Lemonade/Limeade

Have you ever made real homemade lemonade? Oh, there is nothing better. My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it.

1 c. lemon juice (or lime juice)
2/3 c. simple syrup
4 cups water

Boil 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water to make 1 cup of simple syrup. Let cool and combine all ingredients.

Smoky BBQ Beef Brisket

I've only made this once. My crock pot is bigger so next time I will double the recipe for the sauce so the beef is covered entirely. Russell says we should keep this one.

2-3 lbs. brisket
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. celery seed
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce (I had Frank's Hot Sauce)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 T. vinegar
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 t. liquid smoke (I left out)
1/2 t. dry mustard
1/3 cup water
3 T. flour

Rub brisket with chili powder, garlic powder, celery seed and pepper. Place in crock pot. Combine ketchup, chili sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, liquid smoke (if using) and dry mustard. Pour over brisket. Cover and cook on low 10 hours or high 5 hours. Remove meat from cooker and skim fat from juices in cooker. Stir together water and flour and add juices. Cook until thick and bubbly. Serve with meat.

Outback Spicy Ranch

This is the spicy ranch that they serve at Outback with the cheese fries. It is so good. If you like ranch, you have to give it a shot.

1 t. Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch dressing milk
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon coarsly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon red pepper (I usually double at least)

Christmas Pasta

It's been a while but here it is, as promised, Rachael Ray's Christmas Pasta.

1 lb. rigatoni
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 lb pancetta
1/4 lb. hot Italian sausage
1/4 lb. sweet Italian sausage
1/2 lb. ground sirloin
1/2 lb. ground veal
1/2 t. allspice
black pepper
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 med. yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic
1/2 c. dry red wine (I go without, the beef broth deglazes the pan anyway)
1 cup beef broth
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup parsley
1/2 cup Romano

Heat skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 T. olive oil and brown pancetta in one half the pan and sausage in the other half. Break up sausage and let pancetta render. Combine and cook together for a minute. Remove from pan. Add 1 T. olive oil and brown the beef and veal. Season with allspice, salt and pepper. Add carrots, onion and garlic and cook for 6 minutes to soften. Add sausage and pancetta. Deglaze with wine. Add beef broth and tomatoes. Simmer over low heat until ready to serve. Stir in parsley.