Why Hotdogs are the new Cupcake

You can't miss them: Cupcakes. They popped up everywhere a few years ago, and people are crazy about them! Who can blame them? Cupcakes are cute, clever, guilt-light (because they are portion-controlled, but really, I live by the mantra "These are small, so I can eat more"), and just plain fun! There are entire little shops devoted to specialty cupcakes. I've eaten strange, strange flavors in the last few years, mostly delicious, but there is only so much chocolate and chili or lavender and lemon can do together in a dessert. Cupcakes are also cheap, which, in my humble opinion, has helped maintain their trendiness. Well, move over cupcake.

Hotdogs: I have eaten them (I thought) in every way imaginable. Beanie-weenies (gross, I might add), corndogs (ok, shockingly delicious even in adulthood), pigs in a blanket, little smokies simmered all day in a crockpot of BBQ-sauce love (also gross, but people love those things), grilled, camp-fired, boiled, microwaved and even cold out of the fridge. I've never been all that crazy about them, but I can get behind this new trend because, like the cupcake, it's all about fun. And it also takes something beloved to the next culinary level. And, cheap, cheap, cheap! Check out this fun hotdog party:
http://www.hwtm.com/themes/everyday_parties/memorial_day_summer_bbq/tabletop
If you'd asked me 10 years ago what coleslaw goes with, I would have said the little corner pocket on a partitioned picnic plate; delicious but not a team player. Now, I'm pumped to try it with some other fun stuff on hotdogs. The Carolina Dog with Chili, Coleslaw, onions and mustard sounds insane.
This is the start of a revolution, people, I can feel it.
Again, feeling inspired (although with no party in my immediate future) I forged some gourmet dogs for lunch at the Riley house this week.
Philly Cheesesteak Dogs
Grilled hotdogs (this is important-all other cooking methods for hotdogs are inferior)
Toasted buns (I tried to make this healthy, so we did turkey dogs and whole wheat buns, which I toasted on the grill the last couple minutes)
Sliced onions and green peppers
Melty white cheese, I used Swiss
Mustard
MMMMMMMMM sounds (also an important ingredient)
To cut the cooking out of this recipe completely, I wrapped the onions and green bell peppers in a foil packet and grilled those, too. Bye-bye hot kitchen, hello delicious.
So, once everything is grilled to perfection (I could have done the peppers and onions a lot longer, say 15-20 minutes in the foil pack) assemble bun, add grilled dog, top with cheese (I was so hungry I got distracted and forgot this part, but I feel confident it would be delicious) then top with onions and peppers then a good dose of mustard, or if you're Andy, Ketchup (also, just gross.) Then add the MMMMMMMMM sounds and enjoy!
Similarly, The Cubano Dog
Substitute bread and butter pickles for the onions and peppers (or add to onions and peppers, equally delicious) and even more melted Swiss cheese.
Feel free to say "Delicioso" in your best Cuban accent for affect.


Coming soon: The Riley Garden 2.0. We've learned from our mistakes, and we're back for more homegrown action. Things are just starting to really look like more than dirt, so I'll have pictures soon.





Stay cool,


Kelli