sundays at the straza's

i cut my teeth on football. i love it, adore it! growing up straza meant sundays were either spent being at the games or watching them on t.v. to be honest, football is one of my first memories, and one of my favorites. being at a cold stadium with my dad holding my little hands, working his best to warm them with his...football, it's a smart man's game. exciting and fun. but it's the memories of those sundays that make me a diehard fan. the best of times we try our best to recreate and carry on. so with great anticipation i away sunday. the bets, the camaraderie, and the food! this year, i'll be making the baby back ribs that my dad perfected. he was the best cook ever and i'm convinced he could have made a rock taste good. along with a side of my mom's yummy coleslaw and assorted goodies my friends and family will be bringing over, i have no doubt i'll be honoring the straza superbowl sunday tradition.

these recipes leave a bit to the imagination as there are no real measurements. just go with it and your tastebuds!

the ribs

as many slabs as you like
lea and perrins worcestershire sauce
fresh squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper

douse ribs in worcestershire sauce and lemon juice on both sides, season generously with salt and pepper.

place ribs in a foil-lined pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, turning once.

after baking, place the ribs on a medium-heat barbecue. this part can take around 1 hour, so leave yourself some time as you can't leave these alone. baste with worcestershire/lemon combo and flip repeatedly. play around with the heat as to not blacken the ribs, you just want a really nice dark brown with a few bits and pieces of burn marks.

make sure the ribs are cooked through before removing. put on a platter for serving. the nice thing is, you can serve these hot, cold, or at room temp!

garnish with coleslaw.
(for the coleslaw, i like to use purple cabbage, not just for the vibrant color, but for the subtler taste.)

dressing

best foods mayonnaise
milk to thin
salt and freshly ground pepper
celery salt
celery seeds
rice wine vinegar
dry mustard

thin the mayo with milk to get the consistency you're looking for. add the rest, blending well to taste. be careful with the vinegar and mustard; add those little by little, as it's tough to go back on these ingredients once you've put too much in. toss into a bowl of thinly sliced cabbage.

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