Delectable Num-nums, New Year's RibFest 2012

The winning ribs from our family's cooking competition! In all fairness, every entry was a winner. My category was "Best Texture" but I also won the grand prize. (I got in good with the judges. That's where age and treachery have it over on youth and vitality every time!  ;)

Having a cook-off is great family fun time! If you have friends and family members who love to cook, enjoy a little friendly competition, and can find some reliable (or easily-bribed  [HA-HA!]) judges, go to it! That's a way of creating lasting memories while you enjoy some really great food! And what a way to bring in the New Year, setting the tone for laughter, good times, and delectable num-nums in the days that follow.

New Year's RibFest 2012 COOKS:

Patience and Josh, ready for the announcement that they would win

 for best sauce

Jessi with her prize for best taste, winning with help from Scott who is not shown

Ronda, center, capturing the moment

New Year's RibFest 2012 JUDGES: 

The judges sample each rib entry and use their predetermined criteria to determine winners.

Sharing their thoughts in secrecy adds to the fun.

In all seriousness they made their announcement, complete with prizes for the winning entries.

For a photo essay on the entire event, check out Jessi's Gluten Free World post of the 2012 Ribfest. Yes, cooking gluten- (as well as onion-and ginger-) free added to the challenge!

My recipe, adjusted from the Memphis-Style Ribs in Better Homes and Gardens' New Grilling Book, requires an overnight marination and four hours of slow cooking with added chunks of hickory for smoking. I modified this recipe from a dry rub to a wet marinade to add more moisture and sweetness to make it a cross between Memphis-style and Carolina-style, a taste I figured would please the judges. (I know the judges pretty well! They're my grandchildren!!!) After their announcement, our judges received hearty applause and a gratuity in appreciation for their hard work.

MODIFIED MEMPHIS-STYLE RIBS

7-8 pounds of pork loin back ribs or meaty ribs

10 T brown sugar

1 1/2 T paprika

1 T chili powder

1 1/2 T garlic powder

1 tsp ground black pepper

2 tsp ground red pepper

2 tsp salt

4 T ketchup

1 T apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup Southern Comfort 

Trim the fat from ribs. Place ribs in a shallow dish with a lid or a plastic bag that can be sealed. Mix all ingredients until flavors are well incorporated. Pour over meat. Turn to coat evenly. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours. At least one hour before placing on the grill, begin soaking hickory pieces in enough water to cover. 

In a smoker, arrange charcoal and have enough on hand to keep stoking the fire every thirty minutes. Place ribs bone-side down on a grill rack. Put the lid down and maintain a temperature of 200 degrees for four hours' cooking time. Don't baste. Check the ribs only a couple of times to reposition if necessary, trying to maintain constant heat. By the end of the four hours, the meat will be done and tender but not dried out. 

This is a spicy treatment for ribs, but the judges weren't scared off by the spice! They loved it and I think you will too! Consider using this recipe or check out Jessi's Gluten Free World for the other recipes used in the 2012 RibFest.

I challenge you to have you own cook-off! If you do, I want to hear about it!

    

Venison Stew, also works for beef and pork, for the crock pot

Step One:  Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan. Add seasonings to flour or cornmeal. Dredge the meat and then brown in the oil.
1 pound of meat, cut into 1" cubes
2 T. butter (or 1 if using beef or pork)
2 T. olive oil (or 1 if using beef or pork)
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch of pepper
dried thyme
flour or cornstarch for dredging

Step 2:  Place meat in the bottom of a crock pot. Add the following and turn hear to high. When hot, turn the heat to low and allow to simmer for 6 to 8 hours.
2 stalks of celery, cut into 3/4 " chunks
3 potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
3 carrots, cut into 3/4 " chunks
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper
3 cups water
You can also add chopped or pearl onions (they look so cute!) or minced garlic. Suit your tastebuds. I do it different ways depending on the people around the table.

Step 3: After all that simmering, add the following. Stir and heat through.
1 cup peas
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1 tsp. savory
1/2 tsp. ground thyme
1/2 tsp. of tarragon
additional salt and pepper to taste

Step 4: Add a thickening agent.
EITHER
Use 1 T. butter in a saute pan and lightly brown 1 T of flour in it, then add 1/2 cup of water and stir until smooth before stirring into the crock pot
OR
Dissolve 1 tsp. cornstarch into 1/2 cup water and stir into the crock pot.

Turn heat back on high for 10 minutes before serving.
Serving suggestion:  Fresh homebaked bread, fried mushrooms, a glass of cranberry juice. Earthy, full of flavor, and comfy!

Apple Maple Walnut Salad

1 large apple, cored and diced, not peeled
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2  cup dried cranberries
1/2  cup raisins
1/2  cup chopped celery
1/2  cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp. butter
1/4  cup maple syrup
salt

On low heat, melt the butter and stir in the maple syrup. Add the walnuts. Simmer for about 2 minutes while you chop the apple and celery. Sprinkle the apple with lemon juice.

Take the walnuts off the heat and allow to cool for 2 minutes. The syrup may thicken slightly. That's OK

Combine all the other ingredients into a bowl. Salt lightly. Add the walnut-syrup mix and stir to coat all ingredients. This is great alone or served with a chunk of cheese and crackers.

Plant a Zucchini and Feed the World

My husband says if you plant one zucchini you can feed the world. It's true that they're a pretty prolific plant and they're pretty easy to grow. But what if, like my husband, you think you don't like zucchini? Actually, they're pretty good in so many things as well as being good for you.

My favorite thing with zucchini is--now don't laugh until you try it--fried zucchini blossoms. Although not part of the typical American diet, wow! They should be! Fry them in butter after dredging them in an egg batter, lightly salted. 100% pure YUM!  Besides that, the blossoms are a great filler in cheese quesadillas and are often used as a diet staple in real Mexican homes. They're also a cooking ingredient in Italy and add a nice touch to baked pasta.  Zucchini, squash or pumpkin blossoms just don't fit with what we think of as Italian or Mexican food. I'm just saying give them a fair try!

The problem with mass marketing zucchini blossoms is that they are fragile. That makes the fun of growing and enjoying your own something pretty rare. When you gather them, and they will continue producing throughout our growing season, simply place the blossoms in a bowl of cold, salted water and allow them to crisp a bit. Then drain and cook. The blossoms of any variety of the squash or pumpkin families can be used.

With two to four plants, any blossoms that move on to produce fruit should provide plenty of fresh pickings for your other squash recipes. Remember that most squash varieties are versatile enough to be fried, used in an array of salads or baked into breads and cakes. The plants require little care but do best with plenty of rain or watering. Remember, plant a zucchini and feed the world!

Lasagna

This recipe fills two large baking dishes, enough for a crowd.

For the beef marinara:
2 pounds very lean ground beef
2 T. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp. sea salt
2 cups tomato sauce
1 quart of diced tomatoes
4 T. oregano
1 tsp. marjoram
1 cup water

Mix together the following ingredients for the cheese filling:
1 pound ricotta
4 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp.  dried savory
1/2 tsp. dried parsley

Noodles:
1 1/2  pounds lasagna noodles, cooked to just pliable

Sprinkle the tops with:
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
1 tsp. blended Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the olive oil gently brown the meat and crumble as it cooks. Add the garlic and salt and cook over low heat until garlic is tender. Add tomato sauce and oregano and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering being careful not to boil the sauce while you cook the lasagna and mix the cheese filling.

Oil the baking dishes, then layer the ingredients. Fill each dish to 1/2" from the top with added water. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.

Note: Because of dietary restrictions, I do not use onion or peppers in this recipe but love the flavor, texture and color they add. If you can use them, I suggest adding 1/2 finely chopped onion and 1 cup chopped green pepper, more or less to suit your taste,  when you add the garlic.

Irish Potato Salad

Chill for two hours after cooking before adding other ingredients (if you can wait):
4 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed, and steamed 15 minutes, and drained
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and whole

After cooling, chop the eggs. Add to well-drained potatoes. Then add the following ingredients and mix well:
1 cup chopped celery
3 tsp. mustard
1 tsp. dillweed, dried, or a little less if minced fresh
3/4 tsp. salt
4 T. mayonnaise
7 tsp. hot sauce

Spoon into serving bowl and top with:
2 green onion tops, chopped
2 T. bacon bits

Mixed Greens and Strawberry Salad with Maple-Walnut Vinaigrette

This recipe will make one large dinner salad or two to four side salads. For a dinner salad, consider adding diced grilled chicken or crumbled bacon and a boiled egg.

2 T. olive oil
1/2 cup walnuts
2 T. apple cider vinegar
2 T. maple syrup
3 cups mixed leafy greens or lettuce
1/2 avocado, cubed
6 strawberries, halved

Lightly brown walnuts in the olive oil over low hear. Remove walnuts and turn off the heat. Salt.
Whisk in the vinegar and maple syrup quickly. Spoon 1/3 of this dressing onto the serving platter. Then stir the walnuts into the remaining dressing just enough to coat them.
Arrange lettuce or mixed leafy greens onto the platter. Place the cubed avocado in the center. Then arrange the strawberry halves. Spoon the remaining maple-walnut vinaigrette over the salad.

Tomato Salsa, spicy but good enough to drink!

8 cups or more of tomatoes, Roma or a mix of different varieties, chopped
1 cup of cauliflower, finely chopped
1 cup of onions, chopped
1/2 cup of carrots, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
Several sprigs of fresh cilantro, snipped
3-4 green onion tops, snipped
4 hot peppers, about 3/4 cup, mixed jalapeno and chili, finely chopped
1/3 cup sugar
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
3 T. salt

Chop by hand if possible and mix together. Serve fresh with chips or on a Mexican salad. Use within two weeks. You can also make multiple batches and can. Roma tomatoes are meaty, less juicy than some, but other tomatoes may have the flavor you want.