Ultimate Barbecue Sauce

I made this sauce once long ago and I never forgot it.  Sometimes that happens.  That is a perfect example of why I now have a blog.  I have to have some sort of record as to what I've made or else I'll never remember. But I digress…

So my husband told me a couple of nights ago that he really felt like making baby back ribs, as it turned out, I really felt like eating some so it worked out well. The only thing I didn't feel like, was store bought barbecue sauce.  Don't get me wrong, I use store bought all the time and it's totally yum.   But, I wanted to have super fancy, very special ribs, so I just made a sauce myself.  I LOVE this sauce.  I love it as much this time as I did last time.  It really takes the flavor of the meat to a whole new level.  It's not spicy, it's sweet with a bite of vinegar.  It's smooth but it has pieces of onion.  It's just perfect in my opinion.

I doubled the recipe so I'd have some in the refrigerator for other uses.  The original recipe is for barbecued chicken so maybe I'll whip some of that up.  You can't go wrong with this sauce!

Ultimate Barbecue Sauce

Recipe from Tyler Forence

Ingredients

• 1 slice bacon
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 Tbsp red or white wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp dry mustard
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika, smoked if you have it
• fresh ground black pepper

Cooking Directions

1. In a large saucepan, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil and then wrap the slice of bacon around the thyme and add it to the hot oil. Cook for about 4 minutes so the bacon can render.
2. Remove the bacon/thyme and discard.
3. Add the chopped onion and garlic and let cook but do not brown it. Cook about 5 minutes.
4. Add the remaining ingredients and then reduce heat to simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

You're looking at the dish that I see most often at potlucks.  It never fails, Pineapple Upside-Down cake is always on the menu. That's because it's a classic.  Almost all of us have had it and it brings back memories, not to mention it tastes great. 

The cake portion of the recipe is a simple white cake, but the caramel-y, fruity topping (which starts on the bottom, hence the name) takes the place of frosting.  It's sweet and delicious.  

I brought this cake to my neighborhood Memorial Day party and it was perfect because it can withstand being outside in the heat without melting. There's a reason that this cake has made it into "classic" status and has been around for so many years.  

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Recipe from Trisha Yearwood

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 can (20 oz) Pineapple slices (9 slices needed)
• 5 maraschino cherries, cut in half
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup milk

Cooking Directions

1. Use an 8x8 inch pan. Put on the burner on low heat and melt the butter. Remove from the heat and add the brown sugar, stir to combine.
2. Preheat the oven to 350º
3. Place the pineapple slices on top of the brown sugar mixture, 3 rows of 3.
4. Cut the maraschino cherries in half and place one half in the middle of each pineapple, cut side up. Set aside.
5. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.
6. In the bowl of your stand mixer combine the shortening, sugar, egg and vanilla extract. Mix well.
7. Alternatively add the flour mixture and the milk, starting and ending with the flour. Only mixing long enough to combine after each addition.
8. Carefully pour the mixture on top the pineapple slices using a spatula or spoon to spread it out evenly.
9. Bake for 40 minutes or until done. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick, if it comes out clean it's done. Or you can press on the middle of the cake and if it springs back, it's done.
10. Remove from the oven and flip over onto a dish, leave the pan inverted on the top for several minutes so the syrup can soak into the cake.

Southern Style Boiled Peanuts

Boiled Peanuts are one of the things I had never heard of when I moved to the South. Why would you boil a peanut, I would ask.  While down in Louisiana visiting family, I saw that boiled peanuts were everywhere!  Like, at every gas station. So, I tried one.  And I hated it.  I mean, they're soft.  Aren't peanuts supposed to be hard?

OK, fast forward to years later when I was out on the lake with my friends.  There was a boat on the lake that was a concession stand, basically.  But onboard they sold boiled peanuts, and everyone was buying them.  What is wrong with these people, I silently wondered.  Ok I'll try one.  You know what? It wasn't that bad.  So eventually I started to even like them.  They are soft, but they are salty and sometimes spicy and pretty darn good.

Nowadays I just make them myself.  I don't hang out at the lake like I once did but that doesn't mean that I can't have some boiled peanuts. They are somewhat time consuming so plan ahead.  The good news is that I've also made these in a crock pot so at least you've got options.  The cooking time will be the same in the crock pot if you cook it on high. Just test them every so often for the saltiness you like and or spice.  The nuts should be soft but not mushy.

I might have had slightly more then 5 pounds, so I added about 1/2 cup more salt and cooked for about 30 minutes longer.

Southern Style Boiled Peanuts

Recipe from All Recipes

Ingredients

• 5 lbs raw, unsalted peanuts in the shell
• 1 cup salt
• 5 tsp cayenne pepper
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled

Cooking Directions

1. Add the peanuts and all of the remaining ingredients to a large pot. Cover with water.
2. Bring to a boil and cover, lower heat and let boil for 3 hours.
3. Taste the peanuts and add more salt if desired or cook longer if they are not soft enough for your taste.

Sugar Cookie Bars

I'm not sure if you recall or not, but my last post mentioned how this past weekend was my daughters birthday Ice Cream Social.  Well, she's not a huge fan of cake, frosting yes, cake not so much.  So I decided to make her these sugar cookie bars and frost them and decorate them just like I would have if I made a cake.  Well, I'm not sure I'm brave enough to show the decorated cookie…it was pretty bad.  I can't decorate to save my life!  But on the positive side, the cookie tasted amazing!

In addition to the cookie bars we also had ice cream obviously.  I got three different flavors and got those plastic sundae cups for the kids to take home with them. I had every topping you can think of and we just let the kids top them as they wanted.  It was a success!

OK, back to the cookie bars.  When baking them, it's important to not over cook them.  I cooked them until the middle wasn't shiny anymore but it didn't look done.  I still took them out and followed the instructions from the original recipe.  It worked.  They were done in the middle and they have great flavor!  The frosting I used was a perfect accompaniment to the cookie.  Nice buttery flavor.

This would be a great dessert for the non-cake lovers in your life.  All the kids loved them!

Sugar Cookie Bars

Recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest (optional)
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375º
2. Spray a 9x13 inch dish with non-stick cooking spray
3. In a medium bowl (or your mixing bowl), cream together the butter and both sugars. Add the eggs, zest and the vanilla extract and mix for 1-2 minutes. 
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Slowly add the dry mix to the wet mix. Mix until combined. 
5. Pour/press the mixture into the dish.  I found that your hands work best. 
6. Bake for 10-13 minutes.  Do not over bake. The color will remain pale, the sides will not be golden and the middle will just barely be set. 
7. Remove from the oven and let cool before frosting. 

Decorator Frosting

Recipe from AllRecipes

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup butter, at room temperature
• 4 cups confectioners sugar
• 4 Tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• food coloring of your choice

Cooking Directions

1. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the milk and vanilla extract and cream. Add the color of your choice.

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

Oh thank goodness it's finally Friday.  Yea!  Do you have any big plans? 

Well, I do. Busy weekend ahead. 

My daughter just turned 6!  I know!  I can't believe it either.  Well, her party is scheduled for this weekend and I feel like I'm not prepared for it.  She threw me a curve ball when she said she didn't want cake or cupcakes for her party.  So, we're having an ice cream social instead.  Oh, did I forget to mention that she wants me to decorate sugar cookies? Do you want to guess how she wants me to decorate them? 

Nope, keep guessing. 

OK, I'll tell you.  Peacock….

What 6 year old chooses peacock for her theme I ask you!!

Well, I'll post some pictures but you all know that decorating is not my strong suit.  Wish me luck. 

Now on to today's recipe.  As usual I had banana's ripening on my counter, beyond the ripeness that you want to actually eat.  I didn't have some of the ingredients for my usual banana bread but I did have them all for this recipe.  I have to tell you.  I'm really thrilled with how it turned out.  Let's overlook the fact that I didn't exactly get the "swirl" in the middle of the bread.  It's more toward the upper 1/4 of the bread, oh well, it still tasted great. 

Its easy and you should have all these ingredients right in your pantry.  It's also nice that it just makes one loaf.  The cinnamon sugar gives the top a nice little crunch of sweetness.  Definitely a keeper. 

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

Recipe from Maybe Matilda

Bread

• 3 overripe banana's, mashed
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 whole egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• dash of salt
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Swirl

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Glaze

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 Tbsp heavy cream

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º
2. Spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with non-stick spray
3. In a large bowl, mix the banana's, butter, both sugars, egg and vanilla extract.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt.
5. Slowly add the dry mixture into the wet mixture, just until combined. Do not over mix.
6. In a small bowl mix the swirl ingredients together.
7. Pour half the batter into the prepared dish, sprinkle 2/3's of the swirl mixture evenly over the top, pour the remaining batter over that and then top with the rest of the swirl mixture.
8. Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. When completely cool, combine the glaze ingredients and drizzle over the top.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

What do you do when you have all these fresh strawberries and they are starting to go bad? Make jam! I know, I know, don't panic.  Freezer name is much easier then traditional jam making.  You don't even have to have canning jars, but you do need some sort of jar with a lid.

I'm sure you've noticed how fast fresh strawberries tend to go bad, right? Don't let your efforts be wasted by throwing them away.  Even if you just bought them from the grocery store, don't throw your money away either.  Freezer jam is easy.  No thermometer, canning jar's or supplies are needed.  I promise.

You do need a box of pectin but that's all you need from the canning jar isle, unless you specifically want the canning jars.  Even if you buy too many there are a million and one uses for canning jars.  Store everything from spices to leftovers in them.  I make salad dressing in them because it's convenient to just shake it in the jar and them just set the jar on the table for serving.  Give gifts in them, use them as a flower vase.  Really, you can always use extra jars and lids.

Just store the jars in your freezer when you're done, let them thaw in the refrigerator and then use them in about a month and you've saved all that yumminess and money for later use.  The jam is so tasty!  Peanut butter and jelly never had it so good, or use it to spread on toast.  There are so many uses for canned jams and jelly's.  Even if you give them away to your family or friends, they'll be so happy and you'll be a hero.  Give this recipe a try!

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Recipe from All Recipes

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh strawberries, crushed
• 4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 (1.75 oz) package pectin powder
• 3/4 cup water

Cooking Directions

1. Crush the strawberries and add the sugar, stir and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan combine the water and the pectin. Bring to a hard boil and boil for 1 minute.
3. Turn off the heat and let sit for 1 minute.
4. Mix the pectin mixture in with the crushed strawberries, stir until the sugar has dissolved and let sit for 3 minutes. Pour into the containers and tighten the lids. Let sit for 24 hours and then place in the freezer.

**Once thawed, they will last for about 1 month in the refrigerator. 

Overnight French Toast Casserole

You're looking at my new favorite way to wake up with company.  OK, maybe even without company.  I knew that I had seen some recipes floating around that used Challah bread for a french toast casserole.  I found this one and was super excited to give it a try.

First of all, I have to tell you that I recently tried Challah bread for the first time at a dinner club. I was surprised at how much I liked it, it's sweet and dense and I just love it.  It also makes the perfect french toast.

You basically just cut it up and layer it in a dish, pour a yummy milk mixture over the top and refrigerate it.  Then in the morning you just take it out a bit ahead of time so the dish can warm a little, then bake it.  How easy is that?

The bread soaks in all the egg/milk mixture and when you bake it, you get a bite of all those flavors.  The milk, egg, cinnamon seeps in and the top gets nice and golden brown.  Top with some butter and some maple syrup and it's breakfast on a whole new level.  I even saw some recipes where they added apples and other yumminess.  I'm totally doing that some time soon!

Overnight French Toast Casserole

Recipe from Ezra Pound Cake

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 loaf Challah or Brioche Bread, sliced 1 1/2 inches thick
• 8 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup whole milk or half n half
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup pecans (optional)

Cooking Directions

1. In a small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Add in the brown sugar and stir.
2. In a 9x13 inch dish, spread the brown sugar mixture on the bottom and then layer the bread slices. They will overlap.
3. In a large bowl, combine the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and salt.  Add in the lightly beaten eggs and stir together. 
4. Pour the milk mixture over the bread, making sure to try to get all the bread coated. 
5. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate 3-13 hours. 
6. When ready to bake, take the dish out of the refrigerator 20 minutes prior to baking.  
7. Preheat the oven to 350º
8. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the bread is golden in color. 
9. Remove and top with confectioners' sugar, maple syrup, fruit or anything you wish.