Get Grilling: Smoky Chipotle BBQ Sauce

I am a huge fan of chipotle. No, not the fast food joint (although I do like it and have been known to stop in frequently) I am talking about chipotle, the pepper. I use chipotle powder in my recipes quite often. In case you don't know, chipotles are simply jalapeno peppers that have been smoked and dried. Used a lot in Mexican cooking, the earthy, smoky flavor of chipotle combines well with fruits like cherry, raspberry and cranberry, too.

CHIPOTLE BBQ SAUCE

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

1/4 cup canola oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (find canned in the Mexican section of the store; Goya makes them- so do many others) 

1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and whir until smooth. As an option, you can add a cup of fresh fruit along with a tablespoon of honey to the recipe. I really like raspberry. This is delicious on chicken!

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Get Grilling: Big Bob Gibson's Alabama White Sauce

I have been a fanof Big Bob Gibson's BBQ since I was 16 years old. I had some friends who lived in Decatur, Alabama and every time I would visit, they would insist that we have lunch at Big Bob Gibson's, which they proclaimed to be the best BBQ joint in the world. I'd never seen or heard of a white BBQ sauce before and this one had me at hey y'all... All these years later, I make a detour off I-65 and stop by to get my white sauce fix. Try it and let me know what you think.

BIG BOB GIBSON'S FAMOUS WHITE BBQ SAUCE

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon sugar

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate for a day. Bring to room temperature before using.

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Girls' Night In Party: Throw a Pajama Party

Watching Kathie Lee and Hoda on the Today Show right now and they've got a pajama party on that looks like a lot of fun... They have champagne, cookies, cake, wine, beauty products, chocolate, etc. Well, I think they got their idea from us! Perfect for a bridesmaid's party, a bachelorette party, best friend's birthday party, or for the next time it is your turn to have your gang over, our Guilty Pleasure PJ Party is simple to host and totally affordable, too. Who doesn't need a chocolate covered attitude adjustment on occasion?

This Guilty Pleasure PJ Party featured everything you love but don't indulge in every day... Chick flicks, gossip magazines, fashion magazines, Sex in the City reruns plus loads of our favorite old-school pajama party foods: chocolate cupcakes, homemade truffles, doughnuts, candy, sliders, pigs in a blanket, chips, fondue, and more. Throw on some pink drinks like our Cosmopolitans and a beautiful rose' Champagne and you're done! The best thing about this party was the friends: Arden, Jessica, Ashley-Rose, Jenna Lee, and Charlotte made this girls' night party so easy and so much fun!

Take a look at some of our ideas for a pajama party for the perfect girls get-together. This is one of the most fun and most relaxing parties ever.

 

PERFECT GROWN UP PJ PARTY HOW-TO

The menu was pure indulgence. Mini cheeseburgers and pigs-in-a-blanket are so easy to make, we didn’t even need a recipe. Nachos are always easy but chocolate or cheese fondue is even better. Ask the girls to bring their favorite “guilty pleasure” candy or dessert plus a favorite DVD. Check with each guest to see what they’re planning to bring so you don’t end up with four plates of Rice Krispy treats and six copies of Grease. (Admit it, you know every song)  Serve a signature cocktail or drinks that fit the theme for the evening. Since Sex in the City was on the agenda for our party, Cosmopolitans were on the menu. Pre-mix a large pitcher of your signature drink so you don’t have to play bartender all night. That way, you only have to refill the serving pitcher when necessary.

All photos taken by Arden Ward/Arden PhotographyCLASSIC COSMOPOLITAN RECIPE

Makes 5 servings

5 oz premium vodka
2.5 oz Grand Marnier
2.5 oz fresh lime juice
2.5 oz cranberry juice

Shake vodka, Grand Marnier, lime and cranberry juice vigorously in a shaker with ice. Strain into a pitcher. Serve in chilled martini glasses garnished with a lime. Serves 5. Double or triple as necessary for a party.

DECORATIONS

Use colorful candies and treats as decorations by displaying them in clear bowls and vases. Lollipop sticks from the craft store make a doughnut or marshmallow sculpture to add height and interest to your table. Grab a bouquet of mixed flowers in your party colors at the grocery and pull it apart to use in assorted vases. For an informal party like this one, use stylish paper plates and napkins to cut down on clean up... pity to have so much fun and then have to do the dishes:)

ENTERTAINMENT

In addition to watching your favorite movies, watch your own! Start by scanning pictures of your past good times and make your own movie using your iPhone or FlipCam. Add your favorite tunes from back in the day as a soundtrack.

So call the gang and treat yourselves to a Girls’ Might IN party; it’s a chocolate covered attitude adjustment just when you needed it! 

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Weekend Cocktail Blast from the Past: Root Beer Float Martini

Do you have fond memories of ice cream floats? I do. When I was a kid, my Dad and I used to sneak off to the Frosty Mug Root Beer shoppe for a icy root beer float. These would be put down in front of me in a frozen mug with big shards of ice falling off of it and I'd have to tippy-toe to reach the straw. Ohhh, those were so good on a screaming hot summer day. I've never forgotten that- or my love of floats. I recently had a root beer float martini at Chef Richard Blais' Flip Burger restaurant in Birmingham and it was excellent- although a bit pricey for just a couple of ounces. I guess you pay for all of the pyrotechnics and technology you get with it--- it arrives at the table smoking like a house on fire. Pretty dad-gum cool. Well, I can't make mine smoke and I'm afraid of the liquid nitrogen that Richard uses to fire these babies up.... but my home version of this is simple and sweet. Try it and go back to the ice cream counter of your youth- but this time, with a little kick to get your weekend off to a good start:) 

 Now, there are lots of ways to make an adult version of the root beer float. Some require expensive liqueurs like Galliano and you can also get root beer liqueur or root beer vodka (I like the Three Olives brand Root Beer Vodka) but unless you want to make a bunch of these, I'd just use vanilla vodka. You probably have it from one of my previous recipes.

ROOT BEER FLOAT MARTINI

Ingredients

1 ounce vanilla vodka

1 ounce Kahlua

4 ounces root beer, chilled

1/2 ounce heavy cream

1-2 scoops ice cream- depending on your glass

Dip your glass in water and put it in the freezer for a few minutes to chill. Put a scoop of ice cream in the glass. The size of the scoop is up to you. Put the vodka, Kahlua, and heavy cream in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well until very cold. Pour over ice cream. Top up with root beer. Serve with a bendy straw:)

Happy Weekend!

More Shrimp Recipes: Shrimp Arnaud, New Orleans Style Shrimp, Beer Boiled Shrimp, Coconut Shrimp and more

We had some great shrimp recipes posted on our Facebook page for National Shrimp Day! Here are some of the favorites: Shrimp Arnaud, BBQ Shrimp New Orleans Style, Beer Boiled Shrimp, Coconut Shrimp, and my One Pot Shrimp Boil plus links to more of our delicious shrimp recipes! Do I sound like Forrest Gump again??? 

I like to use Wild Alabama Gulf Coast Shrimp when possible. Our shrimpers are back in the water and back in business... like Forrest said, folks still need them shrimps for their shrimp cocktails...:)

SHRIMP ARNAUD

(Submitted by Denise H from Birmingham, Alabama)

Ingredients

1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
4 tablespoons Creole or other spicy mustard
1 tablespoon finely chopped celery
3 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped

Directions
Boil shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes or until just done. Rinse in cold water and refrigerate for 1 hour. Mix olive oil, vinegar, paprika, salt, pepper, mustard, celery, onion and parsley and chill. "Enthrone" shrimp on lettuce and top with sauce.

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BBQ SHRIMP NEW ORLEANS STYLE

(Submitted by 30A on our Facebook page)

Ingredients
12 ea large gulf shrimp
1 Tbsp cooking oil
1 oz chopped garlic
½ oz chopped rosemary
¼ bottle Abita amber beer
2 oz Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrin's)
1 oz hot sauce (Crystal)
1/2 oz Steen’s cane syrup
1 tsp Creole seasoning
½ oz lemon juice
4 Tbsp whole butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Season the shrimp with Creole seasoning.
2. In a large sauté pan over high heat, sauté shrimp in cooking oil. Flip shrimp after 1 minute then add garlic and rosemary.
3. De-glaze pan with the beer and then add Worcestershire, Steen’s and hot sauce.
4. Cook shrimp for another 2 minutes then remove from heat and add lemon juice, and whole butter.
Serve shrimp over grits.

STONE GROUND GRITS

Ingredients

1 cup yellow stone-ground grits ( I like the McEwen & Sons grits if you can find them!)
3 cup milk
½ cup cream
4 oz butter
Salt and white pepper to taste

Directions
1. In a sauce pot, bring milk to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and add grits.
2. Continue cooking for about 25 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Add cream and butter and season to taste with salt and white pepper.

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BEER BOILED SHRIMP

(suggested by Pamela T from our Facebook page)

Ingredients

5 pounds large shrimp, heads off

2 cans or bottles of beers (any kind)

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning

2 lemons, cut into slices

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

In a large saucepan, combine all of the ingredients except the shrimp. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in shrimp. Cover. Boil 3 minutes and remove from the heat. Allow to steam 5-6 more minutes. The shrimp should be bright pink in color. Serve immediately with lemons, some spicy cocktail sauce, and saltine crackers. Or you can chill and serve cold.

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COCONUT SHRIMP

(Inspired by our new friend Sharon Y on our Facebook page)

Canola oil or peanut oil for frying

12-16 large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined with the tail on

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

Dash of cayenne pepper

1/2 lime, juiced: about 2 tablespoons

2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

3/4 cup beer

1 package (7 ounces) sweetened, shredded coconut

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs (in the Asian aisle in some stores or by the regular breadcrumbs)

Dipping Sauce

1 cup orange marmalade

dash of your favorite hot sauce or cayenne pepper

Directions

Prepare a sheet pan that will fit in the fridge with some parchment paper or wax paper. Sit aside.

Butterfly the shrimp by splitting them in half- taking care not to cut all the way through.

Make a marinade of the coconut milk, lime juice, and cilantro. Add the shrimp. Cover and let them sit for at least 30 minutes.

In a bowl, add the flour and season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the beer to make a batter.

Combine the coconut and the Panko breadcrumbs on a shallow pan or bowl.

Drain shrimp but do not pat them dry. Dredge the shrimp in the batter, then roll in the coconut and breadcrumb mixture, pressing it into the shrimp. Place on the prepared pan and put into the freezer for at least 15 minutes. Pan fry or deep fry. Drain on paper toweling. 

Serve with a sauce of warmed orange marmalade spiked with a dash of hot sauce.

Want more shrimp recipes?

Martie's One Pot Shrimp Boil

Pickled Citrus Shrimp

Chili Lime and Garlic Grilled Shrimp

Charlotte's Shrimp Etouffee

Jody's Super Easy BBQ Shrimp

Bobby Flay's Coconut Thai Shrimp

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