Sandwiches & Burgers: Roasted Hot Dogs

I love hot dogs, but I hate boiling them. They get all slimy and icky and are practically inedible. I also hate that even when I roast them, the insides are just...insides. Making the perfect crispy hot dog takes a little more work than boiling it or throwing it in the oven, but it's worth it.


The perfect roasted hot dog has to be sliced, but not all the way through, before it is cooked. You can buy a little plastic device, called a Curl-A-Dog, that will slice your hot dogs before cooking. I have these and they are excellent. If you don't have one, you can achieve the same effect using a skewer and a sharp knife. Details will be included below.


You can use any hot dogs you like. Beef, pork, chicken, or even veggie or soy hot dogs all work well.


Ingredients


1 recipe for Hamburger Buns
12 hot dogs
Various hot dog toppings


Preparation


Make your buns by following the directions in the Hamburger Bun recipe, but shape the buns into hot dog buns instead. You can use a mold, or you can shape them freehand. Either way, they'll have to rise and be baked and cooled before you can proceed. You could, alternatively, use store-bought buns.


Once you have your buns, you can cook your hot dogs. These are roasted, so there won't be any boiling or any other nonsense. But there will be slicing. If you have a Curl-A-Dog, use it to slice your hot dogs. I'm going to assume most people don't have a Curl-A-Dog in a drawer. If you don't, get a metal or wooden skewer. Thread your hot dog onto the skewer end to end (long end). Try to keep the skewer in the middle of the hot dog as you go. If you're going to be cooking the hot dog over an open flame, you can use a roasting stick as your skewer.


Once your hot dog is on the skewer, place the hot dog on a cutting board. Slice into the hot dog with a sharp knife, making deep gashes into the hot dog. You should slice at an angle, all the way down to the skewer. Keep the knife parallel to the cutting board so you don't end up slicing the hot dog to bits. I usually make 8 or 10 slashes in each hot dog.


Turn the hot dog over and repeat. Make sure you have turned the hot dog completely over or you might accidentally slice the hot dog to bits. Make your diagonal slashes, again only to the skewer. Even just shy of the skewer so the hot dog stays intact.


If you're cooking the hot dog on an open flame, you've probably used a roasting stick instead of a skewer. If so, you're ready to roast the hot dog. If you're cooking the hot dog in the oven, you'll want to heat your oven to 400°F and gently remove the hot dog from the skewer. There's no need to cook it on the skewer if you're using the oven. Pull it off, being careful not to tear it, and place it on a baking sheet. Roast or bake your hot dog until it's as done as you like it. I like mine almost black, which takes about 20 minutes in the oven. Most people are happy with a 10 or 15-minute hot dog.


As it cooks, the hot dog will expand and the insides will cook and get crispy. The longer the hot dog cooks, the crispier the sliced edges will become. It's actually quite easy to burn these, so do keep an eye on them.


Once the hot dog is cooked, slice your hot dog buns and place the hot dog inside. Top with mustard, cheese, onions, or anything else you like on your hot dog.


Serve immediately.

Yeast Breads: Honey Oat Bread

Breads that are light and fluffy, yet wholesome and hearty, and the perfect addition to your day. Use this bread to create stunning and delicious sandwiches of all kinds.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
2⅔ cups all purpose flour
⅔ cup quick oats
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp honey
1 cup water
1 tbsp cornmeal


Preparation


You don't have to dissolve the yeast, so place all ingredients except cornmeal in a large bowl and blend until the dough clings together. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until a soft dough has formed. Place this dough in a slightly oiled bowl and cover loosely. Let rise in a warm location until doubled in size, about 1 hour.


Punch down dough to remove air bubbles. Shape into a loaf that vaguely resembles a baguette, only thicker. Sprinkle cornmeal on baking sheet and place loaf on top. Allow loaf to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.


Heat oven to 375°F. Bake loaf for 22 minutes, until golden brown. Loaf should sound hollow when tapped. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Yeast Breads: Golden Apricot Bread

Sweet breads are perfect for jams and jellies. They are especially popular for making the classic peanut butter and jam sandwich. This bread gets its flavor from apricot nectar and yogurt. Apricot nectar can be found at most large grocery stores. If you can't find it, consider ordering it online. It's worth the extra hassle.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
½ tsp salt
½ cup apricot nectar
½ cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1 egg
¾ cup carrots, chopped (optional)


Preparation


There's no need to dissolve the yeast, so throw everything in a large bowl and mix until all ingredients are fully combined. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until you have a smooth ball of dough that is slightly stretchy. Place dough in a slightly oiled bowl and cover lightly. Let rise in a warm location until doubled in size, about 1 hour.


Spray a bread pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Punch down the dough, removing all air to prevent stray air bubbles. Shape the dough into a smooth loaf and set it in the loaf pan. Cover loosely and set in a warm place to rise. Allow loaf to double in shape, which will take about 45 minutes.


Heat oven to 375°F. Uncover dough and bake for 22 minutes, until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool 10 minutes in loaf pan, then cool completely on a wire rack. Serve with jams and other spreads.

Drop Cookies: Giant Peanut Cookies

I absolutely love peanuts. So it makes sense that I would love them in my cookies. These cookies are made with peanut butter and jumbo peanuts. The peanuts can be roasted and salted, or they can be unsalted if you prefer. Just make sure you use large size peanuts. Smaller peanuts will get lost in the dough.


Ingredients


⅔ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
¼ cup smooth peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
¾ cup all purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
Dash of salt
⅔ cup large peanuts


Preparation


Heat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, cream together brown sugar, butter, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Blend well. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Gently fold in peanuts.


Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto a prepared baking sheet. Do not flatten. Bake for 8 minutes, until the edges are a light golden brown. Cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet, then cool completely on wire racks.


This recipe makes 2 dozen cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Though they never last that long in our house...

Snacks & Appetizers: Garlic Bread

Who doesn't like garlic bread? Well, people who don't like garlic, I suppose. For everyone else, garlic bread is delicious and pairs well with pasta and other dishes. It's also a great snack for parties or simply for when the kids get home from school.


You can use any bread to make this. You might try rye bread, buttermilk bread, Vienna bread, or even Challah bread. I like mine made with sour bread or sourdough. This particular recipe uses just white bread, but don't be afraid to use whatever you have on hand.


Ingredients


1 recipe for Basic White Bread
½ butter, melted
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp parmesan cheese
1 tbsp parsley
grated cheese (optional)


Preparation


Make the bread according to the recipe direction. But don't put it in a bread pan for its second rise. Instead, shape your dough into a long loaf similar to a baguette but a bit fatter. A loaf that's about 14 inches long should be sufficient. Let rise and bake as directed.


Allow the loaf to cool completely before proceeding. Once it is cool, heat the oven to 400°F. Slice the loaf open longwise, separating the top of the loaf from the bottom. Try to keep your cut nice and even. I like to use an electric knife for this step.


Open the loaf and place it on a prepared baking sheet. Combine the butter, garlic powder, parsley, and parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Pour this butter mixture over both halves of the loaf. Use a pastry brush to make sure the butter coats the bread evenly. Allow mixture to sit for 2 minutes so the butter makes its way down into the bread.


Sprinkle with grated cheese, if desired. If not, skip this step. You can use as much or as little cheese as you like. If you do use cheese, sprinkle a little more parsley on top of the cheese. Though this isn't necessary, it makes the bread look nicer.


Bake in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the edges of the loaf are browned. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.

Yeast Breads: Easy Sour Bread

Sourdough is delicious and wonderful, but it also takes a week to make. If you want something similar right now, try this Easy Sour Bread. It uses sour cream and vinegar to get a flavor very much like traditional sourdough. It's not sourdough, but in a pinch it will do.


I still recommend making real sourdough. Nothing is quite like it. But since we don't all have a week, try this quick and simple version.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp wheat germ
½ tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground ginger
½ cup water
½ cup sour cream
1 tbsp vinegar
1 egg
1 tbsp water
1 tsp poppy seed


Preparation


Because we're not using traditional yeast, we can jump right in and start mixing the dough. Place all ingredients except for the egg, the single tablespoon of water, and the poppy seeds into a large bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon or the dough hooks of your electric mixer until dough is smooth and clings together.


Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until dough is soft and a has a slight stretch to it. Place this dough in a slightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.


Punch down the dough, removing all air bubbles. Roll and shape the dough until it is a long, almost baguette-style loaf. It should be about 14 inches long. Make sure the loaf is smooth, then place on a prepared baking sheet . Cover and let rise until doubled in size, this time about 45 minutes.


Heat oven to 375°F. Using a bread lame or sharp knife, slash the top of the loaf 4 or 5 times diagonally, but not too deep. ¼-inch is as deep as you want to go. Combine the egg and the tablespoon of water, creating an egg wash. Brush this wash over the loaf. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.


Bake for 20-22 minutes, until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Serve with jam or butter.

Drop Cookies: Cashew Cookies

Cashews are a softer nut than some, and quite delicious in a variety of baking. These delicate Cashew Cookies use sour cream to enhance their flavor. They're excellent with milk or as a quick breakfast food. Yes, I said cookies for breakfast. Hey, sometimes we're all in a rush.


Ingredients


1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
½ tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
¾ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
⅓ cup sour cream
¾ cup salted cashews, chopped


Preparation


Heat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter using an electric mixture. Add vanilla and egg. Blend well until mixture is smooth. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sour cream. Stir with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are incorporated. Add cashews and mix by hand until dough is consistent and cashews are equally distributed.


Drop by rounded teaspoons onto a prepared baking sheet. Don't flatten, but do smooth the tops and edges of each cookie so you don't have any bits sticking out that might burn. Bake for 8 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.


Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet, then cool completely on wire racks. Store for up to 5 days in an airtight container.


This recipes make about 2-3 dozen cookies, depending on how large the cookies are.