vHUFFS continued from page 11 said. “She doesn’t like pork, and I really like ribs. I like chicken a great deal, but I enjoy the ribs and they’re very good.” Ribs can be considered greasy, but Steve didn’t find it a problem with these four racks. “I trimmed the meat, and there weren’t a lot of fat pockets,” he said. The outcome can prove appealing even for those who don’t consider themselves rib lovers, Steve said. Tracy gave the product two thumbs up. “These are really flavorful. They’re moist and juicy but not greasy,” she said. Steve used different temperature settings and grilling times to reach the right amount of taste, flavor and doneness for the ribs. He started out with a higher temperature on the grill to get the meat sizzling. He then flipped the ribs and cranked down the temperatures for the remainder of time in order to get one side a bit crisp. “For the ribs, I start at 325 degrees for the first hour, flipping once at 30 minutes,” he said, “Then, off to foil you go with some butter per rack, for two hours at 225 degrees. Then to 180 degrees with the glaze for 15 minutes at least, after you gently boil equal parts pickle juice and brown sugar. ‘One cup, one cup’ is a pretty good batch but (you need) larger for more than two racks of ribs.” Yankton has developed a rib culture, especially with the annual Ribfest, Steve said. But even before then, a number of area grillers developed their own style and flavors. Among some ribbers, it became a matter of pride and friendly competition. In the end, the local rib scene has benefited from the different recipes and techniques, Steve said. The public finds more choices, and it stimulates more interest in ribs in general, he said. “It comes down to technique,” he said. “There are people (in Yankton) who do things better than me when it comes to barbecue. But I like to think I can make some pretty tasty ribs, and my steaks are good, too.” Eat Your Veggies Even carnivores can use something crispy and green to go with the meat-fest. For that need, the Huffs mixed up two bags of broccoli slaw. “It’s so fast and easy, and it tastes so good with cilantro,” Tracy said. “I get a lot of compliments on it.” The broccoli slaw offers another advantage, Steve said. “It keeps forever,” he said. “If something has sour cream or mayo in it, we don’t keep it around. We don’t want our company to throw up.” The broccoli slaw wasn’t the only vegetable on the menu, as Tracy laid out two sheets of veggies for the oven. Unlike some teenagers, Nathan and Abby like their vegetables and consider it one of their favorite parts of the meal. “We had a fight with the kids about the vegetables because I took too many carrots (for myself),” Tracy said with a laugh. So what if it’s cold weather makes fresh produce limited or costly? Never fear, because frozen vegetables offer a nutritious and less expensive alternative, Tracy said. At this time of year, Tracy also turns to what she considers her “cheat package” from a local supermarket. “They have yellow squash and zucchini, and I love Brussels sprouts,” she said. “I did the cheat on the Brussels sprouts because they were already pre-cut. I just used olive oil, and I love Mrs. Dash as a table blend. I threw (the seasoning) on top and popped it in the oven. It didn’t take any time to do it.” For a splash of color as well as nutrition, Tracy makes an vHUFFS continued on page 24 vTEAM TWOPACK continued from page 15 marathon. Annie thought the concept of Ragnar sounded crazy at first. “I was thinking being in a van for 36 hours, no sleep, running in the middle of the night, and being in unfamiliar terrain just seemed cruel and scary!” But then it also started to sound appealing. “When else are you going to be together with a group of amazing women, with the same interests, crushing some insane goals?” Annie also thought it would be a great way to enjoy some beautiful parts of the country, meeting new people, and checking something off her bucket list. For Annie, she wasn’t racing for a time or personal best but just to have fun and to give it her best. She enjoyed that she was able to take photos and video along her route which isn’t something you usually have time to do when running any other sort of race. She also reflected, “during my night run, I even had a chance to call my dad at 3:30am and chat with him.” For Annie, the comradery was the best part especially during the runner’s exchange. And she agreed with the others, the worst part was the porta potties. ”Ragnar was fun, it was peaceful, it was difficult and yet so satisfying.” Katie Feimer was one of Team TwoPack who ran in California in the spring and has also done several 5ks and one half marathon. The most miles she had run prior to Ragnar was 13.1 and for Ragnar she ran a total of 17.1. Katie didn’t know much about Ragnar prior to the California race but after she was asked she started to read about it. “So many of the blogs and stories I read made it sound like a fantastic experience. It is something I would have never imagined myself doing or being able to do so I wanted to prove to myself that I could!” For Katie, the best parts were being a part of a team as she had never done a relay before. “Everyone cheers each other on and it’s encouraging.” Team captain Molly Branaugh had run some races in the past 5ks, 10ks, and a half marathon, but the Tennessee Ragnar was only her second Ragnar. She was on the first team that went to California and then the Tennessee one. The most miles she had run at one time was a half marathon she did a few years ago which was 13.1 miles. During the first Ragnar, she totaled 16.5 miles. For the Tennessee Ragnar, Molly ran 17 miles total. She also agreed that the Ragnar race is different than other races but also “hands down better in every way.” For her, she gets to explore a new area of the country, meet other runners, and be part of a team that is made up of her friends. “It was one of the best experiences of my life.” She did also agree that it is mentally and physically challenging, even more than other races she had done but that it makes it that much more rewarding and memorable. For Molly, the best part was enjoying the time with her friends and getting to cheer each other on while also seeing them accomplish amazing things. Winning also was a highlight. “We aren’t competitive. We do these events for fun and our attitude has always been to enjoy the experience and we hope to do our best. So to then find out we got 1st place just felt like the icing on the cake.” Molly finished by saying that they don’t have anything set in stone but that another Ragnar is likely. “Once you do your first Ragnar, you can’t stop!” A sentiment shared amongst the ladies who accomplished one bucket list item and are likely to achieve even more when they set out to their next adventure; whenever that may be. n check out...hervoiceonline.com HERVOICEvJANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020v21