J.T. Handy's Heavy Tomato-Based Barbecue Sauce

Summerville, South Carolina's Pit master J.T. Handy shared this recipe while at Nicholls State University's Culinary School in Louisiana.

½ gallon ketchup

2 ½ cups apple cider vinegar

1 ½ cups Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ cups water

2 cups sugar

4 cups dark brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup yellow mustard

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 tablespoons chili powder

3 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons black pepper

Combine the ketchup, cider vinegar, Worcestershire and water. Bring to a simmer to assist in dissolving the sugars. Combine the remaining ingredients and add to the mixture. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes over low heat. Let cool and hold for service at room temperature. Or, the sauce can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated to use later.

J.T.'s All-Purpose Barbecue Dry Rub

Summerville, South Carolina BBQ pit master J.T. Handy shared this recipe while at Nicholls State University's Culinary School in Louisiana. Use raw Louisiana cane sugar if you have it!

Makes about 3 cups

1 cup Turbinado sugar (cane sugar)

½ cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup Kosher salt

½ cup sweet paprika

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon black pepper

Combine all the ingredients and sift to incorporate the spices completely.

J.T.'s All-Purpose Barbecue Dry Rub

South Carolina barbecue pit master J.T. Handy shared this recipe while at Nicholls State University's Culinary School in Louisiana. Use raw Louisiana cane sugar if you have it!

Makes about 3 cups

1 cup Turbinado sugar (cane sugar)

½ cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup Kosher salt

½ cup sweet paprika

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon black pepper

Combine all the ingredients and sift to incorporate the spices completely.

J.T.'s Basic Barbecue Injection Mix

Summerville, South Carolina's BBQ pit master J.T. Handy shared this recipe while at Nicholls State University's Culinary School in Louisiana.

¾ cup apple juice

½ cup water

¼ cup Kosher salt

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Combine the ingredients well to make sure the salt dissolves. Inject liberally into the meat and let rest before putting on the pit.

Cream Cheese Icing by Shirley Corriher

Yield: 3 cups

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 2-TBL size pieces
• 16 ozs cream cheese
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 TBL orange-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier

1. In large mixing bowl, beat butter until soft.
2. Add cream cheese and beat until blended and smooth.
3. Blend in confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and orange-flavored liqueur.
4. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Ahh, Fabulous Pesto!

Here are three great pesto recipes. I'd love to hear from you folks out there with your own fabulous pesto recipes....

Basil Pesto
Yield: 1 cup

• 2 Cups Fresh Basil Leaves
• 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
• 1/2 Cup Pine Nuts, toasted
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 3 Large Garlic Cloves
• 1/8 Teaspoon Salt
  

1. Process fresh basil leaves and remaining ingredients in a food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.
2. Store pesto in refrigerator up to 5 days.

Dried Tomato-Basil Pesto
Yield: 1 cup

• 1/4 Cup Dried Tomatoes, in oil
• 3/4 Cup Basil Pesto (recipe above)

1. Drain tomatoes well, pressing between paper towels.
2. Process dried tomatoes in a food process 30 seconds or until coarsely chopped; add Basil Pesto, and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.
3. Store pesto in refrigerator up to 5 days.

Central Market's Poblano-Cilantro Pesto
Yield: 1 3/4 cup

Central Market is headquartered in Austin, Texas. You can also find locations in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Plano, and San Antonio. This unique pesto is fabulous served in or as a topping for fajitas or quesadillas.

• 4 Each Poblano Peppers *
  
• 3/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro Leaves
• 1/4 Cup Walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 3/4 Cup Olive Oil
• 3 Large Garlic Cloves
• 3 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
  

1. Place peppers on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and broil 5 inches from heat about 5 minutes on each side or until blistered.
2. Place peppers in a zip-top plastic bag; seal and let stand 10 minutes to loosen skins. Peel peppers; removed and discard seeds.
3. Process peppers and remaining ingredients in a food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.
4. Store pesto in refrigerator up to 1 week.

*RESOURCES: Available soon at FoodieAffair.com

TIP: Egg Whites

• Tightly covered egg whites can be refrigerated for up to 4 days, frozen for up to 6 months.
• An easy way to freeze extra egg whites is to place one in each section of an ice-cube tray. Freeze, then pop the egg-white cubes out into a freezer weight plastic bag. Thaw what you need overnight in the refrigerator.
• Eggs separate more easily when they are cold, but you'll get more volume when beating egg whites if you wait until they are room temperature.
• To safely separate eggs, crack one at a time, placing each white in a custard cup before transferring it to the mixing bowl. This prevents accidentally getting any broken yolk into a bowl of whites. A drop of egg yolk, which contains fat, will prevent egg whites from reaching their full volume.
• If a speck or two of yolk gets into the whites, use the corner tip of a paper towel to blot it up. A cotton-tipped swab works well, too.
• To quickly warm cold egg whites for eating, set the bowl of whites in a larger bowl of warm water. Stir occasionally until whites have reached room temperature.
• For beating egg whites until stiff, use a small, deep bowl with a rounded bottom for 4 to 5 egg whites; a large, deep bowl for more.
• The composition of the bowl in which you beat egg whites can make a big difference. Copper bowls react chemically with egg whites to form fluffy, high-rise whites. The same result can be obtained using stainless steel or glass bowls with the addition of cream of tartar. The naturally slick surface of a glass bowl does not give as much traction for the egg whites to climb the sides. Never use aluminum (which can cause egg whites to turn slightly gray) or plastic or wooden bowls, which are hard to clean well enough to be fat-free.
• Adding a small amount of acid, such as cream of tartar, lemon juice or vinegar, stabilizes egg whites and allows them to reach their full volume and stiffness. The natural acid on the surface of a copper bowl achieves the same result. Use 1/8 teaspoon of the acid ingredient per egg white, except for meringues, where 1/8 teaspoon is sufficient for 2 egg whites. Add the acid to the whites just as they begin to become frothy during beating.
• When beating whites with an electric mixer, start at medium-low speed and gradually increase to high.
• Egg whites beaten without sugar will not peak as firmly as those with sugar.
• It's very important to beat egg whites only until they are stiff, but not dry. Over beaten egg whites will collapse and begin to reliquify.
• If you accidentally over beat egg whites, gently stir in another egg white that's been beaten by hand just until frothy. Once the mixture is combined and the whites are again shiny and moist, remove about 1/4 cup to bring the volume back into balance.
• To prevent loss of volume, use egg whites as soon as they are beaten.
• Folding stiffly beaten egg whites into another mixture must be done by hand. Using a large rubber spatula, quickly but gently cut into the middle of the mixture. Bring the bottom of the batter up and over the remaining mixture. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn with each folding motion. Fold gently to retain as much air as possible. Stop folding when no white streaks remain.
• If folding stiffly beaten egg whites into a very thick or heavy mixture, first stir in about a quarter of the whites. This will loosen the mixture and enable the remainder of the beaten whites to be folded in with ease.

TIP: Remedy for Salty Soup

• Add salt to your soups at the end of cooking. As soups simmer and reduce, the flavors concentrate. What was not salty in the beginning can end up being salty.
• The old adage of removing salt from soup with a potato just does not work.
• The only way to reduce salt in soup is to add volume to dilute the salt.
• Add salt-free broth or other ingredients to add volume.

Stabilized Whipped Cream (substitute for Cool Whip)

For an unsweetened version of this whipped cream, just omit the sugar.
Makes 12 to 16 servings

• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from a ¼-ounce envelope)
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 cups whipping cream
• ½ cup confectioners' sugar, or to taste

Off heat, in the top of a double boiler or a bowl that can fit on top of a saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over water and let sit for 5 minutes. Place over a pot of simmering water and stir until gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside to cool briefly.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream until foamy. Add sugar a tablespoon at a time until cream is of desired sweetness and soft peaks just begin to form. Add the gelatin mixture and continue beating until cream is of desired consistency.

Cherry-Chambord Butter

Source: Shirley Corriher
Yield: 1 1/2 cups

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 8 ozs cream cheese
• 2 Tablespoons raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord *
  
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 4 Tablespoons good quality cherry preserves

1. Place butter, cream cheese, liqueur, and confectioners' sugar in the work bowl of a food processor, fitted with the steel blade. Process to blend well. Stir in preserves by hand.
2. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Butter keeps well in refrigerator for several weeks in a closed jar.

*RESOURCES:
Raspberry Liqueur - FoodieAffair.com