Recipes for the week
Pantry beans + West Virginia hot dog sauce ðŸŒ
Happy Tuesday! I’ve been hard at work gardening the past few days. I moved into my house in 2020 and put only the minimum amount of effort into maintaining my little backyard. This year, I decided I would take my garden more seriously, and what a difference it’s made!
Before I go too far, I’ll tell you what the recipes are for this newsletter: Easy vegan brothy beans and my Dad’s West Virginia hot dog sauce. If you want to get straight to the recipes, download the print-friendly PDFs here:
I spent the past two days trimming and clipping and digging and removing all the dead stuff from the gardens. Tomorrow, I’ll be mulching and planting. I’m going to try to grow my own herbs and a few vegetables this year. I also learned that the bush in the back is a flowering quince shrub. The thorns made me so angry that I was ready to uproot the whole thing, but once I learned that I’d been getting little quince fruits without even trying, I decided to keep it. I don't have much of a green thumb (ask my mom about all the lovely plants she’s gifted me that have met their slow demise under my care), so we’ll see how I do.
On to the good stuff: I have two new recipes to share with you this evening. The first is one I originally shared on , but these brothy beans are so good that I feel they deserve to be shared here as well. The second is my Dad’s West Virginia hot dog sauce that I think you’ll just love this summer.
I love hot dogs. I was never a hamburger girlie at the cookouts. Hot dogs, and hot dogs only. When I was a kid, my Dad and I went to West Virginia and even did a tour of hot dogs from a bunch of different shops. This style of hot dog sauce is a little sweet and a little spicy, and the longer you simmer it, the better it will be. Some West Virginia hot dogs come with coleslaw on top, but I’ve only ever had them with mustard, ketchup, hot dog sauce, and diced onions on top. My Dad grew up in Clarksburg, and he swears that he’s never seen a dog with slaw on top, so I suspect it’s a regional thing!
I recently visited my parents, and my Dad gave me a tub of his hot dog sauce, so I fixed that up for dinner tonight since I wasn’t in the mood to cook. He sent me his recipe (written above!), but I got the exact measurements from him with a bit of prodding! 😂 Of course, he says it’s best if you eyeball all the spices and make it to your tastes, so season with your hearts!
If you’re interested in another West Virginia recipe, check out my dad’s West Virginia pepperoni rolls!
Easy Vegan Brothy Beans
Servings: 4 | Cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced or torn depending on the variety
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, peeled and minced
A pinch of dry thyme to taste
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons Calabrian chili peppers in oil, or use crushed red pepper flakes to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
15-ounce can cannellini beans
1 pint cherry tomatoes or use a 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes
4 cups water, plus more if needed
8 ounces orzo, or other small pasta
10 basil leaves, roughly chopped; a few leaves reserved for garnish
1 lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook the onion and mushrooms:
Place a pot on a burner over medium heat. Add the mushrooms to the dry pot and cook for 5–7 minutes until they release excess water. Cook for an additional 5 minutes until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to the pot of mushrooms along with the diced onions. Cook for 5–7 minutes.
Add the thyme, garlic, and Calabrian chili peppers. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add tomato paste, if using, and cook for 1 minute.
Cook the beans and pasta:
Add the beans, tomatoes, and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil and season liberally with salt. Once boiling, add the orzo. Reduce heat to a low bowl (medium to medium-high, depending on your stove). Simmer, occasionally stirring, for 8–12 minutes until the orzo is al dente. Taste and season.
Finish the beans:
Add the chopped basil and lemon juice to the pot. Turn off the heat.
To serve:
Divide the cooked beans and pasta between bowls. Serve with black pepper and more fresh basil, if you like.
My Dad’s West Virginia Style Hot Dog Sauce
Servings: 8–10 | Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients
1½ pounds 85/15 ground beef
14.5-ounce can beef broth
1 yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
1 hot pepper, such as jalapeño or cherry pepper, trimmed and finely minced
1 small red bell pepper, trimmed, seeded, and finely diced
7-ounce can tomato paste
1–2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne powder, more or less to taste
½ teaspoon turmeric
12-ounce jar Heinz chili sauce or use ½ cup ketchup
Salt, pepper, and sugar if needed
Brown the beef:
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon for 15–20 minutes until browned and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the cooked beef to a paper towel-lined plate and discard all but 2 teaspoons of fat in the skillet.
Cook the onion and peppers:
Return the skillet to the stove over medium heat. Add the onion and both diced peppers and cook until softened, about 5–7 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne powder, paprika, and turmeric. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and mash it into the skillet. Cook for 1–3 minutes until it deepens in color.
Return the beef to the pot and toss to combine.
Simmer the hot dog sauce:
Pour in the beef broth and add the chili sauce. Taste and add more salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar if needed. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes until thick.
Stir the hot dog sauce occasionally as it cooks. If the liquid evaporates too quickly, add a splash or two of water.
If the hot dog sauce is too thin, turn the heat up a touch and continue simmering until the liquid evaporates.
Taste and season once more before serving.
To serve:
Serve the hot dog sauce on top of your favorite hot dog. Be sure to warm the buns first! I like to microwave them so they’re soft, but toast or grill them if you prefer. Serve with ketchup, mustard, and finely minced yellow onion on top. Enjoy!
Hope everyone has a wonderful week! I’ll be back in a few days with new recipes for you to try!
-kylie
Love this recipe!