Five Ferrell Thumbs Up on the Ribs!

So I put the Slow Cooker Dr. Pepper Ribs in the crockpot this morning around 9 o’clock.  I used the ribs I had purchased on sale yesterday at our local grocery store.  They looked pretty good except they were all frozen together in a great big block!  The ribs were cut into portions of 3 or 4 ribs together . . . and all of these portions were frozen together and I couldn’t get them to break apart! 

Dave suggested I take the box (closed of course) to the front concrete porch and throw the box down like a bag of ice to break the ribs apart.  Somewhat skeptical . . . I did as he suggested.  It worked!  It didn’t break all the ribs apart, but it broke enough off and separated for me to use for tonight’s meal.  Here’s the ribs at the start of the cooking process.  They were still frozen.

I seasoned them and poured 1 cup of Dr. Pepper over the ribs and left them to cook on low all day (8 hours).  Here’s what they looked like right before we took them up.

We took the ribs out and set them on a cookie sheet to pour the liquid out of the crockpot.    They were very fragile . . . the ribs kept breaking apart because they were so tender . . . and fall apart good.

The recipe said to brush BBQ sauce on the ribs and place them back in the crockpot for 1 hour to continue cooking.  (See the white crockpot . . . that’s my “baked” potatoes cooking)

Instead of putting the ribs back in the crockpot . . . Dave wanted me to put them on the grill and finish cooking them there and since I was cooking the ribs for Dave  . . . I did as he wished. 

Here are the ribs right before I took them up.

I cooked them on the grill at about 300 degrees for a few minutes on each side.  I had to use a spatula and tongs to turn them over because they were wanting to fall apart!

Dave loved them!  In fact, everyone loved them!  We give this recipe:

            5 thumbs up from the Ferrell boys and me!

Last night’s menu is also worth sharing.  We had grilled boneless pork chops, brown rice, and green bean “bundles”.

Shane helped me in the kitchen when I was making this meal.  He’s a big “helper”.

I used the Mesquite marinade on the pork chops.  I got one of the great guys in the meat department at the grocery to cut me some boneless pork chops about 3/4 to 1 inch thick.  I think pork chops do better on the grill when they’re a little thicker.  I let them marinate for about an hour in the refrigerator while I cooked the rice and green beans.

The brown rice recipe I use is in the local bank’s cookbook in the side dish section.  You need these ingredients:

You mix 1 cup of rice, the two soups, 1 tbsp of butter, and 1/4 cup of water together in a casserole dish.  Put a lid on the dish and cook it at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Mix and fluff the rice before serving.

My boys don’t like the little brown onions from the french onion soup in the rice . . . they pick them out!  Next time I make it, I’m going to blend the onions up so they won’t see them!

The green bean “bundles” are my lazy way to make them.  Here’s the ingredients:

You pour the 2 cans of green beans and juice into a casserole dish.  Lay the bacon across the top of the green beans and sprinkle with garlic powder and pepper.  I cut the bacon in half.

Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 1 hour.  I always make these green beans and the brown rice together since they both cook for an hour.  Sometimes I’m not lazy and I actually make the bean bundles, but this lazy way is really good too.  The bacon cooks and crisps on top and adds great flavor to the beans!

Right before the rice and beans were ready, I put the pork chops on the grill.  I cooked them at 300 degrees on the grill for several minutes on each side.  I turned them over 2 or 3 times and let them cook at least twice on each side of the pork chop.  I like to cook slowly on the grill so as not to burn the food.

The pork chops were really good.  The mesquite flavor made them so yummy!  The fat on the outside of the pork chops burned a little (see the black) but the pork chops weren’t burnt.  I went to check on them one time and opened the grill and . . . the fat on one of the pork chops was on fire!  Freaked me out a little.

But of course, while I’m grilling, I have a little “helper” in the kitchen which can be distracting . . .

“Look Mom . . . I’m in a box!”

It’s a wonder I didn’t burn all the pork chops!  “Look Mom . . . I’m running fast in the box!”

I am working on a little project I saw on pinterest.com, but I haven’t finished it yet.  When I get finished I’ll be posting it to show you.  I’m making it from some of the wood from the torn up piano . . . which by the way . . . is still on the front porch!

Don’t stress about the piano . . . we were told by professional piano tuners to chunk it.  Dave has been dismantling it since before Christmas . . . I just hope it’s gone by Easter !  Here are the pieces I’m trying to repurpose through my crafting projects. 

Dave thinks I’m nuts.  LOL!   

Well, I’ve got to go.  We’ve got school tomorrow and have to get up early after an easy . . . lazy . . . day at Ferrell Farm!

 So long . . . and sweet dreams from
                                            the Ferrell boys and me!