Bobby Flay’s Barbecue Addiction | Clarkson Potter, 2013

To many Americans, barbecue sauce is red, sweet, and smoky—end of story. But there’s a whole barbecue culture out there that knows that is just the tip of the barbecue iceberg. Sauces vary by region, and this one is from the eastern reaches of North Carolina. It’s a vinegar-based sauce, nicely acidic and seasoned with red flecks of ancho and cayenne chile powders. Those...

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Michael Chiarello’s Live Fire | Chronicle Books, 2013

Yes, homemade potato chips are great, but if you don’t feel like deep-frying, instead try spicing up a few bags of store-bought chips. The quality of the spice is the most important thing, so make sure your paprika is fresh and intensely fragrant. (I like to use the very smoky Spanish paprika called Pimentón de la Vera.)–Michael Chiarello

LC Cheaters' Chips Note

Why fancy up...

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Slow Cooker Revolution | Boston Common Press, 2011

We wanted to create a slow cooker version of barbecued pork ribs with the same fall-off-the-bone texture as their authentic grill-roasted counterparts. To develop an authentic crispy, lightly charred exterior, we broiled the slow-cooked ribs, brushing them with barbecue sauce every few minutes, until sticky and caramelized. We chose baby back ribs for this recipe, which weigh about 1 1/2...

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Slow Fire | Chronicle Books, 2012

The flat cut of brisket makes for those long, beautiful slices that look so good on the plate. This cut has a lot less fat on it than a whole brisket, though, so it needs a little added moisture during the cooking process. Coffee adds a subtle flavor while helping keep things juicy as the brisket cooks itself to tenderness.

A flat-cut brisket such as this is a simpler piece of meat to cook than a big whole...

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Slushed! | Adams Media, 2012

Watch out: This is a strong one. Long Island iced tea is a super-charged combination of five liquors topped with a splash of cola. Try to limit your guests to two each. They’re potent—and really easy to drink, especially on a hot summer day.–Jessie Cross

LC Bad, Bad Blender Drink Note

Umbrella-bedecked blender drinks don’t get much boozier than this riff on the traditional Long Island iced tea,...

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“The honeymoon is over,” said Dan, our contractor, as he walked through the front door at 7:30 a.m. on the first day of our kitchen renovation. I figured it was a statement about—how can I say this delicately?—ripping the bodice off my modest budget and having his way with not just my house but my bank account, too, after which he would lay there satiated, smoking a cigarette and talking crown molding. After all, he is a contractor, and...

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Simply Sensational Cookies | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012

If there were any doubt that the lines between cookies and crackers are blurring, this recipe should dispel it. These are as thin and crunchy-crisp as the most munchable crackers, yet they most definitely taste like chocolate chip cookies.–Nancy Baggett

LC Definitely—And Defiantly—Not Your Mom’s Chocolate Chip Cookies Note

These are definitely—and defiantly—NOT the...

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