Sweet-n-Spicy BBQ Sauce

If you’re looking to make a big batch of a tomato-based BBQ sauce that is out-of-this-world good, you’ve found it. This sweet-n-spicy BBQ sauce is great to play around with depending on your tastes, too. It goes on smooth, has hints of sweetness and smoke, and a little heat. Well, it can have a lot of heat depending on how much hot sauce you decide to add.

Sweet-n-Spicy BBQ Sauce

Perfect For Those Backyard BBQs

We slathered some of this great sweet-n-spicy BBQ sauce onto some grilled chicken breasts last night for dinner. It made for some great eats, that’s for sure! I made sure to make extra, too. The leftover chicken (drenched in more sauce) will go onto pizzas and quesadillas. This sauce is also excellent as a dipping sauce for grilled smoked sausage!

This recipe makes about 2 quarts, enough for 16 bone-in chicken breasts… or thereabouts!

Also try my Sriracha BBQ sauce.

Sweet-n-Spicy BBQ Sauce
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5 from 1 vote

Sweet-n-Spicy BBQ Sauce

If you’re looking to make a big batch of a tomato-based BBQ sauce that is out of this world good, you’ve found it. This sweet-n-spicy BBQ sauce is great to play around with depending on your tastes, too. It goes on smooth, has hints of sweetness and smoke, and a little heat.
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword barbecue, sauce, spicy, sweet
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 2 quarts
Calories 2252kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
  • Simmer for 15-30 minutes or until the desired thickness is obtained.

Notes

Store in the fridge until ready to use. Stir before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 2252kcal | Carbohydrates: 571g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 7445mg | Potassium: 5122mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 543g | Vitamin A: 3045IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 694mg | Iron: 16mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Pizza and Pasta Sauce

This is my go-to red sauce. I use it on everything from pizza, to pasta, to meatballs. I always make a double batch of my homemade pizza and pasta sauce and freeze some for later. It is packed with tomato flavor and has the perfect herb flavor. There’s a healthy dose of garlic and shallot to add that richness you want. I am a big fan of this sauce.

Homemade Pizza and Pasta Sauce

Thicker Or Thinner. Your Call

Depending on what you use this sauce for, you might want to puree it slightly in a blender. Or use a blender stick. We prefer our homemade pizza and pasta sauce a little thicker and chunky, even if we use it on pizzas. It’s not tomato juice. I want to not only taste the tomato I want to see it and bite into it!

Also try my pantry pizza sauce.

Homemade Pizza and Pasta Sauce
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5 from 1 vote

Homemade Pizza and Pasta Sauce

A great tasting sauce ready in no time. Perfect for pizza or pasta.
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword pasta, sauce
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 62kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3-5 cloves garlic chopped
  • 2-3 shallots chopped
  • 3 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)
  • 3 tablespoon fresh marjoram chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 small can tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)

Instructions

  • Heat oil over high heat.
  • Add garlic, shallots, thyme and marjoram and saute for 3 minutes.
  • Add wine and reduce by 1/2, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the two cans of tomatoes.
  • Simmer, stirring often, for 7 minutes.
  • Add 1/2 -3/4ths of the can of tomato paste, sugar, and hot pepper flakes.
  • Simmer an additional 7 minutes, stirring often.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste and add the basil, cook another 1 minute.

Notes

Refrigerate sauce until ready to use. It also freezes well.

Nutrition

Calories: 62kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 97mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 407IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Spicy Creole Remoulade

This spicy Creole remoulade is fantastic on crab cakes, or slather it on a bun for a great po’ boy! There’s some kick from the horseradish and mustard … and hot sauce! This is not some light, laid-back, weak remoulade at all! It packs a lot of flavor. It’s my go-to sauce when I want something ‘lively’.

Spicy Creole Remoulade

Perfect On Darned Near Anything

This spicy Creole remoulade is also great on my crab cakes with shrimp! The creaminess and spiciness works fantastic with crab. And shrimp. Or put it on a hoagie next time you make a big ole cold-cut sandwich or burgers. It’s so much better than adding a plain-old sauce. Just slather it on the insides of the bread or buns!

I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

Also try my red pepper remoulade.

Crab Cakes with Shrimp
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5 from 1 vote

Spicy Creole Remoulade

Spicy Creole remoulade.
Course Sauce
Cuisine Creole
Keyword Creole, sauce, spicy
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 27kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients.
  • Refrigerate for one hour before using.

Notes

Stir before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 27kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 119mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 641IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Hoagie Dressing

I used to work in a sandwich shop as a teen. I don’t know how many sub sandwiches I made, but I’m sure it was in the thousands. It doesn’t take much to jazz up a simple sandwich. This Hoagie dressing is all you need. I didn’t have fresh herbs on hand, so I made this hoagie dressing with dried and it came out fantastic. The herby flavor really makes you forget about ever using bland mayonnaise on a sandwich again.

Hoagie Dressing

The Perfect Lunch

I keep a batch of this hoagie dressing on hand in a squeeze bottle. I’ll never make another boring sandwich. My favorite starts with just good ole sandwich meat. I add a little onion. Tomato. Chopped iceberg lettuce. Salt and pepper (never forget the salt and pepper!). And a couple of good squirts of this dressing. Perfect!

Speaking of non-boring, check out my Italian hoagie.

Hoagie Dressing
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3.50 from 4 votes

Hoagie Dressing

I used to work in a sandwich shop as a teen. I don’t know how many sub sandwiches I made, but I’m sure it was in the thousands. It doesn’t take much to jazz up a simple sandwich. This Hoagie dressing is all you need.
Course Dressing
Cuisine American
Keyword dressing, sandwich
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 1 /2 cup
Calories 1024kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine the vinegar, basil, parsley, thyme, sugar, garlic, red onion, jalapeno and lemon juice.
  • While whisking the mixture, slowly pour in the oil.
  • Whisk in the mustard.
  • Add salt and pepper and whisk until well combined.

Notes

Shake or stir before using.

Nutrition

Calories: 1024kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 109g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 42IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Grilled Steak Marinade

Steak prices are through the roof these days. Sometimes I have to settle for a lesser cut, but that doesn’t mean I settle for less taste. I throw together this tasty grilled steak marinade and let the steak get happy in it for a few hours, toss it onto a hot charcoal fire, and all is right with the world once again. Juicy moist steak that is absolutely packed with flavor, no matter how little I spent. The combination of Worcestershire sauce, salad dressing, BBQ sauce and seasoning is amazing.

Grilled Steak Marinade

Spicy Steak Is Great Streak

Feel free to substitute some hot sauce for the Cajun seasoning for an extra kick in your grilled steak marinade. Or add both. Ditto the BBQ sauce. No reason you can’t use a spicy sauce. I really like Cajun seasoning because it adds more than just heat, it adds flavor. And that’s what this marinade is all about: adding flavor.

Serve this steak up with some fantastic Mesa Grill steak sauce, a copycat of the sauce you can get at Bobby Flay’s restaurant.

Grilled Steak Marinade
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5 from 1 vote

Grilled Steak Marinade

Steak prices are through the roof these days. Sometimes I have to settle for a lesser cut, but that doesn’t mean I settle for less taste. I throw together this tasty grilled steak marinade and let the steak get happy in it for a few hours, toss it onto a hot charcoal fire, and all is right with the world once again. 
Course Marinade
Cuisine American
Keyword marinade, steak
Prep Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours
Servings 1 cup
Calories 2474kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Instructions

  • Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl.
  • Pour into a large resealable baggie.
  • Add the steak and seal.
  • Turn a few times to coat.
  • Refrigerate 4-24 hours, turning every few hours.
  • Shake off excess marinade before grilling.

Notes

Store any unused marinade in the fridge. Always discard used marinade and do not re-use.

Nutrition

Calories: 2474kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 184g | Fat: 154g | Saturated Fat: 61g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 553mg | Sodium: 3782mg | Potassium: 3457mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 67g | Vitamin A: 1538IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 204mg | Iron: 21mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Italian Dressing Mix

This Italian dressing mix is just like the stuff you buy in packets at the store. Now you can make your own at home for much less. I make a big batch and keep it in an airtight container in the pantry. This seasoning also makes for a great substitute when a recipe calls for Italian seasoning.

Homemade Catalina and Italian Salad Dressings

A Great Dressing Any Time

This dressing is great on my Mason jar salad. Anything in a Mason jar is good. Sometimes I like to make it a little different. I might add a bit of red pepper flake to give the dressing a little bit of a kick. Not too much though. You still want your Italian dressing mix to taste like the original. At least, mostly.

Check out my new site, Dress My Salad, for more great salad dressing ideas!

Homemade Catalina and Italian Salad Dressings
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5 from 1 vote

Italian Dressing Mix

This Italian dressing mix is just like the stuff you buy in packets at the store. Now you can make your own at home for much less.
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients.
  • Two tablespoons of this mixture equals one packet.

Notes

Store in an air-tight container.

Nutritional values are approximate.

Roasted Green Pepper Mayonnaise

I’ve had BLT sandwiches on my mind for days now, since I saw some really nice, big tomatoes at the market. I finally got the time to make them. I wanted a little something special beyond just the usual mayonnaise, so I made up a small batch of this simple roasted green pepper mayonnaise. It doesn’t take long to make. It adds a nice grilled flavor to the sandwich.

Roasted Green Pepper Mayonnaise

Creamy Pepper Goodness

I also used this roasted green pepper mayonnaise on roasted chicken sandwiches, which came out fantastic too. If you don’t want to roast a pepper, you can use roasted red peppers in a jar, available at your local grocery store (ours has them by the Italian foods and also by the olives).

I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

Good on a club sandwich, too!

Roasted Green Pepper Mayonnaise
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4 from 1 vote

Roasted Green Pepper Mayonnaise

I made a small batch of this simple roasted green pepper mayonnaise. It doesn’t take long to make. It adds a nice grilled flavor to any sandwich.
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword bell pepper, mayonnaise
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 1 cup
Calories 1556kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Roast the pepper over direct heat on a grill or in an oven (I prefer to crank up the heat on my gas grill and place the pepper directly over the hottest part of the grill. I rotate it every few minutes until it is very charred on all sides).
  • Let the pepper cool then seed it and chop it very fine.
  • Add to the mayonnaise and combine well.

Notes

Store in the fridge. Stir before using.

Nutrition

Calories: 1556kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 168g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 1427mg | Potassium: 332mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 752IU | Vitamin C: 132mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Chili Dog Sauce

This is my go-to hot dog chili dog sauce. I let it slow cook for a while to get good and tender. And I also make a huge batch and freeze some for later. I have to have sauce on my dogs.

This chili dog sauce is also outstanding over burgers, topped with cheese and chopped onion.

Chili Dog Sauce

A Great Cookbook Find

I found this in The Real Chili Cookbook: America’s 100 All-Time Favorite Recipes. I found a copy at the Exit 76 Antique Mall for $3.50. Besides this recipe, I’ve made 5 or 6 of the chili recipes from the book and all have been fantastic. It’s one of the best finds I’ve made! As far as I’m concerned I more than got my money’s worth just with this chili sauce!

Try my spicy chili cheese hot dogs.

Chili Dog Sauce
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5 from 1 vote

Chili Dog Sauce

This is my go-to hot dog chili dog sauce. I let it slow cook for a while to get good and tender. And I also make a huge batch and freeze some for later. I have to have chili sauce on my dogs.
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword chili, hot dogs, sauce
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 27kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Brown the ground beef and drain.
  • Add onion and garlic and cook another 5 minutes.
  • Add remaining ingredients and stir.
  • Simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. If the sauce gets too thin add a bit of water.
  • Note: You can also cover and slow-cook this sauce for a few hours if you wish. It comes out nice and tender. Cook it less for a chili sauce with a little more bite from the beef.
  • Update: I made this great sauce again over the weekend. Our grocery store was out of premium enchilada sauce, so I used a “lesser” brand. I ended up adding a good amount of hot chile powder to the mix, but it still came out fantastic.

Notes

Add a little diced jalapeno for a little kick.

Nutrition

Calories: 27kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Sodium: 799mg | Potassium: 84mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 385IU | Vitamin C: 0.6mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Smashburger Sauce

Sadly, it has been a while since we’ve been to a Smashburger. My mouth waters just thinking about our last visit. I searched around the web and found the recipe for the sauce they use on their burgers, and just had to make it. I made up a batch of Smashburger sauce for grilled burgers last night and it was outstandingly good. And it was just as good for dipping French fries (in my case, sweet potato fries).

Smashburger sauce

The Perfect Burger Sauce?

There are two variations of this smashburger sauce on the web, one that uses dill pickle juice and one that uses lemon (which is probably more true to the actual sauce in the restaurant). I didn’t have a lemon on hand, so I went with the pickle juice and it was great. I’ll try lemon next time, but if you don’t have a lemon, just go with pickle juice and you’ll be very happy!

Also try my fire-eater burger sauce.

Smash burger sauce
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5 from 1 vote

Smashburger Sauce

I made up a batch of Smashburger sauce for grilled burgers last night and it was outstandingly good. And it was just as good for dipping french fries (in my case, sweet potato fries).
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword burger sauce
Prep Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 105kcal
Author Various sources on the web

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for an hour before using.

Notes

Stir or shake before using.

Nutrition

Calories: 105kcal | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 206mg | Potassium: 10mg | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Homemade Italian Vinaigrette

This homemade Italian vinaigrette (on the right in the photo) is my favorite salad dressing. It looks great and tastes great and it is so easy to make. I sometimes find that store-bought dressings can be a bit too vinegary. The beauty of making my own versions at home is that I can easily adjust the amount of vinegar. This has the right balance of vinegar and spices. I love it.

Homemade Catalina and Italian Salad Dressings

Better With Time

This homemade Italian vinaigrette gets better with time as the flavors ‘get happy’. I like to give the dried spices time to flavor the dressing. Make sure you give it a good, long shake before serving.

Shown on the left is my homemade Catalina dressing.

Check out my new site, Dress My Salad, for more great salad dressing ideas!

Homemade Catalina and Italian Salad Dressings
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5 from 1 vote

Homemade Italian Vinaigrette

This homemade Italian vinaigrette (on the right in the photo) is my favorite salad dressing. It looks great and tastes great and it is so easy to make. I sometimes find that store-bought dressings can be a bit too vinegary.
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Keyword homemade salad dressing, Italian, vinaigrette
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 2 cups
Calories 1499kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients into a pint Mason jar and shake well.

Notes

Always stir again or shake before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 1499kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 164g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 109mg | Potassium: 182mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 666IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.