lawsy, lawsy

If you live in the southern chunk of America, chances are good that you've heard some flabbergasted woman utter the made-up word lawsy at some point. Heck, I've even said it myself. In fact, it's what came to mind when I saw the name of a product I was asked to review.

Yes, these are real hot dogs.  No foolin'.

Slawsa. Ever heard of it? I hadn't, but thank goodness I have now. It's a combination of salsa and slaw made by a small southern company looking to go nation-wide. It's similar to chow chow in that it's the ultimate topper to things like hot dogs, brats, burgers, pulled pork, and beans, but it's so much more! Slawsa is fat-free, cholesterol-free, gluten-free, (but certainly not flavor-free!) and contains a LOT less sodium than your traditional store-bought condiments.

Sometimes I get asked to review things that don't merit high praise, but that's far from the case here--this stuff is awesome, and it'll make you say "Lawsy, lawsy!" even if you've never heard the word in your life. It's the PERFECT hot dog accompaniment, which is high praise from someone who previously allowed only one certain kind of cole slaw or her mamster's red pepper relish to bedeck her weiner. Try Slawsa if you can find it--people in the South and parts of the Midwest should have no trouble! Add it to your grocery list for your next cookout!

*Disclaimer: While I was sent a free jar of Slawsa to review, the opinions are my own!

Red Pepper Relish
(yields about 3 cups)

4 red bell peppers, chopped in small pieces
1 onion, chopped in small pieces
2-2/3 cups granulated sugar
2 cups white vinegar
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Add everything to a small sauce pan and stir all the ingredients until well incorporated. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes and turn down the heat to medium-low for an additional 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has reduced. Remove from heat and allow to cool before serving.

For the record, I still haven't stumbled upon that perfect cole slaw recipe.
Dang it.
So elusive.