Sticky Ribs birthday feast

My son has just turned 17, and this was the meal he wanted for his birthday. A stack of ribs with sweetcorn, homemade coleslaw,and potato wedges. Followed by Pavlova.

To make the ribs you will need:

1 rack of ribs per person-I bought extra because we are all greedy!

For the sauce-bear in mind this is just guessed I don't really do proper measurements

1 carton passata
1 cup red wine
Half jar honey
Few glugs dark soy sauce
As above of Worcester sauce
1 bottle shop bought BBQ ketchup
Half small jar chinese 5 spice
4  whole star anise
Tbsp fennel seeds
Tomato  puree
4 cloves garlic, squashed

Mix together all of the above.

I cut all the ribs away from the bone and marinade in this mixture and cover with foil , leave in fridge overnight. Leave ribs out for an hour at room temp before cooking.

Preheat oven to gas 6, 200 c. Put ribs and all the marinade onto a large deep roasting tray, cover with foil and place on middle shelf of the oven, cook for 3 hours approx, lower the heat a bit an hour before end of cooking. I like my ribs falling off the bone. Cook for less time, if you prefer to chew off the bone!

Finger lickin good!

All that was left was a pile of clean bones...


 For the Pavlova

Set oven to Gas 4.

For the  Pavlova I whisked 6 egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually added in 300g caster sugar, with a little splash white wine vinegar, and a splosh of good vanilla extract. Whisk on high until thick and glossy and spread onto a greased and lined- baking tray in a circular shape about the size of a dinner plate. Put into the oven and turn down immediately to Gas 2, and leave for 1 and 1/4 hours. Turn oven off and leave the pavlova to cool completely. Once cooled  invert onto a plate whip up some double or whipping cream, spread over the pavlova, add fruits of your choice.

 My greedy son nearly ate half of this in one sitting!!

I also made him a rugby player birthday cake as a surprise, I don't think anyone really grows out of birthday cakes, I would love it if someone made me one, but I would probably be too critical! Although these goal posts are rubbish! I needed some straws, but forgot to get them, so tried to cover chopsticks with icing but failed:(

My Son loved his cake. I even matched his team colours.:)

Birthday boy

38 years young....

Yesterday morning I turned 38, ~clinging on to those 30's now~ I was woken to the sound of my gorgeous little daughter singing happy birthday, and jumping on my bed, handing me my birthday cards.I had a lovely day, didn't do any thing special, as husband is taking me up to London on Wednesday for a lovely lunch, and then on to see Wicked,  am really looking foward to that!



Blossom lights



Funky chilli lights

Presents recieved~ Red cherry blossom lights, and perfume bought by me (as husband is crap at buying me presents (usually a kitchen gadget)  Nigella~ kitchen book and chocolates from mum, red chilli pepper lights, from nan.These all look so fab in my kitchen, which is starting to resemble a grotto!  Also gratefully recieved,  a decent red wine from elder brother, and  Hugh Fearnley- Whittinstall book River cottage everyday book from younger brother, I feel truly honoured as neither usually remember, let alone buy me pressies!

Named sieve

My eldest son got me zilch, as claims he has no money as he is jobless, well that's his excuse ( he never saves, spends as soon as its in his hand) younger gave me his gifts on Sunday afternoon, as was going back to his dads, and wouldn't be seeing me on my actual birthday.As we say goodbye he opened the  boot of car, and hands me a sieve, yes a sieve, with price tag attached. He must have spent 2 hrs in TK Max on Saturday looking for a mum appropiate present, when I asked why he bought me it, he said 'well your old one hasn't got a handle has it?'  To which I replied 'yes but it still functions!'  he then said 'well I did get you something else, but its in my drawer in our room,' I asked 'why?' and he said 'beacuse I stood on it, and broke it, have a look when you get home'.

Once I got home,  I recovered a  beautiful glass blue flower with a broken stem, from sons drawer, it's not something I would have chosen myself, but it is nonetheless lovely, so he did put some thought into it after all! The stem was far too long anyway, but the main part was still intact so I have popped it in a pot next to my cactus, in front of my window so I can look at it when im washing up.







Blue flower

So after a nice lunch with mum and brothers, the biggest suprise ever, doorbell rings, my Christmas tree turned up! YAY! I was so pleased, as I always put my tree up in time for my birthday, so mum and I set it all up, and little one helped decorate it whilst listening to Carols.

I am really pleased with the tree, as have always had a real one, and was dubious about ordering a fake one online, as they never look like they do in the the pictures, but it actually looks better in real life, its hard to tell its a fake, it has a very natural shape, so hurrah, No needles and limp tree this year! It is rather large though, takes over my lounge, that's ok, I will move to a bigger house to accomadate it!

Had a scrummy lunch of melty cheese and bacon ciabattas and homemade chunky coleslaw,and as no one else was going to make me a cake, I made a pavlova, always a fave.

Pav

Finished the day with a few glasses of wine supplied by friends K and P;) with hubby, in candlelight, adoring my tree.