My Family Tradition: Happy Halloween

 

 

 

     Many of us have family traditions, and some of us hold onto those traditions even after we leave home. For my family, every Halloween we would go over to my grandma 'Gan-Gan's' house and have hot dogs and chili. As adults, my sisters and I always make sure to have our hot dogs on Halloween! It may seem silly, but it is SO special to us. You might think hot dogs are for summer on the grill, but have you ever tried a boiled hot dog?

     It is really simple to boil hot dogs. Take a medium to large pot filled will water about 3/4th full. Allow it to come to a boil and then add hot dogs. Once it returns to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer and leave for at least 5 minutes and up to 10 minutes. The longer you leave the hot dogs cooking the more tougher they become. Be careful not to leave them in too long because they can become waterlogged.

     There are so many ways to dress your hot dog. You don't just have to stick with the traditional topping! Common condiments include: mustard, ketchup, onions, relish, shredded cheese, sauerkraut, and chili. You can go nuts with different condiments: avocado, mayonnaise, jalapenos, salsa, barbecue sauce, olives, garlic, bacon, mushrooms, potato chips, french fries, french fried onions, horseradish- I could go on and on!

Tip 1: Dress the hot dog not the bun. Put wet ingredients first and then the more solid topping next. The cheese, onion and other toppings will stay in the bun better.
Tip 2: Cut a slit down the hot dog to help cook out more of the fat and make it a little heathier.

Welcome To My Culinary Dream

  

     I discovered my love for cooking when I was about 16. You know...when we would tell our parents last minute that there was a potluck at school the next day? Well, that night my mom taught me how to make a simple, yet delicious rice dish. That night sparked my interest and love of cooking. I began reading cookbooks, just like you would read a novel. I began experimenting with ingredients and recipes, until finally in my mid 20's I started catering events for my friends. I prepared dishes from scratch for family members for events such as birthdays and special occasions. I attending culinary school in 2010 at Le Cordon Bleu in Sacramento, CA.   I then attended Colorado Technical University Online in 2012 through 2015, graduating with a bachelors degree in Business Administration with a concentration in management...ultimately hoping to reach my goal of owning my very own Café!

I catered my best friends wedding and so the name "My Best Friend's Catering and Event Planning" was given to my future endeavors.

 

     My hope for this blog is to help teach people how they can cook delicious meals on any budget. I will share healthy tips and provide substitute ingredients for those with allergies. I hope to collaborate with others to bring you recipes for all types of diets. I will show how easy it is to meal prep on any budget. I will share my knowledge on catering and event planning so you can see that you can entertain on a budget. I will also include party ideas and other non food details to planning birthdays, anniversaries and even game nights.