Surf Dogs

I LOVE hot dogs. I really do - there's nothing better or more satisfying sometimes. It bugs the living sh*t out of me that my husband won't touch them. Something about a traumatic experience choking on one as a kid. Please. Recently my Food Network magazine had a whole spread on yummy ways to dress up your hot dog. I was so excited! When we were invited to a block party, it was my perfect opportunity to try one out. I chose the "Surf Dog." It seemed like a refreshing choice for a hot (and I mean like, over 100 degrees hot) day.

The recipe called for grilling the hot dogs with a teriyaki glaze and then topping them with a mixture of chopped pineapple, red onions, scallions, red bell pepper, cayenne, salt and pepper. Here is how I changed the recipe.

First, I used cocktail wieners for a more appetizer-like dish. I mixed soy, teriyaki and worcestershire sauce in a pot and boiled the little cocktail wieners in there for a few minutes, poking them with toothpicks so the flavor would become infused into the dogs. Then, I made the toppings into a salsa. I used crushed pineapple and finely chopped red onions, scallions and red bell peppers. I mixed it all together in a bowl and instead of cayenne, I used paprika, sea salt and black pepper.

I cut regular sized hot dog buns into thirds, placed the cocktail wiener inside and topped it with my salsa mixture. Voila! The dish went over well at the block party and everyone was intrigued at this new way to eat a hot dog. Try it out!