Root Beer BBQ Sauce
8 cups root beer
4 cups ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
4 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
Boil the root beer in an 8-quart sauce pot over high heat until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Lower the heat to a medium-low and add the ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, pepper, ground ginger and salt. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the sauce reaches the desired thickness, another 5 to 10 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator until fully cooled. Serve over cooked beef or pork.
Garden Fresh Seafood Cocktail
3/4 pound peeled and deveined cooked shrimp, thawed
1 container (8 oz.) refrigerated jumbo lump crabmeat, drained
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 medium sweet orange pepper, chopped
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/4 teaspoons adobo seasoning
Combine first nine ingredients. Whisk together lime juice, oil and adobo seasoning; drizzle over shrimp mixture and toss gently to coat. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, tossing gently every 20 minutes. Place mixture in individual glasses. Makes 8 servings
Root Beer Float Sheet Cake
1 box white cake mix 1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 1/4 cups root beer 2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
3 large eggs1/2 teaspoon vanilla1/4 teaspoon cardamom1/2 cup chopped peanuts
Preheat oven to 350º. Spray a 15×10-inch jelly-roll pan with baking spray with flour. In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix, root beer, oil, eggs, cardamom, and allspice until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely.
In a large bowl, beat cream with a mixer at medium speed until thickened. Add confectioner’s sugar and vanilla; Beat at high speed until light and fluffy. Spread frosting over cook cake; sprinkle cake with peanuts.
Grilled Peach Barbecue Pork Chops
3 large ripe peaches, peeled
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
4 bone-in pork loin chops, about 3/4 inch thick (6 oz. each) trimmed of fat
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Heat the grill. Cut 2 of the peaches in half, set aside. Coarsely chop remaining peach. In blender or food processor place chopped peach, barbecue sauce, vinegar and honey. Cover; process until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup sauce for serving.
Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper. Carefully brush oil on grill rack. Place pork on grill over medium-high heat. Cover grill; cook 4 minutes. Turn pork chops over; brush with 1/4 cup sauce. Place peach halves, cut sides down, on grill. Cover grill, cook 4 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 145º in center of pork chops and peaches are tender.
Remove pork and peaches from grill; cut each peach half into 3 wedges. Serve pork and peach wedges with reserved sauce. Makes 4 servings.
