Ottie's Barbecue Sauce

Ottie Strickland's Barbecue Sauce

Barbecue sauce!  I'd never tried making this homemade, and now that I have... I'm hooked!  This sauce is so easy (and cheap!) to make, it leaves me wondering why I'd ever buy bottled barbecue sauce again (except maybe to take on a camping trip).

Great Grandmother's recipe is deeply flavorful and a bit spicy too.  I did adjust the amount of sugar.  Rather than one teaspoon, I added about 1/2 cup.  I prefer my barbecue sauce to be a little sweeter and sticky (not too sweet, but not super tart either).  In fact, I half-wonder whether she meant to write "cup" rather than just dittoing the teaspoon measurement.  Anyway, after boosting the sweetness a bit, this recipe was perfect.  (I also decreased the water slightly)

Last night I cooked up a slightly larger amount (I made a 1 1/2 sized batch), and canned a jar before using the rest with dinner (Lil' Smokies!).  The original recipe specifies that this sauce is for pork spareribs.  I've made it twice, and still haven't had it with pork spareribs.  Nonetheless, I can tell you that this recipe is delicious cooked as directed with beef brisket... and it's pretty fun with Lil' Smokies too!  I haven't grilled with the sauce yet, and have instead used it in the oven.  This summer I'll see how it grills. My mouth is watering at the mere thought of it!

Note:  I don't know if this is just my area, but mace has suddenly become scarce to find!  When I did find mace, it was expensive!  If you run into a similar dilemma, then just use nutmeg and double the amount.

While I can say that the sauce has worked out deliciously twice, I've not yet tried the full recipe (with the spareribs).  I'll transcribe Great Grandmother's instructions for the spareribs.  However, please keep in mind that only the sauce has been tested.

Can you enjoy barbecue sauce without meat?  Of course you can!  You can make barbecue sauce baked beans, enjoy the sauce over egg noodles, grill tofu basted in barbecue sauce, make green bean casserole with barbecue sauce... etc etc etc... Barbecue sauce is versatile stuff, and welcome at any Meatless Monday dinner table!

Ottie's Barbecue Sauce

from the kitchen of Mrs. Stickinthemud

Ingredients:

3/4 cup ketchup (I used Hunts, made without high fructose corn syrup.  Great Grandmother also suggested using Snyder's Oyster Cocktail Sauce, which I've not yet tried)
1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
2 Tablespoons vinegar (I've used both plain white, and rice vinegar. Apple cider vinegar would also work.)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons Worcester Sauce
1 teaspoon prepared mustard (plain yellow)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)
1/8 teaspoon mace (or 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg if you do not have mace)
1 small clove of garlic, crushed or finely minced
1 large onion, chopped (if you wish to take out the onion later, then chop it in larger pieces)
Approximately 1/2 cup of water, or enough to attain the desired sauce thickness

Method:

Toss all of the ingredients into a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil at medium-high temperature, then lower the temperature to a simmer. Simmer the sauce for about an hour, or until the onion is mostly translucent and soft. 

If you wish to immediately cook meat (in the oven) with this sauce, then don't bother simmering. You may instead incorporate the sauce's cooking time with that of the meat.  

For pork spareribs (or beef brisket, which I've tried and enjoyed immensely), partially cook the meat alone in a 350 degree F oven.  Pour or baste out the excess fat and/or juices.  Cover with the barbecue sauce and finish cooking (until the meat registers as being "done" with a thermometer).  Whilst it's cooking, turn now and then and baste with the sauce.   

Preserve this barbecue sauce at your own risk! I am unable to give educated canning advice. I do feel confident that my method was safe. However, if you choose to can this recipe, please research further to make sure you're doing it safely. Please do not can this recipe, and then blame me if you later suffer from food poisoning! That said, I strained out the onions, filled the jar to about 1/4 inch from the rim, and processed it for 25 minutes (which is appropriate for my altitude).

~Jenai

Corned Beef Hash 2011

Corned Beef Hash 2011

Why am I sharing this photo with no recipe?  My tummy is full, which has left me feeling both lazy and naughty...

~Jenai

Plain Applesauce Cake

Plain Applesauce Cake

Oh... wow!  This is officially my new favorite breakfast spice cake recipe.  I tinkered with the ingredients a smidgen.  However, it's one of Great Grandmother's recipes that left a lot open to interpretation, imagination, confusion, and insinuation. I figured that my alterations were within reason to make. One might excuse my choices as self-defense.  When you see the original, you'll understand.

(1 1/2 or 2 "scant" cups of flour?  Really?)

My version of this tender, fine-textured, delicious cake included whole wheat, vanilla, and chopped prunes (with raisins as well).  I'm picky about sweets; they must have a certain salt level or else I'm not "wowed."  This cake meets my requirements and exceeds my expectations.  If you like applesauce spice cakes... try this one!

Plain Applesauce Cake

From the kitchen of Mrs. Stickinthemud

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Shortening (I used 1/4 cup Butter with 1/4 cup Shortening)

1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (my addition)

1 cup thick, unsweetened applesauce

1 3/4 cups Flour (I used whole wheat flour, and it worked perfectly)

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1 teaspoon Nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon Cloves

1 cup raisins (I used 1/2 cup raisins with 1/2 cup chopped prunes... other dried fruits would be delicious also)

Method:

Grease one medium-sized loaf pan (mine is 9 by 5 inches).  This would also work for muffins.  However, I don't know the baking time for that, so you'd have to babysit a little.  

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  

In a large mixing bowl, combine the shortening/butter and brown sugar (it will be thick and not creamy!).  Beat in the egg and vanilla.  Stir in the applesauce.  

In a separate bowl sift and combine the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  Add this to the applesauce mixture.  Beat with a spoon for about 30 seconds, until well-combined.  Stir in the raisins (and/or other dried fruit, such as chopped prunes or dates).  

Spread the batter into the pan.  Bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling.  Slice, gobble, and nom nom nom!  

Quick and Tender One Egg Cake

After enduring a sluggish bunch of weekly viruses that descended upon our home... I've finally begun baking again.  The "Quick and Tender One Egg Cake" is the first recipe I tried of Great Grandmother's.

This recipe was popular during the Great Depression. Requiring only one egg, and modest quantities of other ingredients, it was an affordable (and simple) treat.  It's a small cake (I made mine in an 8 by 8 inch square pan).

Tonight's version included a sour cream frosting with vanilla and maple flavorings.  Yum!  However, I kind of wish I'd gone with my first choice... which was a lemon glaze.

Little Sean said it was "the best cake ever!"  Granted, he says, "the best ever!" to most things these days.

Quick and Tender One Egg Cake

from the kitchen of Mrs. Stickinthemud

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cup flour
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening (I highly suggest using equal parts butter and shortening)
2/3 cup milk - not too cold (I microwaved it for 30 seconds)
1 large unbeaten egg
1 teaspoon flavoring of your choice (or more to taste): vanilla, almond, lemon, maple, etc...


Method:
Grease and flour an 8 by 8 inch square cake pan (or 9 inch round pan).  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift and combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Add the shortening/butter, milk, egg, and flavoring extract.  Beat well for about a minute with an electric mixer (or 2 minutes by hand).  Pour into the pan, and bake for about 35 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean).  Transfer to a rack to cool.  Frost and eat!

Maple-Vanilla Frosting
(Jenai's recipe)

1/3 cup sour cream 
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Mapleline (maple flavoring)
2 (or more) cups of powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Combine the sour cream, salt, vanilla, and mapleline.  Gradually stir in the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth and of the desired thickness.  I used really thick sour cream, and so I only used 2 cups of powdered sugar.  If you use light sour cream, then you might need to add more sugar to thicken it up.

Dummy me, I used a whisk.  If you have a Kitchen Aid, or even a hand mixer, then use that instead.  Not that you can't do it by hand, but it's sure a pain!

~Jenai

Oatmeal Peanut Cookies (with Wheaties)

Crispy. Chewy. Yummy. We love these cookies! They turned out even better than I hoped. Bake these, and everyone (without peanut allergies) who eats them will be happy.

I tinkered with this recipe slightly by using whole wheat flour and equal parts of both butter and shortening.  If you have whole wheat flour, then use it.  No one will know you did.

In the future I'll probably add raisins, dates, and lots more.  However, for now I tried to stay as close as possible to the original recipe.

Oatmeal Peanut Cookies

from the kitchen of Mrs. Stickinthemud

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened at room temperature

1/2 cup shortening (I use Spectrum brand.  Avoid Crisco brand due to its new, strange, goopy formula. All-butter is another option)

2 cups packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour (I used whole wheat)

2 cups old-fashioned oats (not instant or quick)

1 cup Wheaties cereal (I measured this pre-crunched.  This can be another, similar bran flake cereal)

1 cup peanuts (roasted and salted, and either chopped or ground)

Method:

In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter, shortening, and brown sugar until it's smooth.  Add the eggs and vanilla, and mix together well.  

In a separate bowl, sift and measure the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Add the oats, Wheaties, and peanuts.  Combine well.  

Add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture.  Mix together well by hand.  Unfortunately this means you're obligated to lick your fingers clean after mixing the dough.  Bummer...

Cover and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.  

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  With your hands, roll the dough into Tablespoon-sized balls. Set onto an ungreased baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Lightly flatten the dough balls with the back of a spoon.  Bake for about 16 minutes.  Transfer to a rack and cool.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.  

Ginger Crumb Cake

After the chocolate cake failure, I had to revisit one of my favourite recipes from Great Grandmother's recipe box... "Ginger Crumb Cake." I posted this recipe last year, except it was hidden in another post.  This cake deserves its own spotlight.  

Ginger Crumb Cake

As you can see in the photo, this isn't a dark spice cake.  That's what intrigued me about it.  Ginger, nutmeg, and lemon combine to make an intensely yummy experience in the mouth.   The combination is perfectly balanced.  Make sure your spices aren't too old, or else the ginger or nutmeg will easily overwhelm the other. If you're not fond of ginger, then skip this cake... which can actually be spicy hot if the ginger is fresh enough.  

I... Love... This... Cake...

Now for a side-rant and warning.  Crisco changed its formula recently.  I've heard that the change happened about ten years ago, but my mom and I suspect there has been further alteration within the last couple years.  The formula is now... goopy.  It doesn't "crack" when you scoop some out of a fresh can.  Instead it just... smears.  Hard to explain.  Anyway, it also doesn't work the same in baking.  It ruins everything. I'm not fond of the stuff to begin with, yet I surrendered when the recipe relied on shortening for success.  However, now I won't touch the stuff.  It ruins recipes!  

Spectrum makes a shortening that is working well.  At first I was concerned because it's very firm.  But it cuts nicely, and has so far been successful.  

If you can't find (or afford!) Spectrum, then just go ahead and use all butter in this recipe.  Seriously... Crisco will ruin the result, so don't bother.  

Ok, here is the recipe... 

Ginger Crumb Cake

from the kitchen of Mrs. Stickinthemud

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup shortening (if only Crisco is available, then use all butter)

1 1/2 teaspoons ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 egg (I used a very large farm-fresh egg... not sure what official size it translates into)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup buttermilk (I used 3/4 cup whole milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice)

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour a 9-inch round baking pan (I used Pam baking spray with flour in it).

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, ginger, and nutmeg.  Cut in the butter and shortening with a pastry cutter, until the mixture is fine with only a few pea-sized lumps.  Set aside 1/2 cup of this mixture.  This will later be the crumb topping. 

In a measuring cup, measure and combine the buttermilk (or milk and lemon juice), baking soda, egg, and lemon extract.  Add the milk mixture along with salt and baking powder (sifted to make sure there are no baking powder lumps... which really are unpleasant to bite into) to the dry mixture.  Mix thoroughly.  

Spread the batter into the baking pan.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup crumb topping mixture evenly over the batter.  Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  

Ginger Crumb Cake, enhanced with bunny ears from my friend, Stefanie.

Chocolate Fudge Cake

This "chocolate fudge cake" left me saying, "eh..." and feeling a little woozy from the sweetness.  There are 2 cups of sugar for 1 3/4 cup flour (2 cups if you have pastry flour).  There isn't enough flavor for all the sugar, and the overall result was sweet blandness.  And to make matters worse, the texture was pasty.  I'll share the recipe.  However, in my opinion it's really not worth baking.  Great Grandmother had a couple similar recipes, and I wonder of she was trying to find the "perfect" one.  I'm hoping/assuming this wasn't the favorite.

If I made this again (which I will not), I would omit the 1/2 cup sugar in the egg whites.  I might even consider just adding the whole eggs in the beginning, rather than folding in the egg whites.  Also, I'd add more butter, salt, vanilla, and chocolate.  

The batter was good...

Chocolate Fudge Cake

from the kitchen of Mrs. Stickinthemud

Ingredients:

2 cups of pastry flour (or 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour)

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 cup chopped and toasted nuts (I used pecans)

2 eggs (yolks and whites separated)

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 squares baking chocolate, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups milk

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.  

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter.  Add 1 1/2 cups sugar (it will be very dry...).  Add 2 well-beaten egg yolks and vanilla, and mix thoroughly.  Stir in the melted chocolate.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl measure and sift the flour, salt, and baking powder.  

Alternating with the milk, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar/egg mixture.  Stir in the nuts. 

In small separate bowl, beat the 2 egg whites until they are still.  Then beat in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar (yes, this is an insane amount of sugar for 2 egg whites).  Fold the intensely sweet egg whites into the batter.  Spread the batter into the baking pan.  Bake for approximately 35 minutes, or until the center springs back when touched.  

The batter is quite delicious!

The cake, however, is not....

Corn Bread or Muffins

Yes, I'll be baking last week's recipe from the poll (Chocolate Fudge Cake) either tonight or tomorrow.  Promise.  In the meantime, we had company over the weekend and I baked a ham... with Great Grandmother's cornbread on the side.  (This is the recipe on the other side of the Corn Sticks/Cakes recipe card).

The cornbread turned out quite delicious.  It's not very sweet, and I prefer it that way (it's how my mom made it too).  My father-in-law said it passed the "eat it plain" test, which is how he most enjoys his cornbread.  Overall, it was enjoyed by everyone at the table.  Yum!

Notice the utter lack of baking instructions in the original.  Thank goodness it's similar to my mom's recipe and I could figure out the method!

I'm going to show the ingredients doubled, simply because that worked perfectly for a 9x13 inch pan.

Ottie's Corn Bread or Muffins

From the kitchen of Mrs. Stickinthemud

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups cornmeal (Ottie used white cornmeal, as do I.  Also, Albers brand seems to work best)

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons salt

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups Buttermilk or Sour-milk (I used 2 cups milk soured with 2 Tablespoons lemon juice)

4 Tablespoons shortening (Crisco has changed its formula in a bad way, so I used Spectrum brand)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour a 9x14 inch baking pan.  

If you're using sour-milk instead of buttermilk, then combine the milk and lemon juice now.  Beat in the eggs.  Set aside.  

In a large-sized mixing bowl, measure and sift and combine the flour, cornflour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

With a pastry cutter, cut in the shortening until the texture is fine (there shouldn't be big lumps of shortening).  

Add the sour-milk/buttermilk and egg mixture to the dry mixture, and beat with a spoon until well-combined (not too long, maybe for 15 or 20 seconds).  

Spread evenly into the pan.  Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until golden brown and the center springs back when touched.

I've Chosen a Favourite Butterscotch Cookie

If asked to choose between Tuesday's Butter Scotch Cookies... and last year's Butterscotch Pudding Cookies... the latter wins place as my favourite.

After eating several of the Butter Scotch Cookies, they've... flopped.  I've determined that they're texture is too cake-like (which might be a winning point for others).  Also, even though there appears to be enough salt in the recipe (even my butter was salted), they were not salty enough.  Overall, they teetered too closely to "bland"...

If you're deciding which butterscotch cookies to try, I recommend the Butterscotch Pudding Cookies.  However, if the others still appeal to you, I'd suggest adding more salt.  Also, try using dark brown sugar instead of light (Ottie didn't specify in the recipe), and bake for the full 15 minutes.

~Jenai

Butter Scotch Cookies (minus the boxed pudding)

Mrs. Stickinthemud's box is back!  

Butter Scotch Cookies

We've moved houses since I last baked n'blogged.  I'm gradually settling in, and the kitchen has been exciting to explore.  It's much nicer (an understatement) than our previous kitchen... and makes these projects all the more fun.  


Before I go any further... please take a moment to vote in the recipe poll (on the top left-hand side of this page).  I'm playing with chocolate next, and need your help deciding which recipe to use.  


Today I decided to play with another one of Great Grandmother's recipes... Butter Scotch Cookies.  (note: these are different from the "Butterscotch Pudding Cookies" that I made last year).  This recipes relies heavily upon the subtle butter and brown sugar flavours, with a hint of vanilla and toasted pecan accents.  The sour cream lends a cake-like texture, whilst the edges retain a delightful crispiness.  I found that baking them longer brought out the butterscotch-y-ness.  

About that sour cream... I wanted REAL sour cream.  Most of the sour creams on the shelf (three out of four brands at the store I visited) contained a plethora of additives, including many gums and thickeners.  While most of the ingredients appear to be (hopefully) harmless health-wise, I'm left wondering how they affect baking results.  Fortunately, Daisy brand sour cream really was just "grade A cultured cream"... nothing more.  I didn't pay more for that either, so it's just a matter of reading labels and shopping carefully (Daisy's light sour cream was also the least adulterated).  I still don't know that the... enhanced... sour creams (or buttermilk) would affect my baking.  However, since I don't know... I'm playing it safe and choosing the ingredients that appear closest to what Mrs. Stickinthemud would have purchased and used.  


You should know that I also discovered that a single recipe of Mrs. Stickinthemud's spaghetti sauce worked perfectly for a plain 9x13 inch pan-sized lasagna.  (made with only the sauce, pasta, parmesan, and mozerella for layers... which I love and is how my mom usually made it).  The cookie dough chilled in the refrigerator whilst the lasagna baked in the oven.  It all worked out splendidly... and deliciously...


Ok, I've rambled on enough... Now for the recipe! 

Butter Scotch Cookies

From the kitchen of Mrs. Stickinthemud

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar (I used light brown sugar, but might try dark in the future)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs, well-beaten

2 1/2 cups flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 cup sour cream 

2/3 cup toasted and chopped pecans or walnuts

Method:

Cream the butter, then add the brown sugar and cream together very well.  Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat well until the batter is light.   In a separate bowl, combine and sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternating with the sour cream (I added both in thirds, trading turns).  Fold in the pecans or walnuts.  The dough will be soft.  Cover and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour, or until the dough is stiff.  

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Butter a cookie sheet (I buttered parchment paper on a cookie sheet).  Drop the dough onto the sheet by the spoon-ful and about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 12-15 minutes (I opted for longer, to bring out the butterscotch flavor).  Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.