Cyber Monday Coupon is Good on Cyber Tuesday!

Just a quick reminder that you can still use our Cyber Monday coupon, CyberBlog2010, to get 10% off the product total when you shop online at the Carolina Sauce Company today, November 30th (also known as Cyber Tuesday). There's no minimum purchase required, and the coupon is good on all products including already-discounted sale items. Simply enter the coupon code CyberBlog2010 in the Coupon field found on the Billing Info screen when you order online. If you prefer to place your order by phone, simply mention the coupon code when we're taking your phone order. But don't delay, as this special Cyber Monday (and Cyber Tuesday) coupon will expire at midnight tonight!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Cyber Monday Sale & Coupon for Carolina Sauce!

The Carolina Sauce Company is having a HUGE Cyber Monday Sale, and you can save even more when you use our special Cyber Monday Coupon code, which is good through Cyber Tuesday too (that's Tuesday Nov. 30th).

Simply enter the coupon code CyberBlog2010 to get 10% off the product total of your order when you shop online at the Carolina Sauce Company, or mention the coupon code if you place your order by phone. There's no minimum order size, and the coupon is good on already-discounted sale items and gift sets as well!

Looking to save even more money on delicious BBQ sauce, mouthwatering steak sauce, zesty salsa & relishes, flavorful rubs & seasonings, fiery hot sauce and other delectable condiments? Take advantage of our special Cyber Monday Sale prices! Just look for the red sale prices at the Carolina Sauce Company online store, or search the Carolina Sauce Company store for the words "on sale" to bring up a list of all the products currently on sale.

Don't delay, as the CyberBlog2010 coupon will expire on Tuesday Nov. 30, 2010, and the special Cyber Monday sale prices are good only while supplies last!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Zesty Tomato-Peanut Soup

Tired of turkey leftovers? Try this easy, flavorful and healthier version of peanut soup that's made with a tomato-chicken broth base rather than the more common (and fat-laden) cream base. Feel free to adjust the ingredient amounts and seasonings to your taste. And for a vegetarian version, simply substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

Ingredients
1 small onion
1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced
Oil for sauteing (peanut, olive, canola or vegetable oil all work)
2/3 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
4 Tbs tomato paste
3 1/2 to 4 cups chicken broth
1 or more dashes of a simple hot sauce (I use Durn Good Hot Sauce or Mile High Hot Sauce)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish

In a large saucepan, saute the onion and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in the peanut butter, tomato paste and chicken broth, and simmer until hot, stirring occasionally. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste. Serve with a garnish of chopped parsley or cilantro.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Black Friday Sale at Carolina Sauce Company!

Save money on delicious sauces, seasonings, condiments and snacks during our Black Friday sale at the Carolina Sauce Company online store! Simply look for the red sale prices, or search for the words "on sale" when you search the Carolina Sauce site. Even our hand-made Chile Pepper Soaps from New Mexico are on sale! For your convenience, below are links and descriptions for some of the zesty items currently on sale -- and yes, you can use our current Newsletter coupon to save even more money on sale items!

Bubba's Special Sauce from Eclectic, Alabama, is a spoonably thick and rich tomato & pepper sauce that doubles as a salsa. Excellent at the table and in all your favorite Tex-Mex and Southwestern recipes. Regularly $5.25 a jar, on sale for only $4.99!

Texas Rib Rangers BBQ Seasonings in Mild and Spicy: Authentic Texas dry rubs that add robust flavors to beef and poultry. Ideal for brisket. Regularly $5.30 a bottle, on sale for only $4.75!

Bad Byron's Jubilee Seafood Seasoning adds authentic Gulf South flavor to grilled fish and seafood. Regularly $5.75 a bottle, on sale for only $5.50!

Bailey Farms Chocolate Habanero Hot Sauce is an award-winning fiery hot sauce from North Carolina that's made with the brown-colored chocolate habanero pepper (hence the name). Regularly $5.25 a bottle, on sale for only $4.99!

Blue's Chipotle Mustard Pepper Sauce is a full-bodied, full-flavored hot sauce with a rich, smoky-tangy flavor and food-friendly medium heat. Regularly $6.99 a bottle, on sale for only $6.75!

Burning Asphalt Hot Sauces are racing-themed hot sauces from upstate New York, in Jalapeno, Habanero, Garlic Habanero and Sweet & Hot Garlic. Regularly $4.95 a bottle, on sale for only $4.50!

Burning Asphalt Steak Sauces, racing-themed steak sauces from upstate NY that are brimming with big, bold flavor. The Homestyle steak sauce delivers gourmet flavor with a mildly spicy finish and is on sale for only $4.50 a bottle (regularly $4.99). The zesty Sweet Pepper Steak & Dipping Sauce is excellent for the table as well as for glazing, dipping and marinating, and is on sale for only $4.75 a bottle (regularly $4.99).

D'Vine Foods Muscadine BBQ Sauce is a North Carolina original, a savory & tangy tomato-vinegar-mustard BBQ Sauce enhanced with sweet muscadine grapes. Regularly $5.50 a bottle, on sale for only $4.99!

The Distillery BBQ Sauce from the award-winning The Distillery Bar & Restaurants in upstate NY is incredibly thick and rich with mouthwatering flavor that's bold, sweet, smoky & tangy. Excellent on ribs & chicken. Regularly $5.99 a bottle, on sale for only $5.75!

Durn Good Seasonings are flavor-packed dry rubs & spice blends from NC and come in Original (savory BBQ), Cajun Spice, Island Spice, and Southwest Flavor. Regularly $4.75 a bottle, on sale for only $4.50 each!

Bear-Man Growlin' Grizzly BBQ & Dipping Sauce from upstate NY is an award-winning thick & tangy sauce with mouth-pleasing texture and a big, bold flavor that's great with meat, poultry, venison and other hearty fare. Comes with free recipes, too! Regularly $5.99 a bottle, on sale for only $5.75!

Mama T's Ranch Style Seasoning from Kitty Hawk, NC, lets you add tangy ranch dressing flavor to everything from baked potatoes to steamed veggies to seafood & more. Regularly $5.99 a bottle, on sale for only $5.75!

Mama T's Seafood Seasoned Salt from Kitty Hawk, NC, was developed especially for fish and seafood. Adds delicious savory flavor to seafood breading as well as grilled, steamed or broiled fish & seafood. Regularly $5.99 a bottle, on sale for only $5.75!

Melinda's Habanero Steak Sauce blends fiery Caribbean flavor into traditional steak sauce for an amazing taste sensation. Regularly $3.99 a bottle, on sale for only $3.75!

Mixed Hot Pepper Rings are hand-made in the NC mountains. These spicy pickled pepper rings make a delicious condiment for sandwiches, grilled foods, omelets, and even pizza and nachos. Regularly $5.99 a jar, on sale for only $4.99!

Outta the Park BBQ Sauce is an award-winning, all-natural gourmet BBQ sauce with a rich, flavor-packed tomato base and a pleasantly peppery kick that won't burn more sensitive palates. Regularly $6.50 a bottle, on sale for only $5.99!

Mrs. Picky Fanicky's Peach Cocktail MmmMarmalade is hand-made in rural NC using tree-ripened peaches for sublimely sweet and succulent flavor. Regularly $5.99 a jar, on sale for only $5.75!

Thomas Gourmet Foods Apple Chutney is made in NC using all-natural ingredients and makes a luscious condiment for pork, turkey, chicken and more. Serve with cream cheese or brie and crackers for a tasty appetizer. Regularly $5.99 a jar, on sale for only $5.75!

Thomas Gourmet Foods Cranberry Chutney from NC is a delicious alternative to ordinary cranberry sauce or relish for turkey, duck, chicken, pork chops, roasts and more. Perfect for holiday cooking! Regularly $5.99 a jar, on sale for only $5.75!

Thomas Gourmet Foods Pineapple Chutney from NC adds exotically delicious flavor to holiday ham, pork chops, broiled fish, roast chicken and more. Serve with cream cheese or brie and crackers for a tasty appetizer. Regularly $5.99 a jar, on sale for only $5.75!

Tortuga Hot Caribbean Pepper Sauce is an authentic mustard-based scotch bonnet pepper hot sauce from the West Indies. Regularly $3.99 a bottle, on sale for only $3.75!

Conquering Lion Hickory-Smoked XXX Hot Sauce is hand-made in rural West Virginia from all-natural and organic ingredients and delivers robust smoky flavor with super-hot habanero & cayenne pepper heat. This hard to find hot sauce is regularly $7.99 a bottle, on sale for only $7.50!

Just My Taste Jalapeno Dip, Sauce & Marinade is made in NC using garden-fresh jalapenos and other all-natural ingredients for pure jalapeno flavor and fire. Use at the table and in cooking -- makes an excellent alternative to tomato salsa. Comes with free recipes, too! Regularly $5.99 a jar, on sale for only $5.50!

Little Boy's BBQ Sauces come from Wilson, NC, and are made from old family recipes that capture the essence of North Carolina barbecue. The tangy vinegar-based Chicken Splash makes a flavorful marinade and also works well with pulled pork BBQ. The aptly-named Thick & Tasty BBQ Sauce is sweet & tangy with just a touch of pepper, and is great on ribs and chicken. Regularly $5.99 a bottle, on sale for only $5.75!

Lip-Lickin' BBQ Sauces are Piedmont (western) NC barbecue sauces from Greensboro NC featuring deliciously tangy vinegar-tomato flavor and all-natural ingredients. Comes in Bold & Spicy and Sweet & Smoky. Regularly $4.99 a bottle, on sale for only $4.50!

Pig Pen's Hot & Spicy Seasoning is a seriously fiery-hot BBQ dry rub from NC for pork butt, ribs, roasts, chicken and more. Regularly $5.50 a bottle, on sale for only $4.99!

Tortuga Mango-Ginger Stir-Fry Sauce adds exotic tropical flavor to all sorts of food including stir-fry, seafood, poultry, rice dishes, Chinese takeout and more. Regularly $3.99 a bottle, on sale for only $3.75!

Tortuga Spicy Seafood Grill Sauce delivers authentic island flavor and fire to grilled or broiled fish and seafood. Regularly $3.99 a bottle, on sale for only $3.75!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Carolina Sauce Thanksgiving Schedule

The Carolina Sauce Company will close at 12 noon EST on Wednesday, November 24th for the Thanksgiving holiday, and will remain closed through Sunday, November 28th. You can still place orders online while we are closed, and orders received while we are closed will begin shipping on a "first-come, first-served" basis when we re-open on Monday, November 29th. Although no one will be available to reply while we are closed, please feel free to leave us voicemail (919-286-1080) or to email us (sales"AT"carolinasauce"DOT"com) while we are closed, and we will reply as soon as we can once we re-open on Monday. Best wishes to all for a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: Don't forget to take advantage of our current Coupon Sale, good through Sunday Nov. 29th!

Zesty Cranberry-Ginger Sauce

Why settle for boring canned cranberry sauce this Thanksgiving, when you can easily transform it into this deliciously zesty ginger-spiced version?

Ingredients
1 can (16 oz) whole cranberry sauce
1 tsp grated orange peel
1 Tbs finely chopped crystallized ginger (as finely minced as possible)
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground allspice

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan, stir to combine, then heat on the stove, stirring occasionally, until hot. Spoon over sliced turkey.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: Another excellent alternative to plain cranberry sauce is Thomas Gourmet Cranberry Chutney, an all-natural sweet & savory blend of cranberries, apples, raisins, ginger and spices -- and on sale at the Carolina Sauce Company online store!

Spiced Apple-Rum Pudding

This is my spicy twist on a traditional old recipe that was a popular dessert in pre-revolutionary Cuba. For authentic old-fashioned flavor (or for more delicate palates), simply omit the hot pepper.

Ingredients
6 large baking apples like Rome or Macintosh, peeled and finely chopped
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbs butter, softened
1 cup finely-ground graham cracker crumbs*
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pinch to 1/8 tsp ground red pepper (Optional)
1/2 cup dark or spiced rum (you can use regular white rum)

*Note: You can substitute unseasoned bread crumbs and increase the sugar to 3/4 cup

Grease a pudding mold and preheat oven to 350F degrees. In a large bowl combine the apples, egg yolks, sugar, butter, graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, pepper and rum. Mix well - the mixture will be very thick. In a small bowl beat the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the apple mixture and combine thoroughly. Pour the mixture into the greased pudding mold. Place the mold in a shallow pan of water (this will allow the pudding to steam while it bakes) and bake at 350F for about half an hour to 45 minutes or until pudding is set.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: If you enjoy adding the flavor of apples to Fall and Winter dishes, check out the decadently rich Mrs. Picky Fanicky's Apple Pie MmmMarmalade for desserts and breakfast dishes like hot cereal or pancakes. Thomas Gourmet Apple Chutney and Mrs. Picky Fanicky's NC Chutney combine zesty spices with apples for a wonderfully sweet-savory counterpoint to turkey, pork, roast chicken and more. And for hot sauce fans we have Maui Pepper Co. Apples Ass Hot Sauce, a sweet & spicy hot sauce with fiery habaneros and a splash of rum.

Carolina Sauce Newsletter: Turkey Tips & Earlybird Holiday Sale!

Earlybird Christmas & Holiday Coupon Sale

It's time for our annual Earlybird Holiday Coupon Sale, ten days only! Add zesty flavor to your holiday cooking and give the gift of good taste this Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, all while saving money when you shop at the Carolina Sauce Company online store now through November 28th. Get 10% off ALL products, including sale items and already-discounted gift sets, when you order at least $45 in products and use the coupon code Blog1110 when you order online (or mention the coupon when ordering by phone). Check out our recently updated and improved sauce & seasoning gift sets, including our NC BBQ gift sets in Mild and Hot, our fiery Hot & Spicy NC Gift Set, our flavorful Hot Wings Gift Set, and our new gourmet Taste of NC gift set. Other popular holiday gifts include the Hunter's Gift Set featuring sauces & seasonings to complement venison and other game, the sublimely delicious Sweet Gourmet Gift Set with old-fashioned marmalade & maple butter & more, our special Kosher Sauces Gift Set from Israel, and the bountiful Tailgating Party Gift Set now at a lower price!

Just remember to order at least $45 in products and enter the Blog1110 coupon in the Coupon field on the Billing page of the online order form. And don't delay: The Blog1110 coupon expires on November 28, 2010!

Greg's Tips for The Best Smoked Turkey Ever

If you want to smoke a turkey for Thanksgiving, here are some surefire tips for the most succulent and deliciously flavorful turkey you've ever had:

*The secret to juiciness is to brine the bird for at least two days. Here are some brine recipes and instructions. If starting with a frozen turkey, you'll need to add a couple of additional brining days. Make sure your brining container is large enough to completely submerge the turkey, and replace any thawing ice packs with new frozen ones to keep the brine cold enough.

*For crispy skin, use paper towels to pat dry the turkey after brining, and before placing the turkey in your smoker rub the skin with olive oil and a poultry rub such as Bone Suckin' Poultry Seasoning or Big Daddy's Superb Herb Seasoning.

*Select a complementary wood for smoking. Pear, apple, cherry or oak are ideal. Hickory and mesquite are too strong for turkey. If you can get wine-barrel wood from a winery, it's excellent!

*Keep the smoker at around 300F degrees, and smoke the turkey until the internal temperature hits 180F. This can take around 5 hours for a 20-lb. bird, but your time will vary depending on the weather, size of bird, etc. DON'T stuff the turkey before smoking - that's a recipe for food poisoning! Cook the stuffing separately for safety.

*Don't be surprised by a puff of of steam when you first cut into the breast of the smoked turkey - that's a sign the bird is moist and juicy. Enjoy your smoked turkey with your favorite sides, such as cranberry chutney or Southern chow-chow relish.

Latest New Products at Carolina Sauce

Our final new products for 2010 are here, and make great unique gifts for fiery-foods fans or foodies:

*Dave's Insanity Private Reserve, 2010 Edition: Dave's hottest Private Reserve sauce to date, featuring the world's hottest pepper (Naga Jolokia) and packed in Dave's trademark wooden coffin with yellow "Caution" tape

*The Distillery Garlic Cajun Wing Sauce: More than just a chicken wing sauce, this rich & zesty, moderately spicy sauce is sure to please garlic-lovers and is great with grilled, broiled or baked chicken, fish, seafood, and rice

Operation Sauce Drop Needs Your Help

Operation Sauce Drop is our non-profit program that sends free gift boxes of sauce to US military personnel stationed abroad. To date, we've shipped over 1,000 free gift boxes to our deployed military, at absolutely NO cost to them. The troops greatly appreciate the free sauces, as you can see from their thank-you notes & photos. Our cost to purchase and ship each free gift box generally runs from $20 to $25, and 100% of all donations received are used SOLELY to pay for the cost of the sauces & shipping. Carolina Sauce pays for all the overhead of the program and also for a portion of the costs of each gift box. Unfortunately, Operation Sauce Drop ran out of money earlier this month, and we currently have a waiting list of 5 troops who have requested gift boxes. We cannot fulfill these requests without your help. Want to send a soldier a taste of home this Holiday season and bring a smile to his or her face? Then please donate to Operation Sauce Drop. You can also shop to support Operation Sauce Drop, where some or all of the purchase price of the products goes straight into Operation Sauce Drop (you get the products you order, and the money you pay is used to send free sauce to the troops). Our troops will thank you for your support!

Find Recipes, Special Coupons, Product Reviews, Zesty News & More

We recently launched the Carolina Sauce Facebook Page to stay in touch with our Fans and provide exclusive benefits including Facebook-only coupons. For access to these special coupons and the latest zesty news, simply visit our Facebook page and click on the "Like" button to become a Fan. You can then click on the Coupons tab and access special offers.

Follow SaucyGlo on Twitter for additional exclusive coupons, the latest food news, & for sharing zesty tips!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Bad News for Fans of Buderim Ginger Bears

Buderim Ginger Bears are Australian gummy bears made with real ginger, and are consistently the best-selling snack at the Carolina Sauce Company. Earlier this month, we sold out of this zippy and addictive ginger candy. When I tried to order more from the importer, however, I was told that the manufacturer in Australia wouldn't have a new batch available until 2011. So unfortunately if you didn't stock up while we still had some Ginger Bears in stock, you're out of luck until after the first of the year. We're sorry for this inconvenience, and rest assured that we intend to re-stock as soon as Buderim has more Ginger Bears to send us.

If you'd like to be notified when Buderim Ginger Bears are available again, just send an email to "salesATcarolinasauceDOTcom" (replace the AT with @ and the DOT with . of course) and ask to be placed on our Ginger Bears waiting list. Thank you for your patience and understanding!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Spicy Baked Rice

This spicy, cheesy baked rice casserole from the creator of Just My Taste Jalapeno Sauce & Dip makes a hearty and warming side dish or main course on a chilly autumn evening. Serves 6.

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 14oz can chicken broth (I use organic low-sodium, or homemade broth)
1 cup sour cream (for a lower-fat option, I use fat-free Greek yogurt)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
1 cup Just My Taste Jalapeno Dip & Sauce
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (if you don't like cilantro, substitute parsley)
salt & pepper to taste

In a large pot, bring the rice and chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Lightly grease a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.

In the pot with the cooked rice, mix the sour cream, Just My Taste, 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, corn & cilantro. Season with salt & pepper and stir well to combine. Transfer the rice mixture into the greased casserole dish and top with the remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350F, until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Final Day to Get FREE Zing Sauce!

Today's your last chance to receive a FREE 5oz bottle of Capsicana Zing Gourmet Sauce when you order $25 or more in products from the Carolina Sauce Company. To get your special coupon code for a free bottle of Zing, simply visit the recently-launched Carolina Sauce Company Facebook page and click on the "Coupons" tab. You can only see the coupon if you're a Fan of Carolina Sauce on Facebook. If you're not already a Fan, simply click on the "Like" button on our Facebook page to become a fan, and then click on the "Coupons" tab and you'll be able to see the special coupon code.

If you already used the coupon with an earlier order but would like to receive another free bottle of Capsicana Zing, you can re-use the same coupon! Simply place another order today of $25 or more in products at the Carolina Sauce online store and enter the same coupon code as before.

Very Important: In order for the coupon code to work, you need to include the 5 oz bottle of Zing Sauce as one of the items in your order -- just like in a regular grocery store, you actually need to "put" the product in your shopping cart for the "cashier" to apply your coupon at checkout.

This special Facebook coupon expires at Midnight TODAY Monday, November 15th, so don't delay!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: Keep checking our Facebook page for upcoming exclusive coupons available only on Facebook, plus recipes, photos, breaking news, and more. And please feel free to leave us your comments, as we love hearing from our fans!

"New & Improved" Carolina Sauce Gift Sets!

Just in time for the holidays, we've updated a bunch of our zesty sauce gift sets at the Carolina Sauce Company online store to include new and different products -- and we've even reduced some of our already-low gift set prices, too! Among our new gift sets is the Taste of NC Gift Set (pictured on left) featuring a selection of gourmet North Carolina products including an award-winning traditional BBQ sauce for pulled pork or grilled chicken, gourmet crab cake sauce for your favorite seafood, a classic steak & burger sauce from Greensboro NC, old-fashioned pepper jelly hand-made in the Smoky Mountains, a versatile olive oil vinaigrette from the Outer Banks, and more -- all for only $40!

If hot & spicy food is more your style, check out our updated Hot Grilling Party Gift Set (pictured on right) with spicy barbecue sauces, ketchup, mustard, pickles and other cookout condiments and seasonings. We've also updated our NC Hot & Spicy Gift Set to include the award-winning Chocolate Habanero Hot Sauce from Bailey Farms (made with the brown chocolate habanero pepper, not with chocolate) and other North Carolina made hot & spicy products. And for more delicate palates, our Mild Hot Sauces Gift Set now includes a bottle of Nando's Extra Mild Lemon Peri Peri Sauce from South Africa, as well as other gently spicy and full-flavored sauces.

These and all of our other themed gift sets are specially priced at a discount, so you pay less than you would if you bought the gift set products separately. We also have handsomely packaged salsa, chutney, marmalade, mustard and other gourmet gift boxes, too. So whether you're shopping for a Christmas gift, a Hanukkah gift, or for your holiday cooking and entertaining, you're sure to find the perfect set of flavorful sauces and seasonings at the Carolina Sauce Company to fit your budget and please your palate.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Support Our Troops & Get a Discount!

Today is Veterans Day. If you know a veteran, please take a moment to thank them for their service and sacrifice. If you can take the time or spare a little money to support a worthy cause that helps our veterans, please do so. And if you would like to show your support to our future veterans (active duty military), please consider making a donation to Operation Sauce Drop, our nonprofit program that sends free gift boxes of hot sauce and BBQ sauce to US troops serving overseas. The troops really appreciate receiving a little taste of home, as you can see from their many thank-you notes and photos sent to Operation Sauce Drop donors. Unfortunately, Operation Sauce Drop is currently out of funds and has a waiting list of troops who have requested free gift boxes of sauce. We cannot fulfill these requests until Operation Sauce Drop receives more donations.

Want to help us send a little taste of home to our deployed troops? Please make a donation of $25 or more to Operation Sauce Drop today (Nov 11) or tomorrow (Nov 12), and we will email you a coupon for 10% off the product total of your next order from the Carolina Sauce Company, no minimum order size required, and good through December 31st. It's a win-win this Veteran's Day: Our brave troops get a free gift, and you get a coupon to save you money on your holiday shopping! Thanks in advance for your support.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Spicy Peanut Sauce

November is National Peanut Butter Month, so I thought I'd share this easy Thai-inspired recipe. You determine how spicy to make the sauce by controlling the amount of crushed red pepper flakes. I love sauces with texture so I prefer to use crunchy peanut butter, but if you want a smoother, silkier sauce then use a dash or two of cayenne pepper powder instead of crushed red pepper and creamy peanut butter instead of crunchy. And I certainly recommend using natural peanut butter for best flavor - just make sure to stir it well if the oil has separated, as sometimes happens with natural peanut butter. Serve this spicy peanut sauce over cooked chicken, shrimp, vegetables, tofu, rice or noodles. You can also use it as a dipping sauce for raw veggies, steamed or fried shrimp, chicken fingers, or fried tempeh. Finally, this recipe easily doubles.

Ingredients
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup chicken stock or broth (use vegetable stock or broth for a vegetarian version)
2 Tbs soy sauce
1/2 tsp (or to taste) crushed red pepper flakes (or use a dash/to taste cayenne pepper)
1 tsp minced garlic

Heat the stock or broth and garlic in a small saucepan until hot but not boiling. Stir in the remaining ingredients and thoroughly combine. Remove from heat and serve, or allow to cool and store in a tightly covered jar in your refrigerator (stir well before serving if you refrigerate it).

Zestfully yours,
Gloria
Carolina Sauce Company

Super-Easy Garlic Cajun Chicken

One of my favorite jobs here at Carolina Sauce is tasting new products and working with them in my kitchen, coming up with new ways to enjoy different sauces, seasonings and condiments. Greg sometimes gets in on the fun, as was the case yesterday when he made grilled chicken using one of our newest products, The Distillery Garlic Cajun Wing Sauce. Yes, this sauce is really a Buffalo style wing sauce, but from the moment I first tasted it I could tell that it would work really well as a marinade and basting sauce, too. So at my suggestion, Greg put some fresh chicken drumsticks I had picked up at Whole Foods into a gallon-size resealable plastic bag and poured in enough Garlic Cajun Wing Sauce to thoroughly coat the chicken. He sealed the bag, shook it to evenly distribute the sauce, and put it in the refrigerator for a few hours to marinate. Then in the evening he fired up the grill, cooked the chicken over indirect heat, and we enjoyed some of the juiciest, tastiest, garlicky chicken we've ever had. The reason this wing sauce works so well as a marinade and grilling sauce is because the margarine helps to keep the chicken moist while the vinegar adds a nice tang and helps the garlic, pepper and other spices penetrate the chicken for rich flavor in every bite. The little bits of garlic provide a nice texture, and the grilling process keeps the spiciness at a pleasantly mild to barely medium level so your mouth won't burn.

Although Greg used chicken drumsticks and the grill to make this Garlic Cajun Chicken, I'm sure it would work well with chicken thighs, breasts, and of course wings. Likewise, you can probably use your oven or broiler to cook the chicken, instead of the grill. The key is to allow the chicken to marinate in the Garlic Cajun sauce for at least a couple of hours so that the flavors can penetrate the flesh and get sealed in. Although I didn't have time to make some rice yesterday, ideally I would have served the chicken on a bed of white or brown rice. You can serve with more of the Distillery Garlic Cajun Wing Sauce on the side or poured over the cooked chicken (definitely don't use the same sauce you marinated the chicken in - make sure you discard that); however, we found that the grilled chicken was sufficiently juicy and "saucy" that we didn't need to serve with more sauce from the bottle.

If you enjoy garlic and rich, savory flavors, I highly recommend the versatile Distillery Garlic Cajun Wing Sauce, even if you don't eat chicken wings!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

October's Top-Selling BBQ Sauces, Hot Sauce, Gifts & More

The product category lists of Top Ten best-selling sauces & seasonings at the Carolina Sauce Company online store have been updated for October. These lists are a great starting point for your holiday shopping if you're looking for a zesty Christmas gift, or for a delicious new condiment to spice up your Thanksgiving dinner. Here are links to each list plus some highlights in each category:

*Best-Selling Hot Sauces: Two of the hottest hot sauces available, Dave's Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce made with the world's hottest pepper, and the infamous Dave's Ultimate Insanity Sauce spiked with capsaicin extract, finished in 9th and 10th place respectively last month.

*Best-Selling Barbecue Sauces: If you enjoy Carolina pulled pork or chopped pork BBQ, you can't go wrong with Well's Hog Heaven BBQ Sauce, an eastern NC vinegar sauce that's our top-selling barbecue sauce. If you prefer a thicker, richer BBQ sauce for ribs and chicken, you'll love our all-natural Apple Butter BBQ Sauce (5th best-selling sauce), which is perfect for the Fall.

*Best-Selling Marinades & Dressings: Made in Israel using the finest all-natural ingredients, Olio & Spices Pomegranate Teriyaki Sauce was our 7th best-selling marinade and adds Mediterranean pomegranate to traditional Asian teriyaki for an exotic twist of fruit. In 8th place was Mama T's Olive Oil Vinaigrette, a classic herb vinaigrette that's hand-made on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

*Best-Selling Rubs & Seasonings: Our best-selling rub once again was Calhoun's Charcoal Grill Seasoning, a favorite of fans of the old Durkees charcoal seasoning which has been off the market for years. Moving up to 2nd place was Pig Pen's Original Seasoning from Salisbury NC, which is excellent as a BBQ rub for ribs, pork butt, chicken, shrimp and even veggies.

*Best-Selling Salsa & Relish: If you like crab and enjoy a fresh-tasting tomato salsa, you'll love Peppers Original Blue Crab Salsa, made with real Maryland blue crab and our 2nd best-selling salsa last month. And if you're looking for a savory, fiery hot pepper relish for subs, sandwiches, burgers and more, you need to try Mama T's Hot Pepper Relish, a classic deli-style pepper relish from Kitty Hawk NC and our 5th place finisher.

*Best-Selling Jerks & Curry: Our best-selling Jamaican jerk continues to be Walkerswood Traditional Jerk Seasoning, an intensely aromatic and flavorful jerk paste from Jamaica. In 5th place was one of my personal favorites, Nando's Curry Coconut Cooking Sauce, a rich & creamy tropical curry sauce from South Africa.

*Best-Selling Mustards & Ketchups: Our best-selling mustard is made in North Carolina, Bone Suckin' Sweet Hot Mustard, and it comes with a FREE recipe brochure. If you prefer a less spicy, more elegant mustard, you'll love Burning Asphalt White Wine Dijon Mustard from upstate NY, our 6th best-selling mustard last month.

*Best-Selling Wing Sauces: This list was dominated by wing sauces from upstate NY, including the Original and Hot varieties of The Distillery Buffalo Wing Sauces in 6th and 10th places respectively, and the Hot and Sweet & Sour varieties of Tony's Birdland Wing Sauces, in 7th and 8th places respectively.

*Best-Selling Gift Sets: This list is full of tasty Christmas gift ideas ranging from mild to wild. Last month our 9th most popular gift was the Hunter's Gift Set featuring marinades, sauces & a spice rub that complement venison and other game. In 6th place was our Lawyer's Gift Set featuring four hot sauces with legally-themed names like "So Sue Me" and "Lawyer's Breath."

*Best-Selling North Carolina Products: Holding on to 2nd place is Castle Sauce, a classic mustard-ketchup burger & steak sauce from Greensboro NC. Making its first appearance on the top-ten list (in 7th place) is Ole Time Hot Sauce, a vinegar & pepper BBQ sauce from Ole Time BBQ in Raleigh NC that's excellent on pork BBQ and in baked beans and collards.

*Best-Selling Snacks & Sweets: Made from an old family recipe, Lilly's Maple Butter was our 3rd most popular sweet product last month, and it's sublimely delicious on pancakes & waffles, in hot cereal, on toast and even drizzled over apple slices or ice cream. If you like pickles and enjoy spicy foods, our Hot Dill Pickle Chips (5th place) are sure to please -- and a dollar from every jar we sell is donated to Operation Sauce Drop, our nonprofit program that sends free gift boxes of sauce to deployed troops!

*Best-Selling Steak Sauces & Pasta Sauces: One of our newest products, Pickapeppa Brown Sauce, had an impressive debut as our 2nd best-selling steak sauce. And in 5th place was Olio & Spices Red Wine Onion Sauce, a lusciously savory gourmet sauce from Israel that's wonderful with steak, roasts, grilled foods and more.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Free Zing Sauce for Facebook Fans!

Visit the recently-launched Carolina Sauce Company Facebook page and click on the "Coupons" tab to see a special coupon code for a FREE 5oz bottle of Capsicana Zing Gourmet Sauce when you order $25 or more in products from the Carolina Sauce Company. Don't forget to include the bottle of Zing sauce as one of the items in your order -- just like in a regular grocery store, you actually need to "put" the product in your shopping cart for the "cashier" to apply your coupon at checkout. This coupon is good through Monday, November 15th, so don't delay!

If you're not already a fan of Carolina Sauce on Facebook, simply click on the "Like" button on our Facebook page to become a fan, and then click on the "Coupons" tab and you'll be able to see the special coupon code.

Keep checking our Facebook page for upcoming exclusive coupons available only on Facebook, plus recipes, photos, breaking news, and more. And please feel free to leave us your comments, as we love hearing from our fans!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

The Distillery Garlic Cajun Wing Sauce

If you enjoy Buffalo wings and love garlic, you've got to try our newest wing sauce, the rich and zesty Distillery Cajun Garlic Wing Sauce from upstate New York. Previously available only as a menu item at their restaurants, The Distillery has begun bottling their outrageously tasty Cajun Garlic Wing Sauce and it's now available at the Carolina Sauce Company online store. You can see and taste the little bits of real garlic in this Buffalo style wing sauce, and the savory Cajun spices add mouthwatering flavor while smoothing the tangy sharpness typical of ordinary Buffalo wing sauces (no harsh vinegary edge here). The heat is kept to a nice medium level, which means you get a pleasant peppery warmth without scorching your mouth or overpowering your taste buds -- so you can easily go through a pile of wings slathered in this sauce while enjoying every bite.

Of course The Distillery Cajun Garlic Wing Sauce is wonderful on chicken wings, but why stop there? I steamed some thick cod fillets in the microwave and slathered them with this sauce, and they were simply delicious served with plain white rice. Try basting grilled, broiled or baked chicken or fish with this sauce, or use it for dipping finger food like fries, jalapeno poppers, chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks and more. Add it to potato salad, chicken salad and egg salad for a zesty kick. Toss with cooked shrimp and serve over rice for a quick Cajun dinner. If something tastes good with garlic, it'll taste great with The Distillery Cajun Garlic Wing Sauce!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Curried Venison

Here's my take on a traditional English recipe. In England, you'll usually find it made with marrow, which is similar to zucchini, and lamb. You can use delicata squash instead of acorn squash, and you can use any type of ground meat (e.g. beef, lamb, turkey) instead of venison. If you end up with extra curried meat after stuffing the squash, simply refrigerate to enjoy the next day (reheated) over cooked rice.

Ingredients
1 lb cooked ground venison or other ground meat
1 Tbs vegetable oil
3 medium onions
1 Tbs curry powder
2 Tbs flour
2 apples, peeled, cored & diced
2 cups chicken stock
2 Tbs chutney (I like Mrs. Picky Fanicky's North Carolina Chutney)
Salt & pepper to taste (for a spicier dish, add red pepper to taste)
2 acorn squashes or delicata squashes, halved and deseeded

Add 1 Tbs oil to a large saucepan and fry the onion over medium-high heat until golden. Stir in the curry powder and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the apples and slowly stir in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the chutney, salt & pepper to taste, then cover and simmer for half an hour. While this is cooking, preheat oven to 350F degrees. After the stock mixture has cooked for 30 minutes, uncover and add the cooked ground venison or meat. Stir well to combine and cook for a few minutes, uncovered.

Place the squash halves, cut side up, in a baking pan. Spoon the meat mixture evenly into each half. Carefully wrap each stuffed squash half in aluminum foil. Bake until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes to 1 hour, being careful not to overcook. Serves 4.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Top 10 Best-Selling Sauces & Seasonings for October

Here are the top ten best-selling products across all categories at the Carolina Sauce Company for the month of October 2010. There were quite a few surprising finishes, including a newcomer to our top ten list, so keep reading below for more info and for links to our best-sellers:

1. Matouk's West Indian Sauce is a regular top-ten finisher, and last month this flavorful tropical hot sauce from Trinidad & Tobago displaced two North Carolina favorites that usually finish first or second.

2. Busha Browne's Pukka Hot Sauce from Jamaica is a perennial favorite and re-appeared on our top 10 list after a brief hiatus, taking 2nd place honors for October.

3. Walkerswood Traditional Jamaican Jerk Seasoning is our all-time best-selling jerk product, and was the third-best selling product last month across all categories.

4. Wells Hog Heaven BBQ Sauce usually sits in the #1 or #2 spot on this list, but last month this authentic eastern NC vinegar-based BBQ sauce dropped down to 4th place as the summer barbecue season drew to a close.

5. Scorned Woman Hot Sauce, a classic vinegar-pepper hot sauce, vaulted up to fifth place on our best-seller list for its strongest showing in a long time (and possibly ever!)

6. Castle Sauce is usually found in the #1 or #2 slot, but this mustard-tomato burger & steak sauce from Greensboro ended up sixth last month as a few other products had unusually strong months.

7. Matouk's Calypso Hot Sauce finished 7th in October and is the hotter sibling of our current best-selling hot sauce, with more of a savory Caribbean flavor while the heat in Matouk's West Indian Sauce is tempered somewhat by naturally sweet papaya.

8. Buderim Ginger Bears are made in Australia using real ginger, and are our all-time best-selling snack. These addictively zippy gummy bears were our overall 8th best selling product last month.

9. Georgia Peach & Vidalia Onion Hot Sauce is a favorite among folks who prefer layers of luscious flavor rather than painful fiery heat, and it's great on everything from grilled meats to roast chicken and even broiled seafood.

10. Pickapeppa Spicy Mango Sauce

made it into the top-ten list for the very first time. This moderately-hot sauce from Jamaica is packed with rich mango flavor and is the reincarnation of the classic Ruth's Spicy Mango Sauce from a few years ago.

We'll soon update the category-specific lists of best-selling products on our site, and I'll highlight them here in the very near future.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria