Bring on the weiners!

Cocktail weiners are always a hit at parties because they embody that "perfect bite." They are spicy, sweet, tangy and salty and just the right size to pop in your mouth. And for ease of preparation, cocktail weiners were made for the slow cooker. Mix up all the ingredients, dump it in a slow cooker, set it to low. All you need to serve are some plates and toothpicks.

This recipe is pretty basic: ketchup, vinegar, jelly or jam, mustard and black pepper (plus the weiners, of course!) I have tried many versions of this dish over the years, but this one, first shared by Myra Marshall of Norton, Va., is my favorite method.

Cocktail weiners

1/2 pint (one cup) currant jelly
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup prepared mustard (you may use yellow mustard, or brown mustard)
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 pounds small cocktail weiners

Melt the jelly over low heat in a medium sauce pan. Once melted, add the remaining ingredients, except weiners, and blend thoroughly. Place the weiners in a 6-quart slow cooker and pour the sauce over all. Stir to blend. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours before serving. Can keep cooking on low until all the weiners have disappeared.

You may substitute another favorite jelly for the currant jelly, but I love the tangy taste from the currants. Also, you can cut up 4 packages of hotdogs to substitute for the cocktail weiners. Slice each into about 5 pieces.