Coca-Cola and Apricot Jam Short Ribs for French Fridays with Dorie

My husband Scott was looking forward to having Cola and Jam Ribs for French Fridays with Dorie this week.  I didn't want to use the spareribs called for in the recipe so I substituted meatier beef short ribs, they turned out flavorful and tender with a deep colored glaze.   I baked my short ribs closer to 2 & 1/2 hours total time, basting them the entire time, first with the marinade and then with the Coca-Cola for the last 30 minutes.  I figured after a couple of weeks of French Fridays with poached eggs on asparagus over salad and veggies he deserved a piece of red meat with a few spuds.  I liked the flavor of the Chinese five-spice powder from the marinade, it was pronounced in the short ribs and the glaze that formed on the ribs from basting with the Coca-Cola was strikingly dark in color.  I used a large roasting pan which held about 4 pounds of meaty short ribs that I had the butcher cut in half for me.  I had enough room in the pan to add a few pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes for the last hour of cooking.  A mixture of Swiss chard and carrots sauteed in olive oil along with the marinade glazed potatoes complemented the tender oven roasted short ribs  Please check out the other contributors to this on-line cooking group, French Fridays with Dorie as we cook our way through Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan.