This month’s RecipeRedux is the perfect theme for chilling and eating in the summer: healthy recipes that use booze!

Check out the whole collection of “spirited” recipes at the end of my post by clicking the blue frog…I have to say, I think the members outdid themselves this month; every picture in the collection looks like it could be on the cover of Bon Appetit!

In our house, summer means grilling: hazy, hot DC evenings spent on the back deck, talking and laughing until the late light disappears on the horizon behind our neighbor’s oversized double deck and the fireflies rats come out.  Ok, so it’s not like life in the country, but the company and food can’t be beat.

Tonight we are attempting to make a dent in the truly extreme amount of produce in the house, which is at prime status thanks to the farmer’s market being a block from here.  To formulate the recipe, I went with what was on hand: every ingredient except the canned tomatoes was in the pantry (Ok ok, the cupboard.  No one in DC has a pantry.).  Fajitas are an easy vehicle for veggies, and I whipped up some black beans with garlic & cilantro to go inside too.  The sauce makes a spicy, sweet & sour addition, and is also great on the chicken legs we’ll have this weekend – dark meat is higher in B vitamins & iron than white meat, and legs are an easy, higher protein swap for wings.

Don’t be intimidated by the amount of ingredients here – this is a dump and heat recipe!

Whiskey-ginger grillin’ sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 can (12 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1/4 c tomato paste
• 3″ fresh ginger, grated
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1/2 c whiskey
• 1/8 c soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or omit if you want less spicy!)
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/8 c white vinegar (I used rice)
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• dash pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan on the stove and bring to a simmer, stirring gently for 10-12 minutes.  Allow to cool a bit, then puree in a food processor or blender.  Serve hot or cold!