The Greater Houston Weekly has an awesome article about rodeo and barbecue!  And as we all know, rodeo and barbecue go together like salt & pepper, gin & tonic, and, well, rodeo and barbecue!  Reporter Marene Gustin gives us the details, and I hope y’all sit up straight and notice that Texas Pepper Jelly’s big boss, Craig Sharry, is featured AND quoted!

Polish your Luccheses and pull the Stetson out of the closet, it’s rodeo time in Houston.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has some stellar talent this year — everyone from Brooks & Dunn to Mary J. Blige — plus the midway rides, funnel cake, mutton bustin’ and steer wrestling. But there’s also some serious competition outside the rodeo ring this weekend as the 2010 World Championship Barbecue Contest kicks off Thursday, Feb. 25.

More than 350 teams of serious and not-so serious barbecue cooks will be brewing up pounds of brisket, spare ribs and chickens to vie for bragging rights as the world grand champion cook. And thousands of folks will flock to the three-day event where they can grab a chopped beef sandwich, listen to the bands at The Garden, do a little boot-scootin’ and watch the teams slave over hot pits and smokers. Corporate and Go Texan teams often offer entertainment from barbecue pits decorated to look like armadillos and chuck wagons, to cooking shenanigans.

“Oh, it’s just such a fun time,” said Shirley Meadows who has been going to the event every year for 15 years. “They decorate the booths and it’s a big party. You see old friends and meet new ones.”

But how’s the barbecue?

“Who eats!” Meadows said with a laugh. “We all drink, but yeah, the barbecue is pretty good.”

Definitely the beer will be flowing, and some of it may actually make it into the barbecue sauce. But for one cook, the secret ingredient won’t be beer but jelly.

“Jelly isn’t just for breakfast,” said Craig Sharry, a long time cook off contestant and owner of the Texas Pepper Jelly company. “Of course, I use my own habeñero and jalapeno jellies, I use them in the brine and in my barbecue sauce.”

Sharry’s been barbecuing with his spicy jellies in competitions for years, traveling the circuit from Texas through Louisiana. In fact, he was the overall grand champion two years in a row at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, which guaranteed him entrance to Houston this time. A good thing since there is a years-long wait list to cook here.

While each team will be cooking up mounds of beef and pork and flocks of fowl, the judges will select only two pieces to taste. And, they tag the meat before it is cooked so no one brings in a ringer.

For Sharry, it’s chicken he’ll serve the judges, brined for 12 hours then smoked and slathered in his barbecue pepper jelly sauce.

“It’s spicy,” he said. “It’s not hot, any fool can do hot; you just throw more peppers in. The key is getting a blend of heat and sweet that make you happy to eat it.”

And happy maybe the key ingredient to the kick off contest. As Meadows said, “it’s the perfect upbeat way to start off the rodeo season.”

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Wow!

Of course, readers of Craig Sharry’s Texas Pepper Jelly blog already knew that pepper jelly, as well as Craig’s other fantastic rubs, sauces, and salsas, can kick up almost any recipe a notch or two.  And there is NO pepper jelly anywhere that can compete with Craig Sharry’s Texas Pepper Jelly.  I use it several times a week, and my family will back me up on any of those statements.

Heck, my husband stirs it into his hot coffee and tea.  He also stirs Texas Pepper Jelly into his, um, OTHER drinks, but we won’t go there.  They sure are good that way, though!

Yay, Craig Sharry!  You show ‘em all how it’s supposed to be done, Boss!

There are so many awesome things available on the Texas Pepper Jelly website!   Whether you need a gift for one person, or ten, or whether you’re bringing something to a small gather or a huge family reunion, our website or blog can tell or offer you everything you want to know!

Our recipes are fantastic and easy to follow, and our pages of pepper jellies, rubs, sauces, and salsas are mouthwateringly great.

Many of you ordered our holiday tins, and perhaps you would care to see some of our regular gift mixes!  Or, maybe you’re going to a reunion and want something easy that will be enough for such a crows!

Got a huge crowd to feed? Our 144-ounce jumbo container of pepper jelly is just the thing.  Lots of little jars just aren’t quite right when you’ve got a large crowd.  And, you can order any of our pepper jelly flavors!

144 oz
$78.58

Oh, what simple, nutritious, and wonderful meals we can serve our families, by using our crockpot!

Lasagna, traditionally an Italian dish, turns into a Texas dish with this recipe for Texas Lasagna!  Don’t expect to see or taste the same ingredients when you  bit into it, either.  Texas Lasagna is a whole new ball game!  A vegetarian ball game, in fact.

Ingredients:

1 small head of cauliflower, cored, cut into florets, and sliced.

3 plum tomatoes, chopped

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained

1 cup frozen corn

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 1/2 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded

1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded

2 cups Texas Habanero Salsa

6 flour tortillas (or however many are necessary; the first time you make this will be your guide for next time.)

Sour cream

What to do:

Put the cauliflower, tomatoes, beans, chili powder, and corn in a large bowl.  Mix thoroughly.

Spray inside of crockpot with nonstick cooking spray, such as Pam, and spread vegetable mixture over the bottom.  Sprinkle with cheese, and spread salsa and sour cream over the top.  Cover with tortillas. Repeat layering until all ingredients (except 1/2 cup of salsa and the sour cream) are used, making sure the top layer is a tortilla layer. Be generous with your layers!

Put the lid on the crockpot and cook on high for about 3 hours, or on low for 6 hours.  Cauliflower should be tender before you serve it.  30 minutes before supper time, put the remaining cheese and the sour cream on top of the last layer and let the cheese melt.  (about 20 minutes)

Let the lasagna “set” for about ten minutes before serving.

Dig in.  It’s a messy, spicy, vegetarian crockpot DELIGHT of a meal!

Here is a message from the big boss himself: Craig Sharry:

Our newsletter signup is quick and easy. And it’s FREE! Do your friends and family a favor, pass this newsletter along so they can sign up today. Did I mention it’s FREE ? (You get a free eCookbook when you sign up to get the newsletter, too!)

Texas Pepper Jelly has proven time and time again our products are winners.  Let me explain with a short update on what has been happening.  As many of you know I cook competition BBQ using our products.  Since Thanksgiving I have cooked in four BBQ competitions.  I was fortunate to have been named Grand Champion at three of those events and I tied for 3rd Place at the fourth.  What a way to start 2010!

Texas Pepper Jelly is a key ingredient in my BBQ.  What?  Jelly in BBQ?  Are you kidding us?  The answer is no.  I am not kidding anyone and yes I use Jelly in my BBQ.  The best part is you can use our products to improve all of your cooking.  Texas Pepper Jelly is a great addition to almost any dish you can think of.  From hamburgers and hot dogs to stews and casseroles our products compliment any secret recipe you use.  If you have not tried our Pepper Jelly then shame on you.  What are you waiting for?

A great thing about Texas Pepper Jelly is that it is quick and easy to use.. Another thing that is quick and easy is our newsletter sign up. Tell your friends about it. Tell them it’s free. Then they can get their own copy every month.

Plus, anyone who subscribes today, will immediately be sent a free sample of our Country Sweet Texas Heat cookbook. These exclusive recipes will have your friends and family wanting you to cook all of their meals.

As always thank you for shopping at Texas Pepper Jelly.

Until next time,

Craig Sharry

We’re all short of time these days; we get home from work or school and are greeted with “We’re hungry!”  “What’s for supper?”  “We’re STARVING!!!!”

With school lunch periods beginning at ten in the morning these days, it’s no wonder our kids are hungry when they walk in the door at 3:00 or so.  Their tummies are growling and they need food NOW.  If you let them snack, however, they won’t be as enthusiastic about their actual dinner as they need to be.   Therefore, your best bet – and theirs – is a tasty, nutritious actual dinner that you can prepare and serve in less than an hour.

Texas-style spinach enchiladas make a great company dinner as well.

Ingredients:

1 15-ounce carton of ricotta cheese (I use the low-fat kind)

1 10-ounce package of chopped spinach (Frozen is fine, but be sure it’s thoroughly thawed and drained)

1 10-ounce package corn (Again, thawed and drained)

1 egg

1 cups shredded mozzarella lcheese, divided

10 flour tortillas, the 8-inch ones

1 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes (UNdrained, this time!)

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup Texas Habanero Salsa

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

What to do:

In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, corn, spinach, 1 cup of the mozzarella, and the egg.  Mix well.

Spoon about 1/2 cup of this mixture on each torilla and roll them up tightly.  Place, seam side down, in a large well-oiled baking pan.  Stick a toothpick into each tortilla roll to help them maintain shape.

In the same bowl, combine everything else, except the Parmesan, and spoon over the tortillas.  Sprinkle with Parmesan and the rest of the mozzarella cheeses.

Bake, uncovered, at 375 for about a half hour or until heated all the way through and HOT.

These, and a nice tossed salad, can all be prepared in less than an hour.

Eat up.  Don’t count on any leftovers.

P.S.  My kids love it when I spread some Texas Pineapple Habanero pepper jelly over the enchiladas, instead of the second mixture.  Your call.

There’s nothing like a crock-pot meal on a cold, snowy winter night!  Cold weather really brings out our appetites in full force, but most of us work all day and really don’t have time to put a real home-cooked meal on the table very often.  That’s where your crock-pot, or slow-cooker (kinda depends on where you live as to what you call it!) can be not only a labor-saving device, but also a way to make sure your family has a good, hot, nutritious meal.

People make fun of meat loaf, but the truth is, most people like a good meat loaf once in a while.  This recipe for spicy crockpot meat loaf is indeed that timesaver as well as that good, hot, nutrious supper.

IF there are any leftovers, they make a delicious sandwich for your lunch the next day.  IF there is any left over.  Don’t count on it. . . .

Ingredients:

1 pounds lean ground beef (mix some sausage in with it if you wish)

2 eggs

1 cup coarsely crushed corn chips

1/3 cup Texas Habanero Salsa, plus another four tablespoons of salsa

1/3 cup shredded cheese (I use taco-flavored cheese, but any kind works.)

2/3 cup chopped onion

What to do:

In a large bowl, mix all of the above ingredients except the onions and additional salsa.  Use your hands; mix it thoroughly.

Shape into a loaf and place it in your crock pot.  I like to take a small colander, turn it upside down, place it in the crockpot and put the meatloaf on top of it so the loaf won’t sit in its own grease while baking.  This tends to make a drier loaf, though, so you should cater to your family’s preferences.

Put the remaining salsa over the meatloaf; sprinkle the onions over it.

Turn your crockpot on “Low” and go to work.  When you get home, 8 or so hours later, the main part of your family’s supper is ready.  Remove the meatloaf from the crockpot and set aside; often, a meatloaf needs a little “settling” time before it’s served.

Throw together a few side dishes and sit down to a lovely cold-weather supper.

Many of us are snowed in, so let’s make CANDY!

Not just any kind of candy, though.  Let’s make some candy with a snap to it!  So get out your hard candy molds and let’s make some truly unique hard candy.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar (Do not use Splenda; for this recipe, you must use real sugar.)

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup pepper jelly, any flavor

Powdered sugar

What to do:

Mix the sugar and corn syrup in a glass bowl.  cover with plastic wrap and microwave about a minute

remove the plastic wrap carefully or the steam will burn you.  Add the pepper jelly and stir.  If you want to use food coloring add it now.

Pour the mixture into hard candy molds and let it cool completely.  I let mine cool in the refrigerator if there’s room in there!  If you’re really in a hurry, let your candy cool in the freezer.

Break the candy out of the molds and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

This is also an excellent recipe to use in your lollipop molds.  With this recipe, you should oil the mold before filling it.

If you have trouble getting the candy out of the molds, stick it in the freezer for a half hour.  Candy should pop right out!

If you don’t own any hard candy molds, you can spread the mixture on an oiled pizza pan and when it’s hard, break it into pieces.  If you end up with a thick coating, use a hammer to break it up.

If you break your candy into pieces like this, you can create treats that look like stained glass windows!  Just make some sugar cookies and put the broken candy pieces on top of each cookie.  Bake as usual.

Mmm, this candy is so spicy and good!

Apple pie is one of America’s favorite treats.  Who would ever think apple pie could be improved upon?

Well, apple pie in my house is a little different from apple pie in most people’s houses, because my family now prefers Texas Pepper Jelly’s Zesty Apple Pie to regular apple pie!  It’s easy to make, too.

Ingredients:

Double pie crust – homemade or store-bought

Approx. ten large apples ( I use Granny Smith, plus two or three of whatever other kind of apple you might have. Apple pie is best when several different kinds of apples are used.)  (You can also used canned pie filling, but it’s not as good.) Peel and core the apples, and slice them thin.

1/2 cup sugar (I use Splenda)

2 oz. jar of Apple Jalapeno (Apple Habanero if you like things hotter) pepper jelly

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter, divided into fourths

1 tablespoon flour

What to do:

Preheat oven to 425, and line pie pan with crust.

In a medium bowl, put all of the above ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Spoon mixture into pie pan, over the crust, and cover with the second crust.  Pinch edges tightly.  Ventilate the crust; I always use a toothpick and poke the shape of a pine tree on all of my pies.

Bake at 425 for 20 minutes; turn oven temperature down to 325 and bake another forty minutes, or until apples are tender when you poke ‘em with a toothpick or fork.

Let the pie cool.  Get out the vanilla ice cream and some dessert plates, and dig in.  Brace yourselves for the ZEST; this is not your grandmother’s apple pie!

Delicious.

This recipe is not quite as simple as most recipes I post here, but oh my goodness, it’s absolutely FANTASTIC!  It’s equally perfect as a family supper or a company dinner, too.

Wait until pork tenderloin goes on sale; where I live, they are often two for the price of one.

Be sure your knife is very sharp, too.  I recommend one of our Messermeister knives. Kitchen knives really need to be sharp and sturdy, and Messermeister knives fill the bill perfectly.

Ingredients:

1 large pork tenderloin, between 1 and 2 pounds

1 box stuffing mix, any kind

2 medium Granny Smith apples, chopped

1 5-oz. jar Texas Apple Jalapeno pepper jelly   1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup heavy cream

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350.  Follow the directions on the box of stuffing and stir in apple, pepperjelly, raisins, and nuts.  Set aside for a few minutes.

Put the tenderloin on a stable work surface, with a cutting board underneath.  With your sharp knife, slice it lengthwise almost all the way through, but be sure to leave enough “connection” so it won’t tear when you fold it.

Open the tenderloin out like a book, and flatten it as much as you can without breaking the connection.

Cover the stuffing mixture on the tenderloin, pressing it into the meat as much as you can.  There will probably be a little stuffing left over; that’s okay.  We’ll use it.

Roll the tenderloin up to enclose the filling.  tie it together with clean cotton twine.

Put the rolled-up tenderloin in a large baking pan, NOT a cookie sheet.  Pan must have sides!

Roast the pork  for about a half hour. A really large tenderloin will need 45 minutes, at least.  Check with an oven thermometer; the meat’s internal temperature should be 15 degrees before it’s removed from the oven.

When the meat is done, remove from oven and set it aside.  In a large heavy skillet, mix together 1/4 cup drippings and the wine; cook for about three minutes.  Add the chicken broth, and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes.  Add the cream and give it another 3 minutes.

Place the tenderloin on a platter and pour the sauce over it.  Slice into disks.

Stand back.  Your hungry family or guests will attack this dish with gusto.  Watch your fingers!

If there is any tenderloin left over – don’t count on it unless you hide a slice away for later – it makes an awesome sandwich.

Texas Pepper Jelly’s Spicy Subs are the PERFECT SUPERBOWL MEAL!  Make ‘em up ahead of time and pile them on a tray!

Truthfully, you can put whatever you want on these scrumptious spicy subs, but this is how my husband likes his:

Ingredients:

extra-big submarine buns (hot dog buns for the little kids)

Texas pepper jelly of your choice – I use several kinds for his pile o’ subs

sliced deli meats, or a variety of lunch meat

sliced cheese, all kinds

lettuce

pickles – whatever kind your family prefers

olives

peppers

onions

etc.

What to do:

There’s a knack to sandwich-building, you know.  Everybody builds a sandwich differently, but the one universal rule is: put the condiment sauces on first.  In this case, spread the pepper jelly on both sides of the buns (inside, of course) before starting to build.  The bun is the foundation, and the pepper jelly is both perfection-maker and the “glue” that helps your sandwich’s innards stay put. 

After that step, start piling.  Then, start eating.

All you need is a few dozen bags of chips to go with Texas Pepper Jelly’s Spicy Subs.  The sandwich itself is a work of art AND a delicious, nutritious, fantastic meal.