A&W Chili Dogs

I have been going to A&W since my Dad and Mom took me and my brother at nights in our PJ's. They still had Carhops then and we'd enjoy a cold frosty mug of Root Beer on summer nights about once a week.

I never stopped. Though now I have to go through a drive-up window.

Apparently they have food too. Who knew?

A&W Chili Dogs

1 Sabrett brand 2 ounce beef frankfurter (7½" long)
1 regular hot dog roll
3 Tablespoons A&W Coney Island Sauce (see recipe below)
1 Tablespoon chopped white onion
1/2 Tablespoon Kraft shredded mild cheddar cheese (optional)

A&W Coney Island Chili Dog Sauce

1 pound ground chuck
1 six ounce can Hunts tomato paste
1 Cup water
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1 Tablespoon dried, minced onion
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (heaping)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Making the Chili Dog Sauce:

1. In a 2 qt. saucepan, brown the ground chuck, breaking into very small
pieces. Salt and pepper lightly while cooking. Do not drain the fat.
2. Add the remaining ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, 30−45 minutes until it
thickens. Stir occasionally.
3. Allow to cool, cover, and refrigerate until "Dog−Time". You'll be
microwaving what you need later.

Cooking your A&W Chili Dog

1. Bring a 2 qt. saucepan of water to a rolling boil.
2. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and add the desired number of
frankfurters to the water. Cover and let sit about 10 minutes.
3. After the franks are done, microwave the chili dog sauce until steaming.
(Only microwave what you need, save the rest) Then microwave each hot dog
roll 10 seconds....just enough to warm.

Black Eyed Pea's Broccoli-Cheese Soup

Hello,

Here's another recipe from the "Black Eyed Pea's Collection."

I visited the Black Eyed Pea's website again and looked over the menues they have online (strangely, they have one menu for all of Texas & Colorado and another for Tennessee.) It made me REALLY HUNGRY. I'm definitely gonna give them a shot next time I am in Nashville.


Black Eyed Pea's Broccoli-Cheese Soup

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds Broccoli, fresh
2 cups Water
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Cornstarch, mixed with 1 cup cold Water
1 pint Half and Half
1 pound Velveeta
1/2 teaspoon Pepper

Directions

1. Steam or boil broccoli until tender.
2. Place half-and-half and 2 cups water in top of double boiler.
3. Add cheese, salt and pepper. Heat until cheese is melted.
4. Add broccoli. Mix cornstarch and water in small bowl.
5. Stir into cheese mixture in double boiler and heat over simmering water until soup thickens.

Black-Eyed Pea's Baked Squash

Recently a reader sent me 3 recipes she said came from Black Eyed Pea's.

Now i'll be honest -- I was a bit confused. The only Black-Eyed Peas I know is the one with Fergie.

So I looked it up. Appearantly it's a chain based in Texas. It has about 20 locations in Eastern Texas and only two outside of Texas. One in Colorado and, weirdly, one in Henderson, Tennessee. Now I am not likely to get to Eastern Texas or Colorado very often -- but I'm down around Henderson quite a bit (I have friends and many, many relatives who live in Southern Kentucky and the Nashville area.) So I think I may try Black Eyed Pea's out next time I am down.

In the meantime here is the first of the recipes. The others will follow.

Black-Eyed Pea's Baked Squash

Ingredients

5 pounds medium-size yellow squash
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup bread crumbs plus additional bread crumbs for topping
1 stick butter or margarine
1/4 cup sugar
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped onion
Dash of pepper

Directions

1. Cut tips off squash and cut each squash into 3 or 4 pieces.
2. Drop squash into a large saucepan with enough boiling water to cover.
3. Return to boil, reduce heat and cook until tender.
4. Drain in colander and mash.
5. Combine with beaten eggs, 1 cup bread crumbs, butter, sugar, salt, onion and pepper.
6. Turn into 3-quart casserole that has been lightly greased or sprayed with nonstick spray.
7. Cover with light layer of bread crumbs.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Arthur Treacher's Fish Batter

I have a recipe for you today that was sent in by a reader. I have never even heard of Arthur Treacher's (is it a restaurant?) so I cannot vouch for the closeness to the original, but the reader seemed to like it.

You can judge for yourself. If you have any comments -- one way or the other -- Please let me know at myeverydaylife.net@gmail.com

Also feel free to share any recipes you have -- Copycat or otherwise.

Arthur Treacher's Fish Batter

Ingredients

3 Pounds Fish Fillets
2 Cups All-purpose flour
3 Cups Pancake mix
3 Cups Club soda
1 Tablespoon Onion powder
1 Tablespoon Seasoned salt

Directions

1. Dip moistened fish pieces evenly but lightly in the flour.
2. Dust off any excess flour and allow pieces to air dry on waxed paper, about 5 minutes.
3. Whip the pancake mix with the club soda to the consistency of buttermilk- pourable, but not too thin and not too thick.
4. Beat in the onion powder and seasoned salt.
5. Dip floured fillets into batter and drop into 425 oil in heavy saucepan using meat thermometer.
5. Brown about 4 minutes per side.
6. Arrange on cookie sheet in 325 oven until all pieces have been fried.

A1 Steak Sauce

I've got to be honest -- I am NOT a big fan of steak sauces.

If a steak is good it doesn't need any sauce -- just some garlic butter and a dusting of salt is best. Anything else -- even my favorite BBQ sauce -- just covers up the real taste.

If the steak isn't good -- you shouldn't be eating it in the first place. Life is too short.

And, finally, I really have never found anything else that steak sauce tastes good on. Or at least tastes better than anything else. Not wings or ribs or fish or -- anything.

So to my all steak sauces are just about useless.

However, I know some people love them. I have a friend, Valerie, who will not eat steak without it. We go into a nice restaurant, get a thick, juicy steak and everytime she asks for A1. I want to scream.

But what can you do?

If you are like Val -- here is a Copycat Recipe you can make at home.

A1 Steak Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Orange Juice
1/2 Cup Raisins
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup White Vinegar
2 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Bottled Grated Orange Peel
2 Tablespoon Heinz Ketchup
2 Tablespoon Heinz Chili Sauce

Directions

1. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes stirring.
2. Remove from heat. Allow to cool to lukewarm.
3. Put mixture in a blender till it is pureed. Pour in bottle.
4. Cap tightly and refrigerate to use within 90 days.