She turned out OK!

She turned out OK!

well, after 13 years of investing time and money into this pipe dream, it finally happen. I had my first meal at my daughter's place last night!

All those quick lessons about use good ingredients, cook food properly witha thermometer, seasoning things properly is a must, timing your whole meal is also a must, take time to make it look nice...wow, honestly some days I did not think that it would ever happen, this daughter of mine had her ups and down with food... But last night we stopped at her house for a sit down dinner and I was very proud, very impress and certainly very happy to see that it had sunk in her little 8 years old brain more than I could have ever dreamed of...

We showed up and I recognize the kitchen set up right away... things were ready to go on the counter, pots on the stove, trays with food ready to go in the oven, a real amateur chef who paid attention. She made a nice salmon with a pesto lemon and parmesan topping baked in the oven, nice potatoes baked with bell peppers, steam broccolini, and a fun spinach salad with strawberries, cranberries, walnut and goat cheese. Then for dessert she made a vanilla crème brulée with a vanilla bean and a few coconut macaroon cookies with a little drizzle of chocolate on top, awesome finish to a great evening. She did not try to reinvent the wheel, she did a great meal she knew how to do well and had practice before. I am glad she paid attention when it was time, a real pro!

I see so many people not able to cook a simple meal mostly because they don't apply themselves as much on details like seasoning or timing or because they don't really stop to think about how the whole thing will come out at the end. They may cook the fish 30 minutes ahead then let the fish sit there for another 15 minutes because the potatoes were not put in the oven soon enough, then the fish gets cold. I see people not able to understand what dressing would go well with certain salads, or how much to put in or how to add a little something to make it fun! Most vegetables should be done at the last minute and not cooked to death if at all possible leaving texture to chew on so they still taste the way they should and not feel like baby food in your mouth. Take the time to teach your kids the value of a nicely cooked meal, the importance of eating good food cooked properly, one day you'll be at their house for dinner and you may wish you did put in the time. Let's face it, it's very unlikely they'll become a soccer star or a ballerina or the next American Idol but they will need to eat for the rest of their lives so it's a good skill to carry as they finally leave home.

Not my daughter, she performed beautifully. Last night Chloae was the daughter of a chef, a proud chef, a chef with a look to the future for his next meal at his favorite Hana Banana's house!

love papa xoxo

Jamaica Curry Goat (lamb)

This is a great dish to bring back memories of a great holiday.

If you are not sure about how much heat you can take or your guests can take, start with half a Scotch bonnet and taste it once it is finished... you can always serve your dish with a Jamaican hot sauce on the side. Beef can always be used if you are one of those difficult people.

1.2 kilo goat or lamb meat (leg meat bone-out & cut it into cubes)

1 large onion, finely chop

1 carrot, finely chop

2 cloves garlic, crush

4 scallions (green onions), finely chop

1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, remove the seeds, finely chop

3 tbsp Jamaican curry powder (or madras powder)

2 cups tomato sauce

3 to 4 cups water

1 large yam, chop in cubes same size as meat

Salt and Pepper 

In a large pan, Dutch oven or pot with a touch of oil, on high heat brown the meat on all sides then remove and set aside.

In the same hot pan at medium heat, add the onions cook until soft then add your garlic and cook until it starts to brown, then add the curry powder and let it roast a little at the bottom of your pan.

Add browned meat, carrots, scallions, Scotch bonnet peppers, tomato sauce, 3 cup water, some salt and pepper. Scratch the bottom to remove all the good stuff and flavour your liquid.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover the pot partially and simmer very low for 2 or 3 hours. After about two hours add your yam, do not cover your pot any more and continue to cook slowly until the meat starts to be tender.

Check for salt and pepper one last time before serving.

I like to serve it with a rice, and some stir fried julienne vegetables including a few pieces of sauteed plantain to add some sweetness.

Try this for dessert:http://www.happygourmand.wordpress.com/recipe-archives/pineapple-upside-down-cake/

Braised Beef Short in Guinness

feed 6 to 8 people

 

3 to 4 pieces bone-in and boneless short ribs per person, cut into same size

3 tablespoons olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup buckwheat flour

1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 to 4 carrots

12 to 15 mushrooms

2 large cans Guinness, 1 bottle light beer

1 liter beef stock

1 rosemary sprigs, 2 sprigs of thyme

2 cups cipollini onions or pearl onions, peeled

 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season short ribs with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Working in batches, brown short ribs, about 2 minute per side, transfer to a large metal tray using kitchen tongs and set aside.
3. Once your done with the ribs, in your pot or Dutch oven over at medium heat sweat the yellow onion, then the garlic. 
4. Add your short brown ribs and half the carrots back in your pot, dredge short ribs with flour, coating all sides, add all the beer and beef stock bring to a simmer.
5. Add rosemary, thyme a touch of salt and pepper, place in the oven  no cover for 3 1/2 hours.
6. Roast the cipollini onions on a tray with a touch of olive oil then set aside.
7.  Every hour or so, remove you Dutch oven from oven, and give it a stir.
8.  After about 2 hours add the rest of the carrots and the mushrooms...continue to braise for about another hour and a half or so until meat is almost tender.
9.  Once the meat is almost fully cooked to tender, remove the meat cubes from the sauce and place on a baking sheet and place the baking sheet in the oven on the top shelf for about 30 minutes
10.  Place you pot on the stove top, bring to a boil and let reduce for about 30 minutes or until it becomes just the right thickness.  Remove the meat cubes from the oven and place back into the sauce which is now perfect texture.
11.  Add your cipollini onions and season with salt and pepper.
12.  Serve warm with mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts

Roasted Pecan Caramel Cinnamon Sticky Buns

This is easy to do and really good to eat...

The Dough

·         1 (8g) package quick rise instant yeast

·         1/4 cup white sugar

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         1/2 cup warm water

·         1/2 cup + 3 TBSP warm milk

·         1 tablespoons vanilla

·         1 egg

·         1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

·         4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

·         Nonstick cooking spray

The Filling

·         3/4 cup brown sugar

·         4 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (good quality)

·         1/2 teaspoon ginger

·         1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

·         1/2 cup finely chopped roasted pecan

·         6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

The Topping

·         1 cup unsalted butter

·         2 cups packed brown sugar

·         7 tablespoons dark corn syrup

·         2 cups pecan halves, chopped or crushed

·         1 tablespoons vanilla

·         3 tablespoons Captain Morgan spiced rum (optional)

Method:

1.      Roast pecan 2 1/2 cups of pecan for about 7 to 8 minutes, set aside.

2.      In a large electric mixer bowl using your dough hook, combine yeast with 1 1/3 cups flour, sugar and salt. Stir in very warm milk and water. Add egg, butter and the remaining flour. Mix at medium to low speed until smooth and elastic for about 4 to 5 minutes adding a little more flour or liquid if needed, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.

3.      Meanwhile, prepare the caramel topping by melting 1 cup butter in a saucepan. Stir in corn syrup, brown sugar, rum and vanilla. Cook until sugar is just dissolved. Pour into a 9X13 inch baking pan. Spread 2 cups halves pecans evenly over the caramel sauce mixture. Set aside.

4.      Prepare the filling by combining 1/2 cup roasted finely chopped pecan, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nut meg. Set aside. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 12X18 inch rectangle. Spread butter everywhere over dough and sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon mixture and do not forget to sprinkle the edges. Roll dough into a cylinder. Brush rolled dough with butter. Using a sharp knife cut dough into 8 large rolls or 12 smaller rolls and place in the prepared pan. Cover with a dish towel and let rise for 1 hour or until your pan looks full.

5.      Preheat oven to 375 °F. Place pan on a baking tray (to catch drippings from sides of pan) and put into the oven. Bake buns for 30 minutes or until golden. Remove pan from oven and immediately invert pan onto a serving tray.

6.      Eat Warm or the next day.

Notes

This recipe was adapted from Liza adaptation, which she adapted from Mark McGough as featured in “The Martha Stewart Show”.

Nothing against handmade, but I do have electricity, so why not use it and since I prefer mine with a bit more sticky sauce and a touch more flavor punch. I have adjusted the recipe for an electric Kitchen Aid mixer.

Can't decide if I should make those Chocolate Cookies

To make or not to make...

These are really nice cookies, soft, chewy and chocolaty, but honestly I really don't care whether you make them or not. I like them and that's what counts. It took me about 6 minutes to mix and 10-12 minutes to cook... perfect to fix a craving... but again make them or don't make them, whatever :)

For all of you (Craig) that do not have a scale, well, too bad! splurge the $15 and buy one... or then again I don't care.

I guess if you are going to make them should probably look for those ingredients...

165 g golden brown sugar
125 g butter

1 tsp vanilla
1 egg

140 g flour
50 g cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon

175 g Belgian chocolate, chopped small


Since you got all the stuff, you may as well mix it all together... so start by fluffing the butter and sugar together until pale looking, kind of like if you just saw Elvis in your soup bowl.

Add the vanilla and egg, mix for 20 seconds, or 2 times 10 seconds should be ok.

Add the dry ingredients at high speed and back away cause all that stuff will fly all over the place... or just do on slow speed instead so it does not make a huge mess and the dough doesn't end up over mixed and tough. Whatever... :)

Add the chocolate using a spatula or some other ugly tool you may have!

You can bake them at 400F if you want to burn them, but it is much better at 350F in the oven for abut 10-18 minutes depending on how you like your cookies. I like 12 minutes, nice and chewy.

Between a ramekin and a square

Just my two cents...a month ago or so we had some friends over for dinner and a conversation started from one of our guests saying why is everything in menus about a ramekin or an infusion or a foam?

It's true sometimes from a non- foodie's perspective looking inside our industry it can get a touch snobbish...and yes often it can get a bit much to hear certain words over and over on menus to describe simple things...but it is what it is...

Can we meet half way people?

Because I go to people's home every other day I see what people eat, I see their fridge and pantry and from a foodie looking inside, I also have an issue with some of the stuff I see but it is what it is... One thing that really gets me laughing is when I read a recipe in a magazine that says 2 square of chocolates. Really, in today's world where we can get oranges from South Africa and Avocado from |Chili, you mean to tell me that 2 squares of chocolate is what I need to make these quote: "Incredible Delicious Espresso Brownies" why in the world is this product still on the market... if you want to make incredible anything I would suggest you start by buying good quality chocolate and get rid of your Bakers... try Barry-Callebaut-or Lindts, or any other world renown producer in your area... Bakers was at one point a staple item in my mom's kitchen, but now there is so much better out there and not really much more money, so splurge and get outside your comfort zone.


cheers
Martin

Simple Rustic Bread Recipe

I am inside all day making bread waiting for the outsite temperature to rise a touch more...

Making bread is a really a “back to basic” kind of thing to do. My mother in law is having surgery and getting a new hip on Monday, so I will bring her a loaf of bread for when she comes out of the hospital.  

This is my recipe:

Day one: mix together one package of dry yeast, one cup of unbleached flour and one cup of water. Let the goopy mushy dough rest in a cool area for one day.

Day two: add half a cup of flour and a touch of water to make the dough absorb the flour.  Let it rest one more day.

Day three: place your goopy/mushy dough into a good size mixer with 4 cups of flour, 1/2 cup of wheat germ, 1/3 cup corn flour, 3 tbsp good olive oil and enough water to make a firm dough (between one and two cups) Mix for about 4 minutes as fast as your mixer will take without breaking it, stop the mixer and leave your dough in it. Wait 10 minutes and add 2 tsp sea salt and mix 5 more minutes. On your table, your dough needs to be kneed for one minute or until you press your finger in your dough and the print bounce back right away. Oil a bowl and leave your dough cover with a plastic bag and wet towel until it doubles in size.

Place your dough on your table and work it into the shape you want or in the pan you want. Let it rise double again. Just so you know, freestyle shaping bread is the hard part, and to consistently get the perfect looking loaf it will most likely take you a few months to get better at it. By using a pan you avoid that learning process and get a nice loaf each time. You can also use YouTube to see how other people shape their dough.

Bake in a 425F oven middle rack for about 45 to 55 minutes depending on the shape you chose. Your bread is cooked when you remove it from the oven and if you tap the bottom of your loaf it sounds kinda empty or hollow.

Eat whenever you want.

Eat Your Crusts

She says:

Do you remember hearing your parents say that when you were young? The rest of the comment was usually reinforced with the fact that there were children starving in Africa. Guess what? There are still children starving in Africa (as well as many other places) and there is a report just released that does say the amount of food we waste here does have an impact on poverty and hunger in the world. Our parents had it right all along!

The report I speak of is one commissioned by the FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. They discovered that the amount of food wasted by consumers in North America and Europe is equal to the amount produced in sub-Saharan Africa – 222 million tons. Per capita, we waste between 95 and 115 kilograms of food per year, while people living in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia waste only 6-11 kilograms per year. In addition, the reasons food get wasted are different. For us, it is more often a case of throwing food in the garbage, whereas in developing countries it is often due to poor conditions in getting the food to the consumer (this is called “food loss” instead of “food wastage”). Those are sobering figures, aren’t they?

It’s gets even more interesting… did you know that some food gets wasted because it’s not pretty enough? Suppliers won’t take items like crooked carrots from farmers as they cannot be peeled in one easy stroke, and even unpeeled, apparently, we (consumers) don’t buy carrots that aren’t straight.

There is more – the resources used to produce the food that is wasted are also wasted. That means the greenhouse gas emissions that add to the global warming we talk about are in vain. It’s rather a vicious circle, isn’t it? Hopefully, you are now asking the question, “How to we make it better?”

One important thing to remember is that we have a voice (I know, I sound like Oprah; well, on this point she was right!) Consumers can make a difference by letting suppliers know their preferences and their desires. I know the Save-On Foods in Westbank was making efforts to find more local produce this season in response to comments from their customers. If you don’t mind buying crooked carrots, let your grocer know. Someone from a country full of hungry people once said, “Be the change you want to see in the world”. I believe Mr. Gandhi had a good point.

Another point worth considering is that processed food accounts for a larger proportion of food waste than raw food (items you prepare yourself). The package of frozen French fries you bought is made from potatoes that were sorted and then also re-sorted as fries, with all the bits not included in your package usually being wasted. Your homemade fries are more likely to include end pieces of potato and fries of different sizes.

The comment that struck me the most in the report was this simple statement:

Abundance and consumer attitudes lead to high food waste in industrialized countries.

We can afford to waste food. It can be cheaper to buy a large package of broccoli at Costco than it is to buy the one head you need; even if you throw some out you saved money, right? This seems to go back to that old comment… just because you don’t feel like eating those crusts doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider the impact that waste has on a larger scale. We could say we have worked hard to afford such luxury, and everyone is doing it. But that just makes me think of another old parental comment: “If everyone was jumping off a cliff, would you do that, too?”

I for one, am making a concerted effort to cut back on abundance. I only planted one zucchini plant in the garden this year. I am sowing smaller rows of radishes and lettuce alternately so it doesn’t all come up at once. These small measures will help me remember the importance of respecting my food. It would be rude of me to waste things when there are children starving in the world.

Thanks for listening.

Kristin

He says:

Wasting food while knowing that in our beautiful country some people can’t find enough food is crazy. Yes, some wastage in food is necessary, like when you buy an egg you don’t eat the shell or you eat meat but not the bones. Even if you can make soup out of bones, you still won’t eat  them.

What really blows my mind is when you hear stories of farmers in the Okanagan choosing not to pick the fruit off the trees because it’s not worth it financially to actually pay staff to pick the fruits because the price on the market is so low no profit can be made. How sad is that! There has to be a way to avoid things like this and I don’t believe subsidizing farmers is the solution. I would much prefer our government create rules that prevent certain countries to come in Canada with extra cheap food and dump it on our market at such a low price that no local farmers can compete with that… Let’s create a solution where our farmers can sell their crops locally first; it’s better for the environment, and would help reduce the wastage of food. The good old adage throwing money at a problem is not a good answer. If a restaurant cannot make money the government does not come in with a grant and pay the difference so that the restaurant can stay open forever. I have huge respect for farmers as it is an extremely hard business to be in and they choose to stick with it, but our government needs to create a system other than subsidies that make sense. Then maybe we can avoid some huge wastage of food.

Supporting our local food bank or shelters is also a great way to get rid of extra food you don’t need. Most shelters in town will take fresh food just about any time of the day.

There’s my two cents…

This is the FAO link: http://www.fao.org/

The sunshine on a cloudy day

It has been cloudy quite a bit lately, and at our house things have been hectic, so in that environment of course it is easy to get stressed and down. We all have our ways of pulling out of that blue funk and so this week when I had to use a couple, I thought of sharing them with you.

One of the things that I find works really well is music. Mind you, it has to be the right music – if you need to be uplifted, I don’t recommend you put sappy love ballads on to play. I am a fan of Louis Armstrong myself. I love to tap my toes to that trumpet and it always makes me smile to hear his deep ebullient voice sing those classic tunes.

Another great thing to do is watch a good movie or TV show (as rare as those are these days), or read a good book if you are so inclined  – it can help you escape the trials and tribulations of the day and it might even inspire you.

You have likely guessed my most favourite way of finding a ray of sun on a cloudy day. Food is something that gives me comfort and excitement too.  A really good meal is like a work of art, with all the elements in balance to produce this beautiful canvas which you can jump into! The thing about food is that it is interactive – you don’t just look at it, you taste it and feel it. Not that I am proposing you need to roll in it, but I do love the reward of fragrance that comes from rubbing a lavender or rosemary bush, or the explosion of flavour in your mouth when you bite into a grape or a cherry tomato. Putting a combination of flavours together on the plate is a real achievement, and one you and your guests should revel in. Even a homemade cookie is a special thing – love and attention all wrapped up in a portable package.

I suppose what I am trying to convey here is that you need to immerse yourself in an experience to fully enjoy it, just the way you tend to soak up the suns’ rays on a sunny day. Even those people who like to sit in the shade enjoy a bit of warmth. On days like we have had the past week, the best thing I know of is to find something that warms your heart and take full enjoyment in it. A great song on the radio, a funny e-mail you got from a friend or a delectable morsel even munched at your desk at work can be the start to a brighter day. I am making cookies this weekend, so that if it is cloudy on Monday again, I will be well armed!

Cookie recipe

The All-In Cookie

This is a recipe that I found in the Frog Commissary Cookbook years ago. (It was a little storefront restaurant in Philadelphia in the 70’s.) I have adapted it a fair bit, and I invite you to do the same, as it takes modifications well. I hope you enjoy them!

1 cup butter, softened

¾ cup brown sugar (brown sugar makes them taste a bit more like molasses, yellow sugar adds a bit more sweetness – choose what you like)

2/3 cup white sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract (don’t skimp – use real vanilla!)

2 tbsp milk

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 to 1-1/2 cups old fashioned oats (not instant – it will make the cookies gluey)

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips (you can substitute raisins here, or add more choc. Chips instead!)

¾ cup walnuts AND/OR coconut – your choice (you can make it with one or both and it will work)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Cream the butter with the sugars in a mixer or by hand. Add the vanilla, milk and eggs. Add the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder to the creamed mixture and beat to combine. By hand, stir in the oats, chips and nuts. Drop 1-1/2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet (or one that has a silicone baking mat). Bake for 10-12 minutes or until just brown. (I like to turn the trays in the oven halfway through to ensure they cook evenly.)

Kristin

New Restaurant, Oups it’s gone!

He says:

I was reading about a trend in New York called, “Pop Up Restaurants.”

These are the equivalent of raves for the food industry. A few people get together, find a location, renovate it and open a restaurant. Now the trick is they only stay open for a month or two, after that they close shop and go do another one somewhere else. Wow, anyone who had a restaurant will tell you that opening a restaurant is madness. Opening day is nothing short of insanity, you work 36 to 48 hours straight, you eat nothing and you usually snap at every employee including your spouse non-stop. Why would you want to do it over and over and over again? Craziness! Yes, restaurants are extremely high risk, often failing within the first few months to few years, but that’s no reason to close the door after a month. It takes your staff conservatively 3 to 6 months to really find their feet and become really good in that new concept.

How about from a customer’s point of view… you drive around and see this cute little restaurant, you walk in with your office colleagues, sit down and eat an amazing meal. A month passes, then you decide to take your new girlfriend because you have been talking about this new restaurant who serves the most amazing crab cakes, you dress up, stop to pick her up at home, and drive across town to find out that they closed a few days ago… for good… they’re gone!

I am the first one to tell you - it is hard to make money in our business, but I am not convinced that these pop up restaurants have the answers by opening and closing before the paint is dry.

She says:

I have to agree, it sounds a bit on the insane side to want to build and re-build a restaurant. I have heard of underground travelling dinner clubs, serving fancy meals in changing locations to avoid any problems with health inspectors and the like; but who wants to move, and re-paint, and re-train staff? I like the world in between the idea of being in a rut and seeing places get old and tired, and the concept of needing to change everything like you change your socks, all the time. So, how about a few suggestions for places that might be new, but are ones we hope will stick around so they can become favourites for a while??

First, there is Okanagan Street Food (812 Crowley Ave.). We have mentioned this place before, but it really does rock. How can you not like homemade fries like Mom used to make, but with truffle mayonnaise and blackberry ketchup? Then there is Fish Taco Tuesday, a phenomenon that could be called “pop up”, I guess, as apparently it was created by regulars. A bunch of people just show up and order fish tacos on Tuesday. Any day of the week suits me – I just think they’re wicked. This is a place where homey AND cool is a great combination.

Next there is a place we haven’t been to yet, but I know we have to try, so it’s on my list for this weekend. De Bakker Kitchen (1014 Glenmore Dr.) is a tiny place across from the Kelowna Golf & Country Club that has a wood-fired oven. They used to sell their bread at the Kelowna Farmer’s Market, but now have a store-front operation, and the word from our foodie friends is that their pizza is awesome! Since we have a pizza oven at home that Martin built, we have to go check this out.

Last, is a place that works if you want to grab something for home – whether you want it just to heat up, or if you are cooking up a storm. It’s one of Martin’s regular haunts when he shops for his clients, and it’s the kind of place I like to browse in the way most women browse in shopping malls. Valoroso Foods is now also on the Westside (Kelowna – 1467 Sutherland Ave.; West Kelowna – 2441 Main St.) They have sundried olives that are addictive, and wonderful cheeses and cured meats that go great with the fresh buns, or on a pizza dough that is ready for baking. The staff are knowledgeable, and the shops are open till 6 pm so you can stop in on your way home from work. These guys have stuff that Superstore doesn’t carry – it’s worth the stop!

The big thing with patronizing any business, especially a food-related one as they don’t ever seem to make lots of money, is that your loyalty counts for a lot. If you are loyal with one of these “pop up” places, it doesn’t really matter as they don’t last long enough for it to make a difference. But if you have a place you like, make sure you tell your friends, and stop in as often as you can, as it might make the difference to them staying a bit longer. Life is short, but that doesn’t mean we can’t work on making our favourite moments (or meals) last a little longer.

Enjoy your long weekend -Bon Appetit!

65th birthday Tapas Menu

ON my way to do a 65th birthday for a fellow who has travel to these countries through out his career - I made a kind of trip around the world Tapas menu for him... looking forward to it.

Asia, Africa, North America, Europe, and Australia.   

As people are arriving:

Australian Shrimp on the Barbie

Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Radicchio

Sit down Appetizers #1:

Spicy Asian Coleslaw with Ahi Tuna

Sit down Appetizers #2:

Greek Beet Salad with Walnuts and Feta Cheese

Small Main course:

Moroccan Lamb Kebab with Curry Bulgur Salad

Small Main course:

Wild Mushroom, Asparagus and Asiago Cheese Risotto with a Pork Tenderloin

Dessert:

Chocolate Baileys Birthday Cake with Caramel Sauce

Taboo BBQ Baked Beans from yesterday

·         2 pound navy beans

·      12 cups water

2  500ml cans red kidney beans, rinsed, drained

2  500ml cans romano beans, rinsed, drained

1 to 2 cups barbecue sauce to taste

2 cup apple juice

3 red peppers, chopped

2 onion, chopped

burnt ends (optional)

2/3 cup dark molasses

1 to 2 cups brown sugar to taste

1/2 cup yellow mustard

2 tbsp cider vinegar

2 tbsp dry mustard

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp garlic powder

 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp ground cumin

1/2  tsp cinnamon

1/2  tsp nutmeg

1/8  tsp clove

cayenne to taste

salt & pepper at the end

Preparation:

Soak beans for 4 hours in water, then drain. Combine beans and 6 cups water in a large pot. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 2 to 3 hours on a low heat, stirring occasionally. After the beans have softened add salt and continue cooking until the beans are soft enough to mash between your fingers.

In pot, cook the onion and peppers until soft. In a large Dutch oven or a large aluminum pan add your burnt ends, and add all remaining ingredients and cover with foil. Bake for 1 to 2 hours hour at 300F carefully stirring once in awhile. Remove your foil for the last 30 minutes