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.