I love this time of the year (except for the incessant runny nose from the various plants blooming)-for us here in the great SW the weather is perfect:  80-90’s, a slight breeze and sunny.

We also know that if we want to enjoy the outdoors in any form-this is the time to do it!

This week DH sprayed the weeds and did a bit of pruning.  Besides that, we also pulled out the pads for the outside dining set and cleaned the winter dust off the table.

Unlike most areas, we always use the grill unless there’s a monsoon happening, so the BBQ is always ready.

Tonight-spare ribs are enjoying a dry rub of montreal steak seasoning.  They will get on the grill with a nice brushing of pumpkin molasses sauce that I found at Sprout’s during Halloween.

Since the ribs will be on the spicy side, I’ll cool the rest of dinner down with some traditional cole slaw that I’ll spike with some raisins and some brown rice from last night’s meal.

As for dessert-I threw together a “dump” bar cookie of sorts with:

1 C butter-flavored shortening
3/4 C brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp of both salt and soda
1 tsp of brandy flavoring
2 C of AP
1/2 C cinnamon sugar pretzel bits (I did say “dump“)
1/2 C choc. chips
1/4 C shredded and unsweetened coconut.

Cream the shortening and sugar until fluffy and add flavoring.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Have the dry ingredients blended and add in 1/3’s.

Grease an 8×11 pyrex and press in the mixture.  It will be stiff.  Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.  cool in pan for 15 and cut into 24 squares.

These are NOT sweet.  Of course you can doctor these up in almost any way you can think:  swap the pretzel pieces for potato chips, use any chip you’d like, use different flavorings, switch the brown sugar for white.  Use coconut oil instead of shortening, etc...

And now, excuse me but I see a chair on my patio that needs me to come out and enjoy sitting in it!