Krystal Tubbs, Author at DeckTec Outdoor Designs

Little Brother John’s Jalapeno BBQ Sauce

June 27th, 2018|Blog, Outdoor Recipes|

Nothing says summer like a barbecue, and nothing says barbecue like BBQ Sauce! Try this BBQ sauce as your next backyard event, courtesy of John Sparhawk! Ingredients 2-4 Jalapeno peppers, minced 1½ c. ketchup 1½ c. jalapeno ketchup 1 c. yellow mustard ¼ c. Worcestershire sauce ¼ c. apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp. garlic powder 1 tbsp. onion powder 1 tbsp. ground black pepper 1 tbsp. salt ½ tbsp. dried thyme 1 tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. cayenne pepper ½ tsp. liquid smoke ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg ¼ tsp. ground cumin ½ c. honey 1 c. brown sugar Directions Combine all ingredients except honey and brown sugar in a sauce pan and very slowly bring the mixture to a simmer. Remove from heat and add honey and brown sugar. Mix well and continue to stir occasionally as sauce cools. Store in a covered glass container in the refrigerator.

Deck Specialist Tom Darr: The View From Here

June 20th, 2018|Blog, DeckTec News & Updates, Employee Feature|

Deck Specialist Tom Darr is uniquely positioned to guide DeckTec clients through the deck development process, after all, he himself carefully chose DeckTec to design and build a custom deck for his Lookout Mountain home years before he joined the DeckTec team. Tom did extensive remodeling on the Golden home he bought in 2008 with his wife, Jennifer. “We totally remodeled the entire house, but the deck, at 16 feet off the ground, was a major undertaking and was not something I wanted to attempt. But I did all the other remodeling myself,” Tom said. When it came time to remodel the deck, he naturally thought of Steve, whom he already knew from the Colorado Home and Garden Show. “When it was time to do our project, I chatted with Steve and about ten different companies. I thought I wanted composite material when I started out, but I did some [...]

Birding on Deck Part 2: Woodpeckers, Birdhouses and Nesting Structures

June 13th, 2018|Animals Out the Back Door, Life On Deck, Outdoor Living|

Welcome to our second in a series of articles about backyard birding “on deck!” You can find the first article here You may be thinking, “I want to attract birds such as robins, wrens and hummingbirds to my yard, but I don’t want woodpeckers poking holes in my house!” Well, of course you don’t! No one wants holes in their house, but according to Scott Menough, co-owner of Wild Birds Unlimited in Lakewood and host of BirdTalk radio on KNUS and KDMT, there’s nothing to worry about. “We don’t look at woodpeckers as pest birds, although we may be concerned about some of their activities. We may want to modify behaviors so people can enjoy these birds. The little downy woodpecker is one that people often enjoy watching,” Menough said. “If woodpeckers start making holes in the side of your house, put up a [northern] flicker-specific nest box and these [...]

Creating an Adult Treehouse

June 6th, 2018|Life On Deck, Outdoor Living|

Years ago, (I won’t say how many) when I was growing up as a young child in Maryland, our community was surrounded by wooded areas that came to form an important part of my elementary school years. When summer arrived and school was out, my three brothers, my friends and I seemed to live and play in those woods from morning until night. After playing our usual round of games several kids of all ages would invariably get together to create some kind of makeshift “Swiss Family Robinson” style treehouse. We would do this by wedging, notching and nailing whatever tree limbs we could find laying around. We made our own fun and it didn’t get much better. I think I got tuned into that unique feeling of elevation, having a private sanctuary for my friends and I that was literally above it all. Speaking of elevation, I eventually moved [...]

Spinach & Artichoke Stuffed Burgers

May 30th, 2018|Blog, Outdoor Recipes|

The unofficial start of summer is here, try these delicious stuffed burgers at your next backyard party! Yields: 4 Ingredients 4 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 c. shredded mozzarella 1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan 1/2 c. frozen spinach, defrosted 1/2 c. chopped artichoke hearts 1 clove garlic, minced pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional) kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 lb. ground beef 4 Hamburger buns Vegetable oil, for brushing Directions In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, spinach, artichoke hearts, garlic and red pepper flakes (if using). Season with salt and pepper and mix until well combined. Separate beef into 8 thin patties. Place a large dollop of the cream cheese mixture into the middle of a patty. Place another patty on top and pinch the seams together. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Season patties with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to [...]

ktubbs

About Krystal Tubbs

Little Brother John’s Jalapeno BBQ Sauce

Deck Specialist Tom Darr: The View From Here

Birding on Deck Part 2: Woodpeckers, Birdhouses and Nesting Structures

Creating an Adult Treehouse

Spinach & Artichoke Stuffed Burgers