Back Yard BBq Sauce

     It is summertime, so that means it's grilling time too! I created this recipe one day when I was looking for a gooey, sticky, want to eat more, lip smacking BBQ sauce for ribs. It is really great on Ribs, Chicken, & Pork chops. I have not tried it for wings, but I would add some extra ground cayenne, to give it more of a kick. Let me know if you try it and tell me what you think, or adjustments you made. Enjoy!

Back Yard BBQ Sauce

2 cups ketchup

1 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

splash of vinegar

1/2 cup honey

1 tbsp. each: chili powder,onion powder,garlic powder

1 tsp. each: mesquite seasoning (McCormick's), ground red pepper (cayenne), paprika,cumin

Combine all of the above into a large sauce pan, bring to a low boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often. pour into a jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator, or use right away.

*  by now you should know I modify everything, don't measure, and taste and add a bit of this and that, start out as directed, sometimes I add more honey,chili powder and garlic. adjust to your liking. After all isn't that what cooking is all about?!



Cinco De Mayo

Hello everyone, sorry I havent updated in awhile. In honor of Cinco De Mayo, I decided to post my recipe for Chicken and Black Bean Burritos, Corn Cake Casserole and Mango Margaritas!

Chicken and Black Bean Burritos

1# boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1-1/2 cups water

1- 1/2 cups instant brown rice

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 chopped medium onion

1/4 cup chopped cilantro (fresh)

1 (8oz) can of tomato sauce

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

8- flour tortillas-warmed

1 cup salsa, cheddar cheese,sour cream

 Boil chicken until cooked through, let cool a bit and then shredd. Bring 1- 1/2 cups of water to a boil, add the rice,stir and remove from heat and cover for 5 minutes. fluff with fork. Meanwhile, saute peppers and onions with 1-1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil until tender. Add the taco seasoning, tomato sauce and shredded chicken bring to a low boil and toss in the cilantro and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the cooked rice and black beans and gently fold together until rice is coated. Spoon filling into warmed tortillas, top with salsa,cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Corn cake casserole

1 box Jiffy brand Corn Muffin mix

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

1 can cream style corn

1 stick butter or margarine, melted

1 egg, beaten

In a medium bowl, combine both cans of corn, melted butter and corn muffin mix, stir to combine. Add beaten egg and stir until all is combined. Spray a baking pan with cooking spray and pour mixture into pan. Bake @ 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until golden brown and knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Mango Margaritas for 4

2 fresh Limes

1 cup Tequila

1/4 cup triple sec

1/2 cup sour mix

3 cups ice

1-1/2 cups Mango Nectar

1 -2 mangos diced up, frozen

Peel and cut up your mangos, place in a freezer bag and freeze. About 6-8 hours. In a blender combine 2-3 TB. Lime juice from 1 of your limes, use the remainder of the squeezed lime to run around the edge of your glass, and then dip the rim of the glass in sugar. Slice remaining lime to garnish glasses.Then into the blender add tequila, triple sec, nectar, sour mix and diced frozen mango. Give the blender a whirl until all is combined and pureed. Add the 3 cups of ice and blend until thickened and slush-like. Pour into glasses, and enjoy!

* can add 3/4 cup pineapple juice and 3/4 mango nectar if want to change it up. yum!

Mardi Gras

     Well it is Mardi Gras time, so here are a few recipes to get you in the spirit and tomorrow is Fat Tuesday, so make all this and you will be transported to New Orleans. Turn on the jazz music and throw some beads at your family! First start your morning out in Cafe Du Monde with some fresh beignets! yum! If you do not know what a beignet is, it is a french donut very popular in Lousiana, after it comes out of the oil you shake it in powdered sugar, they are divine! You wil need to make your dough tonight so it is ready tomorrow morning.

      Then get ready for some Seafood Gumbo. This gumbo is fabulous and your family will love you. It has crab, shrimp, and crawfish and andoille sausage. I must say I could get kicked out of the south for this comment, however I added some sugar to this gumbo and it sure brought out all of the flavors and enhanced the entire dish. Let's keep it our secret.(wink). 

French Quarter Beignets

1 pkg. of quick rise yeast

1/2 cup sugar or splenda

2 eggs

4-7 cups of bread flour

1-1/2 cups warm water

1 tsp. salt

1 cup of evaporated milk

*oil or shortening for frying

*powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl add your warm water and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then sprinkle the yeast over the mixture and stir to dissolve. Let this sit until foamy, then add salt, eggs, and milk. Now over medium low speed of your mixer, mix all of this until incorporated, then add about 4 cups of flour. Mix until it forms a soft mixture, it will not be a ball of dough. Cover and chill overnight.

   Take your mixture out of the fridge and work in flour as needed to form a nice soft ball of dough.( amount of flour depends on the atmosphere of your house) Use remaining flour to dust your rolling surface. Roll out the dough to 1/8" thickness. Then you are going to use a pizza roller and cut the dough into squares, about 2x2. Cover with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Then bring your oil to about 350-360 degrees F.  Put your powdered sugar in a paper bag. Fry the beignets for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown on both sides. Drain them on paper towels, then toss them in your powdered sugar bag and shake 'em up.

*Enjoy with some fresh coffee, and indulge...go ahead its Fat Tuesday!

My Seafood Gumbo

Ignore the date on this I made this march 5th, need to update my camera settings. Like the bowl it's in?? Hand made by my Dad. If you want some custom serving dishes message me and I will let you know how to order these sensational serving dishes.

Ok get ready for something new, an adventure you have to make a roux. Do not answer your phone, your door, tell the kids to go find an activity, because you will not be able to leave the stove. Dont worry its quite easy just do not get in a hurry, you'll be stirring for awhile. Work out those arms!

Roux

2/3 cup of canola oil

1 cup of flour

Now in a medium skillet over medium heat add your oil. Get out your wisk, and wait until the oil gets hot, not sizzle hot, just hot enough you can feel the heat with your palm placed over it. Now slowly wisk in your flour. Stir, stir and stir. Do not walk away. You will stir this continously or it will burn. First it will be a light tan color, then it will go to a peanut butter color, when it gets this color you can turn down your heat if you are afraid it will burn on you, however I keep it on the same temperature. You want the roux to look like milk chocolate, or chocolate cake mix. This gives the gumbo it's texture and richness.

* if you are uncomfortable with this make a dry roux, take a cast iron skillet and add 1 cup of flour, stir the flour until the color of peanut butter. (open your windows) remove, and add oil, get the oil hot then add the flour.

Seafood Gumbo

1 recipe roux

2 cups chopped yellow onions

1 cup chopped celery

1 green pepper chopped

4 cloves garlic or 2-3 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. Creole seasoning

2-3 bay leaves whole.

1 tsp. tabasco sauce

28 oz. can diced tomatoes

48 oz. box of swanson's chicken broth

1#  Andoille Sausage-sliced

2# Fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 cans (6oz) White crab meat (chicken of the sea)

2 cans (6oz.) lump crab meat

2# Crawfish *( I garnished with these, and had on the side.)

3/4 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup sugar (shhh)

*Rice*

Okay now that your roux is done, add the onions, celery, and green pepper and garlic if using fresh.Over medium heat- Let this sweat until the veggies are tender. it's going to smell wonderful, and the mixture will be more fluid, than thick at this point.

Add the tomatoes and chicken broth and the andouille sausage . Then add your bay leaves, tabasco sauce, and garlic powder if your using vs. fresh. I always throw in a about 1/8 cup of dried parsley. you can too if you want. Then add your creole seasoning. Not too much it is salty. I use Tony Chachere's, it is in a green container in spice aisle at the grocery store. If you do not have use a tsp. of salt, a tsp. of pepper and 1 tsp. cayenne. 

      Now let this simmer for 30-45 minutes.( longer if you want)  Now you have to get organized because you have a lot to do. If using crawfish bring a pot of water to a boil, and throw in some creole seasoning. Add the crawfish and let boil 10 minutes. Take them off the heat. Now you need to bring 3 cups of water to a boil, then add 3 cups of minute rice. cover remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. While this is sitting, throw in your shrimp and crab to your gumbo pot. When shrimp are pink, its done. Now taste it...does it need adjusting? Add the sugar here, not all of it at once, just taste and add.

Serve your gumbo over rice and spinkle with green onions. Oh also make some corn bread to go with it, and you will be a rock star! I think you deserve some beads!

What's cooking today?

   Well its cold here in the Midwest, and I for one am tired of it, plus I am so bored with warm you up type of meals. So tonight I am making grilled chicken with honey dijon sauce, coconut rice and a fresh fruit medley of pineapple ( I have become quite skilled at cutting those babys), strawberries, and mangos. Sound good? Maybe have some malibu and pineapple juice and reggae music to set the mood and be wisked away to a tropical island. Sounds good to me, and it will be amazing!


        For the Honey Dijon sauce you will need about 1/2 cup of honey, 1-2 tb. of course ground brown mustard, 1 tsp. of garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp. of onion powder. Dont be afraid to taste and adjust to your liking, I cook that way ALL the time, so experiment, have an adventure until it is to your liking! I am making chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, I will grill these with just salt and pepper and when they are done, I will brush on the sauce.

     For the coconut rice, boy you will love this! You will need a 15 oz. can of light coconut milk,1 tbsp of oil, 2 tbsp. of sugar, or splenda, 2 cups of water. bring all of this to a boil in a medium large sauce pan, add 3 and 1/2 cups of minute rice, stir and cover for 5 minutes. fluff with fork.

   Serve w/ the fruit medley and you are on your way to the tropics! This would be a good dish to serve at your Luah this summer!