bbq sauce 2 ways

do you ever get tired of the same old grocery store bbq sauces? i knew i could do WAY better, so i gave it a whirl and tried not one, but TWO different bbq sauces. i did a sweet and tangy carolina bbq sauce and a super spicy traditional sauce. here's what i did:

carolina bbq sauce

*note: this is NOT exactly the proportions i used when i made it. mine turned out WAY more mustard-y than i wanted, so i've adjusted my recipe after the fact w/out testing it. in the original trial, i used a whole 14 oz, bottle of french's yellow mustard.

1 c yellow mustard
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 c worchestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder (you can also use 1 clove fresh minced garlic)
2 tablespoons dry onion (or about 1/4 to 1/2 fresh chopped onion)
2 tablespoons honey
5 drops liquid smoke (i used mesquite flavor)
1/4 c brown sugar

mix everything together w/ a whisk or fork and reduce over low heat 30-60 minutes to desired thickness.

"pants on fire" bbq sauce

1 c ketchup
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c worchestershire sauce
5 drops liquid smoke (i used hickory flavor)
2 tablespoons (yes, you read that right) cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard

mix everything together w/ a whisk or fork. reduce over low heat for 30-45 minutes to desired thickness.

both of these recipes make about 1 cup of sauce each. i used them to baste a half rack of baby back ribs each and had JUST enough. next time i have ribs, i'm planning to double each recipe so there's enough for more frequent basting, as well as dipping sauce.

* these can be frozen if you want to make a bunch ahead of time to use later.

triple berry protein shake

i decided to treat my kids to "ice cream" for lunch today and came up w/ this. it turned out really well!

4-6 frozen strawberries
6 fresh raspberries
20 fresh blueberries
1/2 banana
1/4 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tblsp sugar
1/2 scoop vanilla or plain protein powder (i used vanilla whey powder)

throw it all in a blender, blend till smooth, and enjoy! serves 1.

freezer jam

here's a quick and easy way to make your own jam. it tastes like fresh fruit! once you've had this, no other jam will taste nearly as good.

2 c mashed fruit
4 c sugar
3/4 c water
1 package fruit pectin

mix fruit and sugar and let stand 20 minutes. in a small saucepan, conbine pectin and water. boil for 1 minutes and immediately pour over fruit mixture. stir 2-3 minutes. pour into containers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. cover and let stand 24 hours. store in freezer until ready to use (up to 1 year). once thawed, store in fridge up to 3 weeks.

* this is VERY sweet. i only use 3/4 - 1 c of sugar per 2 c of fruit.

watermelon raspberry ice pops

i found this recipe while i was pregnant w/ scott. it's a great snack or dessert option, and since it uses real fruit, it's better for you than store-bought popcicles (even ones that use fruit juice, since these use the pulp).

2 c watermelon, seeded and diced
1 c fresh raspberries
1/3 c splenda
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon corn syrup

blend and strain thoroughly. pour liquid into 8 popcicle molds and freeze at least 6 hours.

easy peach cobbler

many people call this a "dump cake" or "dumb bunny cake"

24 oz. canned peaches
1 box yellow cake mix
brown sugar
3/4 c water
1 stick butter, cut up

layer in 9x13 inch baking dish: peaches, brown sugar, cake mix, and chunks of butter. pour water over all. bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes (depending on how "done" you like it. i like mine a little soggy.). serve warm w/ vanilla ice cream.

* sub in canned pie filling or other fruits and different flavors of cake mix to find your favorite combo. canned strawberry pie filling w/ chocolate cake mix is really good, as is blueberry pie filing w/ white cake mix. experiment until you find the combo you like best.
* for freezer: freeze before baking. no need to thaw before baking. bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes.

tropical smoothies

this is something i came up w/ in middle school. my whole family loved them, and i'm sure you will too! (note: measurements are approximate, as i've never actually measured any of this stuff when making this)

1/2 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed
1/2 c fresh blueberries
2 fresh kiwis, peeled and quartered
2 scoops lucerne orange blossom special ice cream (vanilla ice cream/orange sherbet mix is a good substitute)
1/4 c milk
5 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

blend all till smooth. serve immediately w/ a scoop of ice cream as garnish. serves 2.

* tip: add 2 scoops vanilla protein powder for a filling breakfast shake!

fried chicken

i've never made fried chicken before, but decided to give it a try. it turned out to be very simple and incredibly delicious!

boneless, skinless chicken pieces (i used thighs)
2 eggs
1/4 c milk
2/3 c italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 c flour
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon paprika
oil for frying

heat oil in skillet in stove top. whisk milk and eggs together. in a separate dish, combine bread crumbs, flour, and spices. dredge chicken in egg mixture, then flour mixture. repeat as desired. place coated chicken in hot oil and fry 5-7 minutes on each side. let rest on paper towels for a few minutes to drain excess oil before serving.

cherry cobbler

, v4 c pitted cherries
1/2 c white sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 c slow-cooking oats
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 c butter

combine cherries, sugar, and lemon juice and spread in 9x13 inch baking dish. in a separate bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, and salt. sprinkle over cherries. dot w/ butter and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. serves 12.

peach berry pie

so i wanted pie today, but didn't have enough of anything to make it all one kind of filling, so i made this up instead, and it turned out wonderfully! here's to an awesome summer treat! (note: i'm guessing on these measurements; i didn't think it measure when i was throwing it together)

4 fresh yellow peaches, skinned, pitted, and cut into chunks (i actually used canned peaches, but i rinsed the syrup off first)
1 1/2 c fresh strawberries, hulled, and cut into chunks
2/3 c fresh blueberries
3/4 c sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 plain pie crusts (my recipe is at the bottom if you need a good one)

mix fruits, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla together and spoon into pastry-lined 9-inch pie plate. cover w/ 2nd pastry and seal and flute edges; cover edges w/ foil to prevent burning. cut vents into top and bake at 350*f for 30-45 minutes. remove foil for last 10 minutes of baking. serve warm w/ vanilla ice cream.

plain pastry for 1-crust pie (double this for 2-crust pies)

1 c flour
2/3 c shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
3-4 tablespoons cold water

combine all w/ pastry blender or fork. roll to 1/8 inch thick on floured surface.

here's the finished product in all it's flaky, fruity goodness: