Kooking with Karen

Karen showed me around the nearest antique mall the other day, and I found some really cool stuff. We thought it was a good idea to try on ugly old hats. It was entertaining for sure. Throughout the mall, she kept making mental lists and talking about the ingredients for the ribs she was gonna make that evening. It made me so hungry! So here's the recipe:

Ginger and Honey Baby Back Ribs

Recipe for yummy ribs by Susan Wilkes (aka. amazing chef!)

Karen McCall Kimble

Ginger and Honey Baby Back Ribs
The flavor of these ribs comes—not from wood smoke—but the explosively flavored seasoning indigenous to the region, like lemongrass, ginger, and fish sauce.
6 servings
Recipe by Steven Raichlen

Photograph by Hans Gissinger

July 2009
Ingredients
Ribs and marinade
2 2 1/4- to 2 1/2-pound meaty baby back pork ribs, cut into 6- to 7-rib sections
1/4 cup chopped peeled fresh ginger
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
Dipping sauce
6 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, divided
6 teaspoons ground white pepper, divided
3 large limes, halved
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Ingredient Tip:
Ask the butcher to remove the papery membrane from the underside of the ribs—it can be a little difficult to do.

Preparation
Ribs and marinade:
Place rib racks on work surface. Using small sharp knife, carefully pry papery membrane off underside of each rib section (use caution—it will be slippery). Place ribs on large rimmed baking sheet.
Combine ginger, garlic, sugar, 1 tablespoon coarse salt, and black pepper in processor and puree to blend well. Add honey, soy sauce, and fish sauce and process until blended. Spread spiced marinade on both sides of ribs (about 2 tablespoons marinade per side for each rib section). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead; baste ribs occasionally with accumulated marinade on baking sheet. Keep chilled.
Dipping sauce:
Place each of 6 very small bowls on each of 6 small plates. Place 1 teaspoon coarse salt and 1 teaspoon ground white pepper in neat mounds side by side in each bowl, then place 1 lime half on plate next to each bowl.
Spray grill rack with nonstick spray. Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Spoon any juices from baking sheet with ribs over ribs before grilling. Place rib racks, rounded (meaty) side down, on grill rack. Grill ribs, uncovered, 8 minutes per side, then cover barbecue and grill until ribs are cooked through, about 8 minutes longer per side.
Transfer ribs to cutting board. Cut between bones into individual ribs. Transfer ribs to platter. Before serving, allow each diner to squeeze juice from lime into bowl with coarse salt and white pepper and stir until mixed, then dip ribs into sauce.

Installations/deliveries make for goofy days

Mallory and Artimus provide a great distraction to the constant flow of traffic through the new house.

Here's Mallory "guarding" the front yard.

Packing and moving creates tension and stress simply from lack of sleep and striving to stay organized. However, we've all done it before, and so at least I knew what I was getting into. Add a new puppy and housetraining and socialization on top of that, and I had stepped into a new world of sleep and shower deprivation.

We completed the move, and I think I've covered all the change of addresses; all the utilities are switched over to our name.

So, now I'm in the phase of installations and deliveries. I am officially in over my head. I have trouble scheduling then occasionally the companies we've hired have not been able to complete their jobs on time, so it rolls over to other days with other scheduling mishaps destined to occur.

I think it may have quit raining, so we can at least put an end to the poop garden we have in the backyard; Mallory hates her crate less and less each day, so we might be turning the corner. The four-legged kids are beginning to cooperate with feeding times and pooping times, and they certainly have adjusted very well to all the extra space.

Thanks to everyone who has visited so far! Karen brought me lunch the day after we moved...thank goodness or I may have forgotten to eat. Wait, me? No way, I wouldn't have forgotten, but I would have ended up eating beans right out of the can just to avoid cooking or finding a spoon. Thanks for the Shandry's, Karen!! She also brought Mallory's sister, Fenway, to check the place out. Their favorite game was wrestling on the bed. Too cute! Thanks to Danell and Mom for being so supportive. Danell brought some great housewarming gifts from Pier One! Mom helped out with the kids, and brought a big tub of prunes from Costco. Linda stopped by this morning to bring me Starbucks and some very sinful breakfast yummies. Linda, thanks for taking time out from your unbelievably busy work schedule to come see the house. You made me feel very special.

Every day has been wildly different, so I'm excited to get back into a routine, which I imagine will be around Thanksgiving, and then who has holidays that are "routine." Oh well, it's been fun. We will have our main furniture delivered in about 12 days, so the house will feel more like home very, very soon.

We moved!

Thank you to the love of my life for providing us with such a beautiful home. I love you Tom!
7132 Mesilla Lane, FTW, TX 76131...Whew!

No bones

Mallory seems to be made of rubber right now.It takes so much effort to raise her head.
She doesn't seem to have a bone in her body; or maybe no muscle; it's all mush.
Really cute and cuddly mush. I'm so glad Artimus and Gollum can't read my blog. They are still my number one boys!!

Italian Greyhounds and Rottweilers

Opposites should attract, right? Since we've introduced Mallory to Artimus and Gollum, we've learned this principle does not apply to breeds of dog.
It's been a slow and very careful introductory phase between the old boys and the big puppy. She could easily hurt them by trying to play; she doesn't understand why they don't like her. Artimus and Gollum need to feel important. We aren't replacing them; we are just adding to our pack. Once they don't feel threatened physically or emotionally, I hope the barriers begin to crumble. I suspect her crafty ways are beginning to work.
The boys try their best to ignore her, but it can't last forever.

October storm clouds by Karen

We've had so much rain lately; these pictures were taken by Karen right before the rain set in.

Jack and Luke were taken advantage of the "calm before the storm."

Great pics Karen!

Bath time

I have given Mallory three baths so far; the first was immediately after we brought her home.
The last two have been with her brothers. Artimus behaves very well as always. Before Mallory, Gollum was a child from HELL. He would use his raptor speed and eagle talons to make bath time truly terrible. Since Mallory has joined us, Gollum's behavior changed from complete insubordination to mildly irritating. I'll figure this out someday, but for right now, I'm content to just enjoy the change.