Best BBQ Sauce

bbq sauce is a very personal thing. some like it sweet, some like it hot, some like it with a vinegar tang, some like it smoky or with honey. i have tried many a homemade bbq sauce and this one adapted from the barefoot contessa herself is my personal favorite.

ina garten said she came up with this sauce by trying three different bbq styles. one was asian inspired, one was a honey bbq, and the third was a carolina vinegar based bbq. when each one turned out to be a bust, she combined them all together and it was magic.

i love this sauce! it has a lot of ingredients but it's worth the trouble because it makes a big batch. i keep some in the fridge and freeze the rest so i have bbq ready all summer and never have to use the dreaded bottled stuff. i use it on shrimp, grilled chicken, hamburgers, and even on ribs. seriously, you need to try this stuff!

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Best BBQ Sauce
(adapted from ina garten)


3 tbs vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onion (1 large onion)
3 large cloves minced garlic
1 tbs chili powder
1 tbs chipotle chili powder (or regular but i like the smokey flavor)
1 tbs ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
10 ounces tomato paste
1 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup worcestershire sauce
1 cup dijon mustard
1/2 cup soy sauce
8 ounces hoisin sauce

heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. add onion and garlic and saute until tender. add spices and saute one minute. add remaining ingredients and simmer for 15-30 minutes. let cool completely. store in airtight container. will keep in fridge for 2-3 weeks and freezes very well.

Orange Teriyaki Chicken Stir-Fry

in the heat of the summer i find myself making lots of stir-fries. it not only saves me from turning on the oven but they can be thrown together quickly with virtually whatever you have on hand and it cooks quickly too. that means less time standing over the stove and a dinner full of protein and veggies.

i used chicken tenders that cook quicker than full chicken breasts and a mixture of fresh and frozen veggies as well as some brown rice or whole wheat pasta. the sauces for stir-fry are as versatile as the ingredients you can put into it. teriyaki, orange ginger, peanut, curry, lemon butter, garlic parmesan, old bay, and the list is only limited by your imagination.

i'll continue to post my stir-fry recipes that turn out particularly well like this tasty orange teriyaki one.

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Orange Teriyaki Chicken Stir-Fry
(serves 2-3)

Sauce:
3 tbs soy sauce
3 tbs freshly squeezed orange juice
3 tbs sake
2 tbs agave nectar
3 tbs rice wine vinegar
1 tsp arrow root

Stir-fry:
1 tbs olive oil
5 chicken tenders
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup broccoli
2 cups cooked brown rice

whisk all ingredients for sauce in small bowl until arrow root is dissolved. set aside and heat wok to medium heat. add olive oil and sear chicken tenders on both sides until 90% cooked through. remove from heat and let sit.

add carrots, mushrooms, and onions and saute 3 minutes. add broccoli and rice and continue to cook for 5 minutes. meanwhile, cut chicken into bite sized pieces. add chicken and sauce to wok and let simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.

garnish with sliced scallions or bean sprouts.

Vanilla Bean and Nutella Ice Cream

if you live on the east coast then you understand me when i say, i needed ice cream today. we are currently in the middle of a record-breaking heat wave. it was in the 100's on wednesday. i don't know about you, but in that kind of weather the only kitchen appliance i want to run is the ice cream maker.

i made two different flavors today. back by popular demand, vanilla bean. this was such a big hit the first time i made it that it was requested again. this vanilla is, well, anything but vanilla. along side it was a scoop of nutella ice cream. what could be better on a hot, sticky, summer night than a perfectly pure scoop of vanilla ice cream nestled beside rich, dark, chocolate-hazelnut nutella.

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Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean
juice of 1/2 a lemon
pinch of salt

whisk all ingredients together until sugar is dissolved. add all ingredients to ice cream maker and follow manufacturer instructions. store in airtight container and freeze for 2-4 hours.

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Nutella Ice Cream
(adapted from sugarlaws)

1/3 (heaping) cup of nutella
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cold heavy cream
3/4 cup cold whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

whisk all ingredients together until sugar and nutella are dissolved and all ingredients are smooth. add to ice cream maker and follow appliance instructions. store in airtight container and freeze for 2-4 hours.

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one final note, if you are among the few who are asking "what is nutella?" you must grab your keys, start the car, blast the AC, and drive to the nearest grocery store. you will most likey find a jar of nutella in the peanut butter aisle. head home (after paying for it of course), open it, and just dip your finger right in it. lick your finger and wonder how you have managed to enjoy life up to this point without nutella. then, make this ice cream. it's also wonderful on toast, your finger, graham crackers, ginger cookies, your finger, croissants, oh yeah, and your finger.