4 six ounce sirloin steaks, halved
1 cup strong black coffee
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 small red onion, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
salt and pepper

1. Bring coffee to a boil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat and reduce by half.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until thickened, then puree.
3. Allow sauce to cool, then marinade steaks in half of the mixture overnight.
4. Preheat grill.
5. Grill steaks, basting with remaining sauce, until cooked through to center, about 5 minutes per side.

Makes 4 servings

19 ounces canned navy beans, drained and rinsed
12 ounces canned sweet corn, drained
1 small red onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 ounces cheddar cheese, cubed
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon mustard
1/8 teaspoon red chili flakes

1. Combine beans, corn, onion, celery, bacon and cheese in a bowl.
2. Whisk together sour cream, milk, mustard, relish and chili flakes in a bowl.
3. Mix dressing with the bean mixture and serve.

Makes 8 servings

1/2 cup warm milk
2 teaspoons dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
oil

1. Combine sugar, yeast and milk in a large bowl and allow to sit for several minutes.
2. Stir in about 1/3 of the flour to the bowl, then add the egg.
3. Continue incorporating the flour until you have a smooth, elastic dough.
4. Cover the bowl and place in a warm place until doubled in size.
5. Place the dough on a floured surface and pat down flat.
6. Cut circles out of the dough with the rim of a pint glass and transfer to a baking sheet.
7. Cover the baking sheet and place in a warm place until dough begins to rise.
8. Meanwhile, fill a cast iron skillet 1/4 full with oil and heat to 350 degrees or until oil starts to swirl.
9. Fry dough until browned, about 5 minutes, then flip and fry the other side. Serve hot.

Makes 6 servings

Since the Tamarind Barbecue Sirloins turned out so well, I decided to take a chance on another barbecue marinade. This time I made Coffee Jalapeno Steak. Much like with the Chipotle Coffee Beans (which would've worked great as a side), the coffee adds a nice boldness to the flavor, without leaving you feel like you're downing java. This dish was validated by no less than 3 people other than me, who just happened to be passing through the apartment. Vulgarity was used, but only in flattering ways, thus leading me to believe that this marinade slash barbecue sauce is the best yet to surface.

I stuck with the sort of rustic cowboy theme and made a Wild West Salad as a side. This received what I consider the greatest compliment ever when it comes to home cooking. "I don't normally like x, but this dish is [insert complimentary word here.]" In this case, x is mustard, and the Wild West salad was not only simple and quick to prepare, but a hearty and tasty side dish. There's something about corn and beans together as part of a salad; it's just the perfect blend of sweet and starchy (as if corn wasn't that already) combined with a simple, but flavorful dressing.

To accompany these two dishes I made a Cowboy Fry Bread. My first batch ended up with bunk yeast and I had a large, soft ball of not so useful dough. The second batch rose perfectly and, when fried, tasted almost like an unsweetened donut. All of these breads were gone almost immediately, so I'd recommend doubling the recipe, at least. I was expecting something similar to a biscuit crossed with bannock, but it was very light in texture and would make a nice moist sponge for anything involving a hearty sauce, such as stew.