Ingredients
1 cup cider vinegar
6 Tbsp Minced onion
2/3 cup yellow mustard
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup Ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
Melt butter. Add onion and saute approximately 3 minutes over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until sauce is reduced to 2 2/3 cups. Season to taste with salt and pepper,  for basting or as a warm dipping sauce.

North Carolina Barbecue Sauce

Originally from Recipe of the Day

Ingredients
6 Cloves Garlic
2 Cups Ketchup
2 Stalks celery
1 Cup ;Water
1/2 Cup Onion; chopped
1/2 Cup Brown sugar; firmly packed
1/2 Cup Butter or margarine
1/2 Cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 Cup Cider vinegar
3 Tablespoons Chili powder
2 Teaspoons Instant coffee granules
2 Teaspoons Dried crushed red pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground cloves

Directions
Bake garlic in a small baking pan at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool and peel. Combine garlic and remaining ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Cool. Pour mixture into container of a blender; process until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides. Recommended with chicken.

Check out these spicy BBQ sauces
Mad Dog Ultra Hot BBQ Sauce
Mad Anthony’s Extra Hot BBQ Sauce
Cowtown Night of the Living Barbeque Sauce

Spicy Southwest BBQ Sauce

Originally from Recipe of the Day

Getting ready for your first outdoor get-together but your patio furniture and deck took a beating this winter? 3 On Your Side’s Jim Donovan says before the guests come over, a quick and easy clean-up is necessary. Have the elements made your backyard deck, furniture and grill lose their luster?

Have the elements made your backyard deck, furniture and grill lose their luster? If so, good housekeeping has some suggestions, starting with the deck.

“The deck really takes a beating in the winter snow, rain, sleet. It’s important to make it look new again,” said Nate Benforado, a tester at Good Housekeeping Institute. First, brush off all the debris. Then toss on the cleaner.

Good Housekeeping tested three brands that work with water.

Oxiclean Miracle Foam ($ 4.99) performed the best. And it also does a great job on concrete as well.

Now, how about your outdoor furniture? Good Housekeeping tested three specialty cleaners and found that CLR Outdoor Furniture Cleaner ($3.99) cleaned up the best.

Nate Benforado, Good Housekeeping Institute: "Just with a couple of passes, it’s already gone."

For the metal and glass items, Good Housekeeping recommends a liquid car wax (Super Hardshell Liquid Wax, Turtle Wax, $3 – $4).

Nate Benforado, Good Housekeeping Institute: "Automotive wax is great on cars, helps protect the finish. But it also works on any smooth non-porous surface. So for metal or resin, or even glass in your backyard, it will leave a nice waxy coating to protect from the elements, and actually give it a nice shine-a nice sheen."

Finally, don’t forget the grill. You’ll probably find a little mess left over from last season, and Good Housekeeping likes how Dawn Power Dissolver ($2.49) did the job of cleaning up.

To prevent build-up, spray the grates with some non-stick spray before you fire it up.

If you have extra-tough grease stains on your wood deck, spray the mess with oven cleaner. Then wait a few minutes and rinse.

For grease stains on concrete, soak up any liquid immediately, because the longer you wait, the deeper the stain will set.

Stylin’ at the barbecue means more than a great apron and a set of tongs. With people building full outdoor kitchens to take advantage of outdoor living, why wouldn’t they come up wtih a beverage station to boot?

Vintage appliances has a full line of stainless steel appliances and accessories to take the grilling and chilling experience to its highest level. Take this bartending center — how cool! It can be purchased and configured in a number of ways, including as a rolling beverage station or built-in with a beer tap, sink, and refrigerator.

They offer quick-pour shelves, bins for lemons and limes, storage for glasses, icemakers, whatever you need to be the best drink tender on the …

Beverage with your Barbecue

Originally from On The Level by Deb

Most working individuals with families target a home as their primary investment. Since the home is generally considered symbolic of one’s social status, many exert much effort to make their homes a beautiful and comfortable one without sacrificing functionality and the budget. This attitude also helps boost the property’s value and makes the dwelling a personal statement of the homeowner. This motivation drives a multi-billion dollar market for home refurbishments, fixtures and related maintenance and services.

One particular segment that thrives on home building and renovation is the market for patio canopies, covers and accessories. The exposure that patios have to rain, snow, sun and the elements has made canopy manufacturers come up with varying models made of different materials to address this concern. For added comfort, canopy makers typically offer waterproof systems with roof tensioning and related support to prevent water accumulation. Made-to-order patio canopies can take 3-4 weeks before delivery.

One solution to protect patios from nature is the use of aluminum patio cover kits and retractable awnings. Such outdoor patio covers are generally for long-term use, maintenance-free and comply with standard municipal load ratings and provisions of the International Building Code. The retractable quality allows one to adjust awnings depending on the weather condition. Aluminum canopies also come in do-it-yourself models that can be used to augment a current deck, as carports or, for wealthier homeowners living near the water who have boats – protection for their vessels. Extended patio canopies allow homeowners practically continuous appreciation of the outdoors.

Patio canopies also have use for residences with a swimming pool, the backyard deck or other large and exposed areas. These flexible and pre-engineered structures can be attached to an existing home, over the target area to be covered or set up as a stand-alone unit. Canopies can also be made of steel while maintaining their retractability and flexibility. For added comfort, privacy or security, some manufacturers even offer screen attachments to close off a desired area. For wide-open patios, canopies effectively make them an extension of the house or a new room – giving the homeowner wider space and more comfort.

Homeowners have a wide range of options to better protect their patios and homes in general, ensuring also that visiting family and friends can be entertained outside regardless of weather conditions. Canopies also allow the owner to read a book, have tea or simply relax outside on the patio without any worry. Some canopy makers offers terms for individuals seeking a custom-made look with wind-release protection, awning flexibility and other desired features.

The US Census Bureau has noted that backyard patios have become an increasing fixture of new single-family homes: 45% of such dwellings have them, rising from 37% in 1992. This increase has fuelled a related jump in outdoor furniture sales: Figures from the American Home Furnishings Alliance reported a 129% increase in purchases of canopies, tables and other outdoor items from $1bn more than 10 years ago to $2.3bn in 2003.

That surge in demand has made retailers increase their focus on outdoor collections, with Hold Everything and West Elm launching their initial outdoor line in 2005. Separately, Restoration Hardware covered outdoor entertaining on 52 pages of its summer catalog, more than double the 25 pages it devoted to the category in 2004.

Some canopy covers are made from heavy-duty vinyl and are available in various sizes, allowing for easy maintenance and storage. Several makers offer vinyl patio units with limited 15-year warranties. As an alternative, companies also offer lattice patio cover kits created primarily for garden settings.

The market already offers patio canopies made from Alumawood, or aluminum material that feels and looks like wood. The product does not pose any of the problems identified with wood, including peeling, warping, repainting and termite attacks.

Patio canopies also extend beyond the residential market. Eide Industries, Inc. offers both permanent and temporary or portable models, with frames made from aluminum tubing or galvanized steel and fabric covers made from an extensive line of canvas products, for businesses and other non-residential users.

These exterior and interior products appeal to restaurants, resorts, hotels, retail shops, convention centers, theme parks, and exhibits and trade shows. For businesses fronted by a sidewalk, setting up a canopy along the path would help shade passers-by and also possibly draw potential customers to the shop. Combined with appropriate lighting at night, patio canopies add to the overall look of a business even during off-hours.
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For more great patio cover info and advice check out: http://www.coverseeker.com