Sweet and Sticky Oven-Barbecued Pork Back Ribs

Sunset, June, 2001 by Paula Freschet

Mary Lou Nuffer

Orange, California

These ribs have been served for the annual luau fellowship dinner of Mary Lou Nuffer's church for at least the last 30 years. She gives Evelyn Smith credit for the original recipe. Even though this is barbecue season, the ribs are easier to bake than grill because the sticky sauce is inclined to burn.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 1/2 hours, plus 2 hours to marinate MAKES: 5 or 6 servings

3/4 cup soy sauce

3/4 cup orange marmalade

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1/4 cup honey

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced or pressed

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves or crumbled dried rosemary

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 to 5 pounds pork back ribs, fat trimmed

1. In a bowl, mix soy sauce, orange marmalade, pineapple juice, honey, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, rosemary, and pepper.

2. Rinse ribs, pat dry, and place half in each of 2 plastic food bags (1-gal. size). Pour half the soy sauce mixture into each bag; seal bags, turn to coat ribs with marinade, and set in a large bowl. chill at least 2 hours or up to 1 day, turning occasionally

3. Line a rimmed pan (11 by 17 in. or 12 by 15 in.) with foil (the drippings char). Set a rack in pan. Lift ribs from marinade and arrange in a single layer, edges curving down, on rack. Pour marinade into a bowl.

4. Bake ribs in a 350[degrees] regular or convection oven, basting with marinade every 20 minutes for the first hour, until meat is well browned and pulls easily from bones, about 1 1/4 hours total. Transfer ribs to a platter and cut apart between bones.

Per serving; 716 cal., 54% (389 cal.) from fat; 38 g protein; 43 g fat (16 g sat.); 45 g carbo (0.2 g fiber); 2,219 mg sodium; 172 mg chol.

Black Bean--Mango Salsa

Tami J. Harmon, Yuma, Arizona

Tami Harmon first tried this salsa on her honeymoon in Hawaii. When she asked for the recipe, the restaurant presented it to her with best wishes. Serve the salsa with tortilla chips; spooned over grilled fish such as swordfish, sea bass, or halibut; or simply as a salad.

PREP TIME: About 15 minutes

MAKES: About 4 cups

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup diced firm-ripe mango

1 Roma tomato (about 1/4 lb.), rinsed, cored, and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup each diced orange and yellow bell pepper (or all 1 color)

1/4 cup finely diced onion

1 tablespoon minced fresh jalapeno chili

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar Salt and pepper

In a bowl, mix beans, mango, tomato, bell peppers, onion, jalapeno cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve, or cover and chill up to 1 day

Per 1/4 cup: 26 cal., 6.9% (1.8 cal.) from fat; 1.2 g protein; 0.2 g fat (0 g sat.); 5.3g carbo (1.1 g fiber); 44 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Primavera

A. Ferber, Denver

A vegetarian, A. Ferber finds it no challenge to create pasta dishes to suit her tastes. This is one that received rave reviews at a large family gathering.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 50 minutes

MAKES: 4 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 red bell pepper (about 1/2 lb.), rinsed, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch-wide strips

1 onion (1/2 lb.), peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick

2 Roma tomatoes (1/4 lb. each), rinsed and cut into quarters

1/2 pound green beans, rinsed, ends trimmed

6 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into quarters

1/2 cup dried tomatoes (5 oz. total), cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips

2 tablespoons pine nuts

9 ounces fresh linguine About 3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese Salt

1. In an 11- by 17-inch pan, mix oil with bell pepper, onion, and fresh tomatoes.

2. Bake in a 425[degrees] regular or convection oven for 15 minutes. Add beans and garlic, mix, and bake until tomatoes are soft and well browned around edges, 25 to 30 minutes longer.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, pour 1/2 cup boiling water over dried tomatoes. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.

4. Also, in an 8- to 10-inch frying pan over medium heat, shake pine nuts frequently until pale gold, 1 to 2 minutes; pour from pan.

5. When vegetables are almost done, bring about 3 quarts water to a boil in a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat.

6. When vegetables are done, add dried tomatoes and their soaking liquid to the pan. Stir to release browned bits in pan and keep mixture warm. At the same time, add the linguine to the boiling water and cook until pasta is barely tender to bite, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain pasta and pour into roasting pan; mix well, lifting with 2 forks. Add pine nuts and 1/2 cup cheese, mix, and spoon pasta into wide bowls. Add more cheese and salt to taste.

Per serving: 507 cal., 27% (135 cal.) from fat; 24 g protein; 15 g fat (4.4 g sat.); 72 g carbo (12 g fiber); 343 mg sodium; 58 mg chol.

Southwest Grilled Shrimp Salad

Margaret Pache, Mesa, Arizona

To complement the Southwest flavor orientation of this refreshing grilled shrimp salad, Margaret Pache suggests a garnish of chopped pecans. This may not sound regional, but in fact, pecan production flourishes in Arizona.