I would wager that this duo of shower desserts in any social situation would satisfy nearly all sweet tooths (teeth?). For fun, I included red velvet cupcakes, too, always a hit, but truthfully not as much a crowd pleaser as the lemon bars and brownies. And what could be easier? Nothing. Tis the season for showers ... food for thought for keeping it simple. // alexandracooks.com - 1

Last week, for about point five seconds, I entertained the idea of making petits fours for a baby shower. I’m so glad I came to my senses. In fact I’m so glad I tossed out all of my grand ideas: stork-shaped frosted cookies, a baby-buggy cake, mini baby brownie pops.

Instead, I made one batch of my favorite brownie recipe and one batch of lemon bars, a recipe I have been making for years.

What can I say, with a dessert platter filled with these super lemony and fudgy brownie bites, nobody missed the precious pastelly pastries previously prancing around my head. I would wager in fact that this duo of desserts in any social situation would satisfy nearly all sweet tooths (teeth?).

For fun, I made some Red Velvet Cupcakes , too, always a hit, but truthfully not as much a crowd pleaser as the lemon bars and brownies. And what could be easier? Nothing. Tis the season for showers … food for thought for keeping it simple.

Lemons - 2 lemon bar evolution - 3 Brownies - 4 Red Velvets - 5 work space - 6

  • ½ lb. (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature

  • 2/3 cup ( 80 g ) powdered sugar

  • 2 cups ( 256 g ) all-purpose flour

  • pinch salt

  • 2 cups ( 400 g ) sugar

  • 4 eggs

  • 7 tablespoons lemon juice

  • ¼ cup lemon zest

  • 1 tsp . baking powder

  • ¼ cup ( 32 g ) all-purpose flour

  • pinch salt

  • powdered sugar for dusting

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
  2. Beat butter till fluffy. Beat in the powdered sugar. Beat in the flour one cup at a time. Add a pinch of salt. Press the dough into the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch pan. Bake crust till golden, about 20 to 25 minutes.
  3. Beat sugar with eggs until blended. Add lemon juice and zest, baking powder, flour and salt, and beat until blended. Pour filling over hot crust. Bake until the filling is set in center and begins to brown on top, about 20 minutes.
  4. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes

  • Cook Time: 45 minutes

  • Category: Dessert

  • Method: Oven

  • Cuisine: American

  • ½ lb. (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature

  • 2/3 cup ( 80 g ) powdered sugar

  • 2 cups ( 256 g ) all-purpose flour

  • pinch salt

  • 2 cups ( 400 g ) sugar

  • 4 eggs

  • 7 tablespoons lemon juice

  • ¼ cup lemon zest

  • 1 tsp . baking powder

  • ¼ cup ( 32 g ) all-purpose flour

  • pinch salt

  • powdered sugar for dusting

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
  2. Beat butter till fluffy. Beat in the powdered sugar. Beat in the flour one cup at a time. Add a pinch of salt. Press the dough into the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch pan. Bake crust till golden, about 20 to 25 minutes.
  3. Beat sugar with eggs until blended. Add lemon juice and zest, baking powder, flour and salt, and beat until blended. Pour filling over hot crust. Bake until the filling is set in center and begins to brown on top, about 20 minutes.
  4. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2010/03/26/shower-desserts-lemon-bars-brownies/

This amazing baby back ribs recipe takes five minutes to prepare, but what emerges from the oven — a juice-filled package of falling-off-the-bone ribs, perfectly crisped on the exterior — tastes like a day’s work toiling over a coal-filled bbq pit. Sweet. Smokey. Salty. Delicious. These might just be the best ribs you ever make!

Cooked ribs lying in tin foil just out of the oven - 7

The best ribs you’ve ever made? Let me qualify that. These are the only ones I know how to make, which make them the best I’ve ever made. That said, this recipe takes five minutes to prepare. Yes, that’s correct. Five minutes. But what emerges from the oven — a juice-filled package of falling-off-the-bone baby back ribs, perfectly crisped on the exterior — tastes like a day’s worth of work toiling over a coal-filled bbq pit.

Sweet. Smokey. Salty. Delicious. If these aren’t the best ribs you’ve ever prepared, they’ll be damn close.

Where did I discover such an easy and delicious recipe? Where else. My mother, of course, who learned the recipe from niece-in-law, a proud Southerner who knows her barbecue.

My mother made these ribs for my meat-deprived husband and me when she was visiting last month. I’ve since made them several times for friends and family. If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing recipe, this is it. Serve it with this buttermilk cornbread and a simple salad .

PS: Favorite Roast Chicken and Pan-Seared New York Strip with Balsamic-Caper Sauce

How to Make Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs

First, gather your ingredients: salt, pepper, brown sugar, and smoked paprika. Yep, that’s right: this rub requires only four ingredients.

Overhead of 4 spices on wooden surface - 8

Rip two pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil large enough to enclose the ribs, and lay them on top of one another. Set one rack of ribs on top. Season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Spread the brown sugar over top, and spread it over the rack, packing it down. Enclose the foil tightly. Repeat with any other rib racks.

Overhead views of preparing the ribs: uncooked, with spices, and wrapped in tinfoil - 9

Transfer the foil-closed racks to a sheet pan. Place in the oven at 275ºF for 2.5 hours. Remove pan from the oven and do not open the foil for one more hour.

Full rack of oven-cooked baby back ribs in foil on wooden surface - 10

If you wish, run the ribs under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.

Overhead close-up of baby back ribs in tinfoil - 11

Find the Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe here.

Overhead view of cornbread ingredients - 12 Buttermilk Cornbread baked in spring-form pan sitting on wooden surface - 13

Description

This amazing baby back ribs recipe takes five minutes to prepare, but what emerges from the oven — a juice-filled package of falling-off-the-bone baby back ribs, perfectly crisped on the exterior — tastes like a day’s work toiling over a coal-filled bbq pit. Sweet. Smokey. Salty. Delicious. If these aren’t the best ribs you’ve ever prepared, they’re damn good ribs at the very least.

If you’re looking for the cornbread recipe, here it is: Buttermilk Cornbread

  • 1 rack of baby back ribs
  • kosher salt
  • freshly cracked black pepper
  • smoked paprika (if you can find it) or paprika
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  1. Preheat the oven to 275ºF.
  2. Rinse off the ribs and pat dry. Liberally coat the ribs with the kosher salt, pepper and the paprika. Pack on the cup of brown sugar.
  3. Lay out two sheets of foil slightly overlapping. Place ribs on top and close foil on all sides. Repeat two more times so that the ribs are covered in three good layers of foil. Place ribs on a sheet tray and place in the oven for 2½ hours. Note: When placing the ribs on the tray, try to place them meaty side down. It’s not critical but it makes for a crisper exterior.
  4. Remove tray from the oven. Let sit for one hour. Do not open the pouch during this hour.
  5. When ready to serve, reheat the ribs in the oven for about 15 minutes at 350ºF (this is assuming the ribs have not been refrigerated) or open the pouch, baste the ribs with the juices and place them under the broiler for five minutes.
  6. Serve immediately with cornbread and a simple salad for a yummy yummy meal.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 hours
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American/BBQ