Tip of the Week: Classy Condiments to Enhance Your Next Cookout!

Hot dogs and hamburgers are pretty basic barbeque fare but that doesn’t mean they have to be boring as well!  Here are some delicious condiments that will add a gourmet touch to your next cookout:

For Burgers

• Chipotle Ketchup by Bobby Flay:  this famous grill master has created a smoky flavored ketchup with chipotle peppers and onions!
• Balsamic Onion Marmalade:  this is one of three new condiment offerings from Williams-Sonoma!  Golden caramelized onions and aged balsamic vinegar pair to create a unique burger topper!
• Country Ketchup:  this is a grown up ketchup from Stonewall Kitchen that’s chunky, zesty and spiced just right!

For Hot Dogs

• McClure’s Relish:  a family recipe used their own gourmet pickles to give this relish a pure pickle taste, with garlic and dill seasoning!
• Pickled Red Onions:  from Chef Renee Erickson of The Boat Street Café in Seattle, these onions are deliciously pickled in cider vinegar and perfect for your hot dogs!
• Dulcet Madras Curry Mustard:  this award winning mustard adds a special madras curry spice to organic Dijon mustard for an exotic taste with hints of sweetness and spice!
• Must-A-Kraut:  this funny name is exactly what it sounds like – a blend of mustard and sauerkraut!   Available in three flavors (Original, Spicy Brown and Deli Relish) this clever condiment, served hot or cold, will go a lot further than just hot dogs! (pictured at top)

Even if you pick up just one or two of these unique specialty items, you’ll definitely add a new twist to the standard backyard cuisine!  Happy Grilling!

You may also enjoy:

• Gourmet Hot Dog Toppings
• Fun New Ways to Serve Hot Dogs
• Perfect Corn on the Cob
  
• Spice Up Dinner Tonight
• Host a Kebab Party
• Fourth of July Patriotic Panache
  

Hot Dogs Revisited:  Some Fun New Ways to Serve Hot Dogs!

Even though it’s August and you may be thinking about back to school, back yard barbeques are still going strong!  And with that in mind, I love finding new ways of serving old favorites – with hot dogs at the top of that list!  Not too long ago, Busy Bee offered a number of delicious gourmet hot dog toppings and now I’ve got some new ideas to share!

Hot Dogs Across the Country

Almost every region of the United States has created its own special version of this cook out classic!  Give one of these local renditions of hot dog toppings a try:

• New York:  brown mustard and onions stewed in tomato paste
• Kansas City:  melted Swiss cheese and sauerkraut
• Atlanta:  loads of coleslaw
• Chicago:  yellow mustard, chopped onion, tomato slices, and pickled green peppers sprinkled with celery salt
• Detroit:  all-beef chili, raw white onion, yellow mustard and shredded cheddar cheese

Creative Hot Dog Recipes

Even the most distinguished chefs and culinary magazines have offered delicious renditions of the simple hot dog!

Rachel Ray – Out of the Park Burritos, Three Ways.  These recipes are from Rachael Ray and serve the dogs in tortillas instead of buns, with a nod to local fixings!

• NYC Burrito
• L.A. Burrito
• Chicago Burrito

Food & Wine Magazine – this recipe from Food & Wine Magazine features an Asian inspired glaze and grilled mustard-brushed croissants!

• Sweet and Savory Glazed Hot Dogs (pictured at top)

Better Homes and Gardens – this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens is the perfect balance of sweet and savory!

• Summertime Hot Dogs with Dr. Pepper Sauce

The Mustards that Pass the Taste Test

It’s hard to imagine a hot dog without mustard along side and Rachael Ray has done a terrific job of letting us know just which brands pass muster!  (okay, I could have said, cut the mustard!)

• Best Dijon:  Grey Poupon (at grocery stores)
• Best Honey:  Honeycup Uniquely Sharp Mustard
• Best Ballpark:  Raye’s Mustard Top Dog
• Best Deli:  Hellman’s Deli Mustard (at grocery stores)
• Best Hot:  Silver Spring Beer’n Brat Horseradish Mustard
• Best Oddball:  Inglehoffer Creamy Dill Mustard with Capers (at grocery stores)

I hope you enjoy these new tricks for an old dog!

You may also enjoy:

• Hot Dog:  A Summer Classic Revisited
• Host a Kebab Party
  
• New Ways to Prepare Corn on the Cob
• Delicious Orzo Summer Salad
  

Tip of the Week -  Spice Up Dinner Tonight!

Feeling that your family dinners have been a bit lack luster lately?  In a recipe rut?  I know that I tend to make the same three or four recipes over and over again until someone complains!  But, Destination Dinners is here to rescue our families from boredom and routine!

Destination Dinner Recipe Kits

Destination Dinner Recipe Kits allow you to whisk your family to foreign lands without ever leaving the dining room table.  Each of eleven recipe kits includes the recipe for a given country’s signature dish and the authentic sauces and spices, some of which would be really hard to find in the local grocery store.  There are step-by-step instructions and a shopping list for the fresh ingredients.  For added entertainment and education, the kits feature country specific trivia and fun facts!

Here are just a few of the culinary adventures awaiting you:

• Pattaya, Thailand for Pad Thai
• Dhaka, Bangladesh for Chicken Garam Masala
• Boston Beach, Jamaica for Jerk Chicken and BBQ Shrimp
• Tokyo, Japan for Pork Cutlet and Egg Rice Bowl

Try Destination Dinners and enjoy this new approach to family dining, along with some along with some international travel stateside!

And for more fun and quick tips, come follow me on Twitter –  it’s easy and free!

Host a Kebab Party – Easy Grilling Tips!

Warm summer evenings are perfect for entertaining, and putting together a “do-it-yourself” kebab party is easy and fun!

Here’s what you need to assemble:

Main Selection

• Choose two or three quick cooking cuts such as beef or pork tenderloin, chicken breasts, salmon fillet or shrimp.
• Marinade as you’d like, whether homemade or store bought!
• Except for the shrimp, cut the main “course” into pieces of equal thickness and set out in individual bowls.

Terrific Store Bought Marinades

• Chicken or Fish - Cookwell & Company Herb and Olive Oil Marinade
• Meat - Trader Joe’s Trader Ming’s Soyaki, D.L. Jardine’s Fajita Marinade or Tonton Vinaigrette

Vegetables

• Grill friendly vegetables include - zucchini, cherry tomatoes, red peppers, green beans, eggplant, asparagus, red onion cut into wedges, yellow squash and whole mushrooms.
• Arrange your vegetable selections in individual bowls or plates as well!

Brush on Flavorings

If you’d like to skip marinade, prepare a simple, flavored oil to brush on the kebabs before grilling.  Three terrific recipes from Food and Wine include:

• Four-Herb Oil (with a Mediterranean flair)
• Cumin-Adobo Oil (filled with Mexican flavor)
• Ginger-Sesame Oil (an Asian inspired glaze)

Grilling Tips:

Double Skewering – Food and Wine Magazine offers a clever idea for grilling and suggests “double skewering” the ingredients with two bamboo skewers so that the kebabs will lie flat without spinning on the grill.

Circular Shaped Kebab Skewer – Another great grilling innovation is a Circular Kebab Skewer whose curve travels easily from grill to plate! (pictured at top)

Bring a new flair to your next barbeque with this festive and simple party plan that will put your guests to “work” in the best possible way!

You may also enjoy:

• Gourmet Hot Dog Toppings
• Patriotic Party Panache
• Give Your Summer a Theme
• New Ways to Prepare Corn on the Cob

This week I came across a fun new idea for a summer dessert:  a popsicle and soda bar!   This cool treat is easily pulled together by assembling an assortment of “skinny” ice pops in a variety of fruit flavors, along with carbonated sodas and sparkling flavored waters.  Invite guests to mix and match popsicles and drinks, using the popsicles as “stirrers.”  My family tested this sunny day specialty in our kitchen and the kids loved it!

Consider purchasing red, white and blue ice pops and serving this dessert at your Fourth of July celebration!  And for more creative and doable ideas for your next summer picnic, head to “Celebrate the Fourth of July with Patriotic Panache!”

Don’t miss out! For more fun and quick tips, come follow me on Twitter – you’ll have to join but it’s EASY and free!

P.S. thanks to Southern Living and Rachel Ray magazines for inspiring this tip!