August 3, 2010
It's amazing how fast this summer is going!! Soon my children will be heading back to school (yay!!) and the cool farm show weather will be upon us. It's hard to imagine wearing a sweatshirt right now though!!! I hope everyone has had a good summer filled with lots of backyard cooking, picnics, and family fun.
On a recent trip to an amusement park, I noticed the large number of people walking around with hot dogs. I thought, "Wouldn't it be cool to eat a hot dog that has a bit more character?" I began thinking of ways to spruce up a regular old hot dog. Here are a few of the ideas that I came up with.
1. Before grilling, cut a slice down the center of your hot dog. Do not cut the whole way through. When your dog is grilled to perfection, put some shredded cheddar cheese in the slit. Put your hot dog in the bun and use some thin sliced "Sandwich stacker" style pickles on each side of the dog. Sprinkle some shredded lettuce on the top and add a touch of ranch dressing!!
2. Start the same way with a slit grilled hot dog. Dice some jarred jalapeno rings and sprinkle them with a little bit of taco seasoning. Fill the slit with this mixture. Line the sides of the hot dog bun with some sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips. Top the hot dog with some of your favorite chili, some shredded cheese, and a couple shots of Frank's Red Hot!!!
I hope you give these a shot at your next grilling, and try to shake things up a bit!!! Have fun cooking, and I'll talk to you all in the fall!!! - Jon
