Secret Sauce

That Was So Much Fun! I felt like I was watching a reincarnation of the Super Bowl Bears! I enjoyed everything from Mitch Trubisky thanking his team after each touchdown to the great defense. There was a definite rhythm from the beginning. Mine was not a quiet household on Sunday.

Next week the Bears are off, but the week after that we will be honoring Tarik Cohen. He was a total work horse against Tampa running for 184 yards.

I decided at the last minute to make a Peach-Bourbon BBQ Sauce to enhance the pulled pork. Could the Secret Sauce have made the difference? Let's all keep a jar in the fridge just in case. You'll be surprised at how easy it is to make.

Peach-Bourbon BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

1 TB butter

1/2 cup diced sweet onions (1/2 a large onion)

1 tsp minced garlic (1 clove)

1 1/2 cups roughly chopped, peeled peaches

3/4 cup ketchup

1/2 cup bourbon

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

2 TB honey

2 TB molasses

2 TB Dijon mustard

2 TB Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp hot sauce - or more to taste

Directions:

1.  Melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, add garlic and cook until fragrant.

2.  Add all remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until peaches have softened and sauce is slightly thick (about 20 minutes) stirring occasionally.

3.  Puree sauce in a blender and process until smooth. Season with salt and extra hot sauce to taste.

4.  Cool to room temperature, transfer to a jar and store in refrigerator up to 1 month.

Congratulations on Your First TD of The Season!

Congratulations Jordan Howard on your first Touchdown of the season and helping the Bears earn First Place in the division!

Jordan Howard is Alabama through and through. He was born in a suburb outside of Birmingham and played high school ball for the Gardendale Rockets. College ball was with U of Alabama Birmingham in 2013 and 2014.  Even though he was regarded only a 2-star prospect, he began setting school records.

In 2015, UAB shut down its football program and Howard moved to Indiana taking on the likes of Michigan with a season high of 238 yards and 2 touchdowns in his junior year. He opted out of his senior year and entered the NFL.

In 2007, his father "Doc" Howard, a dentist, died of pulmonary fibrosis at 52. Since then, Howard has worn a white t-shirt with a picture of his father under his pads on game day.

Tomorrow this blogger honors Jordan Howard with some Alabama Pulled Pork. It's in the crock pot now.

Alabama Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

Pork Butt Roast

Dry Rub:
     Brown Sugar
     Ancho Chili Pepper
     Chili Pepper
     Cumin
     Pepper
     Garlic Salt
     Smoked Paprika
     Dry Mustard

Liquid:
     Beef Stock
     Apple Cider Vinegar
     Apple Cider

NOTE: You can also smoke this for 6-10 hours. Both are delicious.

Directions:

1.   Rub the roast all over with the dry rub
2.   Spray cooking oil in the crock pot
3.   Place roast in the crock pot with Beef Stock up to half the height of the roast
4.   Add 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar and 1 cup Apple Cider
5.   Set on low over night
6.   Once done, pull the meat in large chunks and pour one cup of sauce per 4 LBs of  
      meat. You can let it sit or serve immediately.

Let's go Jordan and Bears! Let's beat Tampa Bay and maintain our lead.

My emotional roller coaster has finally come to a complete stop. It is now safe to exit the football game.

The Bears put on several shows on Sunday against the Steelers. Some were inspired while others were simply stupid. Marcus Cooper's run took the fans from cheers to jeers. We've yet to hear an explanation for "What was he thinking?" Given Fox' description of the Tampa Bay fiasco as "A bad day at the office," we aren't likely to get much emotion from the coaching staff regarding this latest embarrassment.

On the flip side, Jordan Howard's running game was a delight!

Sunday's menu was Football-ified Pierogis. Simply spoon Buffalo Wing Sauce - a combination of butter and Frank's Red Hot Wing Sauce - over some pierogis and begin the tailgate. Enjoy!