I made barbecue sauce.  From scratch.  There were peaches and limes and rum involved.  It too, was damn good.  I put it on some chicken.

 

I grilled some sandwiches, on the actual grill.  I’ll write all about that one later.  It was a pretty genius move.

 

Long weekends are amazing when they can be enjoyed as such.  With no real plans and freedom to anything, I had time to slow down and relax for the first time in a while.  And these are the fruits of my non-labor.

 

 

Barbecue sauce

 

A note on this recipe:  Here’s the thing about this recipe.  I kind of made it up as I went.  I knew I needed brown sugar and ketchup, but otherwise I just looked around the house and threw in what sounded good.  And it worked.  Phenomenally.  It’s really easy and soooo good.  So just throw in whatever you’d like in your barbecue sauce.  I promise you really don’t even need a recipe.

 

           Ingredients

 

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion

2 cloves garlic

1 peach diced

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup honey mustard

1/4 cup maple syrup

Juice of 1 lime

2 tablespoons rum

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Salt

Pepper

 

Directions

 

1.  In a 2 quart saucepan sauté onions in olive oil until soft and translucent.  Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes stirring frequently.  Add peaches and cook until softened.

 

2.  In a bowl combine remaining ingredients while onions and garlic are cooking.  Add to sautéed mixture.  Cook down for at least an hour and up to a few hours.  Purée in blender, remembering to leave the insert out on the top of the blender if mixture is still hot.  Put a towel over the hole.  Slather chicken with this sauce and grill.  It makes a good dip so save some as well.

 

 

Oreo cookie dough ice cream

 

A note on this recipe:  I have learned to freeze the drum on my ice cream maker the night before.  If you have a simple ice cream maker without temperature control this is the best way to make sure your ice cream comes out right.  Also the Oreos and cookie dough I used in this recipe can be found in this post.  I would encourage making them from scratch, but you can buy store bought.  But come on, we’re already making our own ice cream here, go all the way.

 

            Ingredients

 

1 cup milk

1 cup cream

1/2 cup agave nectar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon corn syrup

1/2 vanilla bean, seeds and pod

5 egg yolks

Crushed Oreos

Cookie dough

 

            Directions

 

1.  In a medium saucepan heat milk, cream and vanilla bean until simmering.  Prepare an ice bath.

 

2. In a bowl mix agave, sugar, corn syrup and egg yolks.  Slowly temper egg mixture with hot milk, whisking constantly, adding more until you’ve added all milk.  Return to heat and bring to a simmer.  Cook 2-3 minutes until mixture just coats the back of a spoon.

 

3.  Pour mixture through a sieve into a bowl over prepared ice bath.  Whisk occasionally until cooled.  Transfer to airtight container and chill in the refrigerator at least one hour, preferably over night.  Transfer ice cream base to ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturers instructions.

 

4.  When ice cream has reached soft serve consistency mix in crushed Oreos and cookie dough while ice cream maker is still churning. Freeze at least 3 hours.