Thank you Lana and Lisa at blessedwithgrace (Click on Image) for hosting this wonderful recipe swap blog carnival! There are lots of yummy recipes over there today.

Today I am going to focus on two local/regional recipes that are very unique to the northern NY and Quebec areas. Michigan Hotdogs (These are NOT Chili Dogs) and Poutine.

A Little History:

Michigan hot dog
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A Michigan hot dog or, "Michigan", is a steamed hot dog on a steamed bun topped with a meaty sauce, generally referred to as "Michigan Sauce". The chili may or may not be tomato-based, depending on where the Michigan is purchased. Michigans can be served with or without chopped onions. If served with onions, the onions can either be buried under the sauce, under the hotdog itself, or sprinkled on top of the chili.
Michigans are a particular favorite in the North Country of New York State, and have been so for many decades. In fact, one of the earliest known advertisements for Michigans appeared in the Friday, May 27, 1927, Plattsburgh Republican [1].
Michigans are also very popular in Montréal and other parts of Québec, where the sauce that is put on them is invariably tomato-based and is often simply referred to as "spaghetti sauce". Lafleur Restaurants, a Québec fast food chain, is known for its Michigans and poutine.
Oddly enough, "Michigan hot dogs" are never referred to by that name in Michigan itself, nor anywhere else in the Midwest. A similar food item, the "Coney Dog" or "Coney Island dog", is a hot dog topped with onions and either chili or a meatless chili called coney sauce. Conversely, the "Coney Island" is not called as such on Coney Island, or anywhere else in New York State; it's called either a "Michigan" or a "Red Hot." Finally, in southeast Michigan, a "Coney Island" is also the local slang term for a greasy spoon.

Locally we have many wonderful michigan stands- our personal favorite is Ronnie's Michigan Stand on Rt 3 in Cadyville. I would describe their sauce as pasty and not too spicy. The following recipe is the closest I have been able to come to their beloved sauce.

You will need

2 Large Onions

1 Large Green Pepper

1 lb hamburger

4 small cans of tomato paste

5 drops of Tabasco

1/4 c. french's mustard

1 cup ketchup

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp pepper

Now this is Super EASY! I slice the onion and pepper into chunks and throw them in the food processor to achieve the smallest possible "puree/chop". Toss everything raw into a pot and cook it over medium heat for about an hour. Stir frequently. The "cooking in the sauce" method will cause the hamburger to break apart all on its own. Frequent stirring- maybe once every 10-15 mins will ensure perfection.

This is better as it sits, so I usually make it in the morning, store in the refrigerator and heat up at meal time. Serve with steamed hotdogs, steamed hot dog buns, chopped onions and mustard. This is really very economical and will be a hit at your next BBQ or family gathering.

Now on to the perfect side dish: Poutine

Some Facts and Histoy:

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Poutine (Quebec French pronunciation ˈputsɪn (help·info)) is a dish consisting of French fries topped with fresh cheese curds, covered with brown gravy and sometimes additional ingredients. [1]
Poutine is a fast food staple sold mostly in Quebec and in areas of Ontario that border Quebec, such as Ottawa. It is sold by both fast food chains (such as New York Fries, Harvey's, Ed's Subs[2]), in small "greasy spoon" type diners ( commonly known as "casse-croûtes" in Quebec) and pubs, as well as by roadside chip wagons. International chains like McDonald's,[3] A&W,[4] KFC and Burger King[5] also sell mass-produced poutine. Popular Quebec restaurants that serve poutine include Chez Ashton (Quebec City), La Banquise (Montreal), Louis (Sherbrooke), Lafleur Restaurants, Franx Supreme [6], La Belle Province, Le Petit Québec and Dic Ann's Hamburgers. Along with fries and pizza, poutine is a very common dish sold and eaten in high school cafeterias in various parts of Canada

This is 100% not the most nutrient packed form of potato dish out there. It is a heart attack on a plate, but so so good!!!! And so easy!

Prepare French Fries (Baked or Fried), Sprinkle with Cheese Curds, Top with your favorite Gravy (Pre-Packaged is great in my opinion). This needs to be eaten with a fork. Sprinkle on a little fresh parsley to allude to the fact that this is tonight's veggie course...Enjoy!