This is a super easy recipe that does result in great tasting BBQ style ribs that the meat falls off the bones.

It is a two step process. The secret is that you first make a spice rub to massage into the meat, let sit for up to a day or two, then you can smoke them for a few hours and then finish them off in a low oven.

To prepare the meat you need to remove the membrane that is covering the bones, usually you will see it and it is easy once you are able to pull of the membrane of the first rib, use either a paper towel to grip the membrane or I use a pair of long nose or regular pliers to pull it off. Pulling off the membrane allows the spice rum to permeate into the meat better.

Take and make the rub, and generously rub it into both sides of the ribs, then cover with plastic or foil and put back into the fridge until ready to use.

If you have so aromatic wood chips like apple, mesquite or hickory soak the chips in water for at least 2 hours.

Make a small foil pan for which to hold the wood chips. If you are using a gas grill place the chips directly above the hottest burner, if you are using charcoal, start the coal and when there is a grey ash, separate into two spots, one for the wood chips and the other for the indirect heat.

Once the chips are smoking put the meat on the area without the heat underneath, let sit while the chips smoke for about one hour or until the smoke stops. The meat should almost be cooked but not all through. Then remove and place into a shallow pan or like a cookie sheet on top of some foil. Slather with some sauce, pour about 1 cup of Cola into the bottom of the foil and seal and place into the oven.
Let roast for about 1 to 2 hours, in 1 hour, carefully remove and open the foil and see how much meat has receded from the bone, and check for doneness.

That's it.


Stuff you will need.
One or two sides of ribs

Stuff for rub

2 Tsp Garlic Powder
2 Tsp Onion Powder
2 Tsp Celery Salt
1 TBS Paprika
1 TBS Dry Mustard
1 Tsp Cayenne pepper
2 TBS Brown Sugar
2 TBS Chile Powder
1 Tsp ground Pepper
1 Tsp Seasoning Salt


BBQ Sauce

1 1.2 C Ketchup
1/2 cup Molasses
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup cola
1/4 tsp liquid smoke

Easy turnovers

Now that WalMart in Morelia has frozen puff pastry sheets, you can whip up a fast impressive dessert in about 10 minutes of preparation. You can fill it with lots of stuff, this recipe uses some creamed cheese and a guava paste which is readily available. The combination of a savory salty taste with a sweet,not too sweet guava paste makes it an great combination.

To Start

Bring the pastry sheets to room temperature, dust your rolling surface with an ample amount of regular sugar, roll out to expand the sheet about 20 % more. The rolling will push the sugar into the dough which will add sweetness to the pastry.
Cut the dough into 4 equal squares.
Each square will be about 5 inches.
Prick on triangle half with a fork so it will not raise while cooking.
Use the egg wash and paint the two edges that will fold on itself.
Place the cheese and guava paste into the middle.
The fold over and seal the edges onto the egg wash. If not even you should be able to pull the dough and or press the cheese guava mixture down to center it.
Crimp the edges with the fork.
Place two small slits to allow the steam to escape on the top
Brush the top with the egg wash
Place on parchment paper on sheet, place into preheated oven set at 375. for 12 to 15 minutes until a nice golden brown color, remove, let cool and enjoy.
Optionally you could paint or drizzle some sugar glaze.

Stuff you will need.

Puff Pastry Sheets.
One Package Philadelphia cream cheese, cut into 8 equal pieces
Guava paste, cut into 1x2x1/2 inch pieces
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar


For Sugar glaze

1/3 cup confectioner's sugar
2 TBS milk
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

One Sheet will make 4 turnovers, 2 sheet pack makes 8. Above quanities are for 8 pieces.

Huevos Albañil

Serves 5-6 people

One of the things that I look forward to when we have guests is to go out for food! Yes, I enjoy cooking will will usually do about 50+ % of the cooking, but when we go out it gives our guests and visitors and exposure to the regions' food.
The Hotel El Camino in Santa Clara del Cobre, is one of my favorite places to have breakfast. Although expensive, by local standards it is pretty decent and worth the pesos.
When I find a dish that I like, I will usually keep ordering it, and this dish is easy and tasty.
I will show you how to make it both the easy and then the traditional way.

Huevos Albanil is basically scrambled eggs in a salsa. Albanil translates into a brick or stone mason.
So this must have been a recipe that was easy to do, or at least the salsa makes it look like that.

First the hard way.

Place tomatillos and onions , chilies,garlic into small sauce pan, cover with water about 3/4 of the way, bring to boil and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool.

Take the tomatillos , onion garlic and toss into a blender or food processor.
Split a Serrano chile and if you can stand the heat , chop fine with seeds and add to blender. If you can't stand the heat, carefully remove the seeds and membrane and toss in. ( Be sure and do not rub your eyes or any other sensitive parts of your body after doing this)

Process to homogenize, about one minutes, you want some rough chunks but not totally smooth.
For the last 15 seconds toss in the cilantro.

Remove from blender and put into skillet with about 2 TBS of vegetable oil and cook for 15 minutes or until mixture is reduced to a syrup consistency. Add salt and pepper and adjust seasoning.

Take the eggs and place into buttered skillet, scramble and cook until all set. Try not to over cook the eggs, since it will make them dry. Break into chunks about the size of 1/4 slices of bread. Take the salsa and cover the eggs and let warm up another minute or so.
Place into shallow soup bowl, swimming in the salsa and enjoy!
You can also add some grated cheese of your liking or I have added some red salsa as shown on the picture.

Things you will need:

.5 kilo of tomatillos, husks removed and washed, quartered.
1 small white onion , outer skin removed, quartered.
4 small cloves or garlic, skin removed, chopped fine.
2 Serrano Chiles, chopped fine. (remove seeds for heat control if you like)
2 Tbs vegetable oil.
8 to 10 eggs.
salt and pepper.
One large hand full of cilantro leaves, washed and chopped.


The Easy way.

One Jar Herdez green chile salsa.
cilantro
8-10 eggs.


Take the salsa and add about 1/2 cup of water to a saucepan, heat with contents of the jar.
Cook the eggs as above, chop the cilantro, top the cooked eggs with the heated prepared salsa, add the cilantro and serve.

Potato - Ginger white sauce

This sauce goes really well with the Salmon recipe (prior to this one)
It is pretty easy to make and can be used on stuff like the fish or vegetables.

Take the potato and cut into quarters and boil in water until tender. About 10 minutes at boiling.
Remove from heat, rinse in cold water and let drain and dry.

Meanwhile , back at the cutting board....

Take a piece of ginger and remove the skin, mince fine, in a small sauce pan, combine the shrimp stock, olive oil, ginger and 2 tbs mayonnaise. Bring to a low boil and let it simmer for a few minutes, add the cream ,whisk and let simmer 2 minutes more.

Remove from heat and blend with a stick blender until smooth. Taste and season with salt and white pepper.

Back at the cutting board, remove the skins from the potatoes, if you used white potatoes you could leave the skin on, but the presentation is better sans skin.
Cut the potato into 1/4 inch dice. Set aside until service.
Cut chives into tiny 1/8 inch pieces, set aside until service.

Just before the fish is ready ( If using the salmon recipe) put the pan back on the heat, toss in the potatoes and reheat to serving temperature, adjust seasoning one more time.

Plate the fish, put the sauce half on the fish and half off. Top with chopped chives and Serve!

* You may have to add a little more cream if the quantity of potatoes absorbed the liquid, to your desired constancy.


Stuff you will need:

1 Large potato to yield 1 cup fine diced potato.
Knob of fresh ginger..
1/2 cup shrimp stock or caldo de camarones.
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 - 1/3 cup cream
2 tbs mayonnaise
2 tbs chopped chives