Tequila, Lime & Jalapeno Barbeque Sauce

I've been gone for awhile.

At least, gone in the cyber-sharing sense.

Despite going on a bit of a hiatus from posting this summer, it definitely did not keep me from cooking. One of my favorite things to do in the summer is break out the barbeque.  I'm a very picky eater, and that is definitely evident when it comes to barbeque sauce.  I can honestly say I only tried barbeque a couple years ago.  Since then, I've only found a small number of sauces I'm willing to buy at the grocery store.  I even went as far as to test and publish my own barbeque sauce here last summer because I tested a recipe that I absolutely love.

Now, I'm trying out some variations using my tested and true Kansas City barbeque sauce.

The first is a tequila, lime and jalapeno version.  The flavors are not overpowering, but they 
give a spicy citrus kick to a good barbeque sauce.  

I used this on chicken and served it with my cilantro lime rice.  I found that these flavors together were so complementary.  I loved the combination and think that this spicy summer dish will work in the winter months too!

Stay tuned for more!





Tequila, Lime & Jalapeno Barbeque Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup minced white onion
1/2 cup minced red pepper
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/2 cup minced jalapeno
1 28oz. can tomato sauce
2/3 cup tequila
2 cups ketchup
1 cup packed brown sugar (I used dark)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup dijon mustard
2 tbsp cayenne powder
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp lime extract
Salt & Pepper to taste



In a large pan, saute the onions, pepper, garlic and jalapeno in olive oil on medium heat for 4-5 minutes.

Transfer to a slow cooker and add the rest of the ingredients.  Cook for 4-6 hours on low heat, stirring occasionally.

Let cool.  Puree if desired for smoother consistency.  Pour into jars.

Lemon/lime/orange/grapefruit Extract

I am obsessed with homemade extracts.

I see you rolling your eyes at my dramatic use of the word "obsessed", or perhaps you're just bored with it because I'm seemingly obsessed with everything I make.

But seriously, I'm so so so so so into making my own homemade extracts.

They taste so much better than store-bought versions, and I've been placing them in these cute little corked bottles and using them as decorative accents in my kitchen.  It's called killing two birds with one stone, people.  I need extracts, and I need cute decorations.

Classy and crafty.

Previously, I've made vanilla extract and habanero extract.  The habanero was an unusual choice, but it actually serves as more of a heat introducer than a flavor.  When I need to punch up the spice in a dish, a little drop of that extract goes a seriously long way.

Right now, I'm into citrus extracts.  Summer is ending and the fruit is about to get super expensive at the grocery store.  That, and in the middle of winter, it's hard to know exactly how fresh or how local your produce is.  Preserving flavor in extracts is like carrying a little of that fresh summer flavor into the colder months when you desperately want a juicy bite of citrus.

The first up is lemon extract.

It's super easy and makes an appearance in many of my favorite lemon desserts.  Plus, like I said, it looks so super classy sitting on my counter begging to be baked with.

To do this, I highly recommend using a good quality tool for zesting or peeling.  The pith under the zest is really bitter and gross, and you want to have a tool that won't bite into that nasty white layer.  I used a citrus peeler that pulled off the peel in nice strips without removing the pith.  The strips look very cool hanging out in the extract and make the bottles easier to identify if they don't have labels.




Lemon Extract

2/3 cup grain alcohol
Peel from 3 lemons


Find a decorative 8 oz. jar and sterilize in boiling water.

Place peels in the jar.  Pour grain alcohol over the top and seal the jar.

Leave for at 2-4 weeks before using, shaking the bottles every couple days.

Galaktoboureko

I'm back.

 

After a good six weeks away from the computer, I'm back creating some new and exciting recipes among other things I've been working on.

 

So... you may be asking what caused my abrupt hiatus.

 

Let me explain.

 

First and foremost, I went through a pretty disasterous break up earlier this year.  I tried as hard as I could to continue posting through the unfolding drama, but realized that I needed to take some "me"-time to figure out what I really wanted to accomplish as a newly single woman.  Truth be told, after a few months, I've decided that I really do enjoy cooking for one because I'm the only one who judges my food and I happen to think everything I make is the best thing ever.

 

I also made the decision to go back to school and start working on my Master's degree.  When I first started this blog, I was in nursing school getting my BSN in nursing at Binghamton University in the southern tier of New York.  I've decided to further my education by getting my Nurse Practitioner degree. 

 

Thirdly, like I said, I've been doing some soul-searching trying to figure out who I am outside of an ex-girlfriend and a perpetual college student.  I've been trying to determine what kinds of things I like and what hobbies I could try.  One of the newest things is exercise.  I've been working on devising a new work-out plan to help me meet my weight loss goals and get stronger.  So far, since my break-up, I've lost about twenty pounds, and I'm looking to lose about twenty more.  If you guys have any good tips, I look forward to hearing them.  I would love to turn this blog into an open forum where we can discuss anything and everything.

 

That brings me to my next point.  In the coming weeks, I will be redesigning this site with the intent to expand my posts to more than just cooking.  In a quest for self-discovery, I want to show everyone all of the new things I've learned and how far I've come in my search for total self-reliance and independence.

 

In one of the most brutally honest blog posts I've ever written, I hope that you will join my on my new path and enjoy reading all of the new content I hope to offer soon.

 

Until then, I leave you with another recipe that I tried out a couple weeks ago with tremendous success.  You know how I love Greek food, and this dessert is definitely an example of why.  So rich and creamy, this is not your typical dessert, and it's definitely not going to help me shave off those last few pounds, but it's absolutely worth it.

 

 

Galaktoboureko

3 eggs

2/3 cup flour

1 cup sugar

5 cups skim milk

1 pkg. storebought phyllo dough

1 cup caramel, warmed

 

 

Preheat oven 350F.

Mix eggs, sugar and flour in a large pot over medium heat.  Add milk and stir to allow the mixture to thicken into a custard-like consistency.

In a greased 8x8 pan, place 1/2 the package of phyllo dough on the bottom.  Pour the milk mixture over the top.  Place the other 1/2 of phyllo dough over the top.

Score the top layers of phyllo dough to allow air to escape during cooking.

Bake 40-45 minutes.

Drizzle caramel over the top, allowing it to seep into the scoremarks on the top of the crust.

Chill before serving.