Strawberry-Chipotle BBQ Sauce

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Strawberry-Chipotle BBQ Sauce

Summer is officially in full swing here on Delmarva. We spent all day at the beach on Sunday – then came home and fired up the grill. What speaks of summer more than that? I normally count on my good friend, Sweet Baby Ray to handle most of my BBQ needs. But, the DIYer in me won out, and I remembered the BBQ sauce that my friend Josie had posted a few weeks ago. I’d made the sauce before, and was blown away with the results. I love it because it’s super quick – requiring only a few ingredients, and doesn’t need to be cooked.

I decided to add some of the strawberry-chipotle jam I’d made to the sauce, to spice it up a bit. The sweetness of the strawberries and the smokiness of the chipotle really came out on the grill. We both kept raving about it!  Will definitely be making up more batches of this stuff all summer long, looking forward to trying a version with peach jam in a few weeks when I’m able to make some preserves with those juicy gems.

Summer is here, kids. Fire up those grills!

Strawberry-Chipotle BBQ Sauce

1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup strawberry preserves
1 chipotle pepper in adobo, chopped
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
3 Tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
salt and pepper

Whisk together all the ingredients in a medium bowl.  Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, and/or hot sauce. Store covered, in the refrigerator, for several weeks.

Source: adapted from America’s Test Kitchen, via Pink Parsley

The Belmont Breeze

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To say that I’m excited about Saturday’s race at Belmont Park is kind of an understatement. For a girl who grew up in  Maryland’s prime horse country, the Triple Crown stakes (3 races composed of the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness, and the Belmont) were always a big deal for us. Sadly, in my 29 years here on Earth, there has not been a horse that has won all 3 races to become a Triple Crown champion. I’m hoping that this year, the flashy chestnut colt they call “I’ll Have Another” will remedy that situation by taking this last leg of the race by storm, as he has the others, and bring home the title!

I’ll be cheering him on with one of these in hand, a fruity yet deceivingly strong beverage that is the signature cocktail of the Belmont Stakes. I’m usually a tequila or vodka kind of girl, but a change of pace once in a while is nice. Bourbon is the go-to liquor of choice for most cocktails created around horse racing. I used store-bought lemonade (Simply Lemonade, y u so good?), but you could certainly use some sweetened lemon juice and sparking water.

So, let’s raise a glass and toast to I’ll Have Another – here’s hoping we have the first Triple Crown Winner in 34 years come Sunday morning! I’d be one very happy girl.

*Update: I’ll Have Another has been scratched due to a leg/tendonitis injury. A huge disappointment, yes. However, it shows that they really care about the horse’s welfare, and not just the race purse. Maybe next year, folks! Best of luck to all the other entrants tomorrow.

The Belmont Breeze

1 ½ oz. Bourbon
2 oz. lemonade
1 oz. pomegranate juice

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain over ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge or cherry.

Source: The Belmont Stakes

Old-Fashioned Banana Cake

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Up until a few months ago, I always made banana bread with my over-ripe bananas. I love banana bread, but – I love banana cake even more. To be honest, the cake itself isn’t that much different than banana bread. It’s less dense, and a little bit sweeter. And, of course there’s the cream cheese icing slathered on the top – which certainly sets it apart from the pack.

It’s a cake your grandmother probably would have made; not the fanciest, but what it lacks in decoration – it makes up for in flavor. I’m thinking that it would be wonderful to substitute pumpkin for banana come October for a fall twist! If you’ve got some bananas on their last leg in the fruit bowl, or some tucked away in the freezer – pass up the smoothie or your other old-standby to give this delicious cake a try. You might just have a new favorite!

Old-Fashioned Banana Cake

3 very ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

For the frosting:
6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (1/2 pound)
Walnut halves, for decorating

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the bananas, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on low speed until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the oil, eggs, sour cream and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.  With mixer on low, add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Stir in chopped walnuts. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, turn out onto cooling rack and cool completely.

To make the frosting, mix cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment on low speed until just combined. Don’t whip. Add sugar and mix until smooth.

Spread frosting thickly on top of cake and decorate with walnut halves. Slice and serve.

Source: adapted from Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That? by Ina Garten

Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

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I love stir-fry. Great for those nights when you’re not quite sure what’s on the dinner docket, stir-fries are quick and easy. My neighbor Janie gave me a printout of an article that was in Food Network magazine a few years ago, in which they broke down stir fry – listing meats, veggies, and sauces that then you could mix-n-match and do your own thing.

I treasure that printout, because a few months later we lost Janie to a brain tumor. The best neighbor anyone could ask for – I always enjoyed chit-chatting about vegetable or flower gardening with her in the backyard, or asking her advice on a certain variety of hydrangea. Needless to say, I think of her often this time of year, and of course when I pull out my trusty stir-fry sheet. I know she’d really take delight in all the tasty things I’ve been whipping up in my kitchen these past few years!

One of my favorite things to order from Chinese takeout is chicken and broccoli. But, as most take-out would have it – something that is seemingly healthy is laden with calories and fat. That’s why we do it at home, kids! Pieces of tender chicken, and plenty of broccoli that still has a bite to it. I also had some carrots to use up, so I threw that in too. We all devoured it, especially the boys! William will choose a green veggie over a piece of meat any day of the week. If you’re looking for a way to try to get your little ones to eat more veggies, stir-fries are a great place to start!

Chicken & Broccoli Stir-Fry

3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced onion
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions, chopped

For the sauce:
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar

Combine soy sauce, veggie oil, garlic, and scallions in a Ziploc bag. Add chicken to bag and toss to coat. Let marinade 30 minutes while you prep the rest of the veggies and sauce.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of ice and 2 cups of water. Toss broccoli florets into the boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove, and place in the ice bath to set the color and stop the cooking process. Drain, and place florets on a clean kitchen towel to dry.

Drain the excess marinade from the protein. Place your sauce, vegetables and protein near the stove.

Heat 1/4 inch vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the protein; stir slowly until almost opaque; about 1 minute. Transfer to plate; discard the oil and wipe out the pan.

Heat the pan over high heat; 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons oil and add the vegetables, starting with the carrots – then the broccoli and onions. Stir-fry until crisp-tender.

Add the protein and sauce and stir until the sauce is thick and the vegetables and protein are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Think with chicken broth, if needed. Garnish with sliced scallions, peanuts, sesame seeds, or cilantro.