Working Everyday Women

Texas Pork Ribs

2011-06-19T08:00:00.001-04:00

Ingredients

6 pounds pork spareribs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup salt
2 1/2 tablespoons ground black pepper
3 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons garlic powder
5 tablespoons pan drippings
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 cups ketchup
3 cups hot water
4 tablespoons brown sugar
cayenne pepper to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup wood chips, soaked

Directions

Clean the ribs, and trim away any excess fat. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, 1/4 cup salt, ground black pepper, paprika, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Coat ribs liberally with spice mix. Place the ribs in two 10x15 inch roasting pans, piling two racks of ribs per pan. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Bake uncovered for 3 to 4 hours, or until the ribs are tender and nearly fall apart.
Remove 5 tablespoons of drippings from the bottom of the roasting pans, and place in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion in pan drippings until lightly browned and tender. Stir in ketchup, and heat for 3 to 4 more minutes, stirring constantly. Next, mix in water and brown sugar, and season to taste with cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, adding water as necessary to achieve desired thickness.
Preheat grill for medium-low heat.
When ready to grill, add soaked wood chips to the coals or to the smoker box of a gas grill. Lightly oil grill grate. Place ribs on the grill two racks at a time so they are not crowded. Cook for 20 minutes, turning occasionally. Baste ribs with sauce during the last 10 minutes of grilling, so the sauce does not burn.

How to Save Big on Your Air Conditioning Bill

2011-06-18T08:00:00.003-04:00

The heat is on, and so is your air conditioner. To avoid running up a shocking energy bill here are a few tips.

Set your thermostat as high as you comfortably can. Putting it at 78 instead of 72 cuts your A/C bill by almost 50%
Close your fireplace damper, as well as the doors to any rooms you are not using.
Install foam gaskets behind light switch plates. This will help prevent cooled air from escaping into the walls
Put solar film over your skylight. It lets in light but keeps out excess heat.
Use floor and ceiling fans to promote better air circulation.
Close the drapes and blinds on the sunny side of your home.
Wash laundry and dishes late at night or early in the morning, when your home is cool. Use your outdoor grill instead of your stove.
Keep your air conditioner fiters clean. Dirty one force the unit to work harder and use more energy.

Birth Stories on Demand

2011-06-17T08:00:00.002-04:00

I love watching shows on TLC but sometimes never really get enough time to really sit and watch. I always have something else to do. I found a way to get my fix of one of my favourite shows "A Baby Story". I found a site called Birth Stories. It is a women reading stories over the air of different woman's birth stories. I love to hear about what others have gone through. As only being a step mom I really have not been through the experience yet myself, although it is great to have a partner that will guide me through it after already experiencing it once before. If you are not a mom yet or are and just want to listen to what other have gone through it is a great site. Summit your story or listen to others, they have it all on the show and then some.