Shopping, Blog Book, Glenda Larke

Today we plan to go to Costco’s which, round here, is also known as the $300 store as it is difficult to get away from there under that amount. We buy a lot of our meat there and find the quality to be excellent. We seem to have run very low on everything right now so we may find our bill to be up in that mark. One must eat though, right? I always enjoy grocery shopping although I confess clothes shopping leaves me cold. The thought of going to a store and trying on all kinds of garments brings shudders, and picking something out to try on in the first place is worse. I always preferred one dress shop I used to go to in the UK where the owner knew me and would bring me things she figured I would like. I still had to try them on but I was usually the only one in the shop.

I finally got round to making my latest blog book. I use SharedBook or Blog2Print. They collect up my blogs for 6 months (or as specified although 6 months of my blogging is the most they can do), I then pay them $7.95 and download the book. I have a number of them printed, but the last few I haven’t bothered. I do have them well backed up plus SharedBook keep them on their site too. However, I am so verbose, the printed versions take up a lot of room. Who knew I would ever write so much, I certainly didn’t.

I was delighted to see, on her blog, that Glenda Larke now has her very first book, Havenstar, reprinted and it is available in a hardcover version as well as electronically. This is a very popular book and Glenda herself says she wishes she knew why this book is so popular, much more so than here 9 subsequent novels all of which were fabulous stories, but I too am a devoted reader of Havenstar and have read it several times. If you have never read any books by Glenda and are into spec fic, you will really enjoy her stories. She has three trilogies out as well as Havenstar and another trilogy in the works with a working title of The Lascar’s Dagger. Glenda is a fantastic world builder and makes her characters so sympathetic and believable. Even some of her villains attract one’s sympathies. Many of her readers want her to write more novels set in the Havenstar world. If you check out her blog, you will find Glenda doesn’t stop at writing and leads a very interesting life.

This recipe has me drooling, but I will never cook it because Matt doesn’t like spareribs in the first place, and it is somewhat loaded with sugars in the second place making a serving 829 calories. However, it looks too good not to share.

Pork Spareribs with Maple Barbecue Sauce

Source: Cooking.com

Serves 6


These luscious ribs are well worth the time it takes to make them. Perfect for a Sunday supper. Try with the Maple Baked Beans as well as coleslaw and biscuits or cornbread.

INGREDIENTS
6 pounds pork spareribs (about 3 whole racks)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups tomato purée
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup soy sauce
Crushed dried red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

DIRECTIONS
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 400 degrees F. Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper. Wrap each rib rack tightly in heavy-duty foil; set on rimmed baking sheet. Bake ribs 45 minutes. Cool slightly. Unwrap; drain juices. Cut into individual ribs.
Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add tomato purée and next 3 ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 20 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

DO-AHEAD TIP: Ribs may be made 1 day ahead. Sauce may be made 1 week ahead. Cool ribs and sauce. Cover separately and refrigerate.
Line same baking sheet with foil. Dip ribs into sauce. Place ribs, meaty side up, on sheet. Roast 15 minutes. Dip into sauce again. Roast until meat is very tender, about 20 minutes.

Have a great day