Tender, caramelized meat that clings to the bone and requires just a gentle tug to pull it off makes for the perfect grilled spare rib. Mixing up an easy and flavorful dry rub for ribs makes them even more delicious.

Dry Ribs

Would you believe that a week ago I had never cooked bone-in ribs?

I assumed that they would be more difficult and complicated than the country style boneless ribs I’ve always purchased. I was wrong. These were so easy; I made them twice just to make sure it would work the same.

Technically, I made three batches, because I mistakenly thought that I could get away with using the crockpot. Let’s just say they were not the same.

In all fairness, the ribs that started in the crockpot were edible and the flavor was great, but the texture was off and there was just no comparison to the grill or oven versions.

Memphis Style Dry Ribs

When I decided to tackle cooking ribs for the first time, I went straight to my personal grilling expert. Chris from Nibble Me This has been an expert in the grilling arena for a very long time now. He first tempted me with the Grilled Smokey Chicken and Bacon Cheeseburger.

Next, he convinced me to grill our steaks using the reverse sear method. I’ve used that method repeatedly and never looked back. (There is nothing else like it, I promise, even if the photos do desperately need to be updated.)

And for further proof that Chris’ recipes have never let us down, his Po’dunk Sauce is the ultimate dipping sauce for any potatoes in your life!

The grilling method here creates perfectly cooked ribs each and every time. I was also thrilled to find out that I

Chewy, thick, Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies with chocolate chips are a treat that we’ve enjoyed for a lot of years now.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

It is no secret that I keep a full cookie jar. I have a house full of boys constantly on the prowl for a snack. I also stash lots of cookies and cookie dough ready to be baked in the freezer to avoid running out.

Oatmeal cookies are such a versatile classic. The nuttiness of the oatmeal and sweet chocolate hit the spot when the mid-afternoon munchies come on. These cookies help fill the gap when dinnertime gets stretched later during the summer.

If you find yourself out of quick oats when making these cookies you can use regular rolled oats. They are fairly interchangeable when baking. The rolled oats will result in a slightly heartier cookie and may take longer to bake.

I like to consider oatmeal cookies breakfast. I mean it is basically a bowl of oatmeal and when peanut butter is added there is your protein. Breakfast, who would argue with that logic?

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe multiplies beautifully. I frequently triple it in order to have plenty of cookies to stash in the freezer or to make more Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches.

When multiplying the recipe, take care not to allow the dough to warm too much. I find it’s helpful to tuck the cookie dough in the fridge between batches. This results in thicker, prettier cookies every time. 

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Pineapple, strawberries, and grapes are tossed together with a sweet and tangy dressing to make this Honey Lime Fruit Salad.

It’s finished with a pinch of salt and a sprinkling of poppy seeds to make a fabulously refreshing salad on a hot summer day.

Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

Summer fruit salads are beautifully versatile. They are always a hit at barbecues and picnics and with the fruits in season right now; you can choose your favorites to combine.

The first time I made this salad, I simply worked with the fruit that was already in the house. We liked it so much, I’ve been making it the same way ever since.

Fruit Salad Dressing

This salad shares a similar honey-lime dressing to the Winter Fruit Salad I shared ages ago. If you enjoy these flavors, you’ll want to try that one next you have an abundance of clementine oranges in the house.

The simple honey-lime dressing takes an everyday bowl of fruit up a notch and makes it something special.

Just whisk together equal parts honey and lime juice and add a sprinkle of salt. The recipe can be doubled or tripled as much as you like!

Summer Fruit Salad Recipe

• Combine the pineapple, strawberries, and grapes in a medium-size bowl.
• Drizzle the lime juice and honey over the fruit.
• Sprinkle with salt and poppy seeds.
• Toss to coat and chill until ready to serve.

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Mexican Roasted Zucchini

Mexican roasted zucchini — Change things up for your next Mexican feast with this fantastic Mexican vegetable side dish!

Alright maybe I don’t know everything about truly authentic Mexican food because I’ve never lived there, but I do know how to make delicious things that go with Mexican food.

I always feel a little frustrated trying to figure out sides for main dishes around the world because we seem to get hyper-focused on a few things and never explore other options. Burritos for dinner, rice and beans as sides. Spaghetti for dinner, garlic bread and salad as the side. Now surely that isn’t how native to Italy or Mexico people are eating.

So long story short, we’ve been making this Mexican Roasted Zucchini for a few years as a way to mix up our tacos, honey lime chicken and more. It is so flavorful but even more easy than frying up a quesadilla. Ok, it’s not, you do have to chop the zucchini, but it is so so simple! It’s a perfect Mexican Side Dish Recipe

What Do I Need for Mexican Roasted Zucchini?

The best news about this recipe is that it only takes a few ingredients to make the magic happen! Grab a few zucchinis

Chunks of roasted chicken, sweet and tangy barbecue sauce, gooey cheese, and sweet onions combine in BBQ Chicken Enchiladas.

Served sliced on a plate or scooped up with tortilla chips, the whole family cheers when these enchiladas are on the table.

Leftover BBQ Chicken

I made these BBQ Chicken Enchiladas for the first time almost 10 years ago when a craving for saucy Barbecue Chicken hit right about the same time my oldest son asked if we could make these Cheesy Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas again.

This recipe was the result of those two cravings meeting in the middle and using the ingredients on hand in my house at the time.

I make any number of recipes with Leftover BBQ Chicken. From BBQ Chicken Stuffed Potatoes to BBQ Chicken and Cheese Curd Fries and BBQ Chicken Nachos, there really isn’t a wrong way to use up leftover chicken.

This BBQ Chicken Salad with Sweet Potato Fries has become one of my favorite lunches over the past couple of years. This is a cold garden salad tossed with warm and saucy barbecue chicken then topped with crisp hot sweet potato fries and drizzled with ranch dressing.

That salad sounded just crazy enough when I initially imagined it, I had to try it and I am so glad I did!

Cheddar BBQ Chicken Oven Tacos and these Spicy BBQ Chicken Quesadillas are a couple more quick and easy meals that you’re sure to enjoy.

I laughed that night as we were eating because my whole family was impressed with the way I used what was on hand.

Trust me when I say that we’ve had some far less successful “throw the meal together with what’s on hand” kind of dinners. Fortunately, we all wound up really enjoying this meal.

I’ve made BBQ Chicken Enchiladas countless times since that first dinner. From the spicy sauce to the sweet onions and the tender chicken pieces covered in cheese, everything about these enchiladas makes me grin.

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