I think you need homemade ice cream for dessert. It's getting pretty hot now even here at the beach, and so I can imagine it's extremely hot where you are.

I like corn soufflé better than plan cornbread, but the latter is easier. For an appetizer, I would have crudité varié with a lemon/garlic/dill dip.

I think you need more vegetables - zucchini is great grilled - slice it fairly thickly lengthwise and season it with S&P and olive oil. I also marinate mushrooms and grill those as well, on separate skewers. On other skewers I grill pearl onions and red bell peppers and sometimes cherry tomatoes. The tomatoes have to go on their own skewers because they get done very quickly. I also make garlic butter to spread on thick French bread to make garlic toast on the grill. Grilled garlic toast is extremely good, especially if you are using charcoal. BTW, are you using charcoal or gas? I pretty much always use charcoal, but I have gas as a backup.

Lars

To cook my ribs I portion them into serving size pieces (about three ribs each), place each portion on a piece of foil, season with a rub or drizzle with BBQ sauce, wrap into a packet and place on a cookie sheet. I usually start them in a slow oven (275) for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until the meat has pulled back 1/2 inch. Then I unwrap the ribs, baste with BBQ sauce, and finish them in a hot oven, or on the grill, basting them every five minutes until they are stick and nicely coated. I use inderect heat with my grill set on high. They come out fall off the bone tender. They can be a bit difficult to get on and off the grill so I usually use a perforated sheet made for cooking small items on the grill.

We usually have corn on the cob, but I bet corn bread would be great with ribs.

For dessert, maybe a pie or two? Apple, key lime, lemon merangue, chocolate cream or pecan?

Oh, and if you are thinking 60's, I think you have to have a jello mold!

Joanne

Apple Pie for dessert! Yes mam!

Ribs: I season them really good and put them in the oven covered in foil for 2 1/2 hrs on 300. Then I add the BBQ Sauce and let them go uncovered for 30 mins.

I dont even bother w/the grill anymore. Too hot to stand out there.

When I do my best ribs, I use a rib rack a very slow fire and indirect heat and a can of wet hickory chips for about 1 hour until they have pulled back form the bone. Then I remove the rack from the grill, stoke the fire and sauce the ribs and return to the fire until glazed..
Alternativly I cook them in the oven in a covered roaster with slices of onion and lemonuntil tender, then sauce and grill.
I would serve the corn pudding....and for dessert how about one of those layered desserts with oreo crumbs, ice cream and chocolate sayce and more crumbs.
Appetizers? I second devilled eggs, and carrot and celery sticks and chips and sour cream onion dip!
Linda C

O-M-G, Linda is reading my mind...that is exactly what I do, except I don't even bother with sauce. I love just grilled ribs with no BB-Q sauce. Deviled eggs and potato salad and I'm good to go.

Linda, That Oreo thing you have going on sounds sooooo good. I think I call that a Chocolate Yummy?

LOL!! She asked for a 60's dessert! Seems we crumbled up "stuff" covered it with icecream, added other "stuff" and "whipped topping"! and slurped it up like crazy.
There was stuff with an oreo botton, graham cracker bottom, 'nilla wafer bottom, topped with banana and vanilla pudding, chocolate stuff, peppermint stuff...sweetened condensed milk...
And I think I have the ultimate recipe...(y'all know where I live?) it was from the mother of the president of the washing maching company, ( begins with an "M") and it begins with butter and eggs and cream, and graham crackers and bananas...I was given it by someone in her church circle and pledged to never reveal the recipe...but could feel free to make it for company! I made it once for a group and someone asked it that wasn't Ora B's recipe! LOL! So much for secrets!!
Very rich....full of raw eggs....and very very delicious.
I need to dig it out for those who have a reliable source of good eggs....like Annie!

Thank you all for helping me out:)

I spent the day doing prep...and this was supposed to be a relaxing sort of meal. Um hmm, right.

I couldn't leave well enough alone and combined a few baked bean recipes. One had tabasco and I added a bit too much. So, halfway thru I drained the tomato molasses base and started over. The flavor was there, but the heat was too :)

I forgot that I have Steven Raichlen's How to Grill Coobook. How bad is that? I chose his Asian Flavor Baby Back Rib recipe because the beans are tomato based, a case of too much of a good thing and potential heartburn :)

I decided on deviled eggs for sure and celery sticks schmeared with a mixture of cream cheese and that potted pimento cheese stuff. I was a potted cheese virgin, alas, no more:( And that stuff is expensive, $3.29 for a tiny jar. Cripes, what I'll spend when company's coming!

For dessert I'll make an Apple Betty with Haagan Daz ice cream.

I'll try to take pictures if all goes smoothly.
Til then....