The Best Baby Back Ribs

I LOVE good ribs.

And they are in sale this week,

April 24 - 30, 2024

This recipe is easy, because it's all done in the oven.

Give it a try.

Ingredients

1 rack of pork baby back ribs.

Dry rub (you can use whatever spices you like, but definitely don't leave out the brown sugar)

4 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/4-1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1/2 tablespoon or less of cayenne pepper (unless you

like it HOT)

1-2 tablespoons chili powder

mix it all up.

Preparation

Prep the ribs:  On the back of the ribs will be a very thin but very tough membrane that you must remove. You can't really see it well, but trust me that it's there. I usually use a knife to pry up a corner of the membrane, then I just pull it down the entire length of the ribs. A paper towel may help to grab and hold on to the membrane.  Sometimes it tears and you have to try a few times, but you definitely don't want to skip this step. 

Once the membrane is removed, put the dry rub all over the ribs (both sides) and rub it in. The meat will take on some of the colors in the dry rub and look a little reddish.

Wrap the ribs in some heavy duty tin foil and let them hang out in the fridge till you're ready to cook them.

Cook the ribs: At 250 degrees, place the ribs wrapped securely in tin foil onto a cookie sheet (sometimes juice/fat can escape the tin foil) and place them in the oven. cook for 2 hours. After 2 hours, pull them out and open the tin foil to take a look. At this point you can add a little apple juice on top of them, but that's not really necessary. Re-wrap them, and put them back in for another 1/2 hour. Pull them out again and open the tin foil completely.

At this point you can brush some BBQ sauce on them, or leave them the way they are. Crank up the heat to 350 and put the ribs back in the oven with the tin foil open. After half an hour, they're done! You can always do this last part on a BBQ, but watch the ribs and make sure they don't burn from the sugar.

Parmesan Ranch Baked Chicken

I LOVE simple.  This is pretty simple.  ~Shelly

Tender, juicy chicken is topped with Ranch dressing, buttery crackers, and savory Parmesan cheese. This is a baked chicken dish your entire family will be begging for!

A subtle Ranch flavor takes a backseat, letting the Parmesan be the star.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
• 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers (about 24 crackers)
• 4 ounces Parmesan Cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
• 2 tablespoons Ranch Dressing
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt

Instructions

1. In a seal-able plastic bag, gently pound chicken until it's uniform in thickness. Slice breasts in half, if desired.
2. In a food processor, pulse together crackers, shredded Parmesan and dried parsley. (alternatively, you could crush the crackers by hand and stir together with the cheese and parsley.
3. Spray a 9"x13" pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Place chicken in the pan and sprinkle with garlic salt.
4. Brush chicken evenly with Ranch dressing, then sprinkle cracker mixture on top. Press the cracker mixture into the chicken lightly with your hands.
5. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Tops should be golden brown. If additional browning time is needed, place chicken under the broiler for a couple minutes.
6. Serve hot.

Serves 6

This recipe found on Yellow Bliss Road

http://www.yellowblissroad.com/parmesan-ranch-baked-chicken/

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

When I was growing up, this was my father's favorite cake.  So mother made it often.
I haven't had it lately, so maybe it's time to make it again.  How about you?   ~Shelly

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

9 slices pineapple in juice (from 20-oz can), drained

9 maraschino cherries without stems, if desired

1 1/3 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup shortening

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

Steps

Heat oven to 350°F. In 9-inch square pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter. Arrange pineapple slices over brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice.

In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.

Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Serve warm. Store cake loosely covered.

************************

Considered a classic American cake, pineapple-upside down cake first appeared when canned pineapple become available. But the method of creating a lusciously caramel-like topping for a cake, pastries (like caramel rolls), or bread has a long baking history.

Update this cake by using sliced fresh pineapple, peaches, apples or pear with fresh chopped herbs or dried spices added to the brown sugar and butter mixture.

Keep the ratio of butter and brown sugar fairly low, enough to create the rich syrup in the pan, but not so much that the flavor of the fruit is lost.

Skip the brightly colored cherries and replace them with candied or crystallized ginger pieces or a cluster of blueberries or cranberries.

The cake needs to be turned out of the pan shortly after it’s removed from the oven or the fruit will stick. Be armed with hot pads and a cake plate or board. Allow the fruit to stop bubbling, then place the plate on top of the pan. Carefully lift up the pan, holding the plate firmly in place, and invert the pan. Let it stand for a few minutes before lifting the pan off.

Chicken Thighs - Oven Baked

 

2 pounds chicken thighs
3 teas salt or to taste
1 teas Black Pepper or to taste

Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon whole grain Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 F degrees.

Place the chicken thighs in a bowl and season them generously with salt and pepper.

Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl.

Pour the over sauce over the thighs and toss them well.

Transfer the chicken thighs to a 9×13 inch baking dish including any remaining sauce. No need to grease the dish.

Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake for about 35 minutes or until the chicken thighs have an internal temperature of 165 F degrees and skin is crispy.

Transfer the chicken to a serving plate, cover with aluminum foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

NOTES

1. Boneless skinless chicken thighs can also be used, but they will bake fast, they should only require 20 to 25 minutes in the oven.
2. The honey mustard glaze is completely optional. For a simpler chicken thigh recipe, simply season the thighs with salt and pepper, drizzle a couple tbsp of olive oil in the baking dish and bake as instructed.
3. When stored or wrapped well, this oven baked chicken is going to last in the fridge for up to 3 days. I recommend freezing it to extend its shelf life. When stored in a sealed airtight container, the chicken will last in the freezer for 4 – 6 months.
4. 
   

This recipe comes from

JoCooks.com

See more information here.

Authentic Philly Cheese Steak

 

4 - 6 servings

1 1/2 pounds Harter House Philly Steak Meat (top round steak )

1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion

4-6 bell peppers, any color

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt, pepper

1/4 pound sharp provolone cheese, thinly sliced  (Or Provolone Cheez Whiz)

4 to 6 soft hero rolls or hoagie rolls

Step 1 - Purchase Harter House ready sliced Philly Steak Meat 

On sale this week.

OR   

Tightly roll the eye round steak into a torpedo or log shape. Wrap tightly in plastic. Place log in freezer for 45 minutes to firm the beef into a tight but not frozen texture.   Remove plastic, and working quickly, use an electric knife to slice the beef into paper-thin strips, almost shaving the beef. If this does not work well, use a sharp knife and cut the beef into the thinnest slices possible, then flatten the slices using a meat tenderizer. Refrigerate slices until ready to cook.

Step 2

Peel and halve onion. Slice into paper-thin half moon pieces. Halve the peppers, remove and discard seeds, and then slice into thick wedges.

Step 3

Warm 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add onions and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until caramelized and softened, stirring frequently. Do not allow them to brown. Transfer onions to bowl; add pepper to same skillet, still over low heat. Cook peppers 10 to 15 minutes, until soft and tender, flipping often. Transfer to bowl with onions. Season onion-pepper mixture to taste. Cover bowl to keep warm.

Step 4

In a clean skillet, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Cook the beef in 2 batches, until lightly browned and cooked through, stirring often. Add olive oil if necessary.

Step 5

To serve: Pile beef strips, peppers and onions and cheese slices inside a hero roll.

Snickerdoodle Cookie

 

Ingredients

1 cup Unsalted Butter (softened)
1 ½ cups Sugar

2 large Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla
2 ¾ cup Flour
1 ½ teaspoon Cream of Tartar
½ teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt

Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture:

¼ cup Sugar
1 ½ Tablespoons Cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy.  Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the eggs and vanilla. Cream for 1-2 minutes longer. 
• Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt, just until combined. 
• In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon. 
• If time allows, wrap the dough and let refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.  Roll into small balls until round and smooth.  Drop into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and coat well. Using a spoon, coat for a second time, ensuring the cookie balls are completely covered.  *To make flatter snickerdoodles, press down in the center of the ball before placing in the oven. This helps to keep them from puffing up in the middle. *
• Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes.  Let cool for several minutes on baking sheet before removing from the pan.  

This recipe comes from ModernHoney.com

5 Stars (4.96) from 372 votes

Beef Tenderloin Crostini with Whipped Goat Cheese and Pesto

This is one of my favorite appetizers to serve my guests.

Ingredients

½ baguette, cut into ¼-inch slices (you should have about 25 slices)

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

5 cloves garlic, divided

2 8-ounce pieces beef tenderloin

Salt

Fresh ground pepper

1/3 cup pesto of your choice

For the Whipped Goat Cheese:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 ounces goat cheese, softened

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Start with the crostini. Arrange the baguette slices on a large baking sheet. Lightly brush both sides of the bread with olive oil (you’ll need about 2 tablespoons of oil for this) and sprinkle with a little salt. Place bread under the broiler for 1-2 minutes on each side until lightly brown.
2. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and fresh ground pepper.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the steaks and cook for about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. When you turn the steaks (after the first 4 minutes), smash 4 garlic cloves in their skins and add them to the skillet. Periodically use a spoon to baste the steaks with the oil/juices in the pan. Remove the steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before thinly slicing them against the grain.
4. While the steaks are resting, make the whipped goat cheese.  Place all the ingredients in a bowl and beat with a hand mixer until fluffy and smooth.
5. Assemble the crostini! Spread each toasted baguette slice with whipped goat cheese. Top with a slice of steak and a small dollop of pesto. Serve immediately.

Preparing your Beef Tenderloin Crostini with Whipped Goat Cheese and Pesto:

Start with the crostini. Arrange the baguette slices on a large baking sheet. Lightly brush both sides of the bread with olive oil (you’ll need about 2 tablespoons of oil for this) and sprinkle with a little salt.

Place bread under the broiler for 1-2 minutes on each side until lightly brown. Please pay attention while you do this, peeps, it is scarily easy to burn crostini.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the steaks and cook for about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. When you turn the steaks (after the first 4 minutes), smash 4 garlic cloves in their skins and add them to the skillet. Periodically use a spoon to baste the steaks with the oil/juices in the pan.

Remove the steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before thinly slicing them against the grain. (Please don’t skip the resting step!!! You need to let all the beef’s glorious juices redistribute.)

While the steaks are resting, get going on the whipped goat cheese.  Place all the ingredients in a bowl and beat with a hand mixer until fluffy and smooth.

To assemble your crostini: Spread each toasted baguette slice with whipped goat cheese. Top with a slice of steak and a small dollop of pesto. 

My guests are going to enjoy this appetizer.

This recipe was revised just a bit from this website.

http://domesticate-me.com/beef-tenderloin-crostini-whipped-goat-cheese-pesto/#/