Rush Hour

With kids going back to school and schedules for work and play speeding up, September is the perfect month to take advantage of your crockpot. Using a crockpot or slow cooker is a great way to spend minutes preparing a meal to get a rich, tender dinner a few hours later.

In this recipe, a combination of sweet pineapple and honey with spicy chili sauce makes a special sauce for lean back ribs. Round out the meal with some creamy garlic mashed potatoes and a fresh garden salad and you've got a dinner that's going to shine -- in the middle of the week or anytime! If you want to reduce the amount of fat in this recipe, simply make the ribs a day ahead of time and refrigerate overnight. In the evening, skim the fat from the top of the ribs and warm through.

As always, I encourage you to share your recipe ideas and comments. You can always post comments in the discussion board using the forms provided in the articles or email me directly at . Enjoy!

Fruity Crockpot Ribs

  • 2 onions -- cut into wedges
  • 4 lb. boneless back ribs
  • 1 large can pineapple chunks in heavy syrup
  • 1 can beef broth
  • 1/2 c. chili sauce
  • 1/4 c. honey
  • 3 T. Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 garlic cloves -- minced

Cut the onions into large wedges and place in the bottom of a crockpot. Arrange the ribs over the onions. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and pour over the ribs. Turn the crockpot to the LOW setting, cover and cook for 8-10 hours or until the ribs are soft and the sauce thickened.

  • Yields: 6-8 servings
  • Preparation Time: 10 minutes plus 8-10 hours cooking time