Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• 1/4 of a red onion, diced (Or 1 teaspoon onion powder)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dijon or brown mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• a few dashes of hot sauce
• freshly ground pepper
• 1-2 teaspoons Barbecue of the Americas, if desired

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two. Reduce the heat to low and add the tomato paste and cumin; mix in with the onion and garlic.

Add the tomato sauce and all remaining ingredients. Stir until combined and heated through. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or other seasonings as you see fit. Transfer to a blender or use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Add more water, a tablespoon or two at a time, if you prefer a thinner sauce.

Note: I did not have molasses when I made this the first time. I used a little honey in its place. I also added the Barbecue of the Americas seasoning from Penzey's spices to give it a little more "kick". I loved this sauce and wanted to eat it with a spoon. It's a little bit sweet, a little bit tangy and with the hot sauce you can make it as spicy as you want!