BBQ Sauce & Baked Creamed Corn

Are you ready for The Fourth?  Are you hosting or will you be a party guest?  What are you going to make or bring to the potluck?  If you haven't decided, may I suggest these two recipes.  My spicy BBQ sauce is darn good.  Sweetness from maple syrup, spice from the chipotle adobo sauce and lots of cracked black pepper.  It is absolutely delicious with these Oven Roasted BBQ Ribs.

I have a love for creamed corn.  Not just any old creamed corn though.  I have a love for J. Cody's corn and Tony's BBQ baked corn; a love so dear that I could be completely content just eating a vat of their corn and skip the meat.  That's right, corn for dinner.  What I believe the two of these recipes have in common and the reason I love them both is because of the addition of beer to the corn-yes, beer.  So, my mom and I fiddled around with all versions of creamed corn and this is what we came up with...it is very close.  Close enough, I could eat a vat of it!  Happy Fourth!

Cozy Bee's Spicy BBQ Sauce
makes 8 ounces.

1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 teaspoons adobo sauce
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Cracked Black Pepper

1.  Whisk all ingredients together.
2.  Simmer whisking occasionally until sauce has reduced to 1 cup, 10 to 15 minutes.

Baked Creamed Corn
yield:  2 quart casserole

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
37 ounces canned corn, drained
1 large jalapeno, diced
scant 1/4 cup beer
salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a microwavable bowl, microwave the cream cheese and butter until butter has melted and cream cheese has softened, about 3 minutes.  Whisk until mixture is smooth and lump-free.
3. Add corn, jalapeno and beer and stir until combined.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.  Pour into a 2 quart casserole dish.
4. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until bubbling.
5. Remove from oven and let creamed corn set for 15 minutes until it thickens a bit.

summer days

I adore this table

Eli and I had a great summer day.  I took him to a playscape nestled in a nice shopping center.  We sat on a patio and ate a grilled chicken salad, tea, apples and grapes.  He had no idea that a splash pad was gurgling away behind the shady park and he also had no idea that his mom came prepared with his swim trunks and water shoes.  A quick change in the back of the car, a few spouts of water sprayed in the face, large leaps and jumps into the puddles made for a great summer afternoon.  Afterwards, dried and back in civilian clothes we cooled off with a visit to an ice cream store.

*Notice my child wearing a knit cap on a 95 degree day.  He wanted to look like Louis Tomlinson from One Direction.  Like my friend Susan said, "Fashion first and the rest will fall into place."

hive five

Summer Love

 1.  Are you taking advantage of your local farmer's markets this season?  My favorite one is thirty miles north and offers an excellent selection ranging from wildflower bouquets, Texas made olive oil, cheeses, homemade teas and produce.  I especially love it because it is near an amazing park with an equally amazing playscape and a pond where you can feed ducks and geese your recently purchased freshly baked artisan bread.

I gathered these beautiful carrots, dill and cukes from Johnson's Backyard at Mueller's Market

 2.  My house smells amazing right now.  We are making this tonight.

Chipotle Apple Turkey Burger

3.  Need a burger idea for the Fourth of July???  I love the Chipotle Apple Turkey Burger from the Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook.  I have many cookbooks in my collection and would highly recommend this one.  Get it now so you can make these amazing burgers for the holiday.

Enjoying some great sunsets

4.  I'm headed to the beach with some high school buddies next month.  Still eating well though I could be a little more strict on myself, intense yoga is underway as well.  Tried on my bathing suit and decided I need this because no one wants to see that!

Art Inspiration

5.  Need a little inspiration and/or motivation?  Check out this post by Jillian of The Noisy Plume.  Then peruse through the comments and browse through her reader's inspirational journeys and desires.  We all yearn to achieve goals, work hard for something-whether it be tangible or intangible and this post is just the thing to pump air under the heft of your wings and lift you to your destination.

hive-five (recipe: Soy-Sesame Kale Chips)

1.  I'm still trying my best to be A Wholesome Bee.  I went off track a little around Easter but now I'm back.  At one point I lost around 15 pounds.  Gotta lose some more poundage before I meet my high school buds in Galveston mid summer-this chubby bunny is not ready for that!  Must...Eat...More...Kale.

2.  I believe this is my song for the summer.

3.  Cleaning diligently.  My parents are coming to visit in a few days.  I've spent the week making "the fake house," as my husband calls it.  Now I just need to figure out how to turn my "fake house" into the real house.  That may happen when more hours are added to the day.

4.  New blog love here. I love food/lifestyle blogs.  Manger is just beautiful.

5.  Eli has a week off between spring & summer classes.  He has been hanging out with his Daddy a lot this week and has enjoyed every bit of it.  He is a wild boy who likes to rough-house.  This Momma doesn't rough-house, so when quality time with Daddy is spent-it gets a little wild!

Soy-Sesame Kale Chips
Makes 6 cups

8 oz. (1 small bunch) kale (preferably Tuscan)
1 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Rinse kale and thoroughly blot dry with a kitchen towel.  Tear leaves from ribs; discard ribs.  Tear leaves into 4-in. pieces.  Distribute kale onto two baking sheets and pour oil and soy sauce evenly over the kale.  Toss to coat evenly.
2. Arrange leaves in a single layer.  Bake, switching pan positions after 13 minutes.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake until leaves are crisp but not browned, 5-7 minutes more.
3. Keep stored in an airtight container for up to one week.

source:  Sunset Magazine May 2012

Curls (click to open)

Beautiful

Tamed

Soft

Wild (a la Ronald Miller (Patrick Dempsey) in Can't Buy Me Love)

Fun

Gone for the summer