Quick and Easy Lentil Salad

Barbecue season is upon us. I think it's one of my favourite times of the year because it's pretty much the only time that I can get Tony involved with dinner. He bought a new barbecue this year and he's very eager to grill just about anything. So while he's grilling, all I have to do is prepare the sides. Lately I've even been getting Tony to grill the sides, like corn on the cob and seasoned cut potatoes wrapped in foil. That way I just make up a salad and I'm done my part. This lentil salad is a great side dish for a barbecue dinner. By using canned lentils, I cut down on the prep time substantially. I can literally make this salad in just 5 minutes, then let it sit in the fridge until Tony's done with his grilling, while I sip a dirnk on the patio. Sadly, my boys (Tony included) haven't given this salad a fair chance yet. They see the lentils and are turned off right away. I wish they would give it a chance because this salad is actually really yummy! It's bursting with flavour, thanks to some if the fresh herbs from this pot on our patio.

I'm going to keep making it because at least I really enjoy it, and I think my family may grow to like it too if they actually ate it. If not, then I have a tasty lunch for the next day. It's even better the next day, by the way.

Quick and Easy Lentil Salad
1 can (19 oz) brown lentils, rinsed
2 celery stalks, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 green onion, sliced
1/8 cup fresh parsley, diced
1 tbsp fresh basil, diced
1 tbsp fresh oregano, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste

In a salad bowl, combine lentils, celery, red pepper, green onion, and herbs. In a measuring cup, whisk together oil and lemon juice, then pour it over the salad. Mix well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste, and mix again. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or more before serving.

Slow Cooked Ribs

Hey there, remember me? I'm back and I'm finally posting a new recipe! Sorry to be absent for so long. I don't really even have a good excuse, since we`ve been back from our trip for almost 2 weeks now. We went to Cuba for our 10th wedding anniversary (kidless!) and it was wonderful. Here are some photos.

Visiting Havana`s Harbour

Walking tour through Old Havana

Riding a moped (while taking a photo- don`t try this at home kids!)

Lounging at the beach in Varadero

Since returning from an all-inclusive resort with an endless supply of food and drinks, I've just been having trouble getting back into the swing of things. Lately I've just been letting Tony loose on the barbecue instead of putting much effort into making dinner myself. The one exception was on Tony's birthday last week. I made his favourite meal: ribs with rice and corn, with carrot cake for dessert. It's funny because that's the same meal that my dad always liked to have on his birthday too. I've made ribs a number of different ways but most of the time I'm not that happy with the results. Some years I've resorted to the prepackaged kind because I just couldn't seem to get them right on my own. I finally found that the best way seems to be to cook them in a crockpot, because it makes them so tender that the meat is literally falling off the bone. I add extra barbeque sauce at the end for more flavour. Tony was impressed with them this year and so were the boys, so I figured this rib recipe was blog-worthy.

Slow Cooked Ribs
Adapted from Canadian Living: The Slow Cooker Collection

2 racks of pork back ribs
seasoning salt
pepper
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup wine vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup barbecue sauce

Trim as much fat off the ribs as you can and cut them into 2-rib portions. Place them on a foil-lined bakig sheet and sprinkle both sides of the ribs with salt and pepper. Broil them until browned, about 5 minutes on each side. Place them in a slow cooker.
In a bowl, combine ketchup, wine vinegar, sugar, and worcestershire sauce. Pour the mixture over the ribs and stir them to coat completely. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours, until ribs are tender.
Remove ribs from the slow cooker with a slotted spoon and lay them out on a baking sheet. Brush them with barbecue sauce. You can either serve them at this point, or put them in the oven on lowest heat to keep them warm until ready to serve.