October's Secret Supper at Southport Grocery

When we moved to Chicago a few months ago, I have to admit I was nervous. Not because I didn't think we'd love Chicago, but because we signed a lease before I'd ever even stepped foot in the neighborhood we'd be living in. I'd gotten stuck in NYC with a cancelled flight after a business trip, and was unable to make it out to Chicago the weekend that the Monkey Scientist and our roommate came to look at places. Still, I trusted their judgement and I quickly realized how much I love our part of town!



One of the best restaurants in our area is the Southport Grocery & Cafe. A coworker had actually told me about it before I moved and I was not disappointed. Their brunch is top notch and their cupcakes are out of this world. And I moved from DC, land of cupcake shops. Plus they have a great little market with high end ingredients like jellies, pickles, sprinkles and real maple syrup. So when I heard they host a "Secret Supper" once a month, I knew I needed to get an invite. I grabbed 4 seats to the October party as soon as I heard about it (by joining their email list) for me, my bff, my roommate and the MS.



All of the food was really a step above anywhere we've gone lately. My favorite course was the clam chowder. Now I'm a New England girl, and this was some seriously good clam chowder. The liquid wasn't too thick and there was a great substance-to-liquid ratio. I hate when there are big chunks of potatoes in chowder, but these were perfectly diced and the texture was offset by crispy shallots. The clams were cooked exactly how I like them - just a bit chewy and not at all briny.  Plus the sourdough bread bowl they baked upstairs was perfection.  Sourdough is my favorite bread by far - I think I could live off of it. I couldn't ask for anything more out of this course (except for, well, more).



The main course was a Pork Confit and Orchiette served in a large mug.  As the Monkey Scientist put it, there might not be anything better than a mug full of pork.  It was topped with currants and a juniper gelee, and was mixed with local arugula and carrots.  Some of our table found it a bit sweet, and I thought the sauce might have been a little heavy.  Plus, cooked carrots just don't do it for me.  It wasn't the highlight of the meal but it was really great nonetheless.



For dessert, we were served a pumpkin rice pudding with a black sesame lace cookie.  I'm not sure I'd ever had a homemade lace cookie before, but now I'm determined to make them myself. They melt in your mouth  and have the perfect bit of crunch.  Sesame seeds aren't my favorite thing ever so I might experiment with other things I can put in the caramel if I make them at home.  The rice pudding sitting below the cookie was great too.  Rice pudding is one of my favorite desserts.  To be honest, I think we all expected a little more pumpkin flavor, but it was topped with dried cranberries and candied ginger which was amazing. I loved the mason jar presentation, too!

The only thing I didn't capture was the special treat at the end of the meal. They had homemade Reese's, Three Muskeeter, Almond Joy, and Butterfingers that their pastry chef had whipped up for us. I think we all felt sweets overload at the end of the meal (OK everyone but me. I don't understand sweets overload until it's way too late) but they were absolutely delightful, albeit a bit melty.  I especially liked the Butterfinger and thought the Three Musketeers was unique and delicious (the consistency was denser than the original).  This was definitely a special dinner for us (we even got a bottle of wine, and we never drink at dinner), but I'm hoping we can go to another Secret Supper sometime (maybe if my folks come visit!). It was a blast!

Carnitas Pizza with Guacamole

The Monkey Scientist and I have been experimenting with carnitas lately. There is nothing like delicious shredded pork. We've tried making it in both the Dutch oven and the CrockPot but I haven't decided which tasted better. Since we had so many leftovers, we decided to make a carnitas pizza!



I have to admit (and maybe you've noticed) that I'm not a huge fan of Mexican food. It's surprising since I love spicy food, but between the cilantro and corn tortillas there are so many things I don't like at all. I was excited that this recipe let me bring in all of the Mexican flavors I like in a familiar favorite - pizza.

I loved how this came together. The Monkey Scientist picked up the dough at the Italian market in Cleveland Park. It has wonderful flavor and came out nice and crispy on the edges. The pizza was the perfect combination of spicy, cheesy and tangy. I liked the hot pizza topped by the cool guacamole as well, it was a nice contrast. This is the guacamole recipe I always use (usually with chips of course) and I adore it! Next time we may try to make this pizza on the grill like Mom does - I bet it would be fantastic!



Carnitas Pizza with Guacamole
carnitas adapted from My Baking Addiction
pizza adapted from What's Gabby Cooking?
guacamole is a yelleBELLYboo original

Ingredients
Carnitas
1 large Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 pork butt (ours was 2 1/2 lb)
3/4 c cider vinegar
4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 can chipotles in adobo, roughly chopped
2 oranges, juiced
1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 bottle beer
Pizza
1 batch pizza dough
1/2 jar salsa
1 bag shredded Mexican cheese
1/2 can fire-roasted chiles
2 tbsp adobo sauce from chipotles in adobo
Guacamole
2 ripe avocados, diced
2 tomatillos, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lime, juiced
Salt and pepper
Dash cayenne
Dash cumin

Instructions
Carnitas
1. Rinse pork under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Place onions in Crock pot. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, salt and pepper. Rub to cover the roast. Place roast on top of onions.
3. Mix remaining ingredients and add to Crock pot. Add water to just cover pork.
4. Cook on low 10-12 hours.
5. Remove meat and onions from Crock pot. Chop or shred meat and onions. Add a bit of the cooking liquid for flavor.
Pizza
1. Preheat the oven to 500.
2. Carefully stretch dough to the size of your pizza pan or cookie sheet.
3. Top with salsa, then cheese, chiles, and adobo.
4. Bake 8 minutes, remove from onion. Top with shredded carnitas (maybe 2/3 c worth).
5. Return to oven and bake an additional 4 minutes.  Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.
Guacamole
1. Add all ingredients to a medium bowl.
2. Mash with a potato masher or the back of a fork until well combined.
3. Smear on top of each slice of pizza.

Baked Pork Egg Rolls

On our last trip to H-Mart, I picked up a package of egg roll wrappers.  I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do with them, but after the Chinese New Year, I thought it may be fun to try a more traditional egg roll recipe - filled with pork and cabbage.



It turns out, making egg rolls is HARD!  I have instructions below on how to roll them, but it really isn't that simple.  I kept ripping the wrappers (maybe I needed to spread the filling out more?) and getting very frustrated.  I hate to admit it, but this might be my only egg roll adventure in the foreseeable future.  It's just so easy to buy them!



The taste, though, was really outstanding.  I was shocked how much the filling tasted like egg roll filling at a Chinese restaurant!  It was sweet and salty, just a little bit spicy, and I enjoyed the cabbage in it. I actually really liked eating the filling on its own (or over some white rice) just as much as in the egg rolls, so I may do that in the future as a quick throw together meal.  If you try this, let me know how it goes for you.  Do you have any tricks for rolling egg rolls?



Baked Pork Egg Rolls
from Ezra Pound Cake

Ingredients
1/4 c soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp light brown sugar
vegetable oil, for brushing on rolls
4 c cabbage coleslaw mix
1/2 c shredded carrots (I bought them pre-shredded)
4 garlic cloves, minched
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lb ground pork
6 scallions, thinly sliced
16 egg roll wrappers (6-7" square)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
sweet-and-sour sauce or sweet red chili sauce for dipping

Instructions
1. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add coleslaw mix, carrots (if using), garlic, and ginger; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing, until vegetables are tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Raise heat to high; add pork and soy mixture. Cook, tossing, until pork is no longer pink and liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in scallions. Transfer mixture to a plate to cool.
4. Lay wrappers flat on a work surface, and assemble egg rolls. (See “how to” below.)
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet; place egg rolls on sheet and brush with cup oil. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Serve with sweet-and-sour sauce and Chinese hot mustard.
Note: If baking from frozen, bake about 15 minutes.


How to Roll an Egg Roll






1. Place an egg-roll wrapper flat with one corner facing you.
2. Using a pastry brush, brush all four sides of the wrapper with egg.
3. Spoon 1/3 cup pork mixture near the corner closest to you. Fold that corner over the filling, and fold both side corners toward center of wrapper. (It should look like an open envelope.)
4. Tightly roll up filled pocket toward the far corner to close wrapper. Gently press down to seal the edges.
5. Repeat the process until you run out of filling or wrappers. Feel free to assemble up to 4 egg rolls at a time when you feel comfortable with the process.

Sweet and Fiery Pork Tenderloin with Mango Salsa

The Chinese New Year is today!  The blogosphere has been blowing up with lots of fun recipes for the Chinese New Year, so I thought it might be fun to bring you one.  I chose this recipe because it was healthy (I love Skinny Taste!), can be eaten all year long, and was a little bit outside of my comfort zone.

To be honest, I have never made pork tenderloin in my life.  I think I've only eaten it once before and it was so overcooked that I though I just didn't like pork tenderloin.  I'm the type of girl who orders my steaks on the rare side of medium rare.  I'm glad that I finally made it myself, because it turns out pork tenderloin is awesome!



I knew the Monkey Scientist would enjoy this recipe because it called for his favorite - Sriracha.  For Christmas, I got him the Sriracha cookbook.  We've only tried one recipe so far and it was so-so, but we're aiming to try many more.  Sriracha is so good on any type of meat, and this pork was no exception.  We also may or may not have drizzled more Sriracha on top of the meat before we ate it... and the Monkey Scientist might have also zipped his pork in even more like ketchup...don't judge us.  (But if you want to ship us a few more bottles, we are running low!)



So honestly, I didn't like the mango salsa in this.  I left out the cilantro because it's the worst herb ever I don't like it, but the Monkey Scientist convinced me to leave some jalapeno seeds in and it was way too spicy for me.  Also, I had lemon juice instead of lime juice and really that isn't a valid substitution.  I liked the idea of the mango salsa, but I need to work on the execution.  The Monkey Scientist liked it though, which means if you have a high tolerance for heat, you will too!



Even though the salsa wasn't great, I loved the pork tenderloin.  It was moist, sweet, a bit spicy, and absolute perfection.  This was such a great substitute for steak, which I almost never make because of cost and lack of nutrition.  I don't love to have a big hunk of meat every night, but sometimes I just crave something medium rare that I can sink my teeth into, and this totally did the trick.  I absolutely recommend drizzling it in some extra Sriracha and serving it up with a roasted veggie, like cauliflower.  I also think this is one you can trick your picky-eater kids to eat - it really isn't that spicy and you can always cut off the outside if they're super particular (and then you get to eat it, because it's totally the best part!).  Now I want to try more pork tenderloin recipes!



Sweet and Fiery Pork Tenderloin with Mango Salsa
From Skinny Taste

Ingredients:
for the salsa:
1 large ripe mango, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (I obviously left this out because it's soapy and gross)
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced jalapeño, seeds removed and diced
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
for the pork:
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 lb pork tenderloin
1/4 cup Sweet Red Chili Sauce (I used Taste of Thai)
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp Sriracha sauce (or more to taste)

Directions:
for the salsa:
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate salsa until ready to serve.
for the pork:
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Mix garlic salt and ginger in small bowl. Rub evenly over pork. Place pork on rack in foil-lined roasting pan. (I just used a tin foil roasting pan - easy clean up!)
3. Mix chili sauce, honey and sriracha in small bowl.
4. Roast pork in preheated oven 40 to 45 minutes* or until desired pork is cooked to your liking.  About 10 minutes before it is done (when your pork is maybe 5° away from the temperature you want it), brush the entire loin with the chili sauce mixture. (New pork guidelines allow pork to cook to 145°, if you prefer it cooked well, cook it until the internal temp reads is 160° with a meat thermometer.)  *My 1 lb loin was actually split in half, and it was cooked to between 145-150° after about 25-30 minutes.  It was medium rare perfection!
5. Slice pork and serve with pan juices and mango salsa on the side. (I also served with some roasted cauliflower)

Picadillo and Eggplant Soup

After I made Stuffed Pepper Soup, I wanted to keep turning my favorite recipes into soup.  So where better to turn next than to one of my favorites - Picadillo Eggplant Boats?  So that's exactly where I headed.



Even though I hate tomato soup, I loved the tomato base of the Stuffed Pepper Soup.  Since the original recipe called for tomato paste, I figured it wouldn't be too far of a stretch to use the same liquid base as in the stuffed pepper soup, while keeping everything else nearly identical to the Picadillo Eggplant Boats.  I also used the same general methods of the Stuffed Pepper Soup, since it was super simple and came out so great.



As for the eggplant, I suppose I could have served the soup in boats - but I felt like that'd be a bit messy.  Instead, I chopped them up... OK, the Monkey Scientist chopped them up... and we threw them in to cook down and add more substance to the soup.  I was nervous at first that they wouldn't cook enough, but they turned out pretty close to perfect.



I was nervous about how this soup would be, but we both ended up loving it!  It was hearty, despite it's lack of a grain, and loaded with a unique flavor.  I would never think to add raisins to soup, but they added the perfect bit of sweetness and puffed up so they actually looked like beans.  The balance of sweet, spicy, and umami made this soup a perfect winner for a winter soup.



Picadillo and Eggplant Soup
adapted from recipes I posted for Picadillo Eggplant Boats and Stuffed Pepper Soup

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground pork
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 medium sized yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small graffiti eggplant, diced
2 cans (14.5 oz each) cans petite diced tomatoes
2 cups tomato sauce (I used one 14.5-oz can and 8-oz can of Hunt's)
2 cups reduced sodium, fat-free chicken broth (I used Cottage Inn)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp molasses (it helps to spray the measuring spoon with Pam)
1/4 c raisins

Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or large, heavy pot over medium-high to high heat. Add ground pork and cook until brown, seasoning with cinnamon, oregano, red pepper flakes, allspice, salt, and garlic powder.
2. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low and add onion, garlic, and eggplant. Cook for 5-8 minutes until beginning to soften.
3. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, molasses, and raisins. Cover and simmer on medium-low to low heat for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Spaghetti & Meatballs

If I've learned anything by reading cooking blogs, it's if you're going to make something with meat, that's pretty traditional, and you're not trying to skim on calories/fat, go to Ree Drummond.  Her short ribs, for example, are out of this world.  I'm pretty sure my mom and all her friends still make them at least once a month since I showed them this recipe year or two ago.



And let me tell you, Ree's meatballs are no exception.  Ever since I made this recipe back in early 2010, I won't make any other.  It's absolutely perfect and incredibly easy - what else can you really ask for?!  I especially love that you can really use any type of ground meat that you want, because I usually use what's on sale.



Now, I have to admit, these aren't nearly as good at the meatballs at 2Amy's, which are hands down one of those best things I've ever eaten.  I don't think the Monkey Scientist will ever forget the day we discovered them.  Or better yet my face when I first ate them.  I was starving one day, and we went to 2Amy's for a late lunch, when I saw the waitress bring over a steaming cast iron dish of sauce to the table next to us.



I didn't even know what was in it, but I grabbed the waitress and insisted she bring us one.  Then, I saw someone at the next table dig in.  I was mesmerized. I could see the Monkey Scientist realized I wasn't exactly with him anymore.  All I uttered was, "oh my, she just pulled a little meatball out of that...." And then it came to our table, and it was the porky-est, most delicious meatball I had ever had in my life.  I swear, I discovered the reason why that one group of people never actually leaves DC.  They don't want to move too far from these meatballs.  Plus, the rustic bread they serve it with is perfect to sop up the extra sauce.  For my New England friends, all I can compare it to is the artichoke appetizer at Artichokes in Wakefield, MA (formerly in Malden Center).  It's like digging through a puddle of warm, amazing sauce, only to find nuggets of pure food-gold.



I don't even try to make meatballs like that.  Still it got me on a kick of really wanting to make meatballs for the first time in a long while.  Aren't you craving meatballs after thinking about 2Amy's?  I decided to stick with the more traditional, matzo ball-sized meatballs on top of spaghetti. (Only a true Jewish food-lover would refer to a meatball as matzo ball-sized instead of the reverse haha)  I thought that would be easier to accomplish than the 2Amy's version.



So, while it won't exactly hit your 2Amy's craving, this meatball recipe will definitely do you some good.  It isn't quite as porky as 2Amy's, and it doesn't have quite the same texture, but they are really tasty.  Plus, here's my little trick: I buy a loaf of French bread and cut it in half.  I make garlic bread with one half (softened butter, garlic salt, rub in a garlic clove, bake it) to serve with dinner and then I use the other half for meatball subs with the leftovers the next day!  A perfect 2-for-1 meal!



Spaghetti and Meatballs
adapted slightly from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:
Meatballs:
3/4 pounds ground veal
3/4 pounds ground pork
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cups Panko bread crumbs
2 eggs
3/4 cups grated parmesan
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper
splash of milk
1/2 cup olive oil
Sauce:
1 whole yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup white or red wine (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sugar
freshly ground pepper
2 pounds spaghetti, cooked to al dente

Instructions:
1. To make the meatballs, combine meat, garlic, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper, and a splash of milk in a mixing bowl. Mix together well with hands. Roll into 25 1 1/2-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet into the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up.
2. To brown the meatballs, heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add meatballs 8 at a time, turning to brown. Make sure each meatball is really brown on each side - you shouldn't really be able to see any pink, even though they'll be pink on the insides still. Remove and drain on a paper towel after each batch. Set meatballs aside.
3. In the same pot, add the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes, or until translucent. Pour in whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and wine, if using. Add salt, pepper, sugar, and crushed red pepper. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.
4. Add meatballs to pot and stir in gently. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring very gently a couple of times during the simmer.
5. Serve over cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan.

Picadillo filled Eggplant Boats

The Monkey Scientist and his roommate came over to my apartment for dinner this week and I wanted to make something that had a great presentation and was super flavorful.  I stumbled across this recipe and it peaked my interest - I'm on a huge eggplant kick lately, and ground pork is just loaded with flavor.  Plus the spice combination was so different than my usual Asian palate that I use for pork.



I had just never seen such a flavor combo! Allspice cinnamon, and molasses are usually reserved for baking.  Oregano and garlic powder I'd throw on pizza.  Well, red pepper flakes I put in everything (of course I doubled the proportion in this recipe) so maybe that was a given.  It was incredible how well these spices worked together and were sweetened by the raisins.



I also just adore the adorableness of these eggplant boats.  How cute are these?  You can serve up all kinds of fillings in eggplant, squash, or any other oblong veggie.  A big thanks to my handsome boyfriend for buying me a paring knife to make these boats.



Of course, I had all this eggplant leftover from hollowing out the boats.  I covered it in salt, pepper, and a little olive oil and roasted at 425 degrees F for about 30-40 minutes, then ate it for lunch the next day.  yumyumyum  I love finding ways to add some veggie to my now usual lunch of homemade PB and jelly.



So, did I mention this recipe was awesome?  It totally filled my eggplant craving (which is endless) while filling me up with flavor.  I tried to eat only 2 halves and give each of the boys 3 halves, but I could not stop picking at the filling off of the Monkey Scientist's plate.  Ok and his roommate's plate too.  It's warm and hearty, just delicious.  Plus the presentation is really pretty.  I'd definitely recommend making this next time you want to impress a new date or a dinner party (it would be easy to multiply!)



Picadillo filled Eggplant Boats
slightly adjusted from Healthy Delish on tablespoon

Ingredients
1 medium sized yellow onion, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground pork
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 c water
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp molasses (it helps to spray the measuring spoon with Pam)
1/4 c raisins
3 small graffiti/Japanese eggplants

Instructions
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook until just softened, about 4 minutes.

2. Add the ground pork and spices.  Mix well and break up the pork with the side of your wooden spoon.  Cook until golden brown, about 6 minutes.

3. Add the water, tomato paste, vinegar, molasses, and raisins.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the liquid has evaporated (you may need to turn it back up to medium) and the flavors come together, about 5 minutes.

4. Cut the eggplants in half, lengthwise.  Use a sharp pairing knife to carefully hollow out the center of each eggplant half, creating the boats. (Save the extra eggplant to roast for lunch!)  Fill each eggplant half with picadillo (the meat filling).  Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-30 minutes, or until eggplant is cooked through.

Cayenne Cinnamon Ribs with Maple Glaze

Last week, before this rain storm hit, the Monkey Scientist and I decided to have a little BBQ.  Outside of my apartment building we have 2 grills by the pool - it's one of my favorite amenities in the summer when it's too hot to cook indoors.  I also got a new grill kit from our Wellness program at work in January - so I was excited to finally get to use it.

I think you might have heard, but I'm a huge maple fan.  So when this recipe came up for a maple glazed rib, I was intrigued.  Then I realized it was kicked up with some spicy pepper and I was sold.  The rub was super easy to throw together and full of our favorite spice - crushed red pepper flakes.

We rubbed the ribs down well on both sides.  We couldn't figure out how to remove the membrane from the bottom, so we didn't.  You still can.  I bet your ribs will be tender deliciousness.

Now, here is the part where I wouldn't follow my instructions at all.  If you're making these on the grill, DON'T put it on foil.  The foil stuck all to the bottom of the ribs and we definitely ended up eating a lot of it.  Not good eats.

To make matters worse, we're not grilling pros.  Turns out you need to turn the grill down to low after you light it.  Otherwise you will totally burn your ribs to a crisp after 20 minutes.  Trust me.  I completely blame the Monkey Scientist.  (except that he went upstairs while they were burning, and I saw the smoke and did nothing about it.  still his fault right?)

Despite how charred and foily they were, they were still pretty darn good.  I need to try to make them again in the oven because I know they'd be totally delicious.  Will you try and let me know?  Thanks :)

Cayenne Cinnamon Ribs with Maple Glaze
from Steamy Kitchen

Ingredients

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt (or 1/2 teaspoon table salt)
3 pounds pork baby back ribs
1/4 cup maple syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F (or prepare your grill). Remove the tough membrane from the underside of the ribs.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika, ground cinnamon, creuhed red pepper and salt.. Place ribs on a double layer of tin foil (large enough to wrap around ribs) and season the ribs on both sides with the rub. Fold over foil and completely cover ribs. Place ribs on baking sheet or roasting pan.

3. Bake 1 hour or until meat starts to pull away from bones.

4. Turn broiler on to high and move rack to upper-mid position. Carefully open foil. Brush ribs with maple syrup. Broil ribs 3-4 minutes until browned. Take care not to burn the ribs like me!