By Carla Vigos

Special to the Laguna Woods Globe

I am a big fan of state fair corn — you know, the ear of corn you spend $5 for without hesitation. It is so sweet, and the stuff you put on them, well, it all makes me happy.

Another thing that makes me happy are spare ribs. They can be cooked on the grill, in the oven or in a crockpot, whatever you fancy. You can make your own barbecue sauce, but my great standby is Sweet Baby Rays because sometimes you just want easy. I hear from many of you that you love easy.

So just in time for your Memorial Day festivities or anytime, really, this month I am featuring spare ribs and Mexican corn.

For questions or comments, email me at [email protected].

Mexican Corn (Elote)

INGREDIENTS

4 ears of corn, shucked

1 tablespoon oil

Salt and pepper

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup  light sour cream or regular

1/2 teaspoon chile powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese

Lime wedges

PROCEDURE

On a plate, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, chile powder, cumin and cilantro.

Preheat grill or skillet to medium high heat. Coat corn with oil, salt and pepper. Grill 10 to 12 minutes or until cooked and lightly charred, turning frequently. Don’t be surprised if you hear a pop like popcorn.

Roll or brush the corn in the mayo mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Squeeze some lime on it. Optional extra toppings are tajin, more cilantro or hot sauce.

Oven BBQ Pork Spare Ribs

INGREDIENTS

4 to 5 pounds St. Louis style pork ribs or baby back

2 teaspoons favorite spice rub or salt

18 ounces barbecue sauce, homemade or store bought

PROCEDURE

Set oven to 300 degrees. Take the silverskin off the back of the ribs, if still present, by inserting a butter knife under the skin, working it through a bit and pulling off the skin with a paper towel.

Season and cut into individual ribs. Place the ribs in a rimmed half sheet pan lined with foil for an easier cleanup. Pour 1 cup of barbecue sauce over ribs and toss to coat well. Finish with meat side up. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 1 hour 45 minutes.

Remove the foil and baste with about one third cup of barbecue sauce. Increase temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking uncovered. Baste the ribs one more time with remaining sauce and bake for another 20 minutes until sauce is caramelized.

Watch them because some sauces with more sugar will darken faster. They should be sticky but shiny.