Barry's Roasted Salt-and-Vinegar Potatoes

2 lbs. small red/white potatoes (I do 1/2 pound per person)
8 cups water for boiling
1 1/4 cups salt (in water for boiling)
Olive oil
Malt vinegar
Freshly ground sea salt and cracked pepper

Boil potatoes in very salted water (just enough water to cover them) for 20 minutes or until soft. Smash to about 1/2 inch thick. (If they've cooled, I'll use the side of my fist. If not, you can use a glass. It works better if they're a bit cool.)

Drizzle generously with olive oil, sprinkle with SPG, and bake at 450 degrees for 20+ minutes. Douse potatoes immediately with malt vinegar and freshly ground sea salt and cracked pepper (or SPG), to taste. Turn potatoes over and re-drizzle and season on the second side. Bake 20 more minutes or until golden and crispy. Re-douse with malt vinegar on the second side when they come out of the oven.

* Barry's recipe appeared originally in Cook's Country (August/September 2012).

Captain's Quarters Inn Rib Rubs

Last year, we went to the Captain's Quarters Inn in Edenton, NC for a Rib University Class and B&B stay.  It was great fun, and we learned a lot of great grilling tips and tricks. Award-winning pit master and inn co-owner, Don Pariseau, helped us prepare our own rack of ribs, St. Louis style, using in-house rubs.

Below are some of the recipe mixes he recommended.  I just found the handout he gave us--splattered, folded, ripped, and otherwise well-loved--in the coffee bar where all our mugs are stored. I'm sure there would be great grief if it were ever permanently lost, so I'm reproducing it here for posterity's sake.

DPQ Carolina Rib Rub

2 1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 C. brown sugar
4 tsp. garlic salt
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. celery salt
4 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cinnamon


DPQ Lucky 13

3 Tbsp. paprika
1/4 C. brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 1/2 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. lemon pepper
3 tsp. garlic salt
5 tsp. dry mustard
3 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 lemon peel
1/2 orange peel
1 tsp. smoked paprika


DPQ BBQ Rub
www.penzeys.com

1/4 C. Penzeys Northwoods Fire
(blend of salt, paprika, black pepper, garlic, chipotle pepper, rosemary, thyme, cayenne)
2 tsp. Penzeys Bangkok Blend
(blend of ancho chili, garlic, ginger, black pepper, lemon grass, paprika, basil, cilantro)
1/4 tsp. arbol chili
1/2 Tbsp. ground orange rind
1/2 tsp. salt


RUB Co. Original
www.therubco.com

(Original is a blend of salt, paprika, onion, spices, garlic powder, red pepper.)
Mix half and half with turbinado sugar.


Weber KC Style BBQ Rub

(Kansas City Style is a blend of turbinado sugar, salt, chili pepper, dehydrated onion, dehyrdrated garlic, spices, paprika, red pepper, and "other stuff".)

Another valuable resource for BBQ equipment is www.thebbqguru.com

Nancy Olson's Cheesecake (via Kate Chuckney)

I have no idea who Nancy Olson is. She must be a friend of my friend Kate Chuckney, who made this delicious cheesecake years ago when I was in college and would babysit her children. Her recipe card said Nancy Olson's Cheesecake, so that's what my family has called it ever since. Whoever you are, Nancy Olson, you make a mean cheesecake!

Combine and press into spring-form pan:
1 sleeve graham crackers, crushed (1 3/4 C. graham cracker crumbs)
1 stick softened butter (or more, 3/4 C.)
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 C. chopped pecans
Bake at 350° for 5 minutes.

Combine in stand mixer and beat 25 minutes:
4 blocks cream cheese (2 lbs.)
4 eggs
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Bake at 325° for 40 minutes. Cool and top with this topping.

Beat 15 minutes:
1 pint sour cream
1/2 C. sugar
Bake 10  minutes at 400°.

Janet's Yummy Homemade Brownies

3/4 C. melted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cooled
1 2/3 C. sugar (I use 1 1/2)
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. water
3/4 C. cocoa
1 1/3 C. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Cream sugar and butter.  Add eggs, vanilla, water. Stir in dry blend of cocoa and rest of ingredients.

Spread into 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees as directed below:
If pan is metal, bake 15-18 minutes.
If pan is glass or stoneware, bake 18-22 minutes.

Kaarin's Värske Kurgi Salat ("Fresh Cucumber Salad")

2-3 fresh cucumbers, thinly sliced (use a food processor or mandoline)
1/2-1 sweet onion, thinly sliced and chopped into small sstrip
1 bunch fresh dill, finely chopped
3-4 oz. sour cream
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper (opt)

Sprinkle cucumber with salt to draw out water if a drier salad is desired or if you're making it far ahead. Drain. Mix in other ingredients, including more salt to taste. You can serve immediately. 

Bev's Spiced Pecans

2 C sugar
2 C water
1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Bring water and sugar to a boil. Add cayenne.

Add 2-5 C pecan halves.  Boil 5 minutes, stirring often.

Spread nuts on a foil-lined cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from oven. Sprinkle with mixture of:
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Cookie Sheet Cake

Grease and flour 11x17 jelly roll pan.

Sift together and set aside:
2 C. flour
2 C sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Combine and bring to a boil, then pour into dry mixture:
1/2 C  butter (1 stick)
1/2 C shortening
1 C. water
3-4 Tbsp. cocoa

Beat together and add to above combination:
2-3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. buttermilk

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes..

Ice cake while warm with the following:
1/2 C. butter, melted
3-4 Tbsp. cocoa
3-4 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
6 Tbsp. buttermilk
1/2 C. chopped nuts (opt.)

Cut into small, square pieces and place on a serving dish to serve.

Nanny's New Orleans Red Beans & Rice

1 lb. dried kidney beans
2 quarts water
1 large onion
2 ribs celery
2-3 cloves garlic
2 slices bacon
1 crumbled bay leaf
1  tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. allspice
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. sugar (I omit this.)
1/2-1 lb. spicy sausage (Andouille or similar)

I double this for our family of 6 so we can have guests or leftovers.

Soak beans overnight or follow quick-soak method.  Cook beans in 2 quarts of salted water (but not too salty!) until just barely done (45 minutes or so—if you overcook them, they'll fall apart later). Reserving cooking water, drain beans and rinse in cold water.

Fry bacon in Dutch oven, then remove. Using bacon drippings, sauté onion and celery.  Add garlic and parsley as onion gets clear and soft (maybe after 10 minutes).

Add 1 qt. (or more) reserved boiling liquid, cooked beans, and other spices/ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer lightly for 45 minutes.  (I've reduced this step to as little as 15 minutes in a pinch or if I've accidentally overcooked the beans in the first place.)  Mash 1/4 cup beans and return to pot for thickening. (I usually omit this step.)

Serve over cooked rice with a crusty bread and salad.

Nanny's Lazy Daisy Cake

This cake is from my grandmother, who has affectionately come to be referred to as "my Nanny," as opposed to just "Nanny," my kids' grandmother.  My Nanny (Nanny S.) made this whenever she needed a super-easy, super-fast cake to serve within the hour.  It's saved me many times!

Makes small square cake.
(Double for 9x13 and cook 5 extra minutes.)

Mix together:
2 eggs
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Sift together* and add to the above mixture:
1 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt (I use less.)
(*I do not sift this, but rather put the flour in an even layer on top of the first ingredients, then even scatter the soda and salt across the top layers to be sure it is evenly distributed.)

Heat together* and add to mix:
1/2 C. milk
1 T. butter (I use olive oil.)
(*I do not heat this before adding it to the other ingredients.)

Bake at 350 in a greased pan for 30 minutes.
(Cook 35 minutes for doubled 9x13 pan.)

Frosting
Mix in saucepan:
2 T. butter
3 T. brown sugar
2 T. cream
1/2 C. coconut

Frost cooled cake* with above mixture.
(*I've never let this cake cool more than 5 minutes before glazing.  It is delicious served very warm.)

Christine's BBQ Beans

Combine in large bowl:

1/2 C. chopped onion

1/3 C. sugar (I use real maple syrup instead)

1/3 C. brown sugar

1/2 C. BBQ sauce

1/4 C. ketchup

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. chili powder

2 Tbsp. molasses

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

Add 3 cans of any kinds of canned beans you like, drained and rinsed.

Original recipe calls for:

vegetarian baked beans (unrinsed)

kidney beans

butter beans

Christine uses white beans instead of butter beans.

Spoon in greased baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour, stirring once.