flying cookware and slippery ribs

Hi Gang:

Ron and Jan, you were missed, and here is what you missed.

The grilling of the ribs was taking too long and with time running out and rain on the way, I headed for the oven with a platter of ribs. I arrived to find my pre-heated pan sitting on top of the stove put there by my lovely wife (what is this empty pan doing in the oven?) Ahem, so forgetting that it might be hot, I grabbed, and it flew! Once it was retrieved before melting through the linoleum, time to get the ribs in. While tilting the platter to slide into the baking pan, (now cool and returned to the oven), the ribs slid right off the platter, missed the pan entirely, and went to the bottom of the oven onto the 450 degree surface. POOF. Instant smoke and billows of it filling the kitchen. (Didn't I do that on the first Cosmic Dinner?)

Rita and company to the rescue! Potholders flying, oven grate flung into the back yard, remove the squash from the near flaming oven, spatulate the smoldering remains off the bottom of the oven, return squash to oven and smoke for 20 more minutes with the ribs. Thank heavens we took the batteries out of the smoke alarms weeks ago. (I think I better take care of that today).

Damn! still not done. Off to the microwave for perfect ribs. Asparagus on the grille never take off cause all the coals are gone, they go in the microwave too for that perfect microwaved finish. Yikes, I gave myself over 3 hours to orchestrate this latest disaster/gourmet feast. Ah well, adaptability is my motto.

Well, that's about it. I'll let Rita and Barbara contribute their additions to the meal because the salad and squash and dessert were of course, fantastic, but I don't know the particulars.

Thanks all for another eventful evening.
Bob