today is the longest day of the year and with the fourth of july just two weeks away, barbecue season is officially in full swing. you have lots of choices during grilling season. everything from red meat, to fish, to veggies can be top notch when cooked over that flavor infusing flame. 

and i've got the perfect sauce for no matter what you are putting on the grill. this sauce is great on a coffee rubbed steak, as a marinade for shrimp or chicken or brushed over grilled peppers and onions. the sky is the limit. 

now, i know what you are thinking... 

i'm never going to make this sauce. i have a plethora of already made sauces available at any grocery store i go to. why would i go through all that effort when i have so many choices?

and that may be true. but there are some things that are just not comparable when you make them yourself. it's amazing how delicious something can be when it is fresh and hasn't been sitting on a shelf, pumped full of preservatives for an undetermined amount of time before you got to it.
but don't take my word for it. give it a try. you will not be disappointed. 

coffee bbq sauce
serves: 4 cups
prep time: 10 minutes
active time: 20 minutes
inactive time: 1 hour
total time: 1.5 hours
ingredients: 2 large brown onions, diced. 7 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped. 2 tbs olive oil. 1 tbs minced fresh oregano. 2 tbs cumin. 1 tsp cayenne. 2 cups ketchup. .75 cup brown sugar. .25 cup molasses. .25 cup white vinegar. 2.5 cups brewed coffee. 1.5 cup chicken stock. 1 tbs kosher salt. .5 tsp fresh ground pepper. and emersion blender, food processor or blender. 

start by heating your olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. when the oil is hot, add in the onions and garlic. cook until the onions are translucent. about 5-7 minutes. 

add in the oregano, cumin, cayenne and half the salt and pepper. stir well to combine and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes till everything starts to meld together. 

pour in the ketchup, the molasses and the brown sugar and stir until everything is well incorporated. 

pour in the coffee, vinegar, and chicken stock. season with the remaining salt and pepper. 

stir well till everything is combined and then bring the liquid to a boil. 

once the liquid boils, reduce the heat to a low heat. you want the liquid to gently simmer. let the liquid reduce by about half. 45 minutes to 1 hour. 

when the liquid has reduced, turn off the heat. allow the sauce to cool slightly. 

using the hand emersion blender, or working in batches with a food processor or blender, puree the sauce until it is smooth. 

serve as desired or store in the fridge for up to two weeks.

xo, a

coffee bbq sauce
serves: 4 cups
prep time: 10 minutes
active time: 20 minutes
inactive time: 1 hour
total time: 1.5 hours
ingredients: 2 large brown onions, diced. 7 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped. 2 tbs olive oil. 1 tbs minced fresh oregano. 2 tbs cumin. 1 tsp cayenne. 2 cups ketchup. .75 cup brown sugar. .25 cup molasses. .25 cup white vinegar. 2.5 cups brewed coffee. 1.5 cup chicken stock. 1 tbs kosher salt. .5 tsp fresh ground pepper. and emersion blender, food processor or blender.
start by heating your olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. when the oil is hot, add in the onions and garlic. cook until the onions are translucent. about 5-7 minutes. add in the oregano, cumin, cayenne and half the salt and pepper. stir well to combine and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes till everything starts to meld together. pour in the ketchup, the molasses and the brown sugar and stir until everything is well incorporated. pour in the coffee, vinegar, and chicken stock. season with the remaining salt and pepper. stir well till everything is combined and then bring the liquid to a boil. once the liquid boils, reduce the heat to a low heat. you want the liquid to gently simmer. let the liquid reduce by about half. 45 minutes to 1 hour. when the liquid has reduced, turn off the heat. allow the sauce to cool slightly. using the hand emersion blender, or working in batches with a food processor or blender, puree the sauce until it is smooth. serve as desired or store in the fridge for up to two weeks.

i know what you are thinking. why in gods name would she just GIVE me her chocolate cake recipe. 

well the truth is, it really isn't mine to give. it's ina's (the barefoot contessa) and she has already given it away. 

ina is pretty much my culinary goddess. when i was teaching myself to cook, nine times out of ten i would go with a barefoot contessa recipe. they NEVER let me down. and while i have adjusted most of her recipes that i started with, this one is tried and true.

if you are a chocolate cake fan, this is your holy grail. this cake is rich, but still light and fluffy. it's bold in flavor, but is still very moist. it's pretty much the perfect cake. it's great with cream cheese frosting, a classic butter cream or if you are like me, it's great on its own. 

THE chocolate cake
serves: 2 x 9 inch cakes or 1 9 x 13 sheet cake
prep time: 10 minutes
active time: 5 minutes
bake time: 30-45 minutes
total time: 1 hour
ingredients: 1.75 cups ap flour. .75 cup cocoa powder. 2 cups sugar. 2 tsp baking soda. 1 tsp baking powder. 1 tsp salt. 1 cup buttermilk. .5 cup vegetable oil. 2 eggs. 1 tsp vanilla extract. 1 cup hot coffee. parchment paper. vegetable oil spray.
start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees f. while your oven is preheating, prepare you pans. trace the size of your pans your are using onto the parchment paper and cut out a shape that fits into the bottom of the pan. spray your pan with oil and then set the parchment in the bottom. 

in the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand blender, combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil and extract. 

once the wet ingredients are well combined, turn the mixer to slow and add in the dry ingredients a bit a time. 

when your batter is well combined (it should be nice and thick), slowly add in the hot coffee. 

mix until just combined and smooth. 

pour the batter into the prepared baking pans. 

bake for 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the pan. you will know that the cake is done when you can insert a toothpick into the cake and it comes out clean. remove the cake from the oven and set to cool on a cooling rack. 

once the cake has cooled to room temp, remove your cake from the pans and use.

xo, a

THE chocolate cake
erves: 2 x 9 inch cakes or 1 9 x 13 sheet cake
prep time: 10 minutes
active time: 5 minutes
bake time: 30-45 minutes
total time: 1 hour
ingredients: 1.75 cups ap flour. .75 cup cocoa powder. 2 cups sugar. 2 tsp baking soda. 1 tsp baking powder. 1 tsp salt. 1 cup buttermilk. .5 cup vegetable oil. 2 eggs. 1 tsp vanilla extract. 1 cup hot coffee. parchment paper. vegetable oil spray.
start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees f. while your oven is preheating, prepare you pans. trace the size of your pans your are using onto the parchment paper and cut out a shape that fits into the bottom of the pan. spray your pan with oil and then set the parchment in the bottom. in the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand blender, combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil and extract. once the wet ingredients are well combined, turn the mixer to slow and add in the dry ingredients a bit a time. when your batter is well combined (it should be nice and thick), slowly add in the hot coffee. mix until just combined and smooth. pour the batter into the prepared baking pans. bake for 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the pan. you will know that the cake is done when you can insert a toothpick into the cake and it comes out clean. remove the cake from the oven and set to cool on a cooling rack. once the cake has cooled to room temp, remove your cake from the pans and use.