I'm just another working mom seeking a few moments of Zen and zinfandel between soccer practice and supper. My former beach bartender husband founded 
Sunday afternoon the hubby cooked up a mess of boneless pork ribs outdoors on the gas grill and we invited my dad and brother over to chow down and watch the Titans/Patriots game. It was a glorious fall afternoon, the kind that beckons you to fire up the backyard grill because you know these days of crisp blue skies and custom ordered sunshine are fleeting.
It was all perfect, really, until five minutes into the second quarter when the Titans mentally checked out and went to Bora Bora to escape the snow.
Before the girls came along the hubby was the master backyard pork aficionado. We had a couple of backyard beer/barbecue bashes and in college he would dig a pit in the backyard of his rental bachelor pad house and smoke an entire half pig. It wasn’t uncommon for 200 people to show up for these cookouts. This may not be the Rendezvous in Memphis but his mad pork skillz could make Elvis cry for ‘Cilla to bring him more napkins.
If you’re a Titans fan or a Patriots fan or follow the NFL at all you know it wasn’t much of a game to watch considering it was the most lopsided loss in 33 years. But hey, the snow was pretty in HD. We basically spent a few hours watching the Titans getting the holy living sauce kicked out of them repeatedly by the Patriots. It seemed appropriate to have such a messy meal for such a messy game. Thank God for paper towels.
We had two kinds of finger-licking, get all up in your business with sauce, ribs: honey chipotle and Carolina style. For those unfamiliar with Carolina barbecue, it’s a mustard-based sauce, rather than their standard tomato-based rib brethren. We used Sticky Fingers sauce from Charleston, S.C. We also served an amazing chilled fresh black bean salad as a side dish, although we ended up eating quite a bit of it with tortilla chips. All I can say is fresh avocado and cilantro will cure whatever ails you, including a horrific loss, especially if you wash them down with beer.
Here’s the recipe for the black bean salad. The hubby also added a can of hoppin’ john to the black bean salad and he did not add jalapenos. No need in crying any more than we already were over the final score…59 to NOTHING.
Black Bean Salad Recipe
Ingredients
• 3 fresh ears corn
• 3 to 4 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 3 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 small purple onion, chopped
• 1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation
Cook corn in boiling water to cover 5 minutes; drain and cool. Cut corn from cob. (You can fudge a bit here and add canned corn.)
Whisk together lime juice and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add corn, black beans, and remaining ingredients; toss to coat. Cover and chill 2 hours.
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Lol!! I’m in WA state and the hubby and I watched bits of that game too. I agree, the snow was pretty in HD! So sorry for your loss =(
This Pats fan would like to apologize to this Titans fan for the game. While you were eating what look to be some delicious ribs, we were hunkered down roasting chickens for dinner to heat the house.
As for the snow: we’re on the coast, and didn’t have anything, so imagine my surprise when my husband turned on the game and started yelling “it’s snowing!”. Imagine my horror when the kids started dancing around singing, “No school tomorrow, snow day tomorrow!” (We ended up with just over 1” that melted by morning, and school was in session.)
.-= WorkingMom´s last blog ..Speech Delayed =-.
Yep the game was pretty darn sad. (See also embarrassing.) Sigh…
Working Mom, we aren’t waaaay down South but just far enough to where we barely experience snow. My girls go NUTS when it flurries. I’m kind of hoping we get at least one nice snowfall this winter! One snowfall will do just fine, otherwise we get cabin fever.
Yup. where we live (I am a home girl with Jamie) we get a dusting and EVERYTHING closes! It is pretty funny.
Sad sad game for the Titans, but your bean and corn salad sounds divine.
“Pass the paper towels, “Cilla” Love it!
xo
Lauren
.-= Lauren´s last blog ..And the award goes to … =-.
That was a truly horible game. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a game preempted because the score was so bad
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..Motherhood, Wordful Wednesday =-.
My mouth is watering right now. Really.
I make that same black bean salad but use drained corn niblets from a can.
And since y’all love BBQ, may I recommend Montgomery Inn Barbecue Sauce. It is by far the best we’ve found in a bottle at the store (and, no, this comment is NOT sponsored by Montgomery Inn; I just like it).
.-= Mary@The Writer’s Block´s last blog ..Things My Mama Taught Me (and a few I learned from HGTV) =-.
It looks awesome! Where do you get your Carolina BBQ sauce? I love it and haven’t had any since I was last in—the Carolinas.
And that game – she was painful eh?
.-= amy2boys´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday – The Fountain =-.
The sauce we used for the Carolina style ribs is Sticky Fingers from Charleston, S.C., but I believe it’s available at Publix and/or Harris Teeter. Tres yum!
.-= Jamie´s last blog ..Drowning Our Sorrows In BBQ Sauce =-.
Dang it… now my mouth is watering at 10 o’clock at night! That looks so good!
We root for the Titans second only behind the Texans because my hubby grew up a Houston Oiler fan and love Coach Jeff from those days. They did stink it up last week, not that the Texans are faring much better this year. HA!
.-= Steph.´s last blog ..Never underestimate the kindergarteners
That looks amazing… we just had bbq tonight. Here is charleston it’s still in the 80s with a slight breeze so tailgating outdoors is perfect! My fav bbq is yellow mustard base, it is super ease and amazing!
.-= Women’s Workouts´s last blog ..Can You Stay Up When Everyone Is Trying To Knock You Down? =-.
Oooh, your BBQ looks absolutely delicious! We were watching the game too, but eating a baked ham as we’re in Boston and it was absolutely FREEZING. So strange to look out the window and see it snowing in October! Hee hee
.-= Katie´s last blog ..Safe Sizer Plate =-.
Wow – now I am hungry for some finger licking ribs. I do think I may have to pass on watching the next Titans game, just can’t stand the misery.
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‘Cilla bring the napkins~!! Too funny! Those ribs are looking scrumptuous and totally finger lickin’ good! As for the “game” I don’t watch football anyway, but the snow was nice!
Tenn. fan huh?
Well at least you all had some good food while Tom Brady & Company held a scrimmage against your team!
If you’re a Vols fan then that was a heart breaker but at least it looks like you and your girls are eating good!
.-= Kaily´s last blog ..Nervous