My first bbq sauce

So I've been thinking about when it was that I first began to enjoy cooking... I was 5 years old and while my mom was making dinner, she had the three of us kids sitting at the counter top with plates of ketchup in front of each one of us. Also spread out was every seasoning, spice and condiment in our fridge! So we each got to mix whatever we wanted into our ketchup and voila! Bbq sauce!! I have to admit, my brother Jason made the best one.  Which is funny because as adults, he is actually better at making sauces and marinades than I am!! (Hahaha) I told him this story at Christmas (he didn't really remember but that's ok, I don't expect everyone to live in a constant state of food dreaming the way I do), To which he said "no kidding, I DO make badass dressings!" Well brother, you can thank our mom for starting us out so early :) since this point in time I have attempted to make bbq sauce completely from scratch... It was NOT good at all!! Lol there's just so much flavor in ketchup already, I believe it's definitely the easiest and best way to go! You can still make it your own with all the other goodies, but I highly recommend starting with this tangy sweet classic as your base :) here are some of my favorite additions for a sweet and spicy BBQ sauce:

Brown sugar

Worcestershire sauce

Paprika

Cayenne

Onion powder 

Honey

Dijon mustard

Salt

Pepper

Apple cider vinegar

(This might be a little thick for your liking, so combine all of these ingredients in a small sauce pan on medium heat with a splash of water, simmer for about 10 minutes, let cool to room temp and serve as is or use as a marinade!) on a side note, these are the exact same ingredients I add to my baked beans for a delicious and rich side dish perfect for any potluck, picnic or barbecue! (Oh... But don't forget to add BACON!!)