Double Birthday Dinner, Ribs, Smashed Potatoes, Key Lime Pie and a Boxed Cake

Joel, Brian, Kate, and Mike admire the 439 cake.

Two of our sons, Mike and Joel have December birthdays.  Not too long ago they started celebrating them together.  As usual they wanted something BBQ and I really didn't want Brian to have to tend the grill standing in 6" of snow!  So, I opted to just do them in the oven according to the format he uses out on the smoker,  low and slow.    thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2011/08/smoked-bbq-ribs-and-rub-for-birthday.html     I used the same rub but browned the three slabs on both sides in an open flat pan for 45 minutes a side at 350 then covered them for 3 hours at 225 degrees F.   After that I applied the sauce liberally and returned covered at 350 for another 30-40 minutes.  They were delicious!

EASY Smashed Potatoes:
(You can see these in the forefront of the above picture on the foil lined tray.)

The smashed potatoes are easy and I bake a whole tray full (8 to 10) of jumbo potatoes covered with a sheet of foil for 1 1/2 hours at 400 degrees F.  When they are cool enough to handle with a pot holder I scoop out the center flesh leaving enough potato in the skin to retain it's shape.  Place 1 stick of butter and all of the potato flesh into a large mixing bowl with a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper and a package of Ranch Dressing Mix.  Add about a cup of sour cream and a cup of buttermilk and beat with the mixer enough to combine but remain lumpy.  Taste and correct the seasoning as needed.  Top with shredded sharp cheddar cheese and sprinkle with paprika.

Now you can either cover these well with plastic wrap and stow them away in the refrigerator for a few days or bake them at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes until hot and the cheese has melted.

Good to the last piece.

The Key Lime Pie can also be made a day ahead  thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2010/06/key-lime-pie-its-soooo-refreshing.html

I did not make the meringue topping but instead froze the egg whites for later use and covered the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerated.  At serving time I passed pie and sweetened whipped cream.




Next I stirred up a Duncan Hinds Butter cake and chocolate frosting, a big green salad, and arranged a platter of fresh fruits including pineapple, oranges, tangerines, and blackberries. 

Blowing out the candles.

The most fun was using numeral candles 439 to top the cake as Mike is 43 and Joel is 39!  I thought that was clever enough.  Then the real task of wrapping this special snow shovel Joel had asked for and his Dad ran all over town to find!  The ties Mike requested were WAY easier!  HA HA!

Happy Birthday Boys!