barbecue sauce

CIC: Pears & Red Pepper Flakes

~ lk529 ~ 1 Comment

CIC-header

I’m {finally} back with another Crazy Ingredient Challenge!

This month’s mission: to combine pears and red pepper flakes.

As I informed my husband of the task at hand I was also creating my menu and grocery list. I thought about the proteins that were in the freezer and the lightbulb went off.

Barbecue pork!

Why not make a barbecue sauce with the pears and add in the red pepper flakes for kick?

Pear Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwich | Sew You Think You Can Cook | http://sewyouthinkyoucancook.com

I made the barbecue sauce in the morning and then added it to the slow cooker along with my bone-in pork shoulder. I shredded the pork when it was ready, put it in a container, and headed out the door to Pure Barre. When I came home, all I had to do was assemble a sandwich on my favorite pretzel bun for an easy dinner.

Well, actually, I had to first put the boys to bed. But then I got to eat my sandwich! I had more for lunch the next day, too. Having the pork for lunch was really the best thing about it!

Pear Barbecue Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp canola oil
  • 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 C tomato paste
  • 1 C apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 C dark brown sugar
  • 2 red Anjou pears, diced
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 2 1/2 – 3 lb bone-in pork shoulder, trimmed of extra fat
  • 6-8 pretzel buns

Steps:

  1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, season with salt, and saute until translucent. Add the fennel seeds and cook until the onion become golden. Stir in the cinnamon and tomato paste and cook 3 minutes. Add the vinegar, sugar, pears, and pepper flakes. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, until pears are tender. Let cool slightly.
  2. Transfer sauce to a blender and puree until smooth. (If the sauce is still warm, be sure to cover the top of the blender with a kitchen towel.)
  3. Place a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a slow cooker. Season pork with S+P and place in slow cooker. Cover with 1 C of the pear barbecue sauce. Cook on LOW 8 hours.
  4. Shred pork with two forks. Serve with extra barbecue sauce on a pretzel bun.

*The barbecue sauce is adapted from http://usapears.org/recipe/pear-barbecue-sauce-with-chile-and-spice/*

Pear Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwich for Crazy Ingredient Challenge from Sew You Think You Can Cook

To see the other bloggers who participated in this month’s Crazy Ingredient Challenge click on the link below.

#SundaySupper: National Grandparents Day

~ lk529 ~ 19 Comments

Today is National Grandparents Day and to celebrate the Sunday Supper family is bringing together a table full of hand-me-down recipes. Thank you to the Sunday Supper Movement for hosting today’s event.

Granparents Day

When it comes to my love of cooking I have my mom’s mom, Busia, to thank. While I don’t recall her ever sitting me down and teaching me a recipe or even how to cook, I have fond memories of her welcoming me into her kitchen to help prepare a meal. I would often be given the “prep cook” jobs of peeling carrots or potatoes, and eventually cutting veggies. I think that’s why, to this day, I quite enjoy those simple tasks.

I’ve shared quite a few of my Busia’s recipes on the blog including: Busia’s Cheese Soup, Pierogi, and Busy Day Chocolate Cake. Two of my #BundtBakers posts have been from her recipes, too (Fresh Apple Cake and Easter Pound Cake).

Today I am sharing her barbecue sauce. This sauce is probably my favorite thing my grandmother made. We all said she should bottle it! The very first time I made this sauce my husband wasn’t a fan (gasp!), stating that it wasn’t thick enough. When Busia made it it wasn’t ever a very thick sauce, but since then I’ve allowed it to cook a little longer and now my husband enjoys it too. Honestly, my favorite way to eat Busia’s barbecue sauce is with cheese and crackers – sounds strange, but it’s perfect! It is also great paired with pork and mashed potatoes. This barbecue sauce is tangier than most and has pieces of onion swimming through it.

Busia’s Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 sweet onion, diced
  • 1 C ketchup
  • 1/2 C water
  • juice of 1-2 lemons, to taste
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder

Steps:

  1. In a saucepan, melt butter and cook onions until tender. Season with S+P. Add the remaining ingredients, whisk, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and cook until desired consistency is reached. Add more S+P, to taste.

Busia's Barbecue Sauce for #SundaySupper from Sew You Think You Can Cook

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8387592742_f6164fd5a8_oJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken with Apple Cider Vinegar BBQ Sauce

~ lk529 ~ 3 Comments

As summer vacations are winding to a close there’s some denial in the “back to the grind” busy schedules. That doesn’t mean you need to give up on perfect summer fare just yet!

Pulled meat (typically pork) sandwiches slathered with barbecue sauce are one of those meals that have you thinking of picnic tables and summer get togethers.

I have adjusted an Anne Burrell recipe from the January/February 2014 edition of Food Network Magazine (Anne Burrell’s Pulled Pork Sliders) to utilize the slow cooker, meaning you don’t need to turn on the oven or be stranded at home while it roasts away. You could even make the BBQ sauce in advance if you didn’t wan, or have the time, to be at the stove 30 minutes before dinner. I used chicken instead of pork because that’s what I already had in my freezer, if you want pork she used a 3 lb Boston butt pork roast.

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 1/2 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp dark brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp mustard powder
  • 1 tsp cayenne
  • 1 bottle (12 oz) beer (I used a summer ale)

Steps:

  1. Season chicken with S+P. Place in the bottom of a slow cooker.
  2. In a small bowl combine paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, mustard powder, and cayenne. Sprinkle over the chicken.
  3. Pour beer into the slow cooker. Cook on LOW 5-7 hours until the chicken shreds easily.
  4. Serve as a sandwich, wrap or salad with thinly sliced apple, red onion, lettuce, and apple cider vinegar bbq sauce (recipe below).

Apple Cider Vinegar BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 C apple cider vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed (I used 1 tsp Gourmet Garden garlic paste)
  • 1 Fresno chili pepper, deseeded and halved (I used 1 tbsp Gourmet Garden lightly dried chili pepper)
  • 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Steps:

  1. Place all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat then reduce to a simmer. Cook 20 – 30 minutes, or until a desired consistency is achieved. Remove the garlic and chili pepper, if used.

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken with Apple Cider Vinegar BBQ Sauce | Sew You Think You Can Cook

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Baked Onion Rings and Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

Sunday is Father’s Day and if the dads in your life are anything like mine are and they buy themselves everything they want forget about the tie and make them dinner instead!

Last Father’s Day we were wondering if our little man would be arriving on this special day – he didn’t. I decided to make a meal fit for a Father regardless – baby back ribs with Dr. Pepper barbecue sauce and oven baked onion rings. Yes, I have been sitting on this recipe for a year!

Baked Onion Rings

Ingredients:

  • 2 sweet onions, cut in slices
  • 1 qt buttermilk
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 C panko
  • 3/4 C cornmeal
  • 2/3 C flour (whole wheat or AP)
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp paprika

Steps:

  1. Place onion rings in a casserole dish and cover with buttermilk. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.
  2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. In a shallow bowl beat egg whites. In another shallow bowl mix together panko, cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, and paprika.
  4. Shake buttermilk off the onions and coat in the egg whites then the breadcrumb mixture. Place on prepared baking sheets in a single layer. Spray onion rings with cooking spray.
  5. Bake 15 minutes. Flip onion rings and bake another 15 minutes, or until desired crispiness is achieved.

*This recipe is adapted from Sally at http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2014/01/07/crispy-baked-onion-rings/*

Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (12 oz) Dr. Pepper
  • 1 C ketchup
  • 1/2 C dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 C apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 C Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper

Steps:

  1. In a saucepan over medium-high heat melt butter. Saute onions until translucent. Add in garlic and cook another 60 seconds.
  2. Add Dr. Pepper, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire, tomato paste, chili powder, S+P. Whisk. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
  3. Allow sauce to cool slightly and puree with an immersion blender. Cool completely. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

*This recipe is adapted from Danelle at http://www.letsdishrecipes.com/2014/05/dr-pepper-barbecue-sauce.html*

ribs and rings

What are you making for Father’s Day? I’m not sure yet what I want to do – please leave me some ideas!

#SundaySupper: Red, White, and Blue

~ lk529 ~ 25 Comments

Let the grilling season begin! Tomorrow is Memorial Day and to help you celebrate the #SundaySupper crew have just the menu to get you feeling festive. Everything is red, white, blue or any combination of the three! This clever concept is thanks to our host  DB aka Foodie Stuntman of Crazy Foodie Stunts.

I wanted to make a recipe from a cookbook I’ve had in my collection for a couple of years now. Southern Plate by Christy Jordan. My mother-in-law gave me an autographed copy! My MIL has quilted with Christy’s mom for over 20 years!

I figured southern food would fit in nicely with an American holiday. I don’t know why, but when I think “American” I think of southern-inspired decor and food. I picture mason jars, bandanas, burlap, and of course, the American flag. I didn’t grow up “southern” and “home-style cooking”, to me, is not southern food. Maybe Pinterest is to blame for this “country” vibe? Whatever the reason, I was determined to try one of Christy’s recipes!

I searched through the summer section of her book in search of something red, white, and blue. I found a couple salads that I could alter to fit in all three colors but then I went back and checked out the “rules” for today’s event. I didn’t have to have ALL colors in my dish – I could use just one or two. Perfect. I knew exactly what I wanted to make!

Alabama barbecue sauce. This sauce is unlike anything you’ve ever had (unless you’re from Northern Alabama). The first (and only) time I’d even seen this sauce was my senior year in college. I had a great group of friends in my major and we would study together almost daily. Once a month we’d get together for a “family dinner.” In November we put together a huge Thanksgiving spread and invited the significant others and roommates to join in the fun. One of the guys hosted the party and he made white barbecue sauce to go with a fried turkey! (I didn’t know that was a thing either!)

AUAE10It’s hard to believe that was over 5 years ago. I am eternally grateful for that group of friends, for without them I never would have made it through our aerospace classes without them! Our degree program was very competitive, a quality that isn’t my strongest, and finding 4 other friends who genuinely wanted to see each of us succeed was a great comfort. For that I am ever grateful.

Alabama Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1/8 C sugar
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 2 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp white vinegar
  • 1 C mayonnaise

Steps:

  1. In a bowl whisk together sugar, pepper, salt, lemon juice, and vinegar until sugar dissolves. Whisk in the mayonnaise until smooth. Refrigerate a couple of hours before use.
  2. Use for dipping chicken, pork, french fries, etc.

*This recipe is adapted from Christy Jordan*

alabama bbq sauce | sew you think you can cook

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8387592742_f6164fd5a8_oJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

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Paprika Pork Tenderloin

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

When I made the baked beans for yesterday’s #SundaySupper post I needed the perfect entree to serve them alongside. I went deep into the archives (over four years ago) to a favorite I used to make often back in the days before the blog. This pork tenderloin is inspired by something Bobby Flay made on his Food Network show Barbecue Addiction.

On the show Bobby used a 4lb rack of pork and put it in a brine for 12 hours. He then made a rub and grilled it. He also made a barbecue sauce. I altered this. I used a 2lb pork tenderloin, omitted the brining part of the prep, adjusted the rub, and baked it in the oven after a sear. I did make the barbecue sauce though!

When I made this pork last week we got to take advantage of the cast iron skillet – which saved us one dirty dish – woohoo! I also no longer had fennel seeds, but they weren’t missed.

Corn on the cob makes a perfect side to accompany this pork when it’s in season. As do sweet potato fries. And of course, some Whiskey Bacon Baked Beans!

Paprika Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp paprika
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp ground mustard
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 lb pork tenderloin
  • 1-2 tbsp canola oil

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  2. In a small bowl combine all of the spices. Rub mixture over the pork.
  3. Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When hot sear the pork on all sides, 3-4 minutes per side to create a crust.
  4. Transfer skillet to the oven. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until cooked through. (An internal temperature of at least 145 degrees F) Let pork rest 5 minutes before serving.

Note: If you don’t have a cast iron skillet or another oven save skillet simply transfer the pork loin to a lightly greased casserole dish.

Paprika Pork

Sherry Paprika Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 C ketchup
  • 1 C cooking sherry
  • 1/2 C chicken stock
  • 1/2 C dark brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp mustard (I used El Diablo Texas Chili)
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tbsp paprika

Steps:

  1. In a small sauce pan over medium-high heat combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Allow to reduce and thicken to desired consistency.

War Eagle Game Day

~ lk529 ~ 3 Comments

A big part of Thanksgiving weekend is watching the Iron Bowl.

We gather around the TV, taking a break from Thanksgiving foods, to stuff our faces with game day dishes while watching the most stressful game of the season. This year I’m expecting a great game. The stakes our high this year – ESPN Game Day will be on The Plains, Alabama is ranked #1, Auburn is ranked #4, and a ticket to the SEC Championship Game is on the line.

Here are a few of the recipes that will be on the coffee table this year:

Iron Bowl Food

Football Game Day Dip

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Velveeta
  • 1 can Rotel
  • 1/2 lb ground beef

Steps:

  1. Brown ground beef, drain fat.
  2. Cube Velveeta and put in a microwavable dish. Stir in Rotel and beef.
  3. Microwave for 2 minutes at a time, stirring. Once cheese is melted serve with Tostitos!

Shake ‘n’ Bake Buffalo Bites

Ingredients:

  • 1 pkt Shake ‘n’ Bake
  • 3 lb chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 bottle Frank’s Red Hot buffalo sauce (not hot sauce)

Steps:

  1. Toss chicken in Shake ‘n’ Bake.
  2. Place chicken on baking sheet. Bake at 375deg for 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
  3. Toss cooked chicken in buffalo sauce. Serve with ranch dressing!

This year we’re experimenting with chicken wings instead! Baking them on a metal rack on a baking sheet at 425deg for 30min.

Cranberry Barbecue Turkey Sliders

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 C cranberry sauce
  • 1/2 C orange juice concentrate, thawed
  • 1/4 C brown sugar
  • 1/8 C honey
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 tsp ancho chili powder
  • left over turkey, shredded
  • slider buns

Steps:

  1. Bring ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced slightly, about 10 minutes.
  2. Pour sauce into a blender or use an immersion blender.
  3. Toss turkey in barbecue sauce. Assemble slider sandwiches.

*This recipe is adapted from John at http://www.patiodaddiobbq.com/2011/11/cranberry-orange-bbq-sauce.html*

WAR EAGLE!

cranberry turkey sliders

UPDATE: We had so much food that the sliders weren’t made this year. I will be making them for the SEC Championship Game next weekend instead!