Homemade BBQ Sauce

Last night we made "beer butt chicken."

It's one of my favorite ways to make chicken.

It always turns out perfect, moist chicken on the inside and that perfect crunch to the skin on the outside!

We made two, since it was Sunday, I knew I could do something with it for dinner tonight.  

I decided to go the easy route and throw it in the crock pot with some BBQ Sauce, and have sandwiches.

Turns out, my BBQ sauce was almost gone.

When in doubt, make you're own I say!

So, I whipped some up, and have extra for another meal another time.

Can't say the same about that chicken in the crock pot, if my kids don't quit sneaking bites, we might be having grilled cheese!

But on a good note, they said they can't leave it alone because the sauce is "SO GOOD MOM!"

Homemade BBQ Sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

2 cups ketchup

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon Siracha (optional)

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

Add all ingredients to a saucepan and stir until combined.

Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes.

Transfer to a jar and store in the refrigerator.

Ginger Soy Dressing

I had a taste for teriyaki chicken and rice tonight.

I wanted to make up some Asian Slaw to go with it. 

I searched "Asian Slaw" on Pinterest and found this recipe on a blog called "The Compound Eye of a Dragonfly."

After I read the recipe for the dressing I knew it was exactly what I was looking for!

We have these Mongolian Grill restaurants here called Hu Hot.

They have this yummy salad I LOVE to get when I go there, and this dressing tastes REALLY similar.

Tomorrow I will post the recipe for the slaw, but for now, here's the dressing!

Ginger Soy Dressing

the compound eye of a dragon fly

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 Tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 Tablespoon peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (I used Siracha)

1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 clove minced garlic

I put all of the ingredients in a glass mason jar and shook it until the peanut butter was dissolved.

Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Next time I am making a double batch to use as a marinade for chicken!

I think this would make an awesome stir fry sauce, too!

Olive Garden Night at Home! Copy Cat: Zuppa Toscana, Olive Garden Salad & Dressing

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana, Salad and Bread sticks

Who doesn't like the all you can eat soup, salad and bread sticks from the Olive Garden??

It's such an easy place for lunch, and it's always good!!

My niece and I used to go there quite a bit, and one time we tried the Zuppa Toscana

soup and it was so yummy!! 

 I had to figure out how to make it!

If you ever want to make something that you have had a restaurant, the site you need to check is copy kat recipes.  Thank God for google, I found it and use it A LOT.

So, that is where this recipe came from, copykatrecipes.com  It's not mine, it's not theirs,

it's the Olive Garden's.

But I am going to share this with you.

And then you need to pass it on... get it?

for other copy kat recipes click HERE

When you make this soup, you will be instantly hungry! From the moment the Italian sausage starts to brown with the red pepper flakes, to sauteing the onion, garlic and bacon, your tummy will begin to growl!

Fall has hit our area, and we are HUGE soup eaters.  This rainy, cold and gloomy Monday just called for this body warming soup! 

With the spiciness of the peppers and sausage to the creaminess of the broth, it's a match made in heaven... or at least the Olive Garden!

*~*

Zuppa Toscana

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground Italian sausage

1½ tsp crushed red peppers

1 large diced white onion

4 Tbsp bacon pieces (I bought the REAL bacon pieces in the salad section, worked great and not as much grease)

2 tsp garlic puree

10 cups water

5 cubes of chicken bouillon

1 cup heavy cream

1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes (sliced with skins left on)

¼ of a bunch of kale chopped (I used my kitchen shears)

1.Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.

2.In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.

3.Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic. Cook until boiling.

4.Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.

5.Add heavy cream and cook until thoroughly heated.

6.Stir in the sausage.

7.Add kale just before serving.

Makes 6-8 Servings  ( I always double it!!)

*~*

 Olive Garden Salad Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoon corn syrup

2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoon Romano cheese

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, or one clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes

1 tablespoon lemon juice

sugar (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little too tart for your own personal taste, add a little extra sugar. You can enjoy your Olive Garden salad dressing for about 10 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

*~*

Olive Garden Salad

1 bag Dole American Blend Salad

4-5 slices red onion

4-6 black olives

2-4 pepperoncini (if you like a sweet pepper, you could use a banana pepper)

1/2 cup croutons

1 small tomato, quartered

freshly grated Romano cheese (Parmesan Cheese works well too!)

Chill one salad bowl in freezer for at least 30 minutes. Place bag of salad in bowl. Place on top of the lettuce the red onion, black olives, pepperoncinis, tomatoes, and croutons. Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you like, and add plenty of Olive Garden Salad Dressing on top.