Tangy Coffee Barbecue Sauce

There have been some major new obsessions developing in the Samuels-Minichiello relationship. Yes, I realize that our last names together are quite a mouthful. For ease sake I’ll use our celebrity name.

Wengela.

Basically, we have deeply developed some new interests in our lives that have majorly changed the way we live.

Wesley has become completely immersed in all that has to do with coffee. The kitchen is not only full of cooking gadgets but along side the emersion blenders and stand mixers and food processors there are now weigh scales, hand grinders and special airtight containers. Oh and of course we have a coffee tree.

My new obsession is a little more mainstream but has nothing to do with the kitchen. Wes has officially turned me into a football freak. A weekly pool at his work coupled with a friends fantasy football league has me craving Sundays on the couch watching football and shit talking. Sorry mom.

My parents barely recognize this pigskin obsessed freak I’ve become. Dad’s not even that happy about it. He just seems confused.  What happened to his food, garden and fashion obsessed first-born?

But with limited time on my hands, I have to work hard to combine my loves. So football Sunday is also cooking Sunday. And the best part about cooking on Sunday is that I have all day to do it. Slow cooking and barbecue have become Sunday staples.

This sauce combines everything we love into one.

Barbecue? Love it.

Football Sunday? Can’t miss it.

Coffee? Nothing happens before coffee.

Basically this is an awesome recipe for success. This sauce is great on pretty much any red meat you can think of and is awesome with chicken. I may have just had some solo because it was that good.

You will need…

2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, diced

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 jalapenos, most of the seeds removed and diced

2 tablespoons California chili powder

1 cup freshly brewed coffee (plus your own coffee brewer if you have one)

¼ cup ketchup

¼ cup white vinegar

1 tablepoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon molasses

½ cup water

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by heating the butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat.

Add in the onion, garlic and jalapenos and cook until the onions are softened. About 6 minutes, stirring regularly.

Add in the chili powder, ketchup, brown sugar and molasses and stir just until everything is combined.

Pour in the coffee, vinegar and water and bring to a boil. Season well with salt and pepper.

Reduce the sauce to simmer and cook on a medium low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

When the sauce has reduced by about 1/4^th and has thickened a bit, remove from the heat.

After the sauce has cooled, blend in a food processor or in the pot with an emersion blender.

Use right away or store for up to two weeks.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Tangy Coffee Barbecue Sauce

2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, diced

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 jalapenos, most of the seeds removed and diced

2 tablespoons California chili powder

1 cup freshly brewed coffee

¼ cup ketchup

¼ cup white vinegar

1 tablepoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon molasses

½ cup water

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by heating the butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat.

Add in the onion, garlic and jalapenos and cook until the onions are softened. About 6 minutes, stirring regularly.

Add in the chili powder, ketchup, brown sugar and molasses and stir just until everything is combined.

Pour in the coffee, vinegar and water and bring to a boil. Season well with salt and pepper.

Reduce the sauce to simmer and cook on a medium low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

When the sauce has reduced by about 1/4^th and has thickened a bit, remove from the heat.

After the sauce has cooled, blend in a food processor or in the pot with an emersion blender.

Use right away or store for up to two weeks. 

White Wine Parmesan Cream Sauce

I had an epiphany tonight. Cooking seasonally is not just about the ingredients. It goes beyond my produce selections in the grocery store and spills straight into the dishes that I’m creating.

Tonight is really the first cool night in southern California and all I could think about was fresh autumn ingredients and cooking something that warmed me from the inside out. And there are few things more warming than a cheesy, creamy white wine sauce.

You will need…

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

½ cup grated parmesan, plus the rind

¼ cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by heating the olive oil over medium heat.

When the olive oil is hot, add in the garlic and cook until fragrant. About 1 minute.

Pour in the white wine and bring the liquid to simmer. Simmer for about 2 minutes, until the liquid has started to reduce and stir in the chicken stock.

Add parmesan rind and bring the liquid back to a simmer.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and the butter. 

When the flour is completely incorporated with the butter, whisk the butter into the sauce.

When the butter has been whisked into the sauce, add in the parmesan cheese and cream and continue to whisk until everything is hot throughout and completely combined.

Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

White Wine Parmesan Cream Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

½ cup grated parmesan, plus the rind

¼ cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by heating the olive oil over medium heat.

When the olive oil is hot, add in the garlic and cook until fragrant. About 1 minute.

Pour in the white wine and bring the liquid to simmer. Simmer for about 2 minutes, until the liquid has started to reduce and stir in the chicken stock.

Add parmesan rind and bring the liquid back to a simmer.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and the butter. When the flour is completely incorporated with the butter, whisk the butter into the sauce.

When the butter has been whisked into the sauce, add in the parmesan cheese and cream and continue to whisk until everything is hot throughout and completely combined.

Season with salt and pepper and serve hot. 

Arugula and Soy Shitake Brown Butter Sauce

Well mi amigos, I made it back from my week in Cabo for the Yi wedding without any major injuries. Of course there were a few signature Angela bumps and bruises, but all in all I survived. Not only did I survive, I thrived.

The trip was absolutely amazing, start to finish.

First of all, if you live in California, I HIGHLY recommend Cabo San Lucas as a vacation destination. That place is beautiful, everyone is amazingly nice and it is a true vacation destination. I’m sure many of you already know that. I can’t believe it took me this long to figure it out!

Basically, we had a blast. Everyone got a long. The wedding was stunning. And most importantly, I got a sweet SWEET tan.

While I am sad my vacation is over, I am happy to be back in beautiful Orange County for a few days before I start a crazy few weeks of travel. Dallas, San Fran, Atlanta and Temecula, I’m coming at ya!

But until I hit the road, I’m hitting the kitchen. Oh home cooked food, how I miss thee.

You will need…

4 ounces shitake mushrooms, sliced

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 cups arugula

½ cup butter

3 tablespoons chicken broth

Over medium heat, bring the soy sauce and mushrooms to a gentle simmer.

Simmer the mushrooms until all the soy sauce is absorbed and the mushrooms are tender. About 8 minutes.

When all the liquid is gone, add in the butter.

Melt the butter over medium high heat until it browns.

As soon as the butter starts to brown, add in the chicken broth and the arugula and simmer for an additional minute.

Serve hot over your favorite pasta or a nice white fish.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Arugula and Soy Shitake Brown Butter Sauce

4 ounces shitake mushrooms, sliced

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 cups arugula

½ cup butter

3 tablespoons chicken broth

Over medium heat, bring the soy sauce and mushrooms to a gentle simmer.

Simmer the mushrooms until all the soy sauce is absorbed and the mushrooms are tender. About 8 minutes.

When all the liquid is gone, add in the butter.

Melt the butter over medium high heat until it browns.

As soon as the butter starts to brown, add in the chicken broth and the arugula and simmer for an additional minute.

Serve hot over your favorite pasta or a nice white fish. 

Shrimp Enchilada

It is pretty standard for Mondays to be a little depressing. I mean, it is really rough knowing you have a full workweek ahead of you.

But my Monday blues were multiplied by ten times today due to my post girl’s weekend depression.

My weekend with my girlfriends was hands down the best time I have had in years. YEARS.

Maybe the best time ever.

It was wonderful to just all be in the same place. Eating together, exercising together, shopping together, spilling our guts together and just basically enjoying being in one another’s presence.

So it was no shock today that I was in a deep funk.

And my way to fix a funk is to cook me some food.

These enchiladas were the perfect fix.

You will need…

1 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups jack cheese, grated

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

½ cup Greek yogurt

1 avocado, cubed

12 large flour tortillas

2 cups salsa verde

Chipotle Cheese Enchilada Sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by tossing together the shrimp, paprika, cumin, olive oil and salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.

When the pan is nice and hot, add in the shrimp and cook just until pink on both sides. About 2 minutes a side.

Remove the shrimp from the heat and allow it to cool for you to handle.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Chop the shrimp into bit sized pieces.

Mix together your cheese and combine 3 cups in with the shrimp.

Add in the yogurt and avocado and mix to combine.

In the same pan you cooked the shrimp in, heat the salsa verde over medium heat.

When the salsa is warm, dunk a tortilla in it and toss it with the salsa just until it is damp.

Move the tortilla to a 9 x 13 inch, lightly greased, oven safe dish. Scoop about ¼ to ½ cup depending on the size of your tortillas. Roll the filling up in tortilla and slide it to the end of the dish.

Continue this process with the remaining tortillas and filling.

When all the tortillas have been filled, drizzle the enchiladas with the enchilada sauce.

Top with the remaining cup of cheese and bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is bubbly and the enchiladas are hot throughout.

 

Remove from the oven serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Shrimp Enchiladas

1 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups jack cheese, grated

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

½ cup Greek yogurt

1 avocado, cubed

12 large flour tortillas

2 cups salsa verde

Chipotle Cheese Enchilada Sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by tossing together the shrimp, paprika, cumin, olive oil and salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.

When the pan is nice and hot, add in the shrimp and cook just until pink on both sides. About 2 minutes a side.

Remove the shrimp from the heat and allow it to cool for you to handle.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Chop the shrimp into bit sized pieces.

Mix together your cheese and combine 3 cups in with the shrimp.

Add in the yogurt and avocado and mix to combine.

In the same pan you cooked the shrimp in, heat the salsa verde over medium heat.

When the salsa is warm, dunk a tortilla in it and toss it with the salsa just until it is damp.

Move the tortilla to a 9 x 13 inch, lightly greased, oven safe dish. Scoop about ¼ to ½ cup depending on the size of your tortillas. Roll the filling up in tortilla and slide it to the end of the dish.

Continue this process with the remaining tortillas and filling.

When all the tortillas have been filled, drizzle the enchiladas with the enchilada sauce.

Top with the remaining cup of cheese and bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is bubbly and the enchiladas are hot throughout.

Remove from the oven serve hot. 

Chipotle Cheese Enchilada Sauce

Hi folks! I'm coming to you live from the very spot where I sat and did my homework at as a young lass. 

Many hours were spent in this chair, combing over pages and pages of Cliff's Notes. Many a late night was spent typing out a paper at the very last possible second. 

Man oh man. Writing about food is SOOO much better than that. 

I made this sauce a few years ago with lobster enchiladas. After thinking of this sauce pretty much constantly, I decided it was so good it needed its own post. 

This sauce DESERVES the spotlight. 

It is the perfect combination of richness and pizzaz. 

You will need...

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup yellow onion, finely minced

2 tablespoons flour

2/3 cup milk

2/3 cup chicken stock

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 teaspoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons chipotle chile in adobo

Start by melting the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. 

Add in the onions just until they are translucent. Be careful not to brown them. 

Add in the flour and stir until the onions are coated. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. 

 

Pour in the milk and chicken stalk and whisk until well combined. Add in the garlic and continue to whisk. 

Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking continuously until it starts to thicken. 

Reduce the heat to low and add the cheese in one handful at a time. 

Whisk until all the cheese is melted and remove from the heat. 

 

Add in the chipotle puree and stir. You can adjust the chipotle amount depending on your spice preference.

 

Serve hot with chips or use on enchiladas. 

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Chipotle Cheese Enchilada Sauce

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup yellow onion, finely minced

2 tablespoons flour

2/3 cup milk

2/3 cup chicken stock

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 teaspoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons chipotle chile in adobo

Start by melting the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. 

Add in the onions just until they are translucent. Be careful not to brown them. 

Add in the flour and stir until the onions are coated. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. 

Pour in the milk and chicken stalk and whisk until well combined. Add in the garlic and continue to whisk. 

Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking continuously until it starts to thicken. 

Reduce the heat to low and add the cheese in one handful at a time. 

Whisk until all the cheese is melted and remove from the heat. 

Add in the chipotle puree and stir. You can adjust the chipotle amount depending on your spice preference.

Serve hot with chips or use on enchiladas. 

Brown Butter and Sage Sauce with Hazelnuts

To me, there is no better feeling than when someone asks me for a very specific recipe and I can give them exactly what they need.

It doesn’t happen very often, and most of the time I have to do some research for them, but every once in a blue moon I hit a home run.

And today I knocked one out of the park.

My friend Cara was in need of a brown butter sauce and it just so happened to be what I was going to write about tonight.

What’s even better is that this recipe is super easy.

Brown butter sauce is something fancy chefs seem to do. Which is probably why it took me forever to make.

Don’t be a fool like me.

This is easy, delicious and super quick.

You will need…

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons hazelnuts, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chicken stock

In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium high heat just until the butter is lightly browned.

About 3 minutes.

Toss in sage and hazelnuts and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

Remove from the heat and add in the chicken stock.

Stir well to combine and toss over your favorite pasta.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Brown Butter and Sage Sauce with Hazelnuts

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons hazelnuts, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chicken stock

In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium high heat just until the butter is lightly browned.

About 3 minutes.

Toss in sage and hazelnuts and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

Remove from the heat and add in the chicken stock.

Stir well to combine and toss over your favorite pasta. 

Slow Roasted Tomato Sauce

 It may look like I eat like a king seven days a week. But looks can be deceiving.

Usually I cook big meals once or twice a week. If I have one of my rare slow weeks, I’ll get wild and cook for a third.

But the other nights of the week I am throwing things together. We are talking serious basics here. The go to dishes are whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce and arugula with baby heirloom tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.

We are talking less than fifteen minutes and no more than five ingredients.

But all the canned tomato sauce got me thinking that I could probably make something even better, fresher, and cheaper on a Sunday and keep it all week long.

So I did.

This simple dish is the perfect way to freshen up my low key meals.

You will need…

3 lbs roma tomatoes, thickly sliced

10 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme

3 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup white wine

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

2 cups chicken stock

Start by preheating your oven to 225 degrees F.

Lay the garlic and tomatoes out in a thin layer on a baking sheet.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme and then drizzle with the white wine and olive oil.

Roast in the oven for 2 hours.

When the tomatoes and garlic are done roasting, pour them in a blender or large food processor and blend, adding the chicken stock a bit at a time until you reached your desired consistency.

Pour over your favorite pasta or save for later in the week.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Slow Roasted Tomato Sauce

3 lbs roma tomatoes, thickly sliced

10 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme

3 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup white wine

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

2 cups chicken stock

Start by preheating your oven to 225 degrees F.

Lay the garlic and tomatoes out in a thin layer on a baking sheet.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme and then drizzle with the white wine and olive oil.

Roast in the oven for 2 hours.

When the tomatoes and garlic are done roasting, pour them in a blender or large food processor and blend, adding the chicken stock a bit at a time until you reached your desired consistency.

Pour over your favorite pasta or save for later in the week.