Let's Try a New Recipe for the 4th!

When I was growing up, I remember the excitement of upcoming holidays. Usually, a few days before, my mom would pull out a big metal box that she kept her untried recipe clippings in and pick out a couple that sounded good and were appropriate for the holiday ahead. She would stick these to the fridge with a magnet along with her handwritten menu plan (as you can see, "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" here). I was always anxious to try the new recipe when the holiday arrived.

I was thinking of Mom and her pre-holiday ritual last night as I looked through my box of recipes for us to try for the 4th of July. I found three that sounded so good to me. One's for ribs, and you know that if you have ribs...you gotta have coleslaw. It's an unwritten "cook-out rule"! (My husband thinks there's a rule like this about mashed potatoes and corn.) And then, for the grand finale I found a great recipe for Fresh Berry Cobbler. I think that berry cobbler with vanilla ice cream should be the official summer dessert; I'd vote for it.

A quick "hello" to my sister, Becky, in Ohio who's getting ready for an Independence Day cookout with some of their friends. I talked with her briefly on the phone yesterday while she was at the grocery store getting the ingredients for baked beans. She's blessed with an assistant cook; when she plans to have people over she has Hayley (my niece) helping her cook everything and get the place ready. Happy holiday planning to all!

Slow Cooked Short Ribs
(Old Taste of Home Magazine)

2/3 C all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 to 4 1/2 lbs. boneless short ribs (beef)
1/4 to 1/3 C butter or margarine
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 C beef broth
3/4 C cider or red wine vinegar
3/4 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C chili sauce
1/3 C ketchup
1/3 C Worcestershire sauce
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp chili powder

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine flour, salt and pepper. Add ribs in batches and shake to coat. In a large skillet, brown ribs in butter. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker. In the same skillet, combine the remaining ingredients. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil; pour over ribs (slow cooker will be full). Cover and cook on Low for 8-10 hours or until meat is tender. Yield: 12-15 servings
-Pam Halfhill
Medina, Ohio


This slaw recipe is an old recipe from Mabel Inbody , a lady who was friends with my Aunt Lena and Mammam (they were twins and had many friends in common). If I remember correctly, Mrs. Inbody attended church with Aunt Lena.

Mabel Inbody's Coleslaw

1 head cabbage
2 carrots
1 onion
2 or 3 stalks celery
1 green pepper

Grind all vegetables and mix together.

Dressing:
2 tsp salt
1 tsp celery seed
3/4 C sugar
1/2 C salad oil
1/2 C vinegar

Boil on stove top and then pour over slaw. Will keep in the icebox for a week.


The clipping for the berry cobbler came from an old Southern Living Magazine from who-knows-when!

Fresh Berry Cobbler

1 C sugar, divided
1 1/2 TBSP cornstarch
6 C fresh berries (BLACKBERRIES, blueberries, raspberries)
1 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 C all-purpose flour
3/4 C self-rising yellow cornmeal mix
1/3 C butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 C milk

1. Combine 1/3 C sugar and 1 1/2 TBSP cornstarch in a small bowl. Combine berries, cornstarch mixture, and lemon rind in a large bowl until well-blended; Spoon berry mixture into a lightly greased 2-qt. baking dish.

2. Combine flour, cornmeal mix, and remaining 2/3 C sugar in a medium bowl. Stir in butter and milk until blended. Gently spread batter evenly over berry mixture.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 min. or until wooden pick inserted in middle comes out clean. Serve warm (with vanilla ice cream-my suggestion) 6-8 servings


I will be joining LifeasMom.com and SouthernFriedMama for their recipe swaps today.