Easy-Peasy Ribs

Jeff is in the top right corner walking in

Welcome Home!

Jeff's been home from Iraq for about 10 days...we're slowly getting into the family rhythm again.  For those of you who aren't military spouses, it's kind of a hard period to explain...  it's like you're on vacation, but not really.  You're so glad that he's home and you want to spend all of your time together, but don't want to suffocate him.  It's a honeymoon period, but not really.  You want to go back to the way things were last year before the deployment began, but all 3 of us have grown and changed in 12 months.  I'm not in charge of the remote anymore (which is fine with me) and I have to share my stuff again.  But I wouldn't change it for anything.  It's a time of adjustments, assimilation and re-figuring of roles.  It's also a time of growth, change and adjustment. 

A Welcome Home Hug

Two Happy Boys!

With all the excitement of Jeff being home, life is starting speed up again...my some-what lazy summer is fading away quickly and the busy-craziness is about to begin again.  Jeff is back to work, JP started 3rd grade on Monday and school starts for me next week.  I will be insanely busy again teaching 2 classes, taking 2 classes, studying for my preliminary exams and writing my dissertation proposal.  But I will have Jeff around as my biggest cheerleader. 

And I have crock pot recipes like Easy-Peasy Ribs that will make my life just a little bit easier!

Easy-Peasy Ribs in the Crock Pot

1 rack of baby back ribs
2 T. liquid smoke

1 c. ketchup
1 T. molasses
1 T. brown sugar
1/4 t. liquid smoke
1 T. BBQ spice mix (Penzey's makes a few nice BBQ mixes...I like BBQ of the Americas)

Prepare the ribs by removing the thin membrane on the back (bone) side of the rack of ribs.  Cut the ribs into 3 or 4 pieces.  Each piece should contain 3-4 ribs.  Place the ribs in a crock pot that has been sprayed by cooking spray.  Pour the liquid smoke in the bottom of the crock pot.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  

Mix the ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, liquid smoke and BBQ spice mix together.  Remove the ribs and drain the liquid.  Place the ribs back into the crock pot 1 piece at a time.  Slather each piece with the prepared BBQ sauce.  Continue until all of the ribs are sauced and in the crock pot.  Continue to cook the ribs on high for 30-60 minutes more to "bake" on the sauce.  Remove and enjoy!

You may want to double the BBQ sauce if you like your ribs saucy.  Also, instead of placing the sauced ribs back into the crock pot, you can place the ribs on a heated grill, brush on the sauce and cook for 10-15 minutes.