Chipotle Honey Roasted Peanuts

This is a fantastic snack that everybody absolutely loves and it is very simple to make.  I have people at work always asking to bring these in again.  You might want to make a double batch.  They go quick.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound skinless peanuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Stir together the sugar, chipotle powder, chili powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl; set aside.

Stir together the butter, honey, and kosher salt in a large saucepan over medium heat until the butter has melted, and the mixture is bubbly. Stir in the peanuts until well coated, then pour out into a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Bake in preheated oven until the nuts are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Stir the mixture 2 or 3 times to ensure even cooking. Once done, scrape the peanuts into a large bowl, and sprinkle with the spice mixture. Toss the peanuts to evenly coat with the spice mixture. Allow the peanuts to cool to room temperature, tossing every few minutes so the nuts do not stick together.

 

Baby Back Ribs with Spiced Apple-Cider Mop

What is not to love about baby back ribs.  These ribs were very tender and had a lot of flavor.  This will definitely be made again at our house.  They go very well with the cheese biscuit below.

Ingredients:

Mop

2 cups apple cider

1/4 cup minced shallots

1 tablespoon minced jalapeño, seeds removed

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 

2 to 3 slabs baby back pork ribs, about 4 pounds total

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper 

 

In a small saucepan combine the apple cider, shallots, and jalapeño. Bring to a boil and cook over medium-high heat until about 1 cup of the liquid remains, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the remaining mop ingredients, bring to a boil, and remove from heat. The mop can be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.

Using a meat thermometer or dull knife, slide the tip under the membrane covering the back of each rack of ribs. Lift and loosen the membrane until it breaks, then grab a corner with a paper towel and pull it off.

Allow the ribs to stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. Season ribs with salt and pepper. Grill, rib side down, over indirect medium heat (350°F to 450°F), with the lid closed as much as possible, until the meat is very tender and has pulled back from the ends of the bones, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Baste the ribs frequently with the mop throughout grilling time, but stop basting during the last 10 minutes. Remove from the grill and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing into individual ribs.

Cheese Biscuits

This is our knock off recipe of the Jim and Nicks cheese biscuits. These biscuits are very good, but also very rich and heavy.  Plan on 1 per person, 2 and you are full.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
4 tbsp butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp vanilla

Mix ingredients together, pour into greased muffin pan and cook at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until done.