Chinese-Style Oven Baked Ribs

The other day when I was talking to my mother, she mentioned that she wanted to eat ribs. Just a little suggestion like that can make it my mission to make something!

I decided to make Chinese-Style Oven Baked Ribs. You can use this technique using a regular western-style rub and barbecue sauce too, or any other rub & sauce combination you like.

They're so simple to make--simpler than my Oven Baked Pork Ribs. They're not quite as soft as the Oven Baked Pork Ribs, but still tender. I used a package of pork loin back ribs that I purchased from Costco, about 7 lbs. There were 3 slabs of ribs in that package, enough to share with several people!

Chinese-Style Oven Baked Ribs

adapted from Better Homes and Gardens recipe

3 racks pork loin ribs, about 7 lbs.

1/2 cup Dijon-style mustard mixed with 1 tablespoon liquid smoke

Mix together to form rub:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon salt

Barbecue sauce:

3/4 cup hoisin sauce 2 tablespoons molasses

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Mix ingredients for the rub. Taste and adjust seasonings.

The day before you're going to cook the ribs, sprinkle under-side of ribs with the rub. Brush the meaty sides of the rib slabs with the Dijon-style mustard and liquid smoke mixture and sprinkle generously with the rub. Place into shallow roasting pan, bone sides down, cover with foil, and marinate overnight.

To cook, bring ribs to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Bake, covered for 1 hour. Carefully drain off fat.

In a small bowl, stir together hoisin sauce, molasses, soy sauce and rice vinegar. Brush mixture evenly over ribs starting with the bone sides. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour or until ribs are tender.

The ribs have a nice glaze.

I put the third rack of ribs in a separate pan, but you could put them on top of the other ones. Just watch them so the top one doesn't burn.

Use a sharp knife to cut the ribs apart so it doesn't look like you used a saw.

That's better!

This is the dish I took for my parents, it had some Spinach Cups in it too.

Itadakimasu!



***



I was sad to have missed my high school reunion and all-class picnic this year, but some of the girls that were still in town on Monday met for lunch at one of our favorite places from our youth, In-'N'-Out!

From the left: Coleene, Roselynn, me, Becky and Sally.

Here we were in high school.

And me, Becky and Sally in kindergarten!

Hope to see everyone next summer at the All-Class Picnic!


***

Chinese-Style Oven Baked Ribs

adapted from Better Homes and Gardens recipe

3 racks pork loin ribs, about 7 lbs.

1/2 cup Dijon-style mustard mixed with 1 tablespoon liquid smoke

Mix together to form rub:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon salt

Barbecue sauce:

3/4 cup hoisin sauce 2 tablespoons molasses

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Mix ingredients for the rub. Taste and adjust seasonings.

The day before you're going to cook the ribs, sprinkle under-side of ribs with the rub. Brush the meaty sides of the rib slabs with the Dijon-style mustard and liquid smoke mixture and sprinkle generously with the rub. Place into shallow roasting pan, bone sides down, cover with foil, and marinate overnight.

To cook, bring ribs to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Bake, covered for 1 hour. Carefully drain off fat.

In a small bowl, stir together hoisin sauce, molasses, soy sauce and rice vinegar. Brush mixture evenly over ribs starting with the bone sides. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour or until ribs are tender.

Sour Cream Apple Muffins

When I asked my friend Sue what I could make for the baby shower she was having to welcome her coming grandson, she said coffee cake muffins.

I'm not much of a baker, but thought I'd trust Ina Garten. I love watching her show The Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network.

Ina doesn't disappoint with her recipes--the muffins were delicious.

I think the glaze is optional. My husband doesn't think the glaze is needed--they're good without it--he prefers less sugar. I glazed these for the baby shower so they would look pretty.

Sour Cream Apple Coffee Cake Muffins

adapted from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 extra-large eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups sour cream

2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 apples, peeled, cored and diced

For the streusel:

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3/4 cup shopped pecans, optional

For the glaze:

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons real maple syrup or strong coffee

Cream the butter and sugar with a mixer until light, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in the diced apple until just combined.

Mix the ingredients for the streusel, then fill the cupcakes 1/3 full with batter.

 Sprinkle with a generous teaspoonful of streusel, then another small scoop of the batter until the cups are filled 3/4 full.

Then sprinkle again with streusel.

Bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Drizzle with icing if desired.

Itadakimasu!

***

This is my friend Sue and her family.

Payton's growing up. She's going to have a baby brother soon!

Margie and Natalie are getting ready for shower guests.

Sue out-did herself with all the little details!

This is the color scheme Jen chose for the baby's room, and also for the shower.

This family loves daschunds--they've got four among them.

Look at these cute charms made for the parfait glasses--so cute!

The cookie pops had little 'thank you' charms on them too!

Have you tried a Johan Pie?

They are delicious!

Natalie is in coral and Sadie is in black.

Sadie is part daschund--so that bumps the family count to five!

Thank you, Sue, for the fun baby shower. We are all excited for the arrival of your second grandchild this fall!

***

Sour Cream Apple Coffee Cake Muffins

adapted from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 extra-large eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups sour cream

2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 apples, peeled, cored and diced

For the streusel:

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3/4 cup shopped pecans, optional

For the glaze:

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons real maple syrup or strong coffee

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Set cup cake wrappers into tin for 24 cupcakes.

Cream the butter and sugar with a mixer until light, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in the diced apple until just combined.

Mix the ingredients for the streusel, then fill the cupcakes 1/3 full with batter.

Sprinkle with a generous teaspoonful of streusel, then another small scoop of the batter until the cups are filled 3/4 full. Then sprinkle again with streusel.

Bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.