Hot Dogs in a Bowl? Yes- I kid you not!

I haven't posted in awhile mainly because I have been in school and I haven't really been cooking anything all that interesting. But this past week was good as far as eats and drinks go. For two days this week (seven hours total) I got paid to taste wine and eat food. It was amazing. Maybe I'll write a post on wine tasting next because it is honestly something I have always wanted to get into and my job has given me a wonderful opportunity to learn how.

But that's not why I'm posting today. I had the most amazing salad today. And when I describe it to you, you might go ewww especially if you don't like loaded hot dogs. I tried one of Rachael Ray's 30 minute meals and it turned out pretty awesome. It is pretty much a salad that tastes like a loaded hot dog WITHOUT the bun. I think this is awesome, because I am not a huge fan of hot dog buns.

The only thing I changed about the recipe (as always) was the amount I made for myself and I used turkey dogs instead of beef or pork. Anyhow... without further ado I give you Rachael Ray's Chicago Dog Salad. Enjoy!

CHICAGO DOG SALAD

1/4 cup yellow mustard
2 tablespoons vinegar (eyeball it)
1 rounded teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 sack (8 ounces) shredded cabbage blend for slaw salads
1 romaine lettuce heart, shredded
2 vine-ripe tomatoes, diced
3 large half-sour OR garlic pickles, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 pork OR beef hot dogs, cut diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices

In bottom of a large bowl, combine mustard, vinegar, sugar and about 3 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add red onions, cabbage, romaine, tomatoes and pickles and toss salad; season with salt and pepper, adjust seasonings, and reserve.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining tablespoon vegetable oil (once around the pan), then arrange sliced dogs in a single layer. Sear for a couple of minutes on each side.

Mound up salad on plates and top with seared dogs and serve. Makes 4 servings.

My First Post

I am officially starting my food blog today. It took me awhile to come up with what I wanted to do my first post about but it came to me today after receiving a shocked look on my roommate's face. Why was she shocked? Because, being in University, we usually don't have time to cook and so when she saw what I had created for lunch today, she was impressed. It really wasn't anything too difficult to make either, but it was the result of fusing about two different recipes.

I love fusing recipes. Why? Because it is fun, and interesting to see what you can come up with. For lunch today I made what I think I will call Terriyaki Snapper with Mango Salsa Salad. I found this recipe for Mango Salsa that I just had to try. So yesterday, I picked everything up and made the salsa. It also said that it would be good with fish, so I picked up some snapper to go with it. As I ended up going out to Dadeo's on Whyte for supper I didn't get to have my wonderful meal, but figured the salsa would probably taste better the next day anyways.

Today when I was sitting studying I decided that I would make lunch using the snapper I had and the mango salsa. But I couldn't figure out what I was going to eat with this and wanted food right away. So I rummaged through my fridge and found a head of lettuce and decided to make salad. The only question now was what to use for salad dressing and it came to me. A couple of weeks ago I had discovered this wonderful Spicy Beef Chou Mein recipe in Anne Lindsay's Lighthearted Everyday cooking and I liked the sauce so much I started halving the recipe and eating it on salad. I decided it would complement the salad perfectly. And it did.

Teriyaki Snapper with Mango Salsa Salad
(This recipe is for one serving)

1 Snapper fillet (or any other white fish)
1/2 cup lettuce (I used Red leaf, I'd use anything but iceberg)
1 recipe of mango salsa
1 recipe of spicy beef chou mein sauce
teriyaki sauce

1) Prepare mango salsa according to recipe
2) Glaze fish fillet with teriyaki sauce (or if you don't have that with the spicy beef chou mein sauce) and grill or broil until cooked.
While fish is cooking...
3) Wash lettuce and place in bowl
4) Prepare Spicy beef chou mein sauce as follows:
Mix following ingredients together: 1/8 cup water
1/2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tbsp ketchup
1/2 tbsp Worcestershire
1/2 tsp granulated sugar ( or equivalent in honey)
1 tsp sesame oil
a pinch of garlic powder
a pinch of hot pepper flake (to taste)

Double recipe if you are making it for more than one person.
5) Once fish is grilled, break into pieces and arrange over lettuce. Top with mango salsa. Pour dressing over all this.

This recipe would probably be good with noodles (like ramen noodles) as well.

Anyhow that is all for now... enjoy!