This past weekend my father came up to help T (finally) build his backyard fence. Daddy, T, and J worked their literal hineys off for nearly 3 days in 90°+ weather. As “fence building support”, I kept the pitchers of sweet tea a-comin’, and the words of praise (“what’s takin’ ya’ll so long?”) frequent. (I also mixed concrete and filled post holes, but who’s bragging?)
As a reward and thank you for their hard work, I planned a “Working Mans Feast” for Saturday night: baby back pork ribs, corn-on-the-cob, green beans, and a frozen lemony dessert. Everything turned out FABULOUSLY (if I do say so myself.) (Well, except for the “fake meat” I was going to make for the vegetarian in the group… that’s a story for another time.) Everything else was absolutely delicious!
Although the fence didn’t quite get finished, it was close enough that the d-o-g-s are no longer living in the kitchen(!!) (T’s kitchen that is… or was), and are now enjoying life on the “outside.”
8 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar (divided)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (divided)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 racks baby back pork ribs
1 cups water (divided)
Combine rosemary, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, and cayenne pepper. Mince garlic, add 1 teaspoon of salt to it & mash with the side of a chef knife (or mash with mortar and pestle). Add garlic to mixture with 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; mix. Rub marinade evenly over ribs and transfer to a storage container. Marinate in refrigerator for 8-24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Arrange the ribs in a large roasting pan & pour a 1/2 cup water into the bottom. Cover tightly with foil & roast the ribs until the meat is very tender, about 1 3/4 hours (or until a knife slides right through the meat).
Remove from oven and transfer to a platter. Add 1/2 cup of water to the pan (if necessary) and use a spoon to scrape up all of the brown bits. Strain liquid into a measuring cup and skim off the fat. Transfer to a skillet or sauce pan and add a 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and gently simmer until reduced to about 1 cup, about 15 minutes.
Heat the grill on medium. Brush glaze over both sides of the ribs and grill and turn occasionally until grill marks appear (about 6 minutes). (Be careful, the glaze is very flammable!) Brush ribs with more glaze and serve. Serves 4-5.
Mmm, mmm. Finger lickin’ good!
Recipe Source: theparsleythief.com
I’ve always been one to say “if it ain’t chocolate, it ain’t dessert!”, but I think I’m going to eat my words. This may just be my new favourite dessert.
Frozen Lemon Custard Cake
1 1/4 cup crushed graham crackers, divided
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 eggs, separated
1 lemon (juice and zest)
½ cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
4 tablespoons sugar, divided
Combine 1 cup of the crushed graham crackers with the melted butter, stirring until a crumbly loose mixture forms. Line the bottom of an 8×8-inch pan with the mixture.
In a double boiler (or a bowl set over hot (not boiling) water) mix egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest, and sugar. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and set mixture aside for about 10 minutes, or until it cools. Beat egg whites until light and fluffy. Gradually add 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue to beat until glossy, stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, beat whipped cream until fluffy, gradually adding remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Gently fold (don’t “mix”) lemon mixture, eggs whites and whipped cream together. Spread the mixture in the pan over graham cracker crust. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of crushed crackers. Place in freezer for at least 3 hours (over night is even better).
To serve, remove from freezer, cut into squares, and plate. Allow squares to thaw for about 2 minutes, then serve.
I promise (!) this is the best lemon dessert you will ever taste. The perfect cool and refreshing treat for a warm summer night.
Recipe Source: vintagevictuals.com
Watch a video of T digging himself a hole!
Part I
Part II
Looks good! A fence is on my Honey Do List too! Ugh, thanks for reminding me.