OH. MY. RIBS.

(another keeper from "keeping up cookbook")

6-8 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs

2 cups ketchup

1/4 cup oil

1/3 cup liquid smoke

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 cup Pace Picante Sauce (I used Kirkland Organic Salsa)

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 cloves garlic, minced

Place ribs in a large roasting pan or two 9x13 pans. Mix sauce ingredients and pour half of the sauce over ribs. Cover pans tightly with foil and bake at 275 degrees for 6 hours. Remove ribs from drippings. Heat up other half of the sauce and serve over ribs.

Emily's note: This recipe fed my family of 5 eaters plus made enough to take dinner to another family of 5. We are big sauce people and wanted more for dipping in while we ate so next time I may 1 1/2 the sauce.

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DIVINE FRENCH TOAST WITH BUTTERMILK SYRUP

It was a breakfast for dinner night at our house. Which means I was tired and needed something fast and easy. It also means I wasn't expecting anything fabulous for my taste buds. Was I ever wrong. I found this syrup recipe (which has a great carmel flavor) in a new cookbook that I will share about later, and that combined with French Toast, bananas, and a little whipped cream and I was in heaven!

Buttermilk Syrup from "Keeping Up Cookbook":

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 Tbsp corn syrup or real maple syrup

3/4 cup buttermilk *make your own in a pinch by adding 1 Tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup milk, (whole is best but I've done it with 2%) and letting it sit 5 min*

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

In a large saucepan over med-high heat, bring butter, sugar, corn syrup, buttermilk and baking soda to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to turn golden brown (mixture will bubble up, so be sure to use a large pan) about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully stir in vanilla. Skim foam from surface and serve.

So, just make your regular old French Toast (I mix eggs, milk, pinch of cinnamon and vanilla and a sprinkle of store bought pancake mix, oh and I think using Texas Toast makes it so much French Toastier), slice some bananas on top, add some whipped cream, drizzle with syrup and viola, party in your mouth!

ETA: with the pancake mix that I add to my French Toast batter I just sprinkle as much as I want into the batter after mixing everything else and barely stir. You want it to be lumpy, I love the texture it adds.