PLUM-GLAZED PORK RIBS

4 to 4 1/2 lb. pork ribs
(spareribs, back ribs or
country-style ribs), cut
into serving pieces
1 bottle (12 oz.) chili sauce
(about 1 c.)
1 jar (10 oz.) plum jelly
3 to 4 tsp. hot sauce or 1/4
c. soy sauce
Place pork ribs meaty sides up on rack in aluminum
foil-lined shallow roasting pan. Bake uncovered in 350 degrees oven
45 minutes.
Heat chili sauce, jelly and hot sauce to boiling in
1-quart saucepan, stirring constantly. Brush pork with about
1/2 cup of the sauce; bake until tender, 45 to 60 minutes.
While baking, brush 2 or 3 times with 3/4 cup of the sauce.
Crisscross 2 pieces heavy-duty aluminum foil in Dutch oven.
Pour remaining sauce on pork in foil-lined Dutch oven. Cool
quickly. Wrap pork securely in foil; remove from Dutch oven
and label. Freeze up to 4 months.
Forty minutes before serving, remove from freezer and
unwrap. Place 1/3 cup water and frozen ribs in Dutch oven.
Cover and heat over medium heat, turning occasionally, until
pork is hot, about 30 minutes. Makes 5 to 6 servings.

                         Scrapple

INGREDIENTS

• One 3-pound pork butt, bone in
• 4 quarts water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons rubbed sage
• 1 teaspoon ground savory
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice (start with less)
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (start with less)
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves
• 3 cups corn meal

Place the pork and water in an 8-quart stock pot. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer until pork is tender, about 2 hours. Place the meat on a large plate; reserve the stock. When the meat is cool enough to handle, remove it from the bones and discard excess fat. Chop the meat very finely; set aside.

Place 2-1/2 quarts of the stock in a 5-quart pot. Add the thyme, sage, savory, allspice, nutmeg and cloves. Bring to a boil and gradually add the corn meal, stirring or whisking rapidly until it is all combined. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low and continue to cook, stirring often, until the mixture is very thick, so that a spoon almost stands up by its own, about 15 minutes. (If it gets too thick, just add a little more of the broth and stir well.) Add the meat and stir well to combine. Reduce the heat to low and cook for an additional 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. After a couple minutes, taste for seasoning and adjust as desired. Scrapple must be well-seasoned or it will taste very bland when fried.

Place a piece of waxed paper into the bottom of two 9x5 loaf pans so that the ends extend over the two long sides. That will make it easier to lift the refrigerated loaf out of the pan later. Pour half the mixture into each pan. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight or until chilled and solid.

To fry, remove the loaf from the pan and place on cutting surface. Slice into about 1/4 to 1/2-inch slices. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add some butter and, as soon as it melts, add the scrapple slices. It is critical with scrapple to let each side brown thoroughly before attempting to turn it over or it will stick and fall apart, so be very patient. Serve as is or, as many PA Dutchmen would do, with ketchup or apple butter.

Notes: You will have to learn, as I did, what degree of thickness to cook the corn meal. On my first attempt, it obviously was too thin because the chilled mixture did not get as stiff as expected. If that happens to you, don't panic. I was still able to slice and fry it, although it fell apart easily. You will need to play with the seasonings, tasting and adjusting until you get what you want. Many people dredge scrapple in a light coating of flour before frying. Scrapple freezes very well; just slice and wrap individually in waxed paper and then place in freezer bags. Take out as many slices as you want and fry them frozen, reducing the heat slightly to allow more cooking time. Remember, everything is previously cooked so it only needs to be browned and heated through. Serve instead of bacon, ham or sausage for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

 Baked Frankfurters and Rice (USDA)

Recipe By     : USDA Bulletin #40, 1973,  (0100-02712)
Serving Size  : 24   Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Freezes Well                     USDA

   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
    2 1/4  cups          rice -- uncooked
    1      teaspoon      salt
    1      quart         boiling water
    2 1/4  pounds        frankfurters -- cut in1/2" slices
   58      ounces        canned tomatoes -- (two 29-oz cans)
      1/4  cup           sweet pepper flakes
      1/2  cup           instant minced onion
    1      pound         processed cheddar cheese -- shredded
    2      teaspoons     salt

      Preheat oven to 350=B0 F. (moderate).
     
      Line four 8x8-inch baking pans with heat-resistant freezer wrap.  Allow
  enough extra wrap to fold over top.  Use one pan for each six servings or
  one-fourth of the recipe.  Do not line pans for food to be served without
  freezing.
     
      Place rice in a large baking pan.  Add salt and water.  Stir.  Cover
  and bake 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes.
  Combine cooked rice with remaining ingredients.
      Pour one-fourth of the mixture into each 8x8-inch baking pan.  Pack
  food tightly to avoid air pockets.

TO SERVE WITHOUT FREEZING
      Preheat oven to 400=B0 F. (hot).  Bake 45 minutes or until pepper
  flakes and onion are tender.

TO FREEZE
      Cool for 30 minutes at room temperature.  Complete wrapping by pulling
  paper up over top of food.  Put edges of wrap together and fold several
  times so paper lies directly on top of food.  Fold ends of freezer wrap
  over the top and seal with freezer tape.  Label with name of food, date of
  freezing, and last date the food should be used for best eating quality
  (about 6 months).  Freeze for 10 to 12 hours before removing packages from
  the pans.

TO HEAT FROZEN FOOD
      Preheat oven to 400=B0 F. (hot).  Remove freezer wrap.  Place food in
  baking pan.  Bake 1 1/4 hours or until center is hot.