Blueberry-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

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Blueberry-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

For me, summer is here officially. There’s nothing that we love more than firing up the grill and enjoying dinner sitting at the picnic table in the backyard. Homemade BBQ sauce is one of those things that some people insist on cooking down for hours upon hours, so if you’re looking for that…keep looking. But if you’re looking for a super quick sauce that takes just a few minutes, that will be the star of any summer cookout or potluck this summer- look no further!

Naturipe had contacted me about participating in the Very Berry Month Of May celebration on their site. A chance to make something with berries? I’m always down for that! I chose blueberries, and ended up using them to create this awesome barbecue sauce. Blueberries are cooked down with a bit of honey and water, then quickly pureed. It’s then combined with basic ingredients to form an absolutely delicious sauce that’s great brushed on pork, chicken, or beef.

I love the purple-tint that the sauce has too – it really screams “BLUEBERRY!”. And it’s definitely there in the flavor as well. A bright fruitiness and change of pace from the traditional barbecue sauces I usually go for.

Naturipe has been kind enough to host a giveaway here at Tide & Thyme. This awesome KitchenAid 7-Cup Food Processor is up for grabs! Slices, shreds, chops – the perfect size for pureeing a few berries, shredding a block of cheese, or making a batch of homemade baby food! To enter just leave a comment below telling me your favorite way to use fresh, in-season berries. Contest will run through June 1st at 12 PM. I’ll chose a winner using a Random Number Generator thingy.

Food Processor Giveaway

Want a couple of extra entries?:

Like Tide & Thyme on Facebook – leave a separate comment letting us know you did so.
Like Naturipe Farms on Facebook – leave a separate comment letting us know you did so.

Also, make sure to stop by their site and enter the giveaway for a chance to win a $500 gift card from Williams-Sonoma. I could think of a bunch of great ways I could put that to use in my kitchen – how about you?

UPDATE: Congratulations to our winner, Entrant #11 – Shanna! Thanks so much for entering, everyone!

naturipegiveaway

Blueberry-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

For the blueberry puree:
2 cups blueberries
3 Tbsp honey
1/2 cup water

For the sauce:
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup molasses
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
3 Tbsp brown sugar
2 chipotle peppers, finely chopped
1 Tbsp adobo sauce (from the can)
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
salt and pepper
hot sauce

To make the blueberry puree combine the blueberries, honey, and water to a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until blueberries have softened and busted open – about 10 minutes. Place into food processor or blender and puree until relatively smooth – a few one second pulses.

Whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the blueberry puree and mix until combined. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, and/or hot sauce.

Can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Disclaimer: I have been compensated for my time to create a recipe for Naturipe Farms. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Homemade Potato Chips

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Homemade Potato Chips

We don’t eat that much junk food in our house, but one thing I do enjoy once in a while is a good kettle-cooked potato chip. There’s just something about that salty crunch that I love with a good hot dog or cheeseburger! I’m surprised it took me this long to make them at home – as they were so easy and so much better than the stuff from the bag.

I used my mandoline to slice the potatoes, but you could certainly thinly slice them using a knife. The slicing attachment on your food processor would also be another great option. I used the technique that I do with my oven fries, and soaked the sliced potatoes in a bit of salted water first – to remove some of the starch, as well as add a bit of flavor. Then made sure to dry them really well before adding them to the hot oil – you don’t want a splatter scenario!

After a quick fry and then drain on paper towels to remove the excess grease, I season them with some sea salt and a bit of cajun seasoning for a little kick. I also frequently do Old Bay to make a homemade version of a Maryland favorite – crab chips! Salt and vinegar is another one of my favorites, so a version of those is definitely next on my hit list.

If you’ve never made your own potato chips at home, these warm weather months are the perfect time to do it. It makes that outdoor lunch or dinner a little bit more special – and the flavor and crunch is unparalleled. Give it a try!

Homemade Potato Chips

4 Russet potatoes, sliced paper thin
3 Tbsp kosher salt
4 cups hot water
1 quart vegetable or canola oil, for frying
Additional salt
Cajun seasoning or Old Bay, optional

Combine the kosher salt and hot water in a large bowl and mix until the salt has completely dissolved. Add the sliced potatoes to the water and let soak for 10 minutes. Remove from the water and place on paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to let dry for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large dutch oven to 350 degrees. Fry potato slices in small batches turning occasionaly. Once they start turning golden, remove and drain on paper towels. Season immediately with additional salt and spice mix if desired. Continue with remaining potato slices until all are fried.

Once cooled, they can be stored in an airtight container or releasable plastic bag for 1 day.

Pork Egg Rolls

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Pork Egg Rolls

Homemade egg rolls were one of the first things I learned to make at home, thanks to my mother-in-law. She’d been making egg rolls for her hungry boys for years, and her teaching me the craft was time that we really enjoyed spending together when we were first getting to know each other…long before Jon and I were actually married!

I remember the process being kind of frustrating in the beginning – before I got the feel of rolling them correctly, and my knife skills weren’t really up to par (would take me 2 months to shred a head of cabbage!). But now after making them for a good 10 years, I can make a batch for an easy weeknight dinner with no problem. I usually go for the chicken version – which is the “OG” for us, but sometimes I like to switch it up with other meats…in this case, ground pork. Shrimp is also great!

They can be made and rolled a couple of hours in advance, but I wouldn’t recommend any longer than that – as the wrappers tend to dry out and rip. Also, a great shortcut with the veggies is to use a couple of bags of shredded coleslaw mix instead of shredding your own cabbage and carrots. Saves a little bit of legwork at least!

I like to serve them with some veggie fried rice, and plenty of Chinese hot mustard and sweet chili sauce for dipping. Once you’ve made and enjoyed them at home, every egg roll you’ll get from a Chinese restaurant will always pale in comparison. Just a forewarning! You’ll be making them for years to come.

Pork Egg Rolls

1 lb. ground pork
3/4 head cabbage, shredded thin
3 carrots, peeled and shredded
2 1/2 cups fresh bean sprouts (about 2 packages)
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp soy sauce
4 scallions (green and white), sliced
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 package egg roll wrappers
1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 3 tbsp cold water (for sealing wrappers)
Vegetable oil, for frying

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in wok or large pot over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the ground pork along with 1 tablespoon soy sauce to the wok, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Cook about 5 minutes until pork is cooked and browned. Remove pork to a small bowl and set aside to cool. To the same pan, add the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add shredded cabbage carrots, garlic, and remaining soy sauce. Use tongs to “toss” the vegetables. Cook, over high heat, for about 2 minutes. Or, until cabbage begins to wilt. Toss in the bean sprouts and the green onions, and cook for about 1 minute more. Off heat.

Add the ground pork to the vegetables, tossing to combine well. Place a colander in your sink, or over a large bowl. Add the filling mixture to the colander. Using several layers of paper towels, press down firmly on the egg roll filling, pressing out as much moisture as possible. Repeat process several times. Let filling cool for 30 minutes before rolling into wrappers.

Heat 3 inches of vegetable oil in a dutch oven to 375 degrees. While the oil is coming up to temperature, wrap the rolls according to the package directions using the cornstarch slurry to seal the rolls.

Place into oil 4 or 5 at a time, turning over occasionally, until golden brown. Usually about 5 minutes. I usually add the rolls, wait one minute, then turn over with tongs. It seems like if you try to completely fry the first side, the gas released from the cabbage “blows out” the raw side, and then it doesn’t want to flip. I’ve found that a initial flip right from the get-go corrects that situation.

Remove from oil with tongs, and place VERTICALLY into a large pot or casserole dish that has been lined with paper towels. This vertical drain is key, as it really helps the rolls not to become soggy.

Serve with plenty of soy sauce, Chinese hot mustard, and sweet-chile sauce.

Guinness Chocolate Cake

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Guinness Chocolate Cake

This cake. For me it rivals Beatty’s Chocolate Cake, which really says something. It’s ridiculously moist and chocolaty, with just a slight  hint of malty flavor from the Guinness. Comes together quickly and easily with just a few ingredients – and there is no layering and frosting to contend with. You just pour on a simple ganache topping and let it do it’s thing…hardened enough to stay stable when sliced, but pliable enough that it was soft and luxurious to take a bite of.

A perfect sweet treat for St. Patrick’s Day, but really – I don’t see myself limiting a cake of this magnitude to one holiday in March. It’s just that good, and that easy. I’ve already eaten one piece for breakfast, and am resisting every urge to eat another.

If you didn’t want to use beer, you could certainly use coffee (which the original recipe calls for). But if you guys know me, I’m always on the lookout for a recipe that incorporates beer in some fashion. And this one is definitely a keeper. One I’ll be making again, and again, and again.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone!

Guinness Chocolate Cake

1 egg, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
6 ounces plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup Guinness Stout
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Beer-Candied Bacon or sprinkles, for topping (optional)

For the ganache:
9 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (about 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips)
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9-by-9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine egg, sugar, yogurt, oil, vanilla, and whisk until smooth and combined. Add beer and cocoa powder and whisk vigorously until batter is smooth and free from lumps. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and whisk vigorously until batter has just combined, about 1 minute.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes, or until top has set and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in pan completely, at least 30 minutes, before adding ganache to the cake.

For the ganache, place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Place the cream in a small saucepan and bring to barely a boil on the stovetop. Pour the hot cream onto the chocolate chips and let sit for 1 minute. Whisk vigorously until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth and velvety. Add vanilla and stir to combine.

Pour onto the cake,  spreading the ganache with a spatula or offset knife. Allow to set up for at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving the cake; or speed this process up by placing pan in the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes.

Source: adapted from Averie Cooks