Hawaiian Hot Dogs w/ Pineapple Salsa #SundaySupper {Summer BBQ Party}

This week for #SundaySupper we are having a Summer BBQ Party!  When I think of summer BBQ, I immediately think of hamburgers and hot dogs.  What can I say, you can take the gringa out of the US, but you can't take away her love of classic American fare.  Since I'll be sharing plenty of burger recipes next month for The Food of the Month Club (spoiler alert!), I figured this Summer BBQ Party was just the excuse I needed to share my recipe for Hawaiian Hot Dogs.

These hot dogs get their name not because this is how they're served in Hawaii, but because they're topped with a spicy pineapple salsa.  Served atop bacon-wrapped salchichas (hot dog sausages) topped with a smoky Chipotle Ketchup, the pineapple salsa is what brings all the flavors together for a super tasty hot dog that is perfect for a summer cook-out.

On a side note, while writing out this recipe, I wasn't sure what to call the hot dog sausages. Here in Mexico we call them salchichas.  And when I was growing up in the States, my grandparents always referred to them as weenies.  I could have used the words franks or wieners, but it just didn't feel right because I never call them that.  So I'm curious...What word do you use for hot dog sausages?


Hawaiian Hot Dogs w/ Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients:
For the salsa:
  • 1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
  • 1/2 medium red onion, sliced or chopped
  • 2 serrano chilies, seeds removed and finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
For the hot dogs:
  • 12 salchichas (hot dog sausages) (beef, pork, or turkey) 
  • 12 slices bacon
  • 12 hot dog buns
  • Mayonnaise or Mexican crema
  • Chipotle Ketchup* (recipe below)

Directions:
For the salsa: In a medium bowl, combine the fresh pineapple with the red onion, serrano chilies, and cilantro: season with salt.  Cover salsa and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the hot dogs: Wrap the salchichas in bacon.  Grill the hot dogs over a medium-low flame or fry them in a non-stick skillet over medium low heat, until the bacon is fully cooked.

To serve, split open hot dog buns and lightly toast on the grill (or on a comal/griddle on the stove) over a low flame.  Spread cut sides of buns with mayo or Mexican crema.  Serve bacon-wrapped hot dogs in buns.  Top with Chipotle Ketchup and lots of pineapple salsa.   Enjoy!!!


*For the Chipotle Ketchup: Puree 1 cup ketchup with 1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo.

For more delicious Summer BBQ recipes, take a look at what the #SundaySupper crew has cooked up this week:

Hot Off the Grill:
On the Side:
Sweet Tooth:
In the Cooler:

A big THANK YOU to Jennie from The Messy Baker for hosting this week's Summer BBQ Party for #SundaySupper.  And as always, be sure to join our #SundaySupper chat on Twitter starting at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag throughout the day to see the amazing recipes. We look forward to seeing you.  To join all you need to do is follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and share your favorite tips and recipes. Be sure to check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and photos.


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Pineapple Raspado (de Piña) #RaspadosWeek

Another must on my list when making raspados is Almíbar de Piña (pineapple syrup).  Almíbar de Piña is hands down my favorite fresh fruit almíbar.  Not only is it sweet and delicious served on it's own, but it's also super versatile and can be served in a number of ways.  You can serve your Raspado de Piña with a little Almíbar de Coco (coconut syrup) for a tropical Piña Colada.  Didn't make Almíbar de Coco?  That's okay. You can still have a Piña Colada Raspado by either topping it with a little cream of coconut OR for a grown-up raspado, add a shot or two of Malibu Rum! (Yum!)  But our favorite way to eat a Pineapple Raspado is as a Diablito de Piña, with a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkling of spicy lime-chile powder. (Double yum!)


Almíbar de Piña
(Pineapple Syrup)

Ingredients:
  • 1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
  • 2 cups water
  • 5 cups sugar
  • Limes (optional) 
  • Lime-chile powder (I use Tajin) (optional)
  • Coconut Syrup (optional) 

Directions:
In a large saucepan, combine the chopped pineapple with the water and sugar.  Bring to boil over high heat.  Immediately reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.  Let cool to room temperature.  Spoon 4 to 6 tablespoons of Almíbar de Piña over 1 cup of shaved/crushed ice.  For a Diablito de Piña, squeeze the juice of half a lime over the syrup and sprinkle top with lime-chile powder.  Enjoy!!!



Stay tuned tomorrow for the last of our #RaspadosWeek recipes!  And don't forget to share your raspado recipes in our #RaspadosWeek Linky.

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Almíbar de Rompope (Mexican Eggnog Syrup) #RaspadosWeek

Raspados aren't just for kiddies to enjoy.  There are grown-up versions made with either tequila, vodka, whiskey, and rum, as well as liqueurs like kahlua, Irish cream, and my personal favorite...Rompope (Mexican eggnog).  

I still remember the first time I tried a Raspado de Rompope.  I was about 13 years old and was visiting family with my grandparents in San Luis, Sonora.  As soon as I heard the raspado cart's bell ringing in the distance, I ran outside to order my favorite raspado.  But before I could order, my cousin Pedro, who was about the same age as me, ordered 3 raspados de rompope: one for him, one for me, and one for Pedro's little sister Lety.  I knew Rompope had alcohol in it, so I felt kind of naughty ordering it.  I was after all only 13 years old.  I was way too young to be drinking.  I thought we'd be sneaky and eat our raspados outside, so the adults wouldn't see that we were consuming alcohol.  But my cousins just walked in the door like it was the most normal thing in the world for kids our age to be drinking.  And none of the adults said anything,  even though my cousins had totally ratted us out by telling them we were having Raspados de Rompope.  Well, after that I just felt so cool and sophisticated, because there I was only 13 years old and drinking something made with rum.

25 years later, it's still one of my favorites.  Rompope is so rich and creamy on it's own, I love to just pour it over some shaved ice for a super easy Raspado de Rompope.  It's not as sweet as most syrups, but you can easily remedy that by drizzling a little sweetened condensed milk on top.  But if you're craving something a little sweeter, you can turn your favorite Rompope into an almíbar (syrup).  Like yesterday's coconut syrup, Almíbar de Rompope is milk-based.  But instead of using whole milk, which can sometimes curdle if you're not careful, I use a can of evaporated milk, which I think adds even more creaminess to the almíbar.

We still have 2 more days to go of #RaspadosWeek, so be sure to tune in for more raspado recipes.  Tomorrow I'll be sharing a fruity almíbar that you can serve a number of ways.  And on Friday, I'll have another grown-up raspado made with tequila!  Stay tuned.


Almíbar de Rompope 
(Mexican Eggnog Syrup)

Ingredients:
  • 1 can (14 oz.) evaporated milk
  • 1 cup rompope 
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • Sweetened condensed milk (optional) 

Directions: 
In a medium saucepan mix together the evaporated milk with the rompope and sugar.  Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.  Spoon 4 to 6 tablespoons of almíbar de rompope over 1 cup of shaved/crushed ice. Drizzle top with a little sweetened condensed milk. Enjoy!!!


If you have a raspado recipe you would like to share, don't forget to add it to our #RaspadosWeek Linky!

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Coconut Raspado #RaspadosWeek


Before we continue on with this #RaspadosWeek celebration, I need to let you in on a little secret...One can not simply make just one flavor of almíbar (syrup) for raspados.  If you make one flavor syrup, then you have to make another flavor too, because you can't imagine the one flavor syrup without the other.  And if you make those two flavored syrups, you're also going to have to make that other flavor syrup, because really if you're going to make raspados, you might as well make everyone's favorite.  Then before you know it, you're fridge is filled with at least 8 different kinds of syrup because once you start craving one flavor of raspado, you want them all.

That's exactly what happened to me last week.  I started with just the Flor de Jamaica (hibiscus flower) syrup.  When Hubby saw what I was making he said, "Ooohhh!  You're going to make nieves raspadas!  Well, if you make Almíbar de Jamaica, you HAVE to make Almíbar de Coco too."  This from the man who claims he doesn't like coconut.  (Unless it's Coconut Pie!)

I happen to love Coconut Syrup as much as Hubby, so it wasn't a problem.  Unlike the hibiscus flower and coffee syrups, Almíbar de Coco is milk based, which adds an extra creaminess to the syrup.  Seriously, this syrup is so rich and creamy, you want to eat it with a spoon as if it were a pudding.

What are your favorite raspado flavors?


Almíbar de Coco para Raspados
(Coconut Syrup)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups granulated sugar

Directions:
Combine the coconut, milk, and sugar in a medium saucepan.  Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture starts to bubble.  Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Spoon about 4 tablespoons of the coconut syrup over 1 cup of shaved/crushed ice.  Enjoy!!! 


Don't forget to tune in tomorrow for another #RaspadosWeek recipe.  I'll give you a hint...it's just for grown-ups!

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Nieve Raspada de Cafe (Coffee Raspado) #RaspadosWeek w/ Linky

To celebrate that summer is officially here, I am dedicating this week to one of my favorite summertime desserts...Raspados (aka Nieves Raspadas/Raspas/Snowcones).  And because I love a party, I'm turning #RaspadosWeek into a Linky Party.  If you have a blog and have posted (or will be posting) a raspado recipe, I'd love for you to share it in the Linky located below this post.  Also feel free to share your raspado recipes on your favorite Social Media sites using the hashtag #RaspadosWeek.

Now onto the first recipe for #RaspadosWeek...

Because it's Monday and because we could all use a little boost to help us get through the day, the first recipe I'm sharing for #RaspadosWeek is Nieve Raspada de Cafe (Coffee Raspado).  Made with coffee and cinnamon, the coffee syrup tastes like Cafe de Olla (Mexican coffee).  And with a little sweetened condensed milk drizzled on top, it tastes just like Cafe con Leche.   



Almíbar de Cafe for Nieve Raspada(Coffee Syrup)

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups granulated sugar 
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons instant coffee granules (regular or decaf) 
  • 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
  • Sweetened condensed milk

Directions:
Dissolve the instant coffee granules and sugar in the cup of water in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Immediately reduce heat to very low and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.  (Do NOT leave syrup on stove unattended! It will spill over creating a hot, sticky mess on your stove.) Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.  Spoon 4 to 5 tablespoons of coffee syrup over 1 cup of shaved/crushed ice.  Drizzle top with sweetened condensed milk.  Enjoy!!!


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Almíbar de Jamaica (Hibiscus Flower Syrup) for Raspados {She Made/Ella Hace}

Will Smith (famous actor/rapper) once said, "It's summer, summer, summertime!  Time to sit back and unwind."  Well, I can't think of  better way to unwind (with the kiddies) on a hot summer afternoon than with a cool and refreshing icy treat .   My good friend and partner-in-crime Girlichef couldn't agree more, because she chose Nieves as our theme for this month's edition of She Made/Ella Hace.  

Heather (girlichef) made us a grown-up treat...a Lemon Drop Granita made with vodka!  But whenever I think of summer and icy treats, I think of the summers I spent when I was 4, 5, and 6 years old in San Luis, Sonora and Nieves Raspadas (snow cones), also known as Raspados.  I don't remember eating much else, besides my beloved Huevos con Chorizo, all summer long.  I must've eaten at least 3 nieves raspadas a day.  And who could blame me?  Nieves Raspadas are sweet, cool, and refreshing, and they were just the thing to help a little kid beat the glaring heat of the Sonoran desert.

Back then my favorite almíbares (syrups) for nieves raspadas were strawberry and tamarindo.  To this day, I still love those two flavors, but now that I'm all grown up I have a new favorite...Almíbar de Jamaica (Hibiscus Flower syrup).  It's sweet and kind of tart, with subtle floral undertones.  And it's such a pretty shade of bright magenta.

I love Nieves Raspadas SO much, I'm going to be dedicating a full week to them on the blog starting this Monday, June 24th.


Almíbar de Jamaica para Nieve Raspada
(Hibiscus Flower Syrup)

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 cups sugar

Directions:
Combine the dried hibiscus flowers with the water and sugar in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to low and let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.  Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of syrup over a cup of shaved or crushed ice.  Enjoy!!! 


Don't forget to visit Girlichef's blog to check out her Lemon Drop Granita.  And be sure to tune into my Cocina next week, as I'll be sharing more recipes for Nieves Raspadas.



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Homemade Chorizo Burgers #SundaySupper



Feliz Día del Padre!  Today for #SundaySupper we're celebrating Father's Day.  Since I happen to be married to one of the awesomest (yes, that a word in my dictionary) dads ever, I thought I'd share another of his all-time favorites...Chorizo Burgers!

But before I get into the recipe, I want to share a little something about my Hubby.  Like I said, he's an amazing father and a wonderful husband, but he's what you'd call a picky eater. (At least that's what he thinks.)  If prompted, he'll tell you he doesn't like cheese, pasta, seafood, chocolate, and a long list of other ingredients I can't remember at the moment.  But at the very top of his list is...CHORIZO!  (Gasp!)  He's lucky we were already married when he shared that little tidbit of information.  I couldn't believe my ears when he told me.  How could he not like chorizo?  I've been in love with the stuff since I first tasted it, way back when I was 4 years old.  It's how I learned to speak Spanish!

It wasn't easy, but I was determined not to let this chorizo thing affect our marriage.  We were newlyweds, which to me meant that I had a lifetime to change Hubby's mind about chorizo.  After a few months of marriage, I started to notice something else about my Hubby.  For a man who claimed to be such a picky eater, he sure spent a lot of time eating the very foods he claimed to not like, including chorizo.

Turns out Hubby's not as picky an eater after all!  Which is great, because otherwise we may not have ever discovered these tasty Chorizo Burgers.        

The base of this recipe is the Homemade Chorizo recipe from The Homesick Texan I shared a couple of years ago.  Don't let the words "homemade chorizo" intimidate you.  It's really not that hard to make.  The hardest part, for me, is waiting for the chorizo to set overnight to allow the flavors to intensify.  After that, all you have to do is shape the chorizo into patties, fry 'em up, top them with queso fresco and caramelized onions and you are good to go.  And if you want an even tastier burger, try topping your Chorizo Burger with a fried egg.  It is heaven on a hamburger bun!  


Chorizo Burgers
Chorizo recipe from The Homesick Texan by Lisa Fink

For the chorizo:
  • 2 dried guajillo chilies
  • 2 dried ancho chilies
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 medium onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 pound ground pork (with at least 20% fat)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • !/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the burgers: 
  • 2 large onions, sliced
  • Queso Fresco, Manchego cheese, or mild cheddar
  • Hamburger buns
  • Eggs (optional, but highly recommended) 

Directions:
In a small skillet over high heat, toast the dried chilies on each side for about 10 seconds.  Fill the skillet with about 2 cups of water to cover the chilies.  Bring the water to a boil, then turn off heat.  Let the chilies soak for about 10 minutes or until really soft.  Remove the stems and seeds from the chilies. 

Puree the chilies in a blender with the onion, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of the apple cider vinegar, adding more vinegar if necessary.  (The puree should be about the same consistency of ketchup.)  

Add the chili puree to the ground pork, along with all of the spices and salt.  Mix well.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for atleast one hour.  (I recommend refrigerating the chorizo overnight, so the flavors have a chance to meld giving the chorizo a stronger, more intense flavor.)

Once your chorizo is made, but before you start on your burgers, let's caramelize some onions.  

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over high heat.  Add the onion and saute for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions have caramelized; set aside. 

Now let's make some burgers! 

Shape the chorizo into 6 patties.  Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet or griddle over medium heat.  Brown the patties for 6 to 8 minutes on each side until completely cooked.  Top each patty with a couple of slices of queso fresco.    

Serve chorizo patties on a lightly toasted hamburger bun.  Top with caramelized onions and a fried egg.  Enjoy!!!



For more delicious Father's Day dishes, check out the #SundaySupper line-up.

Dad’s Favorite Main Dishes: 
Dad’s Favorite Appetizers and Sides: 
Dad’s Favorite Desserts
Come celebrate Father’s day with the Sunday Supper Team! We would love to have you join our Twitter #SundaySupper chat starting at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag throughout the day to see the amazing recipes. We look forward to seeing you.  To join all you need to do is follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and share your favorite tips and recipes. Be sure to check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and photos.

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