Diane’s Baby Back Ribs

Don’t these look magazine worthy?  They are definitely BELLY worthy, I’ll tell you that.

I have a special guest chef today, and you are going to LOVE her.  She is my oldest sister, and her name is Diane, or you can call her Dido (pronounced Di Doo).  She also happens to be a REDHEAD!  Dido came all the way from Buffalo, NY to visit us in Michigan for Memorial Day weekend.

A couple weeks ago I had asked if she wanted to make one of her favorite dishes because she loves to cook, and she also happens to be  one of my biggest redheadcandecorate.com fans.  I told her we could have a photo shoot and really have some fun with it.

Well, she took fun to whole new level.  She was so excited, and of course said, “Yes! I’ll do it.”  Then something strange happened.  She started acting like this was the Food Network or Top Chef.  She was texting me full course fancy meal ideas, and asking what to wear.  I had to slow her down a bit and have her pick just one dish 🙂  She chose ribs.  Let me tell you, these ribs are perfectly delicious.  I mean, finger lickin’, get the napkins out Mama, don’t worry about your face, or your thighs, damn good ribs.  Here we are right before we sat down to get messy with these ribs…

Before we get started on this recipe, I need to tell you a little bit about my sister.  She is a peach!  Diane is the oldest of us 4 siblings.  She was 12 when I came along as the baby of the family.  Here we are on a vacation in 1971.  This can give you an idea on how much of an age difference there really is between us…

I tell you this not to boast about how much younger I am than her, although I do like to rub that in here and there.  I tell you this, because the gap never stopped us from being close.  She did take on the role of  a “mother hen”, but not in a fussy, interfering way.  More like in a sweet, warm, gentle way.  She has never stopped guiding me, protecting me (she will kick your butt if you mess with me), helping me, and loving me as only a big sister can.

I distinctly remember her giving me tons of kisses and hugs as a little girl.  My next memory is of her baby sitting all of us until my other older sister, Carolyn, was old enough to take over the reigns.  It was right around then that Diane got her first job and really became a hard working young woman.  Eventually, she set out on her own when I was still in high school.  Even then, she drove me to all of my social events and even reprimanded me when I got a little out of control at a high school party.  When my brother passed, and when my sister became ill, she was the one that held us all up.  Her strength and dedication to our family is unmeasurable, irreplaceable.

Now a days, she’s still a hard working, loyal, grounded, smart, self sufficient, confident, gentle, nurturing woman. She loves her partner of 18 years, Allie, and their doggies Mazie & Lukie with all of her heart.  She also loves our girls like they are her own, and spends as much quality time with them as she can.

She’s a remarkable human being.  I am very proud to be her baby sister.

So now…lets get on to these ribs before I start crying.

First, some photos, and then my sister’s recipe for you to try.  She wrote it out by hand for you!

Raw baby back ribs.

Dido basting the ribs.

Check these babies out!

Honey…call Emeril. I think we have a winner.

You will love these ribs not only because of the intense flavor, but because they go in the oven, which in my opinion, is a lot easier than grilling them.  I have never been much of a griller.  I rather stay in the kitchen while cooking something special.  On the other hand I am sure they would work on the grill as well if that’s what you prefer.

Here’s a happy photo of my sisters and I that I hold dear to my heart.  My brother had passed a couple years prior, but as you can see, he was still there with his sisters.  He would have loved these ribs.  He was a great cook, as well as my sister, Carolyn too.  We all love to cook.

Here’s a quote from my sister, “Such fun we had sharing a family visit making a rib feast for Rick’s birthday celebration. From Rick’s knife skills, to our precise measuring antics, it was a special time.  The best part was seeing everyone’s smiling rib faces when they sampled them.  Hope you give them a try!” ~ Dido

Yummy!