PLUM-GLAZED COUNTRY RIBS

Ingredients

4 pounds bone-in country style pork ribs

1 (12 ounce) bottle chili sauce

1 (12 ounce) jar plum preserves

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Directions

Place ribs in two ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dishes. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes; drain. In a small saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Set aside 3/4 cup sauce for serving.

Brush ribs with some of the remaining sauce. Bake, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes or until ribs are tender, turning and basting frequently with remaining sauce. Serve with reserved sauce.

Recipe provided by:  www.Allrecipes.com; Recipe submitted by: Ila Mae Alderman

PORK and PLUM STEW

Ingredients
8 onions, medium, peeled, whole
12 lbs pork shoulder, boneless, cut into 1  ½ inch cubes
1 cup (8 ounces) orange juice
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup dry sherry
¼ cup fresh ginger root, minced
1 quart Michigan purple plums, canned, pitted, and drained

Directions
Place whole onions in center of roasting pan.  Add pork cubes around onions in single layer.  Bake in 325 F oven for one hour, stirring pork occasionally.  Remove from oven. Cool onions slightly.  Quarter onions lengthwise.  Set aside.  Remove any grease.  Combine remaining ingredients except plums and onions and add to pork.  Simmer on top of stove for one hour or until pork is tender and juices are cooked down.  Add plums and onions.  Continue to cook until heated thoroughly.  Serve over cooked rice.

PRUNE ALMOND FILLING

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup boiling water
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 egg white
½ cup cooked pitted prunes cut small
½ cup chopped blanched almonds

Directions
Mix sugar, water and cream of tartar together and bring to boiling point, stirring only until sugar is dissolved, then cook until a little dropped into cold water forms a soft ball (238 F).  Pour slowly over beaten egg white, beating while pouring and continue beating until smooth spreading consistency, then gently fold in prunes and almonds.

SPICY OVEN-ROASTED PLUMS

Ingredients

4 plums, halved and pitted

1/2 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a shallow baking dish with cooking spray.

Place the plums, cut-side up, in a single layer in the baking dish.

Whisk together the orange juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, and cardamom in a bowl; drizzle over the plums.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until plums are hot and the sauce is bubbly.

*Season with ground white pepper and use it as a side dish for pork or chicken. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and spoon it over vanilla bean ice cream, angel food, or pound cake for dessert! Play around with the spice combination by adding cloves, allspice, or cayenne. Be adventurous!

Recipe provided by:  www.Allrecipes.com; Recipe submitted by: JJOYB53

Tangy Plum Liqueur

Ingredients

16 cups black or red plums, pitted and cut into eighths

3 1/4 cups white sugar, divided

3 cups 100 proof vodka

1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract, divided

1 orange peel in pieces, divided

Directions

Layer half the plums into the bottom of a very large jar with a lid, pressing the plums down as tightly as possible. Pour half the sugar over the plums, then half the vodka over the sugar. Sprinkle on half the vanilla extract, and place about half the orange peel pieces into the jar. Layer the rest of the plums into the jar, pressing them down, and top them with the remaining sugar, vodka, vanilla extract, and orange peel pieces. Screw on the jar lid.

Using an unscented candle, drip a coating of wax around the jar lid to prevent leaking. Cover the jar with a dark-colored towel. Place the jar on its side in a dark, cool place, and turn the jar every day for 21 days, replacing the towel to keep out light.

After 21 days, strain out the liqueur from the plums and peel with a fine strainer lined with cheesecloth, and bottle the liqueur in attractive bottles with tight-fitting caps.

Recipe provided by:  www.Allrecipes.com; Recipe submitted by: Belinda