Barbecued Spareribs

BBQ Spareribs are so good!! You can add all the sauce to the ribs, or save some for dipping later. Slow cooking them in the oven for 8 hours or so will give you ribs that are tender and falling off the bone.

The BBQ sauce gives them a great flavor and is so easy to prepare. 

Ingredients

3 lb. spareribs
Salt and pepper
2 Tbs. butter
1 onion, chopped
1/2 c. celery, finely chopped (Optional)
2 Tbs. butter
1 (20 oz.) bottle ketchup
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. water
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 Tbs. cider vinegar
4 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. mustard
2 to 3 tsp. liquid smoke (to taste)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed

Directions

Preheat oven to 195° to 200°. 

Cut spareribs into pieces for serving. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I also sprinkle some onion powder and garlic powder over the meat as well. Place in baking dish and cover with a lid or aluminum foil.

Bake until the meat is tender and almost falling off the bone. At this temperature, they can cook low and slow for 8 hours.

In a medium saucepan or skillet, melt the butter. Add the onion and celery. Sauté them for about 3 minutes.

Add ketchup, salt, water, garlic powder, onion powder, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, liquid smoke, and brown sugar. Cook slowly for 20 minutes over low heat. 

About 30 minutes before serving, remove the spareribs from the oven and drain off the grease. Pour the BBQ sauce over the browned spareribs. Continue baking in the oven until done. Serve with baked beans, and coleslaw for a delicious meal.

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 Hamburger Meat Buns

This is a versatile recipe that you can make and eat on the go or take on a picnic. One time I had some cabbage in my refrigerator that had to be used up before it spoiled. My kids hate cabbage, but I didn't want to waste it ! So I chopped it up in small pieces and added it to the mixture. They had no idea about my addition of cabbage to the dish. They ate the buns stuffed with hamburger and said they were the best ever.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 1/2 c. chopped cabbage
1/2 Tbs. cumin
1/2 Tbs. chili powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese or Pepper Jack Cheese (optional)
Frozen bread dough, thawed or homemade bread dough

Directions

Cook hamburger with onions and cabbage until the hamburger is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender. Drain off excess grease. Add cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder and mix in to combine.

Stir in cream cheese and mix well. Mix in the shredded cheese and set aside.

Divide the bread dough into 12 pieces. Place on a lightly floured counter top or cutting board and roll each piece into a 5-in. circle. Top each with about 1/4 cup filling. Fold dough over filling to meet in the center; pinch edges to seal.

Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Brush a little olive oil over the top of each bun to keep them from drying out. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

**We brush some butter over the tops of the hot buns when they come out of the oven. This makes them super yummy!

Oven Baked Chicken With Mushrooms

 This chicken with mushroom recipe is one of our favorites to make. It doesn't take a lot of time to prepare, either. It is perfect for people who work and then come home to prepare supper.  The chicken breasts stay juicy, and baking them instead of frying them in oil gives you a healthy alternative.

Ingredients

6 chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. paprika
1 (6 oz.) can mushrooms, drained
1 Tbs. butter
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

 Preheat oven to 350°.  Lightly spray a baking dish with cooking spray.

Season the chicken with salt, pepper and paprika.  Place in the baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.

In a skillet, melt the butter over medium low heat.  Add the onions and garlic. Stirring frequently, sauté for about 4 to 5 minutes until they are tender and browned.  

Pour in the chicken stock and add the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper as needed.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, so the vegetables don't burn. Remove from heat and pour over the chicken.

Bake for another 12 to 15 minutes, or until chicken tests done with an internal temperature of 165°.

Sprinkle the top with cheese and bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. 

Serve with mashed potatoes, or broccoli or any vegetable of your choice.

Garlic Pork Chops With Gravy

Pork chops are economical and they make a quick, easy, and delicious meal. These pork chops are juicy and succulent and loaded with garlic. Serve with mashed potatoes, or rice for a perfect comfort food supper.

Ingredients

4 pork chops
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbs. oil
2 Tbs. butter, divided
1 head of garlic, minced
1 Tbs. flour
1/2 c. chicken stock
3/4 c. heavy whipping cream, evaporated milk, or whole milk

Directions

Season the pork chops with salt and pepper to taste, paprika and garlic powder.

In a heavy cast iron skillet heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter.  Sear the pork chops until they are lightly browned on both sides. The length of time to cook the pork chops depends on their thickness. For thin pork chops, cook for 3 to 5 minutes on each side.  For thicker pork chops, cook about 5 minutes on each side.

Remove the pork chops, placing them on a plate while you prepare the gravy. 

Add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. when the butter is melted, add the garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat until the garlic is browned. 

Stir in the flour.  cook and stir for about 1 minute to remove the flour taste. 

Stirring constantly, pour in the chicken stock. Cook and stir until thickened. 

Pour in the cream, (or evaporated milk or whole milk) Cook and stir until combined. Add the pork chops into the skillet. continue to cook for another 4 to 5 minutes or until the pork chops are done. They should have an internal temperature of 145°.  Remember to stir the sauce occasionally and turn the pork chops over.

Taste the gravy and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve with mashed potatoes of rice.

 

 

Garlic Honey Baked Chicken With Rice

We make Garlic Honey Baked Chicken With Rice often at our house. It is an easy dish to prepare and very economical on the budget as well. The tender chicken is sweet and savory with a garlic and honey baste, served over flavorful rice.  

Ingredients

6 chicken thighs or chicken fryer pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. garlic powder
1/3 c. butter or margarine, melted
4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 c. honey
1 1/2 Tbs. vinegar
2 Tbs. mustard
1 Tbs. Olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 sweet pepper, diced
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. rice
1 c. peas (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. 

Season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place chicken pieces in a baking dish.

In a small bowl, mix together, butter, garlic cloves, honey, vinegar and mustard. Pour over chicken thighs. 

Cover and bake for 45 minutes, basting every 15 minutes. Turn the chicken over to make sure both sides get a coating of the sauce. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes, or until chicken is done or tests done at 165°.

During the last 30 minutes of the chicken baking time, begin cooking the rice.

In a medium saucepan or pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and sweet pepper.  Sauté until the onion and sweet pepper are starting to wilt. It takes about 2 minutes. 

Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice and cook according to package directions. Remove from heat and fluff the rice with a fork. Add the peas and heat until the peas are heated through. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve the garlic honey chicken over the top of the rice.

You can also make extra sauce to serve along with the chicken.

 Beef Vegetable Soup

This is a recipe from my childhood. I will admit, I never liked vegetable soup when I was a kid. However, after a while, I found that it was good when I put the vegetables on a cracker and ate it that way.

Now that I am grown up, I find that this is a fantastic tasting soup on its own, without the crackers. My mom would always use beef roast meat cut into cubes. She did not buy stew meat because that was always more expensive than just a regular roast. Beef stew meat is still expensive, and I don’t mind cutting up the roast myself.

The recipe calls for simmering for 1 hour, but I have found that if you put a lid on the pot and simmer for most of the day, you will get a much better tasting soup. It gives the flavors a chance to marry and the meat to become tender.

Ingredients

2 lbs. hamburger or beef roast meat
1 large onion chopped
3 c. tomatoes, diced
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 c. cubed potatoes
1/2 c. diced celery
1 sweet pepper, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. rice
Pepper to taste
1 or 2 bay leaves (Optional)
8 c. water

Directions

Brown hamburger or cut up beef roast, onions and sweet pepper together in a cast iron skillet. Season with salt, and pepper. You can also use garlic and onion powder as well.

In a large sauce pot, combine tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, celery, salt, rice, pepper and water. Begin heating while the hamburger or roast cooks.

When the meat is done, drain off excess grease. Add the hamburger, or roast, onions and sweet peppers to the pot of vegetables.

Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 1 hour. You can also make this in a crock-pot.

Serve with bread or crackers. Remove the bay leaves as these are not edible.

 Layer Date Bars

Dates are so good and they are healthy for you as well.  They are rich in protein, vitamins, and iron. They strengthen your nervous system, lowers cholesterol, improves bone health, promotes digestion and improves your skin.  Of course, eat them in moderation and sometimes that is hard to do. 

My grandfather used to buy me dates to eat as a treat and I really enjoyed eating them. I never knew they were good for me. I just knew they tasted delicious.  We still eat dates for a snack, but we also make this wonderful, tasty Layer Date Bars.

Ingredients

1/2 c. shortening
1 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 3/4 c. quick cooking oatmeal
1 lb. dates, pitted and cut
1 c. sugar
1 c. water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.

In a large sauce pan, cook the dates, sugar and water until it is the consistency of jam. Set aside to cool a bit.

Thoroughly cream shortening and sugar till light and fluffy.

Add salt, soda, flour, and oatmeal. Mix until crumbly. Pat half of the mixture in prepared pan. Do not pack it down hard or the layer will be hard.

Spread the date filling over the crumbly mixture in the pan.

Sprinkle the remaining half of the crumbly mixture over the dates. Again, only pat the top layer down so it is evenly spread over the top. 

Bake for 30 minutes.

Makes about 20 bars.