my culinary creation! Last night was our "official" kick off to the summer season. It has to start with burgers. Now until Labor Day I will make burgers on the barbie at least once a week (no, I'm not Australian either - I just like the alliteration!). This week I made Laura's Tasty Burgers from Real Mom Kitchen. They are so simple and so good - even my one picky eater son wolfed his down and wanted more!! We paired it up with Aunt Gert's Macaroni Salad (see previous post). If you want to see an awesome photo of this burger, just click on the Real Mom Kitchen link above. Otherwise, you'll have to enjoy my adorable photo which I've named "Woman with Pearl Earring Barbecuing for Caveman Husband"!! Enjoy!!

Laura's Tasty Burgers

1 lb ground beef **

1 T McCormick's Grill Mates hamburger seasoning (this stuff is going next to my salt shaker - it's that good!!)

garlic salt (I used Adobo seasoning)

Mix the ground beef and seasoning mix together in a bowl. Shape into 4 patties. Sprinkle patties with garlic salt (Adobo seasoning) and grill.

I made 5 burgers with 2 lbs of extra lean ground beef and used 1 1/2 T hamburger seasoning. Just an FYI! We're carnivores!!

Thanks Laura and keep up the great recipes!!

Aunt Gert's Macaroni Salad

Oh, my - this isn't your regular potluck macaroni salad!! It's sweet, it's tangy - it's really filling!! You can easily just make 1/2 of the recipe and have plenty!! But oh my, it is SO GOOD!! My photo doesn't do this recipe justice. I was in a hurry and didn't set the picture up well. You're just going to have to trust me on this one - it's a keeper!! :)

I was hanging out last week over at Real Mom Kitchen salivating over her recipes. I love her site - it's so pretty and the recipes are great. Well, she posted a few of her Memorial Day links, and I just happened to stumble on this one. Wow, she made my day!! Of course, it's a Paula recipe, so you know it's going to be good!

I'm normally not a macaroni salad person. I prefer a pasta salad, and one without mayo. But I wanted to make this one because the noodles were so pretty! Ha, how's that for a reason? I'm so glad I did. I made the full recipe, and ended up sharing a lot with neighbors. One called last night and asked for the recipe. That's when you know it's good! I'd trade one cousin Steve and one brother Tony for Paula's Aunt Gert!!

Aunt Gert's Macaroni Salad

2 (8 oz) jars mayonnaise

1 medium onion

1 cup diced celery

1 cup sugar

1 cup cold water

1/2 cup white vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (16 oz) box radiatore pasta, cooked and drained (can substitute rotini pasta)Optional garnishes: chopped hard boiled egg, chopped fresh parsley (or dried)

**Note** Unless you are cooking for a family reunion, it's fine to halve the recipe. The original makes A LOT!

In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, onion, celery, sugar, water, vinegar, and garlic. Add pasta, stirring to combine well. The mixture is really soupy, but thickens as it chills. Cover and chill overnight. I made this in the morning and chilled all day. I stirred the mixture every 2-3 hours to keep the pasta on top from drying out and mix in all the ingredients. Garnish with hard boiled egg and parsley, if desired.

South Georgia Caviar

Did I mention I LOVE Paula Deen? If not, you know now!! I think she's awesome in every way!! She's overcome so much and is such a gracious lady, what's not to love? Plus, she's the mom of two boys - I'm the mom of three boys, so I have a very special place in my heart for moms of boys!! Anyway, today I made her "South Georgia Caviar". I'm the member of a great new blog called My Girl Paula. I just joined, so next week will be my first post. We make recipes from Paula's books, etc. and then we all post them. I thought I'd jump the gun and show off my "caviar". It's a great alternative to salsa and it's really easy to make. You need to refrigerate it overnight (or about eight hours). If you are going to a cookout this weekend and need something fast to take, this would be a great recipe!!

I checked online and the recipe is printed on Paula's Food Network site, so I figured it was OK to post it here. It's also in her cookbook The Lady & Sons, Too!

Paula Deen's South Georgia Caviar

2 - 15 oz cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

1 - 15 oz can whole kernel corn, rinsed and drained

1 - 10 oz can Ro-Tel tomatoes

2 cups chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh jalapeno peppers (that's a little hot for us, I use about half which is maybe two peppers)

1/2 cup chopped onion

8 oz bottle Italian salad dressing (I use 1/2 a 16 oz bottle of Kraft Zesty Italian)

1 - 4 oz jar chopped pimentos, drained

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, stir gently to combine and refrigerate overnight (about 8 hours). Serve with corn chips. This recipe will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks (but it won't last that long - I eat it by the spoonful!!).

I hope everyone has a happy and safe Memorial Day Weekend - enjoy!!