Coffee BBQ Sauce

Barbeque sauce (henceforth known as BBQ sauce) is a newer food to me. Until I met my husband, I never really even bothered to try it. Now I eat it on traditional BBQ foods, and burgers. Specifically, a burger with melted cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, melt in your mouth sautéed onions, a slice of tomato, and the perfect amount of BBQ sauce that makes the entire burger a big mess. I prefer a sweeter BBQ sauce because I'm a straight up wimp when it comes to spicy foods. However, this BBQ sauce isn't for me, it's for the meat loving man I married. This sauce is savory treat with a subtle heat with even subtler sweetness and it has become sauce number one for both my husband and his dad. Here is what you'll need...

 



 

Add to that picture brown sugar, my canister isn't pretty. This recipe is super simple and can be prepped easily and then left on the stove with an occasional stir. Finely dice a small onion. Brew a strong cup of coffee. Measure and add your ingredients into a small saucepan.

 

 

 

Give everything a good stir. 

 



Bring your sauce to a boil and then reduce to low heat. Stir occasionally. Cook until all the ingredients have cooked down and become a rich and thick sauce (approximately 45 minutes). Let the sauce cool and then store in an airtight container in the fridge. 

 

 

Coffee Barbeque Sauce

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes

Makes: 2.5 cups

 

1/2 cups strong brewed coffee

1 cup ketchup

3/4 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

1/2 cups finely diced yellow onion

1/2 cups sweet red chili sauce

2 heaping teaspoons finely diced garlic

2 tablespoons soy sauce (I used low sodium)

2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons chili powder

 

Add all ingredients to small sauce pan and stir. Bring to a boil and immediately turn heat to low. Cook until thick and well blended, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Cool sauce and serve or transfer to airtight container and store in the fridge.

 

For the handy printable, click here.

 

A few notes: I'm a big fan of the diced garlic in the jar. I know some people are against it, but if it makes my life easier I'm all for it. If you do so desire, grab two cloves and chop them yourself. This recipe has been adapted from How Sweet Eats (love this blog!) which I found through the Brit + Co. app. If you love all things crafty, recipe, DIY, etc., this app is for you! I'm obsessed!

 

Thanks for stopping by! If you give this recipe a try, let me know! It makes a wonderful gift!

 

xx

 

Jamie

 



Delicious!: A Book Review

I am a lover of the written word, in so many different forms. Magazines, books, blogs, etc. I'd rather read my news than watch it. I don't get to read quite as much as I used to, pre-toddler days, but I still squeeze it in. It helps to keep me sane. As kids, Grandma used to take us to Hastings to pick out books every month that we came to visit, and even more often over the summer. Most people would think, as Grandma did, "they're kids! What a nice way to encourage them to read, while not spending a ton of money. Kids books are cheap!" Well... we weren't exactly your average every day kids. Ever heard of Robin Cook? He writes medical murder mystery thrillers. I had read all his books by the time I completed middle school. Michael Crichton? I wrapped up his books in the sixth grade. We were pretty young when we stopped shopping for the Boxcar Children (my favs!) and started shopping the New York Times Bestseller list. As Kate recently reminded me, I used to bargain with Grandma, as she set a number of books limit as opposed to a price limit. I'd find three books off the bargain table, which together would total the cost of one regular priced book. Those days were essential in starting our love affair with reading. Kate loves to read as much as I do, although she has even less time for fun reading than I do. My daughter currently has an extensive library and I anticipate it will only continue to grow. We read her first chapter book to her shortly after her first birthday. I think reading is so important and I hope to instill a love of books in Merideth as well.

Now to my most recent read. Last week I finished Delicious! by Ruth Reichl. I read a lot of food magazines and this book has popped up in several of them as recommended reading. It was a wonderful story with vibrant words and descriptions that transported me directly into New York City, standing on the street along with the main character. The book took a hard look at grieving and loss, and how you cope with it and carry on, without being overt about it. The main character's story was one of transformation and growth that seemed almost textbook for a novel, but had you rooting for her to be happy every step of the way. The supporting cast was full of colorful, interesting people, that accented the story perfectly. Every page made me hungry, both for food and for friendship, and even more so to delve farther into the story. I finished this book in only a few days and quickly decided it is one of the best books I've read. It delighted me, it made me tear up, and most of all, it made me feel hopeful.

If you're interested in reading it, you can find it here on Amazon, or my personal favorite, your local library. Tell me what you're reading, I'm always looking for suggestions!

xx

Jamie

Taco Seasoning

Taco seasoning is one of those versatile things you can use in a lot more than just ground beef in a fried tortilla shell. Taco soup, burritos, chicken, enchiladas, possibilities are endless. Making your own is very easy and takes no time at all. Make a big batch and keep some on hand, or package it up and hand it out as gifts!  Add a washi tape label and you're ready to go! 

 

 

                              

 

What you need... 1/2 cup chili powder, 1/4 cup onion powder, 1/8 cup ground cumin, and 1 tablespoon each garlic powder, paprika, salt. Mix. Store in airtight container. Add to food until fragrant. Makes one cup.

 

If you don't need an entire cup of seasoning, and maybe just need to whip up a little for tonight's dinner... use 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin, and 3/4 teaspoon each garlic powder, paprika, and salt.

 

Get the printable here. Enjoy!

 

xx

 

Jamie

Sisters on Blackwell

 A message from Katelyn
Hello! In 2012, I started this blog to share my journey in crafting and baking with the rest of the world. I have been very lucky to have a huge number of views of my blog over the last couple of years, a number that is getting close to a MILLION! I was very hopeful that I would be able to keep up with the blog and post several times a months as I went through medical school, but becoming a physician is very time intensive. After looking at the dwindling number of posts over the last year, it was clear something needed to be done and the answer was almost overly obvious. I started crafting with my sister right before she got married. That was the very beginning of what would become one of my favorite hobbies and a hobby that my sister and I shared. It is with great joy that I am announcing a merger of such that comes with a few changes (as all mergers do.)

A Crafty Escape is becoming a sister's blog with a new name and a brand new look! Let me be the first person the welcome you to Sisters on Blackwell! We will expanding the blog some to include lots of new recipes, some book/beauty reviews, and of course more DIY! I hope that you will join us every Saturday morning for a new project or something new to cook up in your kitchen. We will see you soon!


A message from Jamie
I am so excited about all the changes and to be contributing regularly! Katie and I have lots of fun things to share and we'll be kicking off our new content starting on Wednesday with a review of the book I just finished. In August we'll be showing you our grandma's sausage gravy, some amazing salsa, and a fun new DIY project to spice up those boring plastic storage drawers! We've also revamped the About Me page with some fun info about ourselves and our blog so head over there to learn more about us and we'll see you back here soon!