Our Fourth of July menu!

Nothing major this year, just a small cookout with the family. Here's what's on the menu:

Buns, grilled bratwurst, hot dogs with Willie's Dawgs Red Onion Sauce (recipe below), baked beans (recipe below), pea salad (recipe below), peach jello fluff dessert (recipe below.)

Willie's Dawgs Red Onion Sauce:

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

3 onions, sliced

3 cloves minced garlic

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

2 Tbsp. white vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. paprika

3/4 c. water

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. hot sauce

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

In a medium-sized pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat and cook and onion and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered. for about 40 minutes. Serve over hot dogs.

Baked Beans

• 1 lb. dry navy beans (I've also used black-eye peas or great northern beans)
• 6 cups water
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3/4 c. ketchup
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 3/4 - 1 c. water
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 2 Tbsp. molasses
• 1 tsp. salt

Soak beans in water overnight in large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer until soft, about 1 1/2 hours. Drain and discard water. Mix together all ingredients in crock pot. Cover and cook on low 10 to 12 hours.

Note: I often soak the beans the day before, cook them and then cook in crock pot overnight.

Note: I sometimes add sliced hot dogs or ham to the mixture. When I do this I reduce the salt to 1/2 tsp.

Pea Salad

• 1 16 oz. pkg frozen peas, thawed
• 1 cup Miracle Whip or mayonnaise
• 1 small white or red onion, diced
• 1 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients except peas in a bowl. Stir in peas. Store in refrigerator

Jello Fluff Dessert

• 1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs, you can make your own by crushing graham crackers
• 1 Tbsp. flour
  
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. melted margarine or butter
• 1 large or 2 regular size boxes of Jello gelatin, any flavor
• 1 3/4 c. hot water
• 1 c. sugar
  
• 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk, very cold (I put mine in the freezer for a couple of hours)

Mix together graham cracker crumbs, flour, 1/2 c. sugar, and melted margarine. Press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan and bake 8 to 10 minutes at 325°. Let cool. Mix Jello, water, and 1 c. sugar together until dissolved; chill until syrupy. Beat at high speed until frothy. Whip evaporated milk at high speed until light and fluffy like whipped cream. Fold into the Jello mixture. Pour onto graham cracker crust. Sprinkle a few extra graham crumbs on top. Chill until firm. Store in refrigerator.