A close up of some meat with green onions

Comfort food heavenly enough for a church social 


By Paula Dream (AKA Kale Haygood)

Hello again, everyone! Hoping everyone has a good and safe Easter holiday.   

In my family, it was just understood that we would be in church almost every Sunday. However, it was even more understood that we would travel to my grandmother’s house to go to her little country church up in East Texas, so she could show off her grandkids to all her little old lady friends. We would absorb all the kisses from the little old ladies we didn’t know, while also absorbing all the smells of lavender, lilac and, sometimes, Ben Gay. And I don’t mean “been gay!â€Â Â 

One little couple of the little old ladies reminded me of the Baldwin sisters from The Waltons television series. I think that’s how I learned about “the recipe.â€â€¯But the highlight of that visit was the after-church lunch my grandmother had been preparing for days. Oh my, so much good food. 

With spring here and summer coming, we think of barbeque. Let’s start with some ribs. We have to have some dessert to go with those yummy ribs, right? I can’t remember where I got the second recipe, but it is definitely not a low-calorie dessert! 

Have you ever found out at the last moment that family and friends are coming over and you feel like you have to have a little snack for them, or you are asked to bring something to a party? Our last recipe is every homemaker’s answer. 

SO GOOD SOY-HONEY RIBS 
2 good-sized slabs of ribs 
1 tablespoon kosher salt 
2 teaspoons ground black pepper 
1/2 cup honey 
2 tablespoons soy sauce 
2 tablespoons Asian chili-garlic sauce  
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 
2 tablespoons butter 
1 teaspoon dry mustard 
1 teaspoon ground ginger 

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse the ribs and pat them dry with a paper towel — a very important step. Remove the thin membrane on the back of ribs as best you can (this makes them more tender). Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper, then wrap each rack of ribs tightly in foil. Place in a baking dish or on a cookie sheet and bake for about two hours, until tender. 

Bring honey and next six ingredients to a boil in a saucepan over high heat, stirring now and then. Reduce heat to medium low and allow to simmer for five minutes until liquid is reduced by about one-half. Remove ribs from oven and increase oven heat to broil. Carefully remove ribs from foil and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush each slab with three tablespoons of honey mixture. Broil for about five minutes until browned and sticky, Remove from oven and brush ribs with remaining mixture. 

VERY CHERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE
1 16-to-16-1/2 ounce package refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough 
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened 
2/3 cup sugar 
1 egg 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
2 21-ounce cans cherry fruit filling (divided) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat deep-dish 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. Press cookie dough evenly into bottom of dish. Bake for 12 minutes, and then allow to cool completely. Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla in a large mixing bowl ‘til smooth. Stir in one can of fruit filling, then pour mixture into cooled pie crust. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes until filling is set and slightly browned. Refrigerate, and then top with the remaining can of fruit. 

EASY, MEATY BACON CHEESEBURGER DIP
8-to-10 ounces ground beef or sausage 
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 
1 cup mayonnaise 
1/2 cup sour cream 
1 cup chopped Roma tomato 
4 pieces crispy bacon, crumbled 
1/3 cup red onion, chopped 
salt and pepper, to taste 
pickle chips (optional) 

Brown the meat and then drain. Break into small pieces. Season with a little salt and pepper. Leaving meat in skillet, reduce the heat to low-medium, and then stir in cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Cook, stirring frequently until cheese is melted. Spread evenly in a shallow two-quart baking dish, topping with tomato, onion, bacon and pickle chips. Serve with chips or assorted crackers for dipping. 

Paula Dream, AKA Kale Haygood, owns Beyond Service, a Montrose-based, home-cooking catering company. For more information, call 713-805-4106 or email [email protected]. 

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