The Ultimate Food Truck Hot Dog!

The Ultimate Food Truck Hot Dog!

The Ultimate Food Truck Hot Dog! www.mytributejournal.com

I don’t think there’s ever been a hot dog that my husband didn’t like–and the more garnishes it can be smothered in, all the better!  If the hot dog comes from a food truck, well, that is his hot dog nirvana!  Me, I’m good for a hot dog maybe three or four times a year at a ball game or barbecue cookout, usually with some ketchup, a little mustard and a few pickles–then along came World Dog Food Truck at our local Arts Festival a few months ago, and oh my goodness, how my hot dog world has changed…literally! Ha!

The Ultimate Food Cart Hot Dog! www.mytributejournal.com

When my husband and I find something new that we love eating, sometimes we will try to figure out how to replicate it at home–like this version of Red Rock Pub’s Steak Salad.  My husband also has no problem asking the proprietors what ingredients they use…and Joe, the owner of the World Dog, seemed most happy to oblige as we ate these tasty hot dogs!  (There’s sure to be some secrets that are never divulged.)  Whether you go and track down World Dog Food Truck’s latest location or try your hand at making this adapted recipe at home, believe me, you will want to try these hot dogs!

My New Favorite Picnic Hot Dog!

The Ultimate Food Truck Hot Dog! www.mytributejournal.com

At World Dog, Joe told us that he uses pure beef hot dogs–not jumbo sized or extra long, just regular beef hot dogs.

Favorite picnic hot dogs www.mytributejournal.com

My husband and I love the Bar S brand hot dogs–they also taste the most like the ones used by World Dog. 

The Ultimate Food Truck Hot Dog! www.mytributejournal.com

A hot dog just begs to be grilled–that’s what brings out that great, roasted picnic flavor! 

The Ultimate Food Truck Hot Dog! www.mytributejournal.com

 Chop up some cabbage, (about 1/3 medium head for four hot dogs) add some coleslaw dressing, a little lime and about 1/2 tsp. sugar.  You could make your own coleslaw and dressing.  We tried a few different dressings, but Lite House coleslaw dressing was the best for this recipe.  Joe’s World Dog’s coleslaw has a little sweet n’ sour taste, thus the use of limes and sugar, so add them to your preference.

Kraft Honey BBQ sauce www.mytributejournal.com

The final step before you indulge in these wonderful, delectable hot dogs is to drizzle some BBQ sauce over the coleslaw.  We found Kraft’s Honey Barbecue sauce to be most similar to the sauce used–we also added a bit more honey to make it just a little sweeter.    

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Pile the coleslaw on your hot dog, drizzle it with the barbecue sauce for a fabulous picnic hot dog like no other you’ve ever tasted.  I love the crunch of the cabbage mixed with all the other savory flavors! 

Funny story that goes along with our ultimate food truck hot dog experience…my husband had made reservations at a downtown restaurant for later in the evening after we finished up at the Art’s Festival, so he only bought one hot dog, because of course, I told him I’d just have a little bite of his…that’s what we ladies do–am I right!  Long story short, as we continued to browse the booths at the festival, my husband and I each got another of these hot dogs, and ended up cancelling our dinner reservation.  Now, the restaurant we were going to is one of my favorite places to eat, so obviously, we had fallen in love with these hot dogs!

Please let me know if you try these hot dogs at your next barbecue picnic…and how you like them!  Enjoy!

–Mary

I also want to wish my fun, sweet granddaughter, Makena, a very Happy Birthday tomorrow!  Makena will be turning six years old, she just started first grade and is such a delightful little girl!  Being a Grandma is truly the ultimate experience of my life!

Princess Bell www.mytributejournal.com

   Happy Birthday, Makena!

Cherry Dessert Squares!

Cherry Dessert Squares!

It’s hard to believe that summer is about half over!  Crazy!

Picnics and patio parties are definitely a couple of my favorite things to do during the summer; they also provide a great reason to check off one of the items I listed on my summer bucket list

“Raid My Recipe Box” –and whip up a few family favorite recipes that I haven’t made in a while–CHECK!

Cherry Dessert Squares are perfect for a light, summer treat!

Cherry Dessert Squares. www.mytributejournal.com

Cherry Dessert Squares! www.mytributejournal.com

After making dough, spoon 1 can of cherry pie filling over 2/3’s dough that’s been pressed into a generously greased jelly roll  pan.  Take the remaining 1/3 dough and drop dollops randomly over the top of the cherries.

Cherry Dessert Squares! www.mytributejournal.com

Bake for approximately 30 min. at 350 degrees or until lightly golden brown–the mixture will come out resembling a bit of marblized cherry heaven!

Cherry Dessert Squares www.mytributejournal.com

Cool briefly, drizzle with frosting glaze, then cut into squares for a light, summer picnic dessert or patio treat!

Cherry Dessert Squares www.mytributejournal.com

With the bright red color of the cherries, you could put a little decorative flag in the center of the squares to give them a little patriotic flair that’s perfect for this time of year.

Cherry dessert squares are also good served warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.  My hubby has to have them with a tall, cold glass of milk!

Any fun family recipes you’ve made recently that you had to dig deep in the crevices of your recipe box to find?

–Mary

 

Cinderella Days! Little Bakers!

Cinderella Days!  Little Bakers And A Secret Ingredient Cookie Recipe!

Cindrella Days! www.mytributejournal.comI remember baking bread and cookies with my grandma on occasion, but for the most part, my most fond memories are of those times spent together while we worked in her garden. 

My granddaughters love helping me in my yard and are the best little worker bees when I’m working outside, but we also have some really fun times baking together too.  I have the best chocolate chip cookie recipe that I clipped out of a magazine years ago, ( I know, everybody always says that, but with the secret ingredient in this recipe, it IS the best!) and since the weather was rainy and blustery on a recent Cinderella Day, the girls were excited when I decided it was the perfect day to make a batch of cookies.  I had to chuckle when Makena said with her deep five year-old conviction, “No stinkin’ rain can stop our fun!”

Best Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. Www.mytributejournal.com

And yes, the secret ingredient is (drum roll)…Jello Vanilla Instant Pudding!

Jello Vanilla Instant Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies www.mytributejournal.com

There’s just something about adding the Jello Instant Pudding mix that makes these cookies so light with a cake-like texture!  Delicious!

Little Bakers! www.mytributejournal.com

Little Bakers! www.mytributejournal.com

Always include a little light-hearted “spoon karaoke” while waiting for your cookies to bake!   

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies www.mytributejournal.com

Don’t over bake, I bake the cookies for about 8-10 minutes–just until the edges are golden brown. 

Little Babkers! www.mytributejournal.com

We all know that eating the cookies is the best part!  (Although the girls and I are partial to the dough too!)  Eating cookies with my granddaughters is simply the most fun ever!

Makena and Marli were delighted to make up a plate to take home to share with their mom and dad!

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies! www.mytributejournal.com

Grandpa was surprised when he came home to see a plate full of cookies left for him too! 

I probably won’t inspire any great culinary prowess in my granddaughters, but I try to do a wide variety of activities with them on our Cinderella Days, and we always have fun…I suppose when all is said and done, that’s what really matters most!

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If you end up trying this recipe, let me know how you like it?  Do you have any recipes with an unusual ingredient in them?

–Mary