Barbecued Ribs

These ribs are really moist and tender and the flavours are perfect.  I'm one of those people who keeps trying different recipes until I find one that closely matches what I think it should taste like.  From there, I make some modifications to suit my own tastes.  I use my own homemade barbecue sauce to finish these ribs off, but you can use your favorite store bought brand.

Ingredients

5 lbs. pork back ribs (3 racks)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Homemade Barbecue Sauce or your favorite bottled sauce

Method

Trim any visible fat from ribs.  Place ribs in a large shallow pan.  

In a small dish, stir together all dry ingredients for the rub.  Rub over the ribs.  Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or for up to 24 hours.  

Heat one burner of your barbecue to medium, it doesn't matter if it's a two or three burner.  Place ribs on greased grill over the UNLIT burner(s).  Close lid and cook for 50 minutes, keeping the temperature at 250 to 300 degrees F.  Turn and cook for another 50 minutes or until tender and the bones are visible at the ends.  

Brush ribs generously with barbecue sauce.  Cook, turning once and basting often, for 20 minutes or until crisp on both sides.  Remove from grill. Cut into serving portions.  

Makes 6 to 8 servings.  

Family Friendly Cod Fillets

I hate to admit I'm not much of a fish lover.  I don't like fishy tasting fish.  I was pleasantly surprised that I really enjoyed these lightly breaded cod loins.  I serve them with a homemade tartar sauce that's hard to beat.  

Ingredients

6 large cod fillets ( about 5 oz / 142 g each)

2/3 cup buttermilk

grated zest of 1 lemon

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

1 1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning Mix

Pam cooking spray

Method

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.  

Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels.  Whisk together buttermilk and lemon zest in a shallow baking dish.  Add cod and turn to coat both sides with mixture.  Let stand for 10 minutes.  

In a shallow pan, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley and Mrs. Dash seasoning mix.  

Working with one piece at a time, remove cod from buttermilk mixture and shake off excess liquid.  Coat both sides of the fish.  Place fish on prepared pan.  Repeat until all fish has been breaded.  Lightly spray the top of the fish with cooking spray (or drizzle with a bit of melted butter).

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork.  Cooking time depends of the thickness of the fish.  Serve with tartar sauce.  

Tartar Sauce 

1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing (Miracle Whip)

1 tablespoon minced fresh dill, or 1 teaspoon dried

1 tablespoon sweet green relish

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use.  

Makes 6 servings.  

Barbecued Teriyaki Chicken

I've been making this chicken for my family for more than 20 years.  Everyone in the family always likes this meal.  You can use bone-in or boneless chicken or salmon if you prefer.  The chicken takes longer to marinade, about 4 hours, but the salmon takes only about an hour.  

Ingredients

6 chicken breasts, bone-in or boneless

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Method

Put chicken breasts in a large zip-style storage bag, laying flat.  Mix soy sauce, brown sugar, canola oil, ginger and garlic powder together well.  Pour the mixture into the storage bag making sure it coats the chicken.  Refrigerate for 4 hours, flipping several times to ensure an even coating of marinade.  

Preheat barbecue to medium and grill the chicken (boneless 10 minutes per side, bone-in about 12 minutes per side) until cooked through. 

If you're using salmon, cook about 10 minutes per 1 inch of thickness.  Turn and baste with sauce often.  

Serves 6.

Dilly Meatballs

I have been making these meatballs for my family for more than 25 years.  They were always a favorite with my children.  I never had to worry they weren't going to eat their dinner when I served these meatballs.  Now that they are grown up, they make these meatballs for their own families. They loved them equally as well with a sweet and sour sauce.  I will include that variation as well.  

These meatballs are very moist and flavorful. You can make the meatballs and serve them with whatever sauce you may chose.  I've used them in spaghetti and meatballs, simply warming up my favorite vegetable based tomato sauce and letting the meatballs simmer in the sauce, while the pasta is cooking.   They are just as tasty the following day as leftovers.  Make sure you use lean ground beef and nothing leaner or the meatballs will be dry and not as flavorful.

Meatball Ingredients

2 eggs

1 cup dry bread crumbs

1/4 cup dry minced onion flakes

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 lbs. lean ground beef 

Meatballs Method

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Shape in about 40 meatballs, about 1 1/2" around.  Don't handle the meatballs too much or they will become tough.  Bake on a large baking sheet (with sides) in a 375 degree F. oven for 20 to 25 minutes.  

Dill Sauce Ingredients

10 oz. / 284 ml can of condensed cream of mushroom soup

3/4 cup sour cream (regular or light)

2 teaspoons beef bouillon powder

1 teaspoon dill weed

Dill Sauce Method

Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan.  Heat through.  Put the meatballs into a serving dish and pour sauce over top.  Toss slightly to coat.  

Variation - Sweet and Sour Sauce

2 1/2 cups brown sugar
14 oz. / 398 ml can of pineapple chunks (save the juice) 
1 1/4 cups water & pineapple juice (drained from the tin)
2/3 cup vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water

Drain the pineapple juice into 2-cup measuring cup.  Add water to make up 1 1/2 cups of liquid.  In a large saucepan, mix sugar, the pineapple juice mixture, vinegar and soy sauce. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally until it boils.

Mix cornstarch with remaining water.  Stir into sauce until it boils and thickens.  Add the pineapple and meatballs.  Simmer to heat through.  

Serves 6.