Thursday, July 22, 2010

Sweetened Hot Dogs with Spinach and Pineapple Slaw


Hello Fellow Foodies!

Today I'm sharing with you a hot dog recipe that my mom used to make when I was a kid. I make it from time to time when I'm not really in the mood to cook or when I get a craving to fill my sweet tooth. It's super easy to make, plus it's a hit with kids. I've made a slight change so I won't have to use any oil. As a side, I've decided to pair it with a spinach and pineapple slaw that you're sure to love. =)


Sweetened Hot Dogs


You will need:
5 hot dogs cut into 1 inch medallions
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup water.


Directions:
In a medium sauce pan, bring water to a boil. Add hot dogs and boil for 5-6 minutes until water has slightly reduced. Add sugar and stir until it dissolves. Pour in ketchup and add black pepper. Stir thoroughly until hot dogs are coated with sauce. Remove from heat and serve. Serve with steamed rice or in hot dog buns. Makes 3 servings.

** cook's note:
You may choose to add garlic or onion powder to this dish during the cooking process. Reduce pepper if you're not to keen on it. Also as a reminder, we all know that hot dogs can be a choking hazard for younger kids, so parents may want to cut the medallions into smaller bite sized pieces just to be safe.




Spinach with Pineapple Slaw


Ingredients:
5-6 cups chopped spinach
1 1/2 cups canned pineapple whether chunks or crushed
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tsp lemon juice (optional)


Directions:
Mix all ingredients into bowl until dressing is well incorporated into spinach. Place in container, chill and serve cold. Makes 4 servings.

**cook's note:
You can add cabbage or use it as a substitute for the spinach.


Enjoy!

P.S. If the serving size in the accompanying photo seems small, that's because it's for my lil one.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Sauteed Green Beans in Butternut Squash Puree



Hello Foodies!

Today, I'd like to share with you a recipe that I threw together last month.
Apologies if the pictures do not seem to look too appealing. However the dish turned out yummy enough to merit a repeat performance sometime in the future. This dish goes well with steamed rice and fried chicken or fish.


Ingredients:
2 Cups French style green beans
1/2 cup chopped green onions /or 1 small onion
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp fish sauce / or if unavailable use a pinch or two of salt for taste
pepper
1 cup pureed cooked butternut squash
/or substitute with 1 cup butternut squash soup
*you can use kabocha or winter squash instead of butternut.


Directions:
Saute green onions and garlic in 2 tbsp cooking oil. Add green beans and cook until slightly tender. Pour in butternut squash puree. Stir in fish sauce and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes. Plate and Serve. Enjoy!