Hawaiian Hot Dogs

Looking for a way to make hot dogs a little different?  This is a sweet and tangy option.  Plus, you can make them inside instead of waiting for it to be warm enough to grill.

Hawaiian Hot Dogs

10 hot dogs

2/3 cup crushed pineapple – drained

1/4 cup mustard

10 slices bread

10 toothpicks

Butter

Mix pineapple and mustard.  Split hot dogs lengthwise, but not quite through.  Warm hot dogs slit-side up in an ungreased skillet.  Place hot dogs diagonally across bread.  Spoon pineapple mix into slits.  Wrap bread around hot dogs, overlapping corners and securing with toothpicks.  Brown wrapped hot dogs in butter in skillet -- turning to toast all sides.

Happy Cake

I have one of these in the oven right this very minute -- I'm taking it to church for the Easter brunch tomorrow.  I call it "Happy Cake" because eating it is like taking bites of cheerfulness.  It's sunshiny and bright and... happy.  I first made this with my college roommate Emily when we were at my parents' house for... Spring Break, maybe?  Anyway, it's a really simple, yummy, joyful cake.

Happy Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup oil
9 oz. whipped topping (aka Cool Whip)
1 pkg. vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
11 oz. can mandarin oranges + juice
13 oz. can crushed pineapple + juice

Mix cake mix, eggs, oil, and mandarin oranges plus their juice.  Batter might be a little lumpy, just be sure your eggs are truly mixed in.  Pour into 9x13" pan.  Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.  Let cake cool completely.  Mix whipped topping, pudding mix, and crushed pineapples plus their juice.  Spread on cooled cake.

This freezes well.

Asian Chicken Pitas

A colorful mix of things to fill pitas.  If you don't like pitas, you could use tortillas instead, I suppose.

Asian Chicken Pitas

1/3 cup Peanut butter
1/4 cup Teriyaki sauce
2 cups Chicken pieces
1/2 cup Pineapple tidbits – drained
1 stalk Celery – sliced
1 can Water chestnuts – drained and chopped
1 Red Pepper – chopped
1/2 cup Onion – chopped
8 Half pitas
1 tbsp. Oil

 Mix peanut butter and teriyaki sauce. In a large skillet, heat the oil, add chicken pieces and saute 5 minutes. Add celery and saute 3 minutes. Add onions and saute 3 more. Add peppers and chestnuts and saute for 3 more minutes. Finally, add pineapple and sauce and heat through. Stuff pitas.

Aloha Burgers

Oh my goodness, are these ever tasty!  We love to make these when we have company over for lunch -- they look impressive and are such a unique combination of flavors.

Aloha Burgers

4 slices canned pineapple – reserve juice
3/4 cup Teriyaki sauce
1 lb. Ground beef
1 medium Onion – sliced in rings
4 large Hamburger buns
8 slices Block swiss cheese
4 slices Bacon – fried

Drain pineapple juice into a small bowl. Add teriyaki sauce. Place 1/4 cup sauce in a plastic, sealable container with pineapple slices. Turn to coat and set aside. Shape beef into 4 patties, place in skillet and pour remaining teriyaki mix over patties. Marinate 10 minutes, turning once. Fry hamburgers in sauce until no longer pink and remove from skillet. Fry onion in same pan – when almost done add pineapple and heat through. At this point, toast the tops of the buns and layer cheese over the bottoms and nuke for 30 seconds until warm and slightly melted. Top with burgers, pineapple, bacon, and onions.