Sauce

*Sin*cere Season’s Greetings!

Posted on: December 23rd, 2011 by Carla Johnson No Comments

Wishing You and Yours a Peace-Filled Holiday.

May Goodwill and Blessings Fill Each of Your Days!

~ Carla

 

To help you celebrate, here is a collection of links to several great recipes I hope you and your loved ones will enjoy.

Instead of store-bought egg nog, try one of these:

Pretending to be Tipsy” German Eierlikor
Wedding Pudding” Dutch Advokaat
Hand Made” Egg Nog
 

Easy Apps:

We Are Family” Rye Bread ‘n Brie & Fondue
Goddess Supper” Potted Cheese
 

Saucy Sauces:

Comfort & Joy” Cranberry Sauce
Father & Son” Bourbon Sautéed Mushrooms
“A Little Leftover” Wine Jelly
 

One-of-a-Kind Salads:

Pork Ninjas” Salad Dressing
Poverty Line” Potato Salad
Stuck on Reduction” Watermelon Salad
 

*Sin*-ful Side Dishes:

Comfort of Home” Sherry Potatoes
Proud Mary” Fried Green Tomatoes
 

Distinctive Desserts:

Pumpkin Pie in the Great Outdoors
Thank You” Chocolate Cupcake Bombs
Fight Night” Kahlua Cookie Cake
Milk & Cookies for the “Real” Santa
 

The-Morning-After Breakfasts:

Sisterhood” Maple Rum Crepes
Working Past Midnight” French Toast

 
 
“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.”
Hamilton W. Mabie

“Pork Ninjas” Salad Dressing

Posted on: December 22nd, 2011 by Carla Johnson No Comments
Here’s a toast to the roast that good fellowship lends,
With the sparkle of beer and wine;
May its sentiment always be deeper, my friends,
Than the foam at the top of the stein”
~ Anonymous

Take a chef who loves pork, make him a die hard fan of the TV show Iron Chef, then give him a BBQ team with off-beat humour and an unmatched flare for the grill. What could you possibly name that BBQ team? …“Pork Ninjas!”

Jason Rees is loved by his fans for his extraordinary panache for all things culinary. His BBQ team “Pork Ninjas” competes all over the country and wows every crowd with their smokin’ grillin’ expertise. When Jason turned 30 he commemorated it with a very fine flying pig tattoo.


http://www.bbqblog.ca/2006/12/my-love-of-bbq.html

Pork Ninjas’ Salad Dressing


1/4 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 raw red onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup cream ale
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
pinch salt
ground white pepper to taste
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
splash of hot sauce

1. Loosely toss the bacon, blue cheese and onions.

2. In a separate bowl make the beer dressing by combining the rest of the ingredients, and whisk briskly until the beers flattens out.

3. Crumble the cheese-bacon-onion mixture over your favorite potato salad or cobb salad, then drizzle the beer dressing over top of the entire thing.

4. This dressing is truly rocking when served super fresh, so you don’t want to store it to use later.

*G-F Tip! Make this dressing with gluten-free beer and voila!

 Want to check out another salad dressing with beer? Try “Poverty Line” German Potato Salad

Bread Pudding & Hard Caramel Sauce

Posted on: December 5th, 2011 by Carla Johnson 2 Comments

I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

A few days ago, my friend Rhonda, who shared her Red Wine Jelly recipe a couple posts back, posed a question to her friends on Facebook. She asked for opinions on what dessert to serve a special guest that night. The responses were great.

Based on what Rhonda had in the kitchen, it was narrowed down to bread pudding, but everyone agreed it needed a better name. One friend said she called it “Warm Apple Dessert.” Someone else suggested “Not Enough Apples for Pie.” Rhonda kinda liked “Facebook Friends Dessert”

Call it what you want, but it is really simple, it is really delicious and Rhonda’s guests loved it!

Rhonda and her dog Ginger

Rhonda’s Bread Pudding with ‘Hard’ Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:

4-6 slices of dry bread torn into pieces
2-4 apples, peeled and cut into small pieces
2 cups milk, scalded
2 eggs
cinnamon, to taste
walnuts and coconut, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350°F. Butter a baking dish liberally.

2. Mix together the bread and apples in the baking dish and cover it with the milk. Let it soak.

3. Beat together the eggs and cinnamon and pour over the bread mixture.

4. Sprinkle walnuts and coconut on top if you wish.

5. Bake at 350°F for 45 mins.

6. Prepare the caramel sauce while the bread pudding is in the oven.

7. Serve with Hard Caramel Sauce, recipe below.

Hard Caramel Sauce

1 cup store-bought caramel sauce
1/4 cup rum – white, dark or spiced all work well

1. Warm up the caramel sauce in a small pot

2. Gently stir in the rum until it is blended.

3. Serve over the bread pudding.

 

Plant arrangement on Rhonda's deck

Looking for another bread recipe? You might like “Working Past Midnight” French Toast.

Speaking of Facebook, join us! Here is the link to the “Like” page.

Cooking With Sin Carla Johnson Facebook page

“A Little Leftover” Red Wine Jelly

Posted on: October 16th, 2011 by Carla Johnson 8 Comments

“Drinking good wine with good food in good company is one of life’s most civilized pleasures.” ~ Michael Broadbent

Rhonda Avey Hufnagel and I met back in university. We were both at the University of Waterloo and the first thing I liked about her was the impish glint in her eye. She had this subversive ability to quietly and somewhat sarcastically drop funny quips. I thought she was awesome.

Time flew by – as it tends to! – and while our paths occasionally crossed each other, in 2009 when I started this blog, she was there. Rhonda is a true foodie and went to high school with Celebrity Chef Ted Reader, so she introduced him to me and he shared his outrageous “Super Bowl” Planked Twinkies recipe with me. http://cookingwithsin.com/2010/02/18/super-bowl-planked-twinkies/

When the book was launched, Rhonda was wonderfully supportive of my many book signing events. There was one memorable night when I would have sat sadly by myself if she hadn’t shown up to keep me company and keep me chuckling. Plus, she threw a CWS party and also invited me into her office to share the book with her work mates. Yep, I adore her!

Rhonda’s husband and I both grew up in “dry” homes, so we share the “sin” history, but we all unapologetically drink wine these days. It’s nice to have friends who share the renegade spirit. 😉

Rhonda prefers white wine, but she has a lot of friends who drink red wine, so when they leave a little in the bottle, it either goes in the spaghetti sauce, roast gravy or becomes Red Wine Jelly!

Red Wine Jelly

1 cup Red Wine
1 cup Cranberry Juice (or Grape)
3 1/2 cups sugar
Certo

1. Bring liquid and sugar to a boil. Boil hard 1 min, take off heat.

2. Add certo, stir for 5 minutes and put in jars.

3. Distribute to friends who left the red wine!

 

 

‘Steam Whistle’ Team Cedar Grilling

Posted on: June 24th, 2011 by Carla Johnson 2 Comments

Steam Whistle’s Founding Story

The Steam Whistle story begins in the spring of 1998 when three friends were on a canoe trip in the Ontario heartland. Greg Taylor, Cam Heaps and Greg Cromwell had all been colleagues at one of Canada’s premier microbreweries producing quality beer in the late 1980’s and 90’s – before it was bought out by a national brewer and closed down. As they sat around the campfire, the self-named “Three Fired Guys” dreamed of running their own brewery one day.

They wanted to make a Pilsner that would compete with the best in the world. They wrote a plan and quickly attracted investors with their vision and passion.

Carla Johnson Cooking With Sin

Steam Whistle Brewing Enlists Canadian BBQ Champs for Award-Winning Beer-Infused Recipes

 

About Steve Adams & Team Cedar Grilling

Steve has been fueling his passion for real southern barbeque and fusion style cooking for over two decades. “I get my inspiration from the huge melting pot of different cultures, flavours and cooking styles that Canada has to offer”. Dedication and hard work have paid off as Steve has led his competition BBQ team, Team Cedar Grilling to victory for three consecutive years earning the coveted Canadian BBQ Championship title, together with the privilege of representing Canada at the Jack Daniels’ World Championships in Lynchburg, Tennessee.

Steve can often be found at his Muskoka cottage working on new innovative ideas, techniques, and food design in search of barbeque perfection. Two of his ongoing goals are to develop recipes showcasing his sponsors’ products that are used in competition and to share his passion for grilling through BBQ workshops and events.

Bacon and Roasted Red Pepper Jalapeno Poppers
Dipped in Steam Whistle BBQ Sauce
by Steve Adams of Team Cedar Grilling

 

12 fresh extra large jalapenos, washed and dried
2 oz (55g) regular or flavoured cream cheese
1/2 roasted red pepper, freshly roasted, peeled and chopped
24 slices of bacon
3 oz (85g) pulled pork, or cooked Italian sausage, peeled and crumbled
wooden skewers toothpicks

1. Mix the cream cheese and roasted red peppers together, set aside

2. Cut jalapenos in half and remove membrane and seeds

3. Use a table knife to gently spread the cream cheese mixture across the jalapeno

4. Top the cheese mixture with pulled pork or crumbled sausage

5. Wrap one piece of bacon over the top and spiral it down the side to the bottom of the jalapeno inserting toothpicks and securing the bacon as you go

6. Cook over direct heat for about 30 – 50 minutes on preheated barbecue at about 300°F (150°C) until bacon is cooked and cheese is bubbly.

Steam Whistle BBQ Sauce

2 teaspoons (10ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon (5ml) chili powder
1 teaspoon (5ml) dried mustard
1 teaspoon (5ml) onion powder
1 teaspoon (5ml) garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon (2ml) fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon (2ml) ground coriander seed
1/4 teaspoon (1ml) cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon (1ml) ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon (1ml) cayenne pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.

2. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered, stirring for 20 minutes.

3. Refrigerate unused sauce.


Fire Grilled Pizza
by Steve Adams of Team Cedar Grilling

Steve’s Pizza Dough

2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 cup warm water
1/2 cup Steam Whistle Pilsner (110°F)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast, brown sugar, in 110°F water & beer and let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution.

3. Mix in 3 cups of the flour.

4. Turn dough out onto a clean, well-floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a bowl well-coated in olive oil, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour.

5. Punch the dough down, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out into desired size.

6. Add Steve’s Pizza Sauce and your own favourite ingredients.

7. Preheated BBQ and pizza stone to 500-700°F.

8. Bake pizzas until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 6 -10 minutes. Serve with Steam Whistle Pilsner.

Steve’s Pizza Sauce

10 small fresh ripe plum tomatoes or 1 can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon anise seed
Pinch cayenne pepper
 

1. Add all ingredients into sauce pan.

2. Mash tomatoes with potato masher.

3. Bring mixture to a boil.

4. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes.

5. Pick out tomato skins.

6. Reduce mixture to desired consistency.

*Steve’s Tip: If you are making this sauce recipe on the BBQ, fire roast the tomatoes over high heat until the skins split. Continue with the recipe.

Smoked Picnic Chicken
by Steve Adams, Team Cedar Grilling

12 chicken thighs
BBQ Rub
Steam Whistle Killer BBQ Sauce
12 pieces 12” x 12” heavy duty foil
1/2 cup soaked wood chips (optional)

1. Preheat BBQ to 375°F.

2. Lightly sprinkle rub on both sides of chicken thighs.

3. Place wood chip foil package over direct heat source.

4. Cook thighs skin side up over indirect heat for 35 minutes.

5. Remove chicken from grill.

6. Dip each leg completely in Killer BBQ sauce; place thigh skin side down on a piece foil and fold to seal. (Discard the remaining sauce)

7. Cook the foil packages over indirect heat for 25 minutes.

8. Rest chicken foil packages for at least 10 minutes before opening. Can be served in foil packages with the juices and sauce.

BBQ Rub

2 tablespoons Turbinado sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon fresh ground pepper
2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Steam Whistle
 
 
 

Steam Whistle Killer BBQ Sauce

1 bottle Steam Whistle Pilsner
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried mustard
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (double for X hot)
 

Steam Whistle Brewing Enlists Canadian BBQ Champs for Award-Winning Beer-Infused Recipes

(Toronto, ON May 18, 2011) – Nothing says summer like BBQ & Beer, and what better marriage than Canadian BBQ Champions paired with Canada’s Premium Pilsner. In 2006, Steve Adams, leader of Team Cedar Grilling approached Steam Whistle Brewing about partnering together when he took his competition BBQ Team to that season’s BBQ Festivals and championships.

Team Cedar Grilling was looking for the best beer to pair with their creations as well as use this key ingredient in winning recipes, and had their eye on Steam Whistle Pilsner for its all natural ingredients and perfect balance of malty sweetness and hoppy bitterness that offered a clean, refreshing taste. The result is a collection of delicious barbeque recipes that either include or pair exceptionally well with Steam Whistle Pilsner.

Visit http://www.cedargrilling.com/recipes.htm

About Steam Whistle

Steam Whistle, an independent brewery housed in Toronto’s historic John St. Roundhouse, has a passionate focus of making just one beer of exceptional quality that Canadians can be proud of. They brew their refreshing Pilsner with traditional brewing methods and only four, natural (GMO-free) ingredients. Steam Whistle Pilsner is packaged in signature green glass bottles, cans and draught and is shipped fresh across Ontario, Alberta and BC to Beer and Liquor Stores as well as licensed bars & restaurants.

Steam Whistle welcomes more than 100,000 visitors to the brewery each year to the on-site retail store, for a tour, or to attend one of the many on-site events, concerts and art shows. Highly awarded for its premium beer, its business success, community support and environmental practices, Steam Whistle Pilsner is now one of the top selling premium beer brands in Canada. To learn more about what they do really, really well visit www.steamwhistle.ca

Become their fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/SteamWhistle

Follow them on Twitter http://twitter.com/steamwhistle

 

Tasting Notes for Steam Whistle Pilsner

Steam Whistle Pilsner offers the style and flavour of the great Pilsners of Europe, yet is brewed fresh locally at their independent, Canadian Brewery. Crafted under the watchful eye of their Czech-born Brewmaster, this golden-coloured Bohemian Pilsner is characterized by a floral hop aroma, sweet graininess with distinctive grassy notes, and balanced by a clean, crisp finish and pleasant lingering bitterness. When pouring this refreshing lager, expect soft, rising foam and a smooth drinking experience. Best stored and served 4-8° Celsius.

www.SteamWhistle.ca

Check out their great site. Learn about their Green Initiatives, take a look at their Vintage Vehicles, take the Virtual Tour of their brewery and lots of other fun stuff!


R u a Craft Beer Fan?

You will LOVE …

Black Oak “Anything-For-An-Excuse-to-Use-My-Blow-Torch” Crème Brûlée.

More Steam Whistle recipes – > HERE!

Carla Johnson Cooking With Sin