{tailgating snacks: mini corndogs 3 ways}

While living in Chicago,  I found myself watching a lot more football than I previously had in my life between Northwestern's team, the Bears and rooting on the Georgia Dogs or USC Trojans alongside friends.  I would say that now I am about 10% more interested in football than I was previously which is a solid jump for me.  But I'm 100% more interested in the act of tailgating (something previously foreign to me as I went to a college with a forgettable football situation).  More specifically- the elevated version of tailgating (like this amazing tailgate).   You might remember a post on here for mini corndogs with fancy ketchup pairings.  That post has actually been seeing a lot of action lately - maybe because football season is beginning or maybe it's getting bounced around on pinterest... who knows.   I thought it would be fun to do a little update to that post adding in some more interesting flavor options for the mini corndogs.  I tried out jalapeno, onion/chive and maple versions- all of which are soooo good that Chris and I probably ate 6 each (not sorry.).  Scroll down for the recipes and happy tailgating season!

 {fyi- thats the "real talk" photo of the kitchen. I didn't move things out of the way so it looked pretty. my cell phone is within arm's reach. all thats missing here is a glass of red wine or a stiff drink, but I made these in the early afternoon so you know how it goes...}

Mini Corndog Flavor Trio

what you need (makes 24 mini corndogs) :

• corn bread mix (I used Trader Joe's version) and ingredients listed on box for mix which for me was vegetable oil, 1 egg & whole milk
• 2 jalapenos
• 1 bunch fresh chives
• 1 white onion
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 pack of Hebrew National Beef Franks
• mini cupcake pan
• cooking spray 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix corn bread according to box instructions. Then divide the mixture evenly among three small bowls.
3. Finely chop jalapeno.  Dice one half of a white onion. Fine chop chives.
4. Carmelize onions on stovetop until golden brown (about 10 minutes over medium heat).  Set aside and allow to cool.
5. Mix in 1/3 cup of the jalapeno into one bowl of cornbread mix.  Mix in cooled onions and 1/4 cup cut chives in the second bowl of cornbread mix.  Mix in 2 tablespoons of maple syrup into last bowl of cornbread mix.
6. Cut hot dogs into 1-inch long pieces- usually about 4 pieces per hot dog.
7. Spray mini cupcake pan with cooking spray.
8. Place about 3/4 tablespoon of cornbread mix in each cupcake basin. 
9. Place one hot dog piece in the middle of each "muffin."
10. Bake corndogs for about 12 minutes or until edges just start to get golden brown. 
11. Allow to cool before removing from cupcake pan. 
12. Enjoy!

You can also check out a fun video I did with Hebrew National all about elevating your tailgate right here. 

With grilling season upon us, everyone is craving an all-American hot dog. What makes a kosher hot dog different? It's all about what makes the cut (and what doesn't). Hebrew National is choosy about what goes into their franks – only 100% pure kosher beef so you know what you’re getting and they taste great. No artificial flavors, colors, fillers or byproducts.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Hebrew National via Mode Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Hebrew National.

{mini appetizer trio}

While shopping for some decor items for our Moroccan themed dinner party, I came across this mini tasting set for only $20 and my mini food loving heart basically stopped.  So obviously I brought that immediately and started brainstorming exactly what dishes to make for it.  Initially I thought it might be perfect used to serve a trio of desserts at the end of the meal, but it's such a fun piece I decided it would be better to greet guests with it (because who knows what anyone is going to remember once we are three bottles of wine in at the end of the dinner so it's better to lead with fun stuff!).

For the tasting spoon piece I created a rosewater cucumber gimlet jello-shot (based on the success of this recipe).  For the mini square bowl, I placed a handful of spiced cashews from Trader Joe's in the interest of saving time - I had considered the idea of a mini salad in that vessel, but I figured my time was better spent on the main dinner entrees.  For the small glass, we whipped up a big batch of spicy tomato gazpacho which turned out to be my favorite dish of the entire evening!  Our guests were absolutely delighted with this fun sampler set up for the appetizers and I am definitely planning to use this set again for future dinner parties utilizing any number of the dishes from this inspiration board. I can't wait to share the rest of the decor, recipes and photos from this entire dinner party soon!

Scroll to the bottom of the post for links and tips on these recipes:

{garnishing the jello shots with a sprinkling of sugar}

Rosewater Gimlet Jello Shot:

3/4 cup gin
1/3 cup lime juice
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons of rosewater
3/4 cup water
2 packets of Knox gelatin
ice cube mold

Lightly spray silicone mold with cooking spray making sure to wipe down any areas where excess oil collects.  Mix together gin, lime juice, sugar & rosewater in a bowl and set aside.  In a small saucepan, heat water to just before boiling then remove from heat.  Add knox gelatin to heated water until fully combined then immediately add to gin mixture and stir until well incorporated.  Immediately add jello mixture to desired mold or you can use a small pan and cut out whatever shape you want once the mixture is set.  Place in fridge for 2 hours or overnight.  To remove from silicone molds, it helps to run a small knife along edges of mold or run warm water along the back of the mold.  Shots will hold at room temperature for about 2 hours before they start to melt a bit so it is best to serve immediately.


Thai Lime & Chili Cashews from Trader Joe's


Tomato Gazpacho:  We used this recipe from Cooks Illustrated, but be warned that it is a very involved recipe and if I were to do it again I would omit the "finely chopped" portion of the recipe which is intended to be added to the blended gazpacho at the end of the recipe.  I would avoid this part of the recipe partly because it's time consuming, but also because I prefer a smooth gazpacho and this step makes it more of a chunky salad texture.

{watermelon goat cheese bites}

Today's super easy appetizer recipe is my favorite kind of recipe.  Is there cheese in it? Yes- creamy goat cheese that happens to be one of my favorites.  Does it look super impressive like it took you all day long to put together and makes people wonder if you moonlight at a fancy catering company in your free time, but really it takes about 15 minutes total?  Absolutely.  Plus it's a mini serving that can be consumed in one bite without a mess!

I recently picked up a a set of circle cutters from Sur La Table hoping they would inspire a variety of dishes, but up until now I have only used the largest size once to arrange a salad.  When I spotted this adorable appetizer of watermelon cylinders topped with goat cheese and garnished with a crisp cucumber I knew it was my chance to break out some unused kitchen gadgets!  Read below for recipe and instructions then proceed to impress people when you roll up to a casual BBQ with this masterpiece of a potluck dish.

 {this little set up is the best trick for filling a pastry bag.  simply place the bag in a tall glass and fold the top over the sides of the glass. fill the bag then fold back the top to avoid a big mess!}

 {piping the cheese onto the watermelon slices is what makes this dish look so impressive- you can certainly just spoon out the mixture, but the effect just wont be the same, although let's be honest -the cheese tastes great either way}

what you need:

• 1 small seedless watermelon
• 1 package soft goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons cream
• 1/4 fresh cucumber, cut into slices
• pastry bag with star tip
• 1.5 inch metal cylinder cutter

1. Cut watermelon in 1 inch wide round slices, then punch out circles using cylinder cutter.  Place directly on serving tray.
2. Mix together goat cheese and cream until combined into a smooth texture. 
3. Transfer cheese mixture to a pastry piping bag with desired tip attachment - I used a star tip for this one. 
4. Pipe about 1 tablespoon of cheese onto each watermelon slice.
5. Garnish with a small cucumber slice.
6. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator for a few hours before. 

{tailgate food: mini corn dog bites + fancy ketchup}

While I am not a huge football game fan, tailgating and the food that goes along with it is something I can definitely get behind.  With football season in full swing, I thought it might be fun to whip up an unfussy dish for game day snacking.  This quick recipe for mini "corn-dogs" is the perfect item to bring to your next potluck tailgating invite.

I, of course, had to make it a bit more fancy than typical football related food dishes by whipping up some gourmet ketchups and a honey mustard to go along with it.  Also I opted to use cornbread mix rather than making cornbread from scratch because well...I enjoy my free time and cornbread mix is a lot like cupcake mix to me in that it tastes just as good if not better than the real thing, but in waaaaay less time.  All recipes at the bottom of the post....

Mini Corndogs

what you need:

• corn bread mix (I used Trader Joe's version) and ingredients listed on box for mix which for me was vegetable oil, 1 egg & whole milk
• 1 pack of regular hot dogs
• mini cupcake pan
• cooking spray 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix corn bread according to box instructions.
3. Cut hot dogs into 1-inch long pieces- usually about 6 pieces per hot dog.
4. Spray mini cupcake pan with cooking spray.
5. Place about 3/4 tablespoon of cornbread mix in each cupcake basin. 
6. Place one hot dog piece in the middle of each "muffin."
7. Bake corndogs for about 12 minutes or until edges just start to get golden brown. 
8. Allow to cool before removing from cupcake pan. 

Gourmet Ketchups & Honey Mustard: to make each of the dipping sauces simply mix the ratios listed below together in desired container:

Curry Ketchup: 1/2 cup ketchup to 1/2 teaspoon Curry powder

Spicy Ketchup: 1/2 cup ketchup to 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce

Honey Mustard: 1/4 cup dijon mustard to 1/4 cup honey

{brunch appetizer}

I really love appetizers- so much so that I would almost prefer to order exclusively from the appetizer menu when out at a restaurant.   Appetizers allow chefs to experiment a little more with flavor combinations since patrons will only have a bite or two of the dish which means they tend to be more interesting while not being a huge investment in terms of what you eat over the course fo a whole meal.  Breakfast and even brunch really get the short end of the stick as far as appetizers are concerned.  Brunch might have some amazing cocktails dedicated solely the specific meal/time of day, but there is no such thing as a brunch appetizer menu and that generally disappoints me.  

We have had some houseguests this summer which got me thinking about easy appetizer ideas for Sunday brunch.  Since we are talking about the first meal of the day (potentially before you have even have coffee aka the time of the day when simple tasks are too much to comprehend) I wanted to think of something easy that could be mostly prepared ahead of time.  I ended up creating these mini yogurt/granola cups inspired by my favorite morning room service order.  The yogurt and cute signs are prepared the day or night before then the morning of before your guests drag themselves out of bed, you simply top the cups with granola and fresh berries as well as mini spoon.  Find a similar set of the mini glass containers I used right here.  Obviously this isn't the type of thing you would prepare for the random friend that drinks too much and falls asleep on your couch after a party, but it is a nice dish to prepare for those extra special house guests! 

{my favorite mini spoons for appetizers from here} 

 {the secret to not making a mess trying to get yogurt into mini containers- a little squeeze bottle.  the mini containers are home Home Goods- you can find similar ones right here}

 {more than half of the work is done the night before and ready in the fridge! and yes- our fridge is pretty empty right now since I have been travelling so much. dont judge.}

{dressed up caprese}

Pretty soon I am going to change the name of this blog to "100 ways to make caprese" - not today, but if I keep posting stuff like this then that name change might be right around the corner.  Anyways- you know what is good is mini skewered caprese bites, but what is even better is when you make them a bit bigger,  double the layers, add in sliced red beets and top the whole thing with a sprinkling of pistachios.  This is exactly the type of appetizer you bring to someone's house that will make them think you actually know what you are doing in the kitchen.  Plus it looks effortless to make and the bonus is that it actually takes little to no effort!

{dirty chips recipe}

Inspired by a recipe at Todd English Pub in Las Vegas, Chris created his own recipe for "dirty chips" which can basically be described as fancy nachos.  They have become a party staple for some time now- we ate them in Palm Springs, on the 4th of July and just whenever all the ingredients seem to be available around our place.  This dish always reminds me of "game day" food, but really its great for any get together- especially when served to a bunch of people in their formal wear before a night out on the town like this past Saturday.  Here is our version of the recipe, but feel to add and delete ingredients to your heart's desire:

what you need:

• one bag of sea salt kettle chips (this is pretty much the only thing you cannot sub out of this recipe. its kettle chips or you don't make this dish. got it? great.)
• one 8oz container gorgonzola cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mexican blend cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 3/4 cup fresh pico de gallo
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup chipotle sour cream (directions to create this below)
• 4 slices bacon- chopped

1. create chipotle sour cream by mixing 3 to 4 finely chopped chipotle peppers with 1 cup sour cream. Place mixture into a pastry bag or ziploc bag with a hole cut in the corner. 
2. cook up slices of bacon, chop and set aside.
3. line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. place chips in a thin layer across baking sheet- be careful not to stack the chips too much as you want the toppings to evenly cover all chips. 
4. top chips with gorgonzola, mexican cheese, and bacon
5. bake in oven at 375 for about 5 to 7 minutes or until cheese is melted. 
6. remove from oven and immediately cover chips with the remaining toppings and serve right away!

**as a side note- I have given measurements for all the toppings above as a rough guideline, but these are certainly not strict measurements. Feel free to eyeball the toppings to your liking. 

{chris cooking in a bowtie and Anthropolgie apron. naturally.}

{breakfast for dinner birthday party}

 
As promised, I am back with the full recap from the breakfast for dinner birthday party we hosted for our dear friend Kay.  With Kay's direction for the color scheme and food, we set out to create a breakfast themed cocktail party rather than do a sit down dinner.  We made everything in mini form like mini egg Mcmuffin sandwiches, french toast bites,  mini donuts and a cereal bar so that guests could mingle and snack throughout the evening.  To make sure people didn't go hungry, we also cooked up some chicken and waffles which were served later in the evening.  We purchased Trader Joe's frozen belgium waffles and topped each one with a fried chicken strip from KFC.  

Although we had beer and wine available, the main drinks for the party were a do it yourself Bloody Mary Bar and a Bellini Bar.  Besides the McMuffin sandwiches, bacon skewers & snickerdoodle birthday cake, everything was purchased ready made (most items were frozen) to make the party a quick and easy set up.  We also tried to pick breakfast items that are just as yummy cold as they are hot out of the oven since we knew there would be no way to keep everything at the perfect temperature.  My favorites from the night were the individual servings of french toast with maple syrup and the cereal bar!

For the decor, we kept everything pretty simple with a few printed labels in the color scheme and some festive drink garnishes.  Using a roll of kraft paper and some sheets of cardstock in our desired colors, Kay & I created a huge paper chain to serve as the statement decoration above the main table.  This was by far the easiest party decor I have ever created and although it doesn't photograph well, it really makes an impact in person.  We simply cut the strips of the paper into 2 inch wide strips about 12 inches long for the colored cardstock and 20 inches long for the kraft paper and then stapled each loop onto the next.  I really loved the result and think this could make an awesome photobooth backdrop or canopy over a dinner party table.

 {the birthday girl}

 {chalkboard instructions}

 {bloody mary fixings}

 {bellini fixings}

 {cereal and champagne for the win}

{pancakes and bloody marys}