Rib Dry Rub and BBQ Sauce

Pork ribs

Friends of ours hold an annual rib cook off where we all compete for first place and bragging rights!  The dry rub and BBQ sauce that we came up with this year only got us 2nd place at the rib cook off, but 1st place at our family table.  They work perfectly for both pork and beef ribs - so if you are a lover of a traditional BBQ sauce flavour with your ribs, this is for you!!!

Beef ribs

RIB DRY RUB & BBQ SAUCE

Ingredients (Dry Rub)

3 tbsp Kosher salt

2 tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp packed, dark brown sugar

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp hot paprika

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion salt

2 tsp ground mustard

1tsp black pepper

Ingredients (BBQ Sauce)

3 tsp oil

1 finely diced cooking onion

2 finely diced garlic cloves

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp liquid smoke

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp blackstrap molasses

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 large racks of beef or pork ribs

BBQ sauce prior to pureeing

Pureed BBQ sauce - YUMMY!

• Pat ribs dry with paper towel.  Flip rack over so back side of the ribs is facing up.  Using a butter knife, gently ease the thin silverskin from the back of the bones.  Using a paper towel, grasp the silverskin and pull off of the bones and discard.  This will ensure your ribs are more tender and cook evenly.
• Combine all ingredients for the dry rub and rub the back, front and edges of the ribs thoroughly.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours (24 hours is recommended)
• Remove ribs from fridge and bring to room temperature. Tightly wrap ribs in foil and place in a 250F oven on a cookie sheet, for 2 to 3 hours (pork ribs), or 3 to 4 hours (beef ribs).
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil and saute the onions for the sauce over medium low heat until golden brown.  Add garlic and stirring constantly to prevent burning, saute for approximately 5 minutes longer.
• Add rest of ingredients, combine and simmer for 10 mins.  Let cool slightly and put into a blender.  Puree until smooth.
• After the ribs have cooked in the oven for the desired amount of time, open the foil and brush ribs all over with the BBQ sauce.
• Place on a BBQ grill over medium heat, or back into the oven.  As the sauce caramelizes, brush more on and remove from heat.  
• Let the rack rest for 10 mins before cutting into either one or two bone servings.  
• Serve with a side dish of the BBQ (in case anyone wants saucier ribs!!)
• ENJOY!

*I have found that stating the ribs in the oven and finishing on the grill provides not only the best flavour, but fall off the bone ribs!

Ensalada Grangero (Mexican Farmer's Salad)

Cinco de Mayo was this past Saturday and our friends, Michelle and Sean and their children, joined us in a veritable feast honouring our newly adopted homeland of Mexico!  We took our recipes from the Better Homes & Gardens "Mexican" magazine (on stands till July 2012) and were super impressed with the results!

This salad was made by Michelle and is delicious and beautiful in its simplicity.

ENSALADA GRANGERO

Ingredients:

3 ears of fresh sweet corn, husks and silks removed

1 1/2 lbs of fresh green beans, trimmed

3 cups grape tomatoes

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup snipped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup olive oil

3 fresh jalapeno chile peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped*

2 shallots, chopped

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tsp bottled minced roasted garlic

1/4 tsp salt

• In a Dutch oven, cook corn in a large amount of boiling water for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender.  Remove corn from Dutch oven, and set aside to cool.  Add beans to the boiling water in Dutch oven;  cook for 3 to 4 minutes or just until crisp-tender.  Drain beans in a colander; rinse with cold water and drain well.  Cut kernels from corn cobs.
• In a large bowl combine corn kernels, beans, tomatoes and onion.  Toss to combine.
• For dressing, in a food processor or blender, combine cilantro, oil, chile peppers, shallots, vinegar, garlic and salt.  Cover and process or blend until nearly smooth.  Drizzle dressing over vegetables; toss to coat.
• ENJOY!

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Although India's Naturopath said that she is MUCH better now, we have to slowly reintroduce the previously restricted foods into her diet.  Therefore, I am still creating foods that stick to her diet (and frankly do us all the world of good as they have no dairy, wheat, refined sugar...after all it is only a couple of weeks until we head down to Mexico and have to squeeze our winter bodies into bathing suits!!!)
 I found this recipe in the "Get It Ripe" vegan cookbook by Jae Steele and all of the family LOVED them!!!

APPLE CINNAMON MUFFINS

Ingredients:

2 cups spelt flour (or 1 brown rice & 1 quinoa like I used!)

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 medium apple, peeled & diced

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

3/4 cup raisins

1/3 cup non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

3 tbsp EVOO (or sunflower oil)

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• Preheat oven to 375F.  Prepare a 12 cup muffin tray with paper liners or a light coating of oil (I have silicone muffin trays so I didn't do either!)
• Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.  In a smaller bowl combine the raisins, apples, applesauce, milk, syrup, oil and vinegar (this will help rehydrate your raisins a little so they aren't so chewy)
• Add the liquids to the flour mixture and gently stir with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until just combined.*
• Portion the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 20 to 22 minutes until the tops are golden brown and domed and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• ENJOY!! 

*Ensure that you stir your batter gently as over-mixing can cause gluten to develop in the batter and your muffins won't rise as well.  Spelt has gluten but the amount is so minor that your body can process it much easier than if it were wheat flour!
**Make sure you remove the muffins from the tray 5 minutes after they've been removed from the oven - this will ensure that humidity doesn't build up in the bases of your muffins and cause them to become 'gluey'.
***You can also add flax or poppy seeds or chopped almonds or walnuts to the batter as well!!!

Homemade Chicken Tenders

I created this large serving dish of tenders from only
four chicken breasts - economical, easy and
ingredients you don't need a science degree to
pronounce or understand!

The kids had friends over last night for a playdate and some dinner - I thought that my homemade chicken tenders would be perfect for dinner...and judging by how quickly the kids gobbled them up, they were!  These are so simple that usually my 7 year-old son, Devon, makes these himself and I simply slice the chicken breasts and put them in the oven for him! 
We originally got this recipe from the Canadian Living television show "Best Recipes Ever" and the sauce that she suggested is also great - so I have included that also in case you want a change from plum sauce or ketchup in your household!!

HOMEMADE CHICKEN TENDERS

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced into 'fingers'

1 egg

1 tbsp cold water

1 cup dry bread crumbs

1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander or 1/2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp cajun seasoning

1/4 tsp onion salt

•  In shallow bowl, whisk egg with cold water. In another shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, coriander, Cajun seasoning and salt. Dip chicken strips into egg mixture, then into bread crumb mixture to coat all over.
• Arrange chicken on greased rimmed baking sheet. Bake in 400°F (200°C) oven until golden and no longer pink inside, about 15 minutes.

  PEANUT PEACH SAUCE

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup apple juice or cider

1/4 cup smooth peanut butter

 2 tbsp peach or aprict jam

 1 clove garlic, minced

1-1/2 tsp cider vinegar

 

• In microwaveable bowl, combine apple juice, peanut butter, apricot jam, garlic and vinegar; cover and microwave at Medium-High (70%) for 2 minutes or until blended and warm, stirring once.

• Serve warm with chicken strips for dipping.