Spiral Dogs

After seeing this on {Reddit} earlier in the week, I couldn't stand another day without trying this!  I am blogging about it because, well everyone on Pinterest should see this, and I don't know how to Pinterest Videos.  In fact, my husband sent me an email stating I needed to "Pinterest the shit out of this".  So, please help me by re-pinning if you too want to try these amazing dogs!

This is why you too will want to spiral cut your next hot dog!

Needed elements: knife, wooden skewers, hot dogs

Put the hot dog on the wooden skewer

It should be pretty much in the center

Cut through the dog to the skewer.  Make sure to angle your knife.

Roll the dog, continuing to slice til the end

Remove from skewer.  You'll see it's all connected and springy!

Prepare all that you intend on grilling

Grill them (YES, it is Valentine's Day and the Xmas lights are still festively lighting the grill area)

Look at all the surface area that was properly warmed and toasty goodness

THE BEST PART!!!!  THE CONDIMENTS FILL IN THE SPIRAL 'cracks'

Amazingness in a bun!  You'll never want another simple grilled dog!





I am not the originator of this idea, I just took pictures instead of a video.  The idea came from here.

Homey dinner on a snowy day - Tator Tot hotdish

Tator Tot Hotdish is a family favorite.

Grandma used to make it all the time.  Now my dad does.  He modified Grandma's Recipe to be healthier (and tastier).  Now I too am making it, and modifying it!

Grandma's receipe has about 3 lbs of burger (and onions), 1 frozen bag of mixed veggies and 3 cans of "Cream of XXX soup", then 1 bag of tator tots.  And oodles of salt :)


Here's the Recipe I made and photos as I made it (My dad's is super similar):

Preheat oven to 325ºF.  Put a few tator tots on the bottom of the roaster:

To soak up some juice and give you some spuds on the bottom

Brown one pound hamburger with one diced onion. (MY ADDITION: add one 8oz pack of mushrooms, sliced).  SEASON YOUR MEAT with lots of salt and pepper.  (MY ADDITION: a few glugs of Balsami Vinegar too)

1 pound burger, 1 onion, 1 -8oz sliced mushrooms, salt, pepper, balsmic vinegar...MMMM

In a separate kettle,boil some carrots to soften them a bit. add frozen corn (1 bag) and frozen green beans(1 bag).  MY ADDITION:  Add some smoked paprika to the veggies.

veggies, as they begin to thaw, that's why they are segmented

Veggies all stirred up so you can see the ratios

Then stir in one can of cream of mushroom soup into the veggies.  Make sure you keep all the liquid in the veggies, this keeps your Hotdish moist.  AND IS SUPER GOOD on Day #2

Then Layer into the roaster!

Veggies with Cream of Mushroom Soup  on top of base layer of tots

 NEXT, Add ground Beef mixture to the top

mmmm.  tasty.  Like I said Mushrooms are my addition along with Balsamic Vinegar

Cover with Tots

ALRIGHT, Using regular AND sweet potato tots were my experiment this time.  I will skip it next time, they get to soft and don't hold form.  BUT it makes for pretty hotdish and it wasn't horrible.

BAKE at 325 for like an hour.  Everything is cooked, but you gotta get everything to meld together!

I forgot a picture of the finished product, but believe me, it was good :)

Have fun making it!

Caramel Popcorn Balls!

So for a family function in September, we decided to make Caramel Popcorn Balls!  It was Czeck family gathering at the home farm near Foley.

We wanted to make Caramel Popcorn balls.  I know that Aunt Aggie, used to make them every year at Halloween, so I called her daughter Maureen for the recipe!    So this recipe comes from the DeGross family!

Caramel Popcorn Balls with Chocolate (Photo Credit to Cousin Terry)

CARAMEL POPCORN BALLS

First we popped 2 batches of pop corn in the air-popper.  (About a total of 1 cup of un popped corn.  We did it in 2 batches (1/2c each).  DO NOT SALT THE POPCORN!

For the Caramel:

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Heavy whipping cream

1 cup Caro syrup

1 tsp salt.

Bring to boil.  Keep Stirring.  You need to bring the mixture to 242-248 degrees.  It will get foamy and start getting thick.  if you don't have a candy thermometer, you can use the "Firm Ball test"  Firm ball: Forms a firm ball that will not flatten when removed from water, but remains malleable and will flatten when squeezed. 

When it's done, add  1 tsp Vanilla.  Stir in and then pour over popcorn.  Wearing rubber gloves with butter on can help form the balls.  if you caramel, wasn't quite hot enough, you might have to let it sit a bit longer before forming balls.  If you got it too hot(very firm ball), You may ned to form balls immediately!

Enjoy!