Dog Days of Summer: Great Toppings for Your Hot Dogs

Enjoy the final weeks of vacation with dear friends and the kids with these easy recipes that permit you to unleash your inner dog: Puppies; Peppers and Fennel Dogs; Sundried Tomato and Feta Sauce; Creamy Truffle Gruyere Sauce.

PUPPIES
Boil or grill mini beef hot dogs according to directions. Serve inside mini potato or brioche rolls cut in half and topped with your favorite condiment such as Dijon mustard, ketchup, sauerkraut or frisée lettuce.

PEPPERS & FENNEL DOGS
Cut all-pork hot dogs in half lengthwise. Over medium high heat in a skillet, saute pork dogs in 1 tablespoon olive oil with 2 sliced bell peppers and 1 thinly sliced yellow onion. Add 1 clove chopped garlic, a pinch of cayenne, fennel seeds and a splash of water to help cook the vegetables. Serve on toasted hoagie rolls topped with sauteed vegetables.

SUNDRIED TOMATO AND FETA SAUCE
Prepared in 10 minutes or less.

Ingredients

¾ lbs crumbled feta cheese

½ cup sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained and coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled

½ tsp dried oregano leaves

¾ cup light sour cream or milk or Greek yogurt

Ground white pepper to taste

Preparation

Combine feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, oregano, sour cream and white pepper in food processor.  Process until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl.  Serve with all-lamb hot dogs inside toasted baguettes.

CREAMY TRUFFLE GRUYERE SAUCE
Prepared in 15 minutes or less.

Ingredients

2 cups milk

3½ Tbs Truffle butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour, sifted to remove lumps

1½ tsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp hot sauce

½ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground white pepper

1⁄8 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

10 oz aged Gruyère cheese, grated

2 Tbs chopped fresh tarragon

Preparation

In a small saucepan, heat milk over medium heat. Small bubbles will begin to form around edges of pan.  Remove pan from heat. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan melt Truffle butter over medium-high heat.  Add sifted flour, stir continuously, and cook for 4 minutes or until color turns light golden. Slowly whisk in the hot milk from the small pan.  Stir in Dijon, hot sauce, white pepper, soy sauce and cook 4 minutes, whisking continuously. Sauce should thicken.

Gradually whisk in grated cheese and fresh tarragon.  Keep warm. Serve with all-beef or all-chicken hot dogs inside toasted baguettes.

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