Make a Signature Sauce
Barbecue pit masters are often as well known for their sauces as they are for the slow-cooked meat on which they slather them. If you want to stir up your own claim to fame, you don't have to start from scratch--just add a little of your own personality to a bottled sauce. Whether you prefer vinegar-based, tomato-based, or mustard-based, find a brand you like, then stir in some jazzy ingredients to taste. Brown sugar, mustard, and lemon juice are must-haves, while garlic powder, minced onion, black pepper, crushed red pepper, soy sauce, and even ginger might suit your fancy.
If you like a touch of smoke, a few scant drops of liquid smoke will help provide the charcoal flavor missing from foods cooked over gas. Just be sure to use a light hand here to avoid an artificial taste.
For great tips and recipes, check out Southern Living Ultimate Grilling & Barbecue Guide on newsstands now. It's chock-full of grilled entrées, sides, desserts, grilling tips, and much more.
Versatile Kitchen Shears
Once you own a pair of kitchen shears, you'll wonder how you ever got along without them. We use them for just about everything in the kitchen, including opening stubborn food packages. You can buy quality, inexpensive shears at discount and home goods stores, or purchase top-of-the-line versions at kitchen stores and Web sites. Here are some suggestions for using them.
Cut up small amounts of fresh herbs. For larger amounts, put the herbs in a glass measuring cup, stick in the scissors, and snip away.
Cut up whole canned tomatoes.
Quarter quesadillas.
Remove the excess skin from chicken.
Cut pizza.
Halve bacon slices for hors d'oeuvres.
Use the center part of the handle to open bottles or cut the foil off wine bottles.
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Potato Salad Made Easy
Even though you love potato salad, you likely aren't enthusiastic about having to peel and cube the potatoes that go in it. Fortunately, there's a better way. Test Kitchens Professional Vanessa McNeil Rocchio shares this tip: Cook scrubbed whole potatoes in their skins. Drain and set aside for 1 hour or until they're cool enough to handle but still warm. Use a clean dish towel to hold each potato, and gently squeeze until broken into bite-size pieces. The potato salad will have a creamy consistency similar to that of smashed potatoes.
Which type of potato do you prefer for potato salad? The Foods staff ranges across the board. Russet, Yukon gold, and red potatoes are favorites. Some people like to cook whole potatoes in the skins, while others prefer to cut them before cooking. Most start the cooking in cold water. Considering our combined years of cooking experience and love of potato salad, you can assume that pretty much any way you make it is fine--as long as you don't overcook the potatoes. For some of our favorite potato salads and barbecue sauces, visit southernliving.com/july2007, and search "Test Kitchens Recipe Box."
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What's Cooking?
We'd love for you to share your favorite summer recipes with us for possible publication. We want everything from weeknight suppers to entertaining. For each one we use, we'll send you $20 now and a copy of Southern Living Annual Recipes cookbook in January. Please e-mail recipes to sl_foodedit@timeinc.com.
"From Our Kitchen: Make a Signature Sauce" is from the July 2007 issue of Southern Living.
