Pit BBQ sauce

2 cup catsup

1/2 lb. butter or margarine

2 cup vinegar

1 tbsp. hot sauce

One 4-oz. bottle Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. onion juice

1-1/2 tsp. basil leaves, crushed

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tbsp. lemon juice or dry red wine

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cook, and store in jars for use as needed to mop on beef, chicken or pork on barbecue grill.

Makes 2 quarts.

Chow Chow

1 gallon green tomatoes

1 gallon white onions

1 gallon cucumbers

1 gallon cauliflower and cabbage (mixed)

Cut coarse and measure. Salt all vegetables and mix well. Scald three pints of water with three and one half pints white vinegar. Boil vegetables until tender. Drain well.

Put six pints of vinegar to boil.

Add:

1 or two bottles pickled peppers

1 teaspoon black and white mustard seed

1 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon Allspice

1 teaspoon celery seeds

Bring to boil.

Mix the following in two pints of vinegar:

1 cup sugar

1/2 lb. dry mustard

1 pint olive oil

1 cup flour

1 oz. turmeric

Add above to boiling vinegar and spices until thick, then add the drained vegetables and continue to boil for 10 or 15 minutes longer.

Read General Water Bath Canning Instructions.

Pack hot food into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch head space and process in boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.

Yield: 24 pints

Basic meat sauce

1/3 cup margarine

4 cups onions, chopped

6 garlic cloves, crushed

5 pounds ground chuck or ground beef

2 tablespoons ground oregano

2 tablespoons dried basil

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Three 2-pound cans tomato puree

4 cups water

3 beef bouillon cubes

2 tablespoons salt (or less if you like)

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

3 teaspoons white sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a large, heavy, 8-quart pot, melt margarine. Add onions and saute until tender. Add garlic the last two minutes of simmering. Add ground meat. Break up with fork. Cook, stirring often until browned. Drain off fat in colander. Return to pot. Add remaining ingredients and simmer, uncovered, over low heat for one how or so until flavors are blended and sauce is thickened. Stir often to avoid sticking.

Makes 6 quarts.

Turn into one or two quart containers. Let set in refrigerator over night to blend flavors. Good for eggplant casseroles, macaroni casseroles, lasagna, etc.

Serves 6-7.

Special authorization has been granted to Al Simon's Cajun Microwaves to post these recipes from the CD, "MEPoL's Cajun Country Recipe Collection."