Impress Your Friends with Your Own Gourmet Hot Dogs in Under 15

Instead of higher priced items, restaurants across the country are offering up their well dressed version of common fare. They are turning sandwiches, hot dogs, suasages and burgers into gourmet delights.  For more, read the article...Sandwiches Go Gourmet

Here's one way you can impress your friends and go gourmet without the hassle in under 15 minutes.  Take the lowly hot dog. 

It is a canvas just waiting to be painted and the bun is its frame.  First it is going to need a great sauce.  I use my Smokin' Agave Gourmet BBQ Sauce.  The ingredients of tomato, chilies, and liquid smoke pair perfectly with the hot dog.  Then it is going to need some toppings.  If you want to up the smokiness and the heat, add a little chopped chipotles in adobe sauce.  Next we need texture.  Sprinkle some chopped celery over the top.  Now we need something to hold the ingredients in place...cheese.  Slices of Monteray Jack placed over the top would compliment the heat of the chipotles or if you skipped the chipotles perhaps some Pepper Jack cheese would be a  better choice.  Then place the hot dogs back on the cool part of the grill and cover or under the broiler in your oven just long enough for the cheese to melt.  I think I have a cold beer in the frig...

The Sauce Lady

Mom will Love Salmon with Balsamic Honey Gourmet BBQ Sauce

The best gift for most moms is just having her family around her at the dinner table without having to shop for it, cook it or clean it up.  If your budget doesn't allow for a meal at a 5 star restaurant, I have a great solution that is easy on the budget, easy on you and will create exclaims of culinary pleasure from your mom.  My first offering is:

Grilled Balsamic Honey Salmon with steamed broccoli and buttered noodles.  Boil noodles according to package directions, drain top with butter, salt and a little chopped parsley if you have it on hand.  Steam fresh or frozen broccoli, top with a squeeze of lemon and a little salt & pepper.

For the salmonhttp://www.thestirringspoon.com/blog/bid/56096/Balsamic-Honey-Gourmet-BBQ-Salmon 

There is also a tutorial video available

Grilling Balsamic Honey BBQ Salmon

If salmon is not her favorite then try one of our other recipes on this blog site.

Happy Grilling

The Sauce Lady

Sunny Apricot Dijon Gourmet Mustard Sauce and the Perfect Easter Ham on Channel 10 at 7 PM

Tonight on Channel 10 @ 7 PM   Katie Roberts from Easy Entertaining Catering will be in a segment for tips on creating the perfect Easter Ham.

http://web.mac.com/kaitlynroberts/New_Website/Welcome_files/the%20perfect%20ham,%20channel%2010.pdf

She shows how quick and easy it is to make a perfect ham for your Easter dinner using quality ingredients like my Sunny Apricot Dijon Gourmet Mustard Sauce.   It's also great on leftover ham sandwiches.  When you start with great ingredients it is easy to make great tasting food.

Happy Easter

The Sauce Lady

Balsamic Honey Gourmet BBQ Portobello Mushrooms

1 large Portobello mushroom per person

Olive oil

Salt & Pepper

Prepare the mushroom by snapping off the stem and then take a teaspoon and gently scrap out the dark brown gills on the underside.  Brush both sides with the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Oil the cooking surface, whether its the BBQ grill outside, a grill pan or a skillet.  Place the mushroom cap side down.  As the mushroom cooks, juices will collect inside the cap helping to cook the mushroom through.  Turn the mushroom when the cap is has darkened slightly and the mushroom has softened.  Brush the top with The Stirring Spoon’s Balsamic Honey Gourmet BBQ Sauce and turn to heat the sauce.  Remove from the heat and serve with a salad or place on a bun with roasted red peppers, and blue cheese.

The Sauce Lady

Sampler BBQ Chicken

I love this recipe for entertaining.  It treats each of your guest as special as well as easily deals with most dietary restrictions.

1.5 pieces of chicken per guest (recommended with the bone in and the skin on) per guest (large breasts should be cut in half and thighs should be seperate from the drumstick)

roughly chopped carrots, celery, onions (don't worry about peeling)

bay leaf/leaves

Salt & Pepper, water

The Stirring Spoon’s Gourmet BBQ Sauce and Gourmet Mustard Sauce  

I start my chicken in the oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes so that it does not dry out on the grill.  It also frees up grill space.  Place the roughly cut vegetables and bay leaves in a baking dish large enough to accommodate the chicken pieces in one layer.  Place 1 inch water in the bottom of the dish and place in the oven.  Prepare the grill.  After 30 minutes remove the chicken from the oven and place skin side down on an oiled grill grate.  After the skin starts to brown (time depends on how hot your grill is) turn, remove the skin if desired and baste with your guest's choice of sauce.  When done on the other side turn and baste the under side.  You can baste with sauce a couple of times.  Serve with your favorite sides.

The Sauce Lady