It’s 45 days to retirement, and the last hurdle has been jumped. We have health insurance starting July 1st. It wasn’t easy sorting through the bazillion and one options and plans – and at soon-to-be 66 years of age, this is the first time in my life I have ever had to think about it.

I was in Kaiser for all of my childhood and any time I was living in San Francisco, and any other time, I was covered under an employer plan.  I’ve always been employed. I’ve always had health coverage. I’ve rarely had to use it – but it’s been there…

Fast-Forward to today, and I was as lost as lost can be trying to sort out HMO Plans, PPO Plans, Medicare Advantage Plans, Medicare Gap Plans, Drug Plans… It could not be any more confusing. Okay. Not true. It can – and probably will – get a lot more confusing if these assholes in Congress get their way. If a reasonably well-educated person can’t figure this stuff out, I really don’t see how the poor and downtrodden in this country can…

We need a Single Payer Health System in this country. Period.

</rant>

So…

In celebration of having health insurance, I decided ribs, baked beans, and corn was the perfect Independence-type Day menu. And baby back ribs the perfect choice.

I’m a bit over the top, right now, when it comes to herbs and spices. Well… right now is a bit of a misnomer. I’m always over the top when it comes to herbs and spices – I’m just a bit more than my normal.

And that doesn’t include the baking and salt cabinet. Yeah… there’s a whole shelf just for different salts. I’m going to have to see if this particular illness is covered under my new health plan…

I decided to make a batch of rib rub because, why not?!?

Rib Rub

  • 1/3 cup kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup Penzeys Ozark seasoning
  • 1/4 cup smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 tsp mustard powder
  • 2 tsp black pepper

Mix and store in an airtight container.

It went all over the ribs, the ribs were wrapped, and put into a 225°F oven for three hours.

When they came out…

They were liberally doused with our own Smoky Sweet BBQ Sauce and placed on the grill for about 15 minutes.

Fall-off-the-bone tenderness…

Corn on the cob and Phoebe’s Baked Beans were all it took to complete the meal.

We’re eating well in soon-to-be-retirement-land. And if things ever get tight, I know a lot of ways to make beans.