Trial Run On A Crock Pot Recipe. BBQ.

If you recall, a few posts back I mentioned a crock pot cook-off at Ace Hardware on February 28. I'm tossing around the idea of entering the contest, so yesterday I bought ribs on sale at Food Lion for 99 cents a pound and gave it a trial run.

Ribs don't look too bad.

Until you turn them over and look at all the fat on the underside.

Mr. Hawthorne trimmed off the fat, put the ribs in our crock pot, added a little water, some salt and pepper, and a few shakes of Stubbs' Hickory Liquid Smoke.

Meanwhile, I'm assembling the ingredients for my barbecue sauce. And, I'm making this up as I go along, testing, tasting, and adjusting flavors. My beginning ingredients: onion garlic ginger 4 cubes of frozen veal stock brown sugar vinegar tomato sauce corn syrup mollases Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce Soy Sauce Texas Pete Hot Sauce Stubb's Hickory Liquid Smoke ground cayenne pepper

First, I chopped my garlic (4-5 cloves) and onion (medium). And here's a tip when mincing garlic: Run your knife under warm water. It keeps the garlic from sticking.

I sauteed the onions and garlic in about 2 tablespoons of olive, then added in 1/4 cup of light brown sugar.

1/8 cup each of light corn syrup and molasses

1 cup cider vinegar

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

1/8 cup each soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup crushed pineapple and juice

Now, I wanted to add in a bit of beef stock, but decided, "Hey, why don't you use your veal stock." Probably a waste of my veal stock. Canned stock would have been fine.

I know I've given this tip out lots of times, but you never know when somebody new is going to happen upon my blog, find a tip and realize their life has become so much easier and they're going to live happily ever after. So listen up. Here's the tip: When you buy ginger, keep it in your freezer so it doesn't go bad. When you get ready to use it, cut off how ever much you want, nuke it for about 30 seconds, and the ginger juice flows out.

Oops. I lllliterally shook in a few shakes of Stubbs Hickory Liquid Smoke.

Shake in some Texas Pete.

Here are my home-grown, dried, and ground cayenne flakes and powder.

Cayenne into the pot.

I did a quick taste test and remembered I'd forgotten the mustard. Here, I'm adding in 1/8 cup Nine Fingers Montana Western Style mustard, because that's what was in my refrigerator.

Thought it needed the rest of the 20-ounce can of pineapple.

And another 8 ounces of tomato sauce.

Hmmm... What's this? Well, that's my lovely stock blooming in the center, Mr. Hawthorne's sourwood honey on the right, and his Special Mountain Stream Water on the left.

I added in 1/4 cup of the honey.

And 1/4 cup of Special Mountain Stream Water, also known as The Recipe. I have simmered and tasted and tweaked for about 1 1/2 hours, trying to get just the right balance of flavors.

Then I decided I needed a secret ingredient. Coffee.

1/8 cup freshly ground beans went in, just a little bit at a time, while I tasted. Who'd a thunk? The coffee in my BBQ sauce is like chocolate in your mole.

My sauce has cooked down for several hours.

Mr. Hawthorne wanted to blend the sauce with his new gadget.

I let the sauce keep simmering for another 2 hours.

The ribs cooked in the crock pot on high for about 5 hours. My BBQ sauce is velvety smooth, rich, flavorful, with a hint of ... of ... what is that flavor?

The meat is falling-off-the-bone tender.

Squash casserole, marinated carrots, and cole slaw rounded out the meal. Delicious. I just got an email from Ace Hardware containing entry information and there are only 4 categories: Soup Stew Chowder Chili No ribs. I can't imagine doing seafood in a crock pot. That seems so very wrong. I think I'll pass on the soup and stew and go with the chili. Ace info noted: Contestants are required to make 5-6 quarts of food. All food must be set up by 10:30 am and ready for serving 11 am at Ace Hardware Nags Head Sat Feb 28. Contestants will be provided with electric, sample cups, spoons, and napkins. Contestants will be responsible for any garnishments or condiments and serving utensils. I decided on the chili because I'm all about the garnishments and condiments. I can make my own seasoned tortilla chips. Hell, I may just try my hand at making the tortillas from scratch. And I can make my creme fraiche with the lime, jalapeno, and cilantro and a corn salsa with, I'm thinking, black beans. Sounds like a plan. Now I just need to work on a good chili recipe.

Should I take Aunt Sandy's advice for her #1 favorite thing, McCormick's Seasoning Packets? And I know this is Chef Lee's #1 thing because I received my free issue of Sandra Lee Semi Ho-Made and I quote: "Her top five favorites include: McCormick seasoning mixes for cooking mouth-watering meals without incurring the expense of multiple ingredients; Miracle-Gro plant food for growing gardens great and small; (Yeah, that's her special ingredient that makes everyone go, "Hmmm... What is that flavor?) Waverly Fabrics for numerous but easy-does-it adornments for the home; and the object of her admitted obsession, Spray Mount, a quick-drying, spray-on adhesive used for handmade crafts items." Oh wait a minute. We got some Sandy math going on. That's only 4 favorite things. So you know I"m not just going to drop this. I'm a dog with a bone. Naturally, I emailed the magazine yesterday morning trying to find out the identity of the elusive fifth favorite Sandy-thing. Within minutes, at 11:36 am, I received this email: (I'm very excited since I've been assigned an Inquiry number, which makes it official.) Inquiry (KMM29783243I103L0KM)

We have received your correspondence, and it is being sent to a customer
service representative for proper handling. If additional information is
required regarding your inquiry, the representative will contact you
directly.  Please do not respond to this email.  Thank you.

At 11:37am, I received another email,
this time from Katrina.
Oh, and now I have a case ID number!

Thank you for contacting Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade.

We will forward your inquiry  to the appropriate department for
handling.

Thank you,
Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade
Katrina

Customer's email address: rosiehawthorne@aim.com
Case id: 7866576
KMM tracking number: KMM29783353I103L0KM


Original Message Follows:
------------------------
Rosie
Hawthorne

Kill Devil Hl
NC
27948

United States
25471350

Mag Abbrev = SEM

New Email = rosiehawthorne@aim.com


On page 15 of Ms. Lee's premier issue, you say 'Her top five favorites 
include ...'
McCormick, Miracle-Gro, Waverly Fabrics, and Spray Mount are mentioned.
What's the 5th favorite?
Thank you.

Finally at 12:11pm, the editor herself,
Alyce, 
emailed me after asking Sandra
and getting
an email from her:

Oops – bad on our part. Sandra just emailed me to say – HERSHEYS KISSES! Alyce ALYCE H. HEAD Editor Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Hoffman Media, LLC 1900 International Park Drive, Suite 50 Birmingham, Alabama 35243 205.262.2194 ahead@hoffmanmedia.com And lookie! All these packets just for chili! With Sandy on my side, I'm a shoo-in!!!!

Ticky Visits!

Ticky is coming to visit today, so I'm trying to prepare foods I think she would like. I know she likes shrimp, and my shrimp spring rolls yesterday were so good, I decided to make them again.

Top left, are Mr. Hawthorne's carrots from his mini-mandoline. Bottom left, are my carrots, carefully and thoughtfully julienned by my own little hands. Mr. Hawthorne probably did his carrots in 10 seconds. Me? Probably 10 minutes.

But mine taste better.

Top right is cucumber. Bottom right is celery.

In the middle is shrimp. In the little bowl at top right is faux crab. Well, actually it has some king crab in it along with pollock. Top middle is bibb lettuce.

Bibb lettuce, with carrots, cucumbers, celery, shrimp, and faux crab. Roll up in the tapioca sheets. By the way, when you're softening the sheets in water, only do one sheet at a time, and watch it. It will disintegrate if you leave it in there too long. Just do one roll/sheet at a time.

And here are my llllllovely, llllllittle ssssspring rollllls. OK, I'm sooo trying not to be 12 here.

So lllllet's just move on to the horizontal view.

Shrimp spring rolls are done. Refrigerate. Next up, barbecue sauce.

I sauteed garlic and onions.

Added brown sugar.

Cider vinegar goes in.

Some of Mr. Hawthorne's sourwood honey.

Worcestershire sauce.

I had some tamarind barbecue sauce leftover from the coconut salmon and added that.

Ketchup.

Dark corn syrup.

Molasses.

Mustard.

Mr. Hawthorne slathers the sauce over the baby back ribs.

And I cooked the barbecue sauce down until nice and thick.

Now, it's time for cole slaw.

I have cabbage, celery, carrot, and apple. And I really like the halo effect around the carrot and celery.

I sliced the cabbage, chopped the celery, grated the carrot, and sliced the apple.

Add in a couple glops of mayo, salt and pepper, then some sugar.

Add in some cider vinegar.

Then, I had the great idea of adding RAISINS. Everything is ready for Ticky's arrival. I'm getting excited. At 3 o'clock, Ticky called and said she'd be here in an hour. "Great," I said, "That gives me just enough time for my tablescape!" Heh Heh.

Ta DAAAAAHHHH!!!!!! And what a tablescape it is. Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Of course, a tablescape is not a tablescape without booze. Here, I have a precariously structured construction of miniature booze bottles. A darling party favor - the seed packet. Let's not forget the ambiance of candlelight. And, my precious place setting for Ticky, with a cheery "Happy Birthday!"

Moving on to Rosie's place setting, we have another scented candle, the booze pyramid, another seed packet, and the place card with a "Get Well Soon!" message. (Just in case any Sandyfood was used during dinner.)

Now, Mr. Hawthorne's place setting. Booze, scented candle, seeds, and a heart-felt "I Love You." WHOOT!

As for any true Sandyscape, there's plenty of extra booze available - in whatever form you might want - rubbing alcohol or aigstrax.

When I talked to Ticky last night, I asked her was there anything she didn't like. Yes, shellfish. What do you like? Velveeta and shrimp.

So, for my appetizers, I have a Velveeta, cream cheese, and bacon dip (which was the same I used to stuff my jalapeno poppers with). Ticky took one look and gushed, "Is that VELVEETA?" Yup, just for you, babe. On the right, is my tabboulleh.

Next, I had a taste test for Ticky. French Laundry veal stock. Ruhlman's veal stock. Can you tell the difference? They both look exactly the same. But, she picked veal stock B, on the right. I believe Ticky described it as "velvety." I think I said, a "subtle nuance" that made my tongue "shiver." Whatever, we both picked Ruhlman's. Next, more appetizers.

Here are my spring rolls. And assorted condiments.

And here's dinner: Mr. Hawthorne's corn and bacon, baby back ribs, cole slaw, and barbecue sauce.

This corn and bacon is quite a deliciosity. Try it. This time, I made him add cream. Even better, if possible.

Baby back ribs.

Sweet, tart cole slaw with raisins and apples. Darn, thinking back on it, I wish I had added some walnuts.

My plate. I'm like Ticky. I use a fork and knife to get the meat off the bone. I work for it, then am rewarded by a delicious, ready-to-eat treat. The dark spread at the bottom of the plate is my cooked down BBQ sauce. Bacon/corn on the left. Cole slaw at top. I enjoyed this meal thoroughly. Whilst Ticky went to "powder her nose," Mr. H. and I brought out the hidden birthday cake and lit the candles.

Happy belated birthday, Ticky!

Bitch has got some lungs on her. Three feet away and those candle flames were extinguished in a split second.

Ticky, thanks for visiting! Come back soon.